|
 |
A Gift that Changed a Life
It was the year 1939 and many Canadian families were suffering from the Great Depression. However, 15 year old Betty Blair was one of the lucky few who, despite such poverty during that time, was given the rare chance to escape reality and enter the world full of trees, lakes, and bon fires.
Sponsored by a lady her mother worked for, Betty spent three summers at Camp Artaban in Gambier Island, learning not only technical skills like cooking and sewing, but also defining life skills that shaped her to be the confident and independent woman she is today.
“We had to do skits during camp and that was how I built my confidence,” Betty said of one of many skills she gained.
Carrying the very skills she gained from her first camp experience under her wings, Betty continued on to be a camp leader and later, a camp director.
However, camp isn’t all about having fun and learning skills.
“Kids learned to appreciate and express this appreciation with one another. The golden rule ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’ also played an integral part of the camping experience,” explained Betty of the many character building lessons she learned and passed on.
Aside from sharing her passion with her young campers, her love for the outdoor and love for an environment that fosters friendships and offers challenges inspired her granddaughters to follow her footsteps.
“My granddaughter works at a camp for sick children in California and had asked me to volunteer there. I was eighty at that time!”
Betty Blair’s first camp experience changed her life. Remembering how it all began, she said “I wasn’t able to tell the lady how thankful I was of her sending me to camp. Thinking back now, I feel so grateful.” Hence, Betty wanted to change another child’s life, exactly the way her life was first changed.
She donated to our camping bureau to help send a kid to camp of their choice this summer, and although she has no personal connection with these kids, her enthusiasm and love for camping will truly be felt by those she helped.
August is fast approaching but it’s not too late to donate to the Burnaby Camping Bureau. Click on the green 'Donate Online' button on the right to donate.
Click here to find out about a partnership camp
|
