B.C. LIONS SOCIETY FOR CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES
Awards
Board of Directors:
Fund Raising Projects
Club History
Members Information
Lend Lease Program
Mount Cheam Lions Hall
Train and Hobby Show
Walk and Knock
Photos
Service Projects
Upcoming Events
The Mount Cheam Lions have been supporters of the B.C. Lions Society for the 35 years that we have been in existance. Members originally stuffed the Easter Seal mail outs and mailed them out each year. Our members support both Easter Seal House in Vancouver and Camp Squamish on a yearly basis and volunteered for many years at Timmy's Telethon which was a fund raiser for the camps. Our own PCC Lion Al Hunt is a member of the Board of Directors of the Society.
Photo of Easter Seal House Vancouver. Lion Brenda Jones in front of lobby
Lobby of Easter Seal House Vancouver
The article below is a history of the B.C. Lions Society
A History of Services & Programs by our Society
The Vancouver East Lions Club started the Easter Seal Transportation service in 1949 with the use of 2 station wagons to drive disabled children to and from schools and medical appointments. By 1952 the Lions Clubs in the Lower Mainland were approached for help in funding and expanding the service, thus the formation of the Transportation Society and its incorporation. The first 2 buses were bought in 1955 and other organizations started supplying buses. 20 years later, we had 88 Easter Seal Buses serving children and adults with disabilities throughout BC from Victoria to Campbell River, Kamloops to Penticton and Prince George to Quesnel, Prince Rupert and Dawson Creek. As of 1976 the Easter Seal Transportation Service was the largest and most comprehensive system helping children and adults with disabilities in the world. $1.1 million dollars was spent on transportation this year causing a loss of ˝ million to be covered by Lions Clubs & Lucky Leo Lotteries. This already had been a phenomenal accomplishment and in the next ten years grew to 188 buses serving 68 communities throughout BC. Many Lions Clubs in BC had helped finance this growth. After 1986 the drivers were unionized and so were the School Boards. The cost of transportation rose and it became more difficult and time consuming to negotiate contracts with the School Boards even though we were running a non-profit organization. Eventually the decision was made to disband the fleet and sell the buses to local organizations to operate. We sold the buses for $1 as long as they promised to operate, insure and maintain them. We now still have 15 buses operating in 12 communities. The Handi Dart logo that most people remember was a Lions Society Logo adapted in the late 70’s and still in operation today.
History of Camps
By 1957 the Lions Clubs in the Society began their second services: Easter Seal Camps for children with disabilities and with the co-operating of the logging industry Camp Chehalis in the Fraser Valley and Camp Cowichan on Vancouver Island were made available to us in the summer months at no cost to the Society except for their own. These were used for just under 20 years. By 1969 the Lions Society Transportation, Camping and Patient Care services had grown so much the administration and financing was turned over to the Multiple District of Lions International. The Chairman of the BC Lions Society was appointed and reported directly to the Multiple District Council of Governors which were all members of the Society. The Executive Committee comprised of: Chairman – Camping
Vice Chair – Transportation
Secretary – Lucky Leo Lotteries
Assistant Chairman – Patient Care
Easter Seal Chairman – Fundraising
Board of Directors comprised of Lions Club Presidents, Governors, Cabinet Chairman, Secretaries, Treasurers and members.
1975 was a record breaking year that saw the purchase of 3 new camps in a short period of time. By 1976 Easter Seal Transportation, Easter Seal Camping and Easter Seal Patient Care services were separate entities under the Society. Camp Winfield was purchased in 1968 and the residence was bought in 1969. The Hiram Walker & Son Distillery Administration building was bought for $1 by the Winfield Lions Club and they moved it to Camp Winfield in 1971. By 1972 Camp Winfield became a Multiple District 19 project and the Lions Clubs from the Okanagan are to be commended for their dedication, hard work and the support they have given in accomplishing all the improvements done over the years.
Camp Shawnigan was purchased in 1978 and was a rundown infested conglomeration of buildings, but when the Lions Society members went to first look at it they saw a huge cement statue of a Lion guarding the entrance and overlooking the lake and took it as an omen: they had to have it!. A huge project was undertaken by the Lions Clubs in District I to repair the buildings, build ramps, renovate buildings to create a camp accessible to the children and adults with disabilities that would use it. These Lions Club members did an awesome amount of work in very little time, 8 to 10 months, so that the camp could open in the summer of 1979. By 1985, 135 children with disabilities used the camp which is now in use year round.
Camp Squamish was a school for boys and was bought in 1976. It had been designed and built in 1972 by Erickson & Mosley, renowned architects. Here
again Lions Clubs from District A & H did a fantastic job in getting the camp ready for children with disabilities. The Society has taken on many projects in the past few years; Heated pool, new roof on all major buildings, outdoor eating and BBQ pit “covered”, outdoor camping area. This camp is also widely used by church groups, swimming schools, and many adults with a disability groups throughout the off-season. When purchased the camp was a
hobby farm with horses, goats, rabbits and chickens for all to enjoy. By 1985, 467 children with disabilities used the camp.
For all 3 camps, the staff & counselors are hand picked to look after children with disabilities; there is usually a nurse on staff with a doctor on call and
counselors are one for every two kids with the exception of extreme conditions.
History of Easter Seal Houses
The Easter Seal House Society was formed and incorporated in April 1983 and approved by Revenue Canada by July 1983. The Vancouver Easter Seal House was on West 10th originally, then was sold and the new building was at 625 West 12th; this house had 5 kitchen units and was close to Vancouver General Hospital.
Head office was at 177 W 7th Ave, it was a four story building that we owned, then sold in 2001 where we rented the third floor for two years until we moved to Oak and 23rd after master renovator Rick Harker was ready for us. The property at Oak & 23rd was designed by architect Ron Howard and opened in 1984 with 53 self contained unites and is now our head office. The Easter Seal House in Prince George opened in July 1983 when the
members of the Northern Interior Lodge approved the transfer to the BC Lions Society and called it the Northern Interior Easter Seal House.
In Victoria a lease was signed in 2000 with the Church that owned it and is known as the Victoria Easter Seal House.
We are now blessed with a new President, who in his six short years of service has made more corporate friends in the community dedicated to our cause than at any time in our history including when we had the Timmy Telethon. He has acquired the trust and admiration of his staff and is very open to us the Directors.
An Afterthought
Sometimes the younger Lions members get frustrated with the ways and thoughts of some of our elders. Maybe we should just sit back and admire the
dedication and work ethic these people had to accomplish what we have so far and the services they have provided to the people with disabilities of BC. They have earned their pat on the back and we are just teenagers in the game they built. I hope we can look after the future and feel as proud as they do on what they accomplished.
Submitted by,
Ray Morrisette, Director
June 23, 2007
1. Walk and Knock 2. Sight First 3. Hearing 4. Lend Lease 5. Phaco Eye Machine 6. Camp Horizon 7. Sunshine Drive Breakfast 8. Terry Fox Breakfast