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Camp Merrywood on the Rideau
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NEW! 2003 Slide Show
Each spring, a group of dedicated Rotarians spend the weekend at Camp Merrywood, preparing camp and cabins for the arrival |
Part of Rotary's services to disabled children
The Rotary Club of Belleville has long been associated with Camp Merrywood on the Rideau, one of five camps for disabled children which serve the entire province.
Camp Merrywood accommodates 288 disabled youngsters in four groups of 72 each for two weeks. The campers, who are accepted on the recommendation of the Easter Seal Society, are generally from Eastern Ontario and range in age from 7 to 18.
Of the camp's 20 buildings, the last 2 were erected over the 95-96 winter at a cost of about $2 million. Since that time, the Ontario Society has been renting out this facility over the entire year, (except for the summer) to help pay the bills.
The credit for starting these camps goes to the late Gordon Leitch, a member of the Rotary Club of Toronto. He provided the land and the initiative for the first camp built specifically for crippled children. Located near Collingwood in the shadow of Blue Mountain, it was opened on
July 4, 1937.
Opened in 1948
For several years the Society sought a camp site to serve the area bound by Pembroke, Cornwall and Kingston. In 1948 a property in the centre of this region became available. With a grant from the Ontario Government, this property and a further 25 acres giving access to the county road were purchased, fencing was erected and other improvements were made. The camp was officially opened on August 18, 1948, by then Premier of Ontario, the Honorable George Drew.
A building program began in the following year and has continued to the present, thanks to the support of the Rotary Clubs of Ottawa, Perth, Smith's Falls, Kingston, Brockville, Kemptville and Belleville. One of the specific buildings provided with the help of the Belleville Rotary Club, was a change house in 1955.
Glynn Reynolds, Past President of the Rotary Club of Belleville, and longtime organizer of the Camp Merrywood work weekend.
An important project for Belleville Rotary
Though one of the clubs farthest from the camp, Belleville Rotary is one of its strongest supporters. Each spring, for over twenty years, a group of Belleville Rotarians has gone to the camp for a clean-up and repainting. In 1982, the Club donated $15,000 as well as labour toward cabin reconstruction. Belleville Rotary is the only group which has made this annual visit.
The Club also funds the attendance of Belleville area campers and individual Rotarians transport them to and from the camp.
Camp Merrywood is located on the Rideau River, about half way between Perth and Smiths Falls. This is about 100 miles from Belleville, and takes about 2 hours to reach by car.
Financial Contributions
During the last twenty years, our club has contributed over $250,000 to the camp, most of it coming from the Walter Elliott Foundation. Walter was a member of our club. Some of our other members still sit on the foundation and have been very instrumental in providing our club with these funds.
Annual Spring Work Party
Our club provided and installed a $60,000 Fire Alarm system for the camp for about $30,000, because we did all the labour on the installation over a period of about 3 years.
Over the last 5 years we have completely rewired 5 of the cabins. (1 each year) Every year we provide such things as:
- Cutting Fire Wood
- Painting
- Plumbing
- Landscaping
- Any other chore that the Superintendent requires and we are able to accomplish in our 3 day weekend.
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A sunny weekend for the Spring 2002 maintenance crew |
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