Who produces the 24 Hour Relays?

The Money Mart Easter Seals 24 Hour Relays For The Kids in Vancouver and Victoria are produced by the BC Lions Society for Children with Disabilities, a registered non profit Society with a charitable tax number. In Kelowna, the 24 Hour Relay is produced in conjunction with the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club. Together, they are responsible for all of the Relay's operations and administration.

How are the Relay funds managed?

All of the funds raised from team fundraising and corporate sponsorships are managed by the BC Lions Society For Children with Disabilities. All revenue, after the Relay’s operating expenses and overhead, is used to help fund the Society’s three Easter Seals Camps. A portion of the Island's Relay funds supports the Victoria Easter Seals House, while half of the funds from the Kelowna Relay is used to benefit the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club's programs and services. The BC Lions Society for Children with Disabilities is the owner and operator of all Easter Seals services and programs in BC. 

For the year ending September 30th, 2008, the 24 Hour Relay reported a net revenue of $1.024 million.  We are solely dependent on donors who provide the funding to send children to camp.  Expenses and administrative costs are kept low to ensure that as many children as possible can have the opportuntity to attend camp.  

What does it cost to run the camps?

For a 7 day camp experience, it costs approximately $2,400 per child.  The total operating costs of all three camps for the year ending September 30th, 2008 was $2.2 million. The summer camp operations include expenses and rental revenues incurred for Squamish, Shawnigan and Winfield camps during the summer season and rental revenues earned in the off season. The operating costs include food services, cleaning, maintenance, hydro, counsellors and medical staff.

Why are Easter Seal Camps different?

Each camp is specially designed and equipped to accommodate children with disabilities. Some of the unique features include the addition and maintenance of ramps and lifts; the modification of doorways and washrooms; and the purchase of specialized sporting equipment like climbing walls and giant swings. The special needs of these children also require Easter Seals Camps to have very low ratio of counsellors to campers; for every 3 campers, we have a designated counsellor, compared to other camps that may have a ratio of 8 to 1. This low ratio ensures that counsellors have the time to fully understand the individual needs of their campers and the ability to provide the attention and assistance they require. We also provide medical staff to ensure the needs of our campers are well taken care of.