Camp Bowen

Camp Bowen volunteers at Bowfest 2018. From left to right: Jordan Parke, Jessica Gladysz, Jocelyn Gladysz, Aedan Staddon, and Alex Jurgensen. Photo credit: Lisa.

The Camp Bowen Society will be at Bowfest, Bowen Island’s community fair, once again this year. The community organization area of Bowfest will open at 10:30 AM on Saturday, August 24, 2019 in the field to the left of the ferry terminal when driving off the ferry. The community organization area will open directly following the community parade that will run after the previous ferry offloads.

Camp Bowen will be bringing Showdown, a Bowfest favourite sport that resembles a cross between air hockey and ping pong. Showdown is a sport originally designed on the West coast of BC for blind people but now played internationally by blind and sighted players alike around the world. Players try to get a rattling ball filled with rice into their opponents net with a paddle while the other player defends their goal. All this under blindfold. It is a lot of fun to play!!!

From left to right: Jessica, Jocelyn, and Alex. They are standing behind the Showdown table at Bowfest 2017.

While at Bowfest, stop by our community table and meet some of the friendly and knowledgeable staff behind Camp Bowen. If you’ve ever had a question or half a dozen about blindness, bring them with you and we’ll do our best to answer them. Before you leave our tent, play a round of Showdown or pick up one of our puzzle books where you can learn to decode a selection of quotes in Braille!!!

Also at Bowfest, be sure to explore the many games, food options, live music, contests, and other community booths available at the fair.

All proceeds will benefit Camp Bowen’s summer camp, independent living skills, and outreach programs.

We hope to see you at Bowfest!!!

Come join us at our Annual Meeting of Members (the term we’re now using for Annual General Meetings) to find out what the Camp Bowen Society for the Independence of the Blind and Deafblind has accomplished this past year and what we have planned going forward. Some other highlights of the agenda include a very special announcement regarding our Music Camp program and the passing of society By-Laws.

As usual, there will be the option of participating via teleconference. We will be holding the physical meeting on Bowen Island this year in the Board Room at First Credit Union (106-996 Dorman Road, Bowen Island, BC). If you plan on attending in person, please call us at: +1 (604) 947-0021, extension 102 ahead of time so we can make sure to set up the room accordingly. Directions and teleconferencing details will follow the agenda.

The Above in Legal Speak

Notice is hereby given of the Camp Bowen Society for the Independence of the Blind and Deafblind’s Annual Meeting of Members to be held in the Board room at First Credit Union (106-996 Dorman Road, Bowen Island, BC) on September 17, 2019 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM Pacific.

Agenda

Camp Bowen Society for the Independence of the Blind and Deafblind

Annual Meeting of Members

Agenda for September 17, 2019

1. 1. Call to Order
2. 2. Approval of Agenda
3. 3. Looking Back Report
4. 4. Financial Report

   Motion: That the Camp Bowen Society for the Independence of the Blind and Deafblind’s financial report for the 2018 to 2019 fiscal year be approved.

5. 5. Voting
   1. 5.1. President
   2. 5.2. 2ND Vice President
   3. 5.3. Secretary
   4. 5.4. Director At Large
   5. 5.5. Treasurer
6. 6. By-Laws
   1. 6.1. By-Law #1

      Motion:
      Whereas the Canadian Not For Profit (NFP) Act requires the membership of a corporation to pass ByLaws of the Corporation; and
      Whereas the Camp Bowen Society for the Independence of the Blind and Deafblind is governed by the Canadian Not For Profit (NFP) Act;
      Be it resolved that By-Law #1 of the Camp Bowen Society for the Independence of the Blind and Deafblind be adopted by the Corporation’s membership.

7. 7. Special Announcement for the Music Camp Program
8. 8. Going Forward Report
9. 9. Adjournment

Note: An opportunity for community discussion will follow the meeting.

