It was Extreme Makeover, but without Ty Pennington, said Marco Pasqua.
The Squamish Easter Seals Camp was a hive of activity on Thursday (May 16), as volunteers from Belfor Property Restoration and British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA) restored the summer camp's facilities. For Pasqua and the approximately 350 youth with disabilities who attend the camp annually, the day went beyond nails and hammers.
It is more than just a place where kids go to camp, the 28-year-old said, among the whiz of circular saws and bangs of hammers. It is constructing dreams into realities.
Born with cerebral palsy, Pasqua spends most of his time in a wheelchair. When he was seven years old he attended the B.C. Lions Society's facility as a camper. Opened in 1972, the camp is designed to be fully accessible, and each summer, children with disabilities are invited free of charge. For eight years, Pasqua returned.
The camp lifted the curtain to an array of possibilities, he said. At school, Pasqua continuously ran into the that will be challenging line as teachers questioned the viability of accommodating Pasqua's participation in certain events. At camp that was turned upside down. Instead of what do you want to do, it was how are we going to do it?
I tried things I'd never tried before, Pasqua said, noting Canada's only wheelchair-accessible treehouse has been added to the camp, along with a climbing wall and circus-style swing.
More than 150 volunteers took part in the day. Safety for campers is paramount, said Stephen Miller, the society's president and CEO. The volunteers were helping to ensure that everything in the camp was accessible and sturdy, he said.
It definitely frees up operational money for us, Miller said, noting the money can now be put toward the campers' experiences.
The day had been an amazing experience for volunteers, BCAA spokesperson Sara Holland said. As soon as she laid eyes on the camp, she said she knew it had to be a part of the company's and Belfor's annual initiative to aid a charitable organization.
It just feels so good, Holland said. You feel like you are making a difference as a team.
Campers will be heading into the 33-acre site next month. For some it will be their first time. Others will be returning. But for all of them it will be an experience they won't forget, Pasqua promised. It's a magical place, where true friendships form and there's an aura of acceptance, he noted. And thanks to the volunteers, these lasting memories will keep on coming, Pasqua said.
This place is better than Disneyland. You are creating real connections with people, not mascots, he said.
To learn more about the camp visit www.eastersealscamps.ca.
Check out the day's activity -
