Belwood Lodge celebrates 75 years of camp experience for people with intellectual disabilities

The Belwood Lodge and Camp is celebrating a milestone anniversary of 75 years of operating as a camp for people with intellectual disabilities.

Although the camp looks a lot different than it did in 1946, when it consisted of just a farmhouse, camp director Maddie Rawling said their goal has remained the same. 

“The founding principles of inclusion, fun and friendship have all stayed really steady through the 75 years,” Rawling said in a phone interview. 

“There’s of course been changes over the years but really those founding principles have stayed the same which is really special I think.”

Rawling is new to the role of camp director and the camp itself but she said they would normally serve hundreds of campers each year who gain a lot of benefits from having a place where they are accepted for who they are. 

“I think everyone needs a place where they can go and look forward to going every year and then be around their peers and supported ... in a place where they know that they can do anything and they’re not going to be told that they can’t do something because of their abilities,” Rawling said.

Some campers have been coming for decades which Rawling sees as a testament to the importance of the camp.

“It’s the thing they look forward to the most, the chance to shine on the stage at the talent show or see some of their friends they’ve known for years or talk to and meet staff from all over the world,” Rawling said. “It’s such a special and unique place.”

She said she sees benefits for caregivers as well as they can relax knowing their child or person they care for is in a safe place.

“It provides such valuable respite for caregivers. To have a week where you know your child or person that you provide around the clock care for is in a place where they’re not only being cared for, they're having the time of their life,” Rawling said. 

“It’s important to allow them to rest, relax and recharge and go back to having the ability to be those superhero caregivers that we all know about.”

Provincial orders around COVID closed summer camps and they weren’t able to run overnight camp programs last year. 

Rawling said they offered virtual camp through Zoom which was successful enough that they will continue with it in parallel with in-person programming this year for campers who can’t join them for a particular session. 

She said they are really hoping to celebrate their 75th anniversary one way or another but there’s no concrete plans as of yet because of uncertainty around COVID restrictions.

The Belwood Lodge and Camp recently started a fundraising campaign to upgrade its septic system. 

Not the most glamorous improvement, Rawling admits, but she said it’s integral to continue operations into the future. 

Support from the community, whether financially or through volunteering, is greatly appreciated by Rawling and the campers.

“We’ve seen some really great support from our community and we’re so grateful for that and I think it’s something that we hope to continue to be able to do so we can keep offering these programs at as affordable prices as possible,” Rawling said. 

More information on the camp and how to donate can be found here.