Teleconferencing Details

To join the meeting via teleconference, call:

Metro Vancouver/Long-Distance Subscribers: +1 (604) 947-0021 and dial 6

Toll-Free: +1 (844) MYBOWEN (692-6936) and dial 6

Smart Phone Links

If on a smartphone, simply tap the below links to be connected to the meeting:

Metro Vancouver/Long-Distance Subscribers: +16049470021,6

Toll-Free: +18446926936,6

Directions

Board Room
First Credit Union
106-996 Dorman Road
Bowen Island BC
V0N 1G0

When coming off the ferry onto Bowen Island, follow Bowen Island Trunk Road to the first 4-way intersection. Dorman Road is on the left-hand side of this intersection. The credit union is on the far left corner of the intersection and is the first door on Dorman Road.

Questions, Concerns or Assistance

If you have any questions or concerns or require assistance to get to the meeting, please let us know by phone at: +1 (604) 947-0021. Alternately, use any method on our contact page.

This picture of Alex Jurgensen was taken on the upper portion of the dock overlooking Deep Bay at the Bowen lodge by the Sea during Adult Camp 2011. Photo Credit: Trudy Hardy.

Last time in the “A Blast From the Past” series, we shared a photo that turns ten years old this summer. This time, we’re sharing something a little different, a photo from Adult Camp 2011, the first camp run under the new leadership of the Camp Bowen Society, then called the Camp Bowen Working Group.

This picture of John T. was taken on the patio of the Bowen lodge by the Sea just outside the main doors into the dining hall during Teen Tech and Rec Camp 2009.

Here is a picture taken ten years ago this summer at Camp Bowen. It comes to us via our first FaceBook page, now defunct, where it was originally featured.

From left to right: Alex Jurgensen (16) and Matthew Alvernaz (13), two friends who met at Camp Bowen. Photo by Stuart Davis for the Vancouver Sun

As summer gets into full swing, bringing with it long days and nice weather, we’d like to take this opportunity to remind you that the new deadline to register for Camp Bowens Music Camp 2019 for Blind, Deafblind, and Low Vision BC Youth Ages 8 to 18 is fast approaching. The last day to register is July 15, 2019, under two weeks away. Campers will be accommodated on a first come first serve basis. After July 15, we will potentially have space for more campers but it is important that we know how many campers are coming as soon as possible to finalize numbers and pass final counts to our activity providers.

As always, our full camp details can be found at the following links: Web Version and :Printable/Downloadable PDF. We also now have a FAQ section that can be accessed here.

If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please direct them to our camp coordinator, Alex Jurgensen at +1 (778) 512-4721 or by reaching out to us by any of these methods.

Thank you in advance for helping us make sure all blind, Deafblind, and low vision BC youth ages 8 to 18.

From left to right: Alex Jurgensen (16) and Matthew Alvernaz (13), two friends who met at Camp Bowen. Photo by Stuart Davis for the Vancouver Sun

Hello Everyone,

Summer is just around the corner and the preparations for another camping season at Camp Bowen are underway. Registrations, finalization of details, and a host of other tasks are on the go to ensure everyone will have a fun and rewarding experience at camp.

Today, we are very excited to announce that we are making some positive changes to Camp Bowen’s Music Camp 2019 program.

In response to inquiries about the ages of campers permitted to participate in the program, we have decided to drop the minimum age requirement to 8, making the age range 8 to 18. In the past, this camp has been popular with campers as young as 8 and we are excited to welcome campers from across the age range.

The second change we are making is to our camp costs. Thanks to an anonymous donor, all camp fees have been covered. Anyone who has already registered has not been charged for the camp fees and any future registrations will likewise be accepted free of charge.

Finally, if anyone has had difficulty in registering or has not yet received confirmation of their spot, please get them to call me directly at: +1 (778) 512-4721.

Please note: If you haven’t registered yet, there’s still time. Simply go here.

The updates above are reflected in our updated information, which can be found at the below links: Web Version and the Printable/Downloadable (PDF) Version.

Please note: For vision teachers and other service providers, the PDF version above is specially formatted for printing and should be used when sending hardcopy information home to families.

If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please feel free to call me at: +1 (778) 512-4721.

Warm Regards,
Alex and the Camp Bowen Team

At the end of last year we promised that 2019 would have some exciting announcements and today we are ready to announce the first of these, Music Camp 2019.

Music Camp 2019 is designed to bring together blind and Deafblind youth ages ten to eighteen from across the province for eight days on Bowen Island, BC, to learn the basics of playing musical instruments, build peer support networks, have fun, and gain confidence essential for full and equal participation in school band and other music programs in their communities alongside their sighted peers. Campers will explore the beginner band curriculum and will participate in an end of camp concert that their families, friends, and the Bowen Island community will be invited to attend. Giving campers skills and confidence in music fundamentals means campers can go on to take part in school band and community music programs.

Blind and Deafblind students face significant challenges when beginning in music programs due to the highly visual nature of the methods commonly used in beginning band and other forms of music instruction. Our program is designed to give students a foundation of skills and confidence that they can use to bypass visual instruction by taking them through the first part of the beginner band curriculum in a non-visual manner that sets them up to succeed in mainstream band and music programs alongside their sighted peers.

Like all of Camp Bowen’s summer camp programs, Music Camp 2019 balances recreation and skills learning, with a focus on fun! At Camp Bowen, fun is at the core of what we do. Camp fires, hikes,, community outings, and board games are just some of the activities we offer. The skills taught through these fun activities prepare youth for truly life-long independence.

Full Details and Registration

To find out more or to register, go here.

Here is a video of blind Canadians talking about some of the challenges facing people who are blind in Canada. It was filmed at the Canadian Federation of the Blind Convention in Victoria last Spring and includes some of our staff and our colleagues from the Canadian Federation of the Blind and the Pacific Training Centre for the Blind.

Listening to Blind Canadians from Thelma Fayle on Vimeo.

Have you ever faced an accessibility-related barrier on Bowen or do you know someone who has? Are you interested in seeing the island become a more inclusive and accessible space? Are you a person with a disability looking for peer support on-island? If you answered yes to any of the above questions, come down to the Flex Room at the library on Friday, February 22, 2019 at 7:10 PM for the first meeting of the Bowen Island Accessibility Group (BIAG), an initiative of the Camp Bowen Society for the Independence of the Blind and Deafblind. BIAG is a pilot project to create a support and advocacy group to bring Bowen Islanders together to explore ways of providing peer support and advocacy to people with disabilities, both visible and invisible, along with more generally applying creativity to making Bowen Island a more accessible and inclusive place. You don’t have to have a disability to participate, just a desire to see Bowen become more accessible and inclusive.

At this first meeting we will discuss about where we as a community want BIAG to go in the future. There will also be a chance to share about any accessibility-related barriers participants have had and/or any ideas people have for making Bowen more accessible and inclusive. There will be food provided, either sandwiches or pizza, we’re still finalizing that part. We already have guides in place for any blind or Deafblind attendees who need one and we are also working on getting sign language interpretation for the event.

To attend, please call Alex Jurgensen at: +1 (604) 947-0021 Extension 102, text +1 (778) 908-0521, or use any of these other contact methods to let us know you are coming before Friday, February 22, 2019 at 12 PM and let him know you are coming. If you have any accessibility-related accommodations you need in order to attend the event, please let Alex or another Camp Bowen team member know and we will work with you to find a solution.

We look forward to seeing you all on Friday. If you have questions, concerns, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you can’t make it to BIAG this Friday but still want to be involved, please contact Alex or another Camp Bowen team member and we can get you on the list to receive future updates about BIAG.

Warm regards,
The Camp Bowen Team

Camp Bowen turned 55 this year and our team’s commitment is as strong as ever. Though there have been many challenges this past year, one of the pillars of Camp Bowen has always been the people who have come together to make the programs we all love and cherish happen. In reflection of this, here are two staff photos, taken 50 years apart. The first was taken in 1968 and the other this year.

Taken in 1968, this staff photo features the lodge staff in the dining hall of the lodge. Credit: Bowen Island Museum and Archives.

Taken in 2018 at the Camp Bowen pub night fundraiser at Moose's Down Under in Vancouver, this staff photo features the Board of Directors of the Camp Bowen Society for the Visually Impaired. From left to right: Alex Jurgensen, Jessica Gladysz, Jocelyn Gladysz, Peg Mercer, Sara Batt, and Aedan Staddon.