Tag Archive for: British Columbia
100 Men Who Care Cowichan Valley Donate to Easter Seals Camp Shawnigan
(Photo: Jaap Zwaan, Lisa Beck, Matthuw Ronald-Jones)
Cowichan, B.C. (July 26, 2022): Local chapter of 100 Men Who Care, Cowichan Valley, have picked their latest local charity to support, and this week, Matthuw Ronald-Jones, who nominated Easter Seals Camp Shawnigan, presented them with a cheque in the amount of $10,210.
“Easter Seals is an organization that has been in our community since 1976 when the camp first opened to serve children, youth and adults with diverse abilities on Shawnigan Lake. Each summer they host over 200 campers in a space that is inclusive and accessible, giving individuals with diverse abilities the chance to have a unique camp experience,” Ronald-Jones explains. “We see the impact that organizations like Easter Seals have on the families in the Cowichan Valley, and I’m so thrilled we could acknowledge their great work with a donation from 100 Men Who Care.”
100 Men Who Care is a philanthropic group of local men who are interested in supporting their community by contributing to charities together as a group to increase the donation impact. It’s designed to make an immediate and positive difference.
At each of the quarterly meetings, members nominate charities, three are chosen at random, and after a brief presentation, the members vote on which charity to support. Once the winning charity is announced, everyone writes a $100 cheque to that charity.
“We would like to thank Matthuw Ronald-Jones for nominating Easter Seals Camp Shawnigan and sharing our charity’s work with his fellow club members. He has been such a wonderful supporter of our organization,” says Lisa Beck, President and CEO of Easter Seals BC/Yukon. “It was a wonderful surprise to find out that we were the chosen recipient of their latest generous contributions. These men, who come together just four times a year, make such a big difference in their community, and we are so grateful for the support and opportunities that this donation will give our campers.”
The next 100 Men Who Care’s meeting will be held on September 12 where they will pick another local charity to benefit.
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About Easter Seals BC/Yukon and BC Lions Society for Children with Disabilities
Easter Seals BC/Yukon is one of British Columbia’s legacy charities and is operated by the BC Lions Society for Children with Disabilities (Society) to help individuals with diverse abilities. Since 1947, the Society has provided programs and services to families and persons with diverse abilities that help improve their quality of life. Over 75 years, the Society has helped over 1,000,000 families in need through transportation services, child health research, Easter Seals summer camps, Easter Seals House, post-secondary bursaries at seven regional colleges or universities, community access services, and patient care programs.
NATIONAL VOLUNTEER AWARDS 2022
The annual Easter Seals National Volunteer Awards – announced during National Volunteer Week each year – honours and celebrates the contributions of Canadians from coast to coast who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to Easter Seals’ mission and vision through their volunteerism, time, passion and dedication to Easter Seals.
Easter Seals congratulates all the recipients of the National Volunteer Awards for 2022, and thanks each individual for their contributions to Easter Seals and in helping make Canada a more inclusive society for people of all abilities.
Easter Seals also thanks all of our other volunteers for their dedication, commitment, time and contributions to Easter Seals and their support in advancing Easter Seals mission and vision to enhance the quality of life, well-being and independence of Canadians who are living with disabilities/with diverse abilities.
“Volunteers are a critical part of Easter Seals. Their passion and contributions, in various capacities, to the mission and success of the organization helps ensure that we are able to provide programs and services that make a positive, transformative impact in the lives of many individuals and families across Canada who are living with disabilities… especially during the COVID19 pandemic. We are incredibly grateful and thankful to our many volunteers across the country for their incredible generosity and contributions to Easter Seals, and their their unwavering dedication to helping make Canada a truly accessible and inclusive society for all.”
Dave Starrett, President & CEO of Easter Seals Canada
In BC our 2022 Easter Seals National Volunteer Award Recipient is: Sharon Hansen
We are delighted to present a 2022 National Volunteer Award to Sharon Hansen.
For over 20 years, Sharon has made an incredible impact and been a passionate advocate for children and adults with disabilities. Always gravitating to helping people, her first involvement with Easter Seals in BC happened when the youth group she was coaching was approached to perform at one of our Timmy’s Telethons, and it’s there where her interest in charity and community involvement began. Later on, she was instrumental in starting the North Vancouver Deep Cove Lions Club in 1999. Through this endeavour she was invited to an open house at Camp Squamish where she saw firsthand children with disabilities enjoying the camp. She was then invited to tour Easter Seals House, and after noticing the repairs and work that needed to be done on the House at the time, she hoped her club could help make a difference.
Her volunteer activities are as varied as her skills, and they include such things as hosting Easter Seals fundraisers like the most recently popular paper shredding events, personally selling paper eggs for the Easter Seals Month campaign, and establishing the Camp Improvement Committee for Camp Squamish.
Sharon has worked tirelessly not only as a volunteer through her Lions Club and a chairperson for her Lions district, but also now as an Easter Seals Board Member where her work on the Lions Committee has played a key role in re-establishing a partnership and awareness of Easter Seals with Lions Clubs across British Columbia.
Sharon is an absolute pleasure to work with and we know she is very deserving of the National Volunteer Award.
“It is an honour to be considered for this award.
It seems I was destined for volunteering and helping my community, and my role as a volunteer, as a Lion, and as an ambassador for kids and underserved communities has come full circle. My passion for kids has defined who I am.
I remember very well seeing the yellow Easter Seals buses running throughout Vancouver, I love sharing our best kept secrets like donating funds for the helipad at Vancouver General Hospital, and I am extremely proud of the Vancouver East Lions Club for having the initial vision that began our legacy.
One of my favourite memories is seeing the kids at camp playing outside and having so much fun. They are in a place where no one sees their disability and they are all equal, and that is just so heartwarming.
I look forward to celebrating the 75th anniversary of Easter Seals BC/Yukon this year, and am honoured to be a part of their history.” – Sharon Hansen
