From Tragedy to Inspiration

1907-1919 – In 1907, Ohio-businessman Edgar Allen loses his son in a streetcar accident. The lack of adequate medical services available to save his son prompts Allen to sell his business and begin a fundraising campaign to build a hospital in his hometown of Elyria, Ohio. Through this new hospital, Allen is surprised to learn that children with disabilities are often hidden from public view. Inspired by this discovery, Allen founds what becomes known as the National Society for Crippled Children in 1919, the first organization of its kind.

1933 – During the summer of 1933 the president of the National Society for Crippled Children in the United States suggests Easter as the time to sell seals (or promotional stamp). The connection to Easter is symbolic of new life and along with it the rehabilitation of youngsters with disabilities – physically, mentally and spiritually.

1934 – The first ‘Easter Seal’ appears in the United States.

U.S. movement comes to Canada

1922 – Addressing inadequate resources and support for children with disabilities in Ontario, 10 Rotary clubs in South Western Ontario join together in 1922 to form the Ontario Society for Crippled Children.

1945-1947 – The first Canadian ‘Easter Seal’ appears in Alberta, followed by British Columbia in 1946 and Ontario in 1947.

1947 – The Lions Club of British Columbia becomes involved with the transportation of children with disabilities when a handful of concerned Lions Club members used their own station wagons to take children to school.

1949 – The Easter Seals campaigns prove so successful that the national Easter Seals campaign is launched in 1949.

1949 – British Columbia purchases the first Easter Seals buses.

1956 – The Handicapped Civilians Association in Saskatchewan begins a program to train and employ people with disabilities.

1957-1958 – The Nova Scotia Society of Crippled Children introduces the Mobile Clinic Program in 1957 and the Speech Therapy Program in 1958.

1959 – Alberta Council for Crippled Children’s services expand to assist adults with physical disabilities. Volunteers working in rehabilitation, medicine and government joined the Council to offer their assistance.

1960 – Alberta Council for Crippled Children’s summer camp begins at a recreational facility west of Edmonton – Camp He Ho Ha.

1963 – The Easter Seals Ability Council in Alberta helps set up the Handicapped Children’s Services Program to provide comprehensive assessment and all leg-bracing requirements to children and youth.

1967 – The Easter ‘seal’ is so well recognized, the name ‘Easter Seals’ is formally adopted.

Today Easter Seals Canada and the 10 Easter Seals provincial organizations serve more than 100,000 Canadians and their families annually through leisure access and recreation programs, and assistive technologies and equipment solutions.