Grande Prairie’s Camp Tamarack is among five Alberta charities selected by Birdies for Kids to receive a $50K Champion Grant to expand access for youth with disabilities.
According to camp officials, the funding bump is an “exciting step forward,” but the need for accessible, inclusive outdoor experiences is “greater than ever.”
Right now, officials suggest the kitchen can serve 60 campers, plus staff, per day, but there are only 18 seasonal staff beds, and 56 youth beds, limiting how many kids can enjoy the camp each week.
As such, the grant will contribute to the camp’s first yurt, providing a multi-purpose space that can be used for programming and beds as needed, which the camp says is essential in maintaining their 1:4 leader-to-camper ratio, and kitchen upgrades, which will see the installation of a heat pump to improve working conditions.
The grant comes at the perfect time for the camp too, as it saw “unprecedented” growth in 2024. According to officials, last spring saw more than 1,500 youth served, doubling last year’s numbers, 430-plus campers in the summer, while the fall saw more than 1,400 youth engaged, totaling more than 3,400 youth participants last year.
