A $2 paper egg doesn’t seem much in the greater scheme of things. Multiply it by hundreds and thousands and that egg translates into transformational opportunities for hundreds of kids with disabilities.

In the weeks leading up to Easter, please visit one of our many participating retailers and partners and purchase a Paper Egg for Easter Seals kids.

Your $2 will go a long way.

Since it started in 2000, the Easter Seals Paper Egg campaign has raised more than $5 million, sending kids with disabilities to Easter Seals camps and providing Canadians and their families with invaluable support services and enhance their lives immeasurably.

For three weeks each spring, participating retailers encourage their customers to purchase and write their names on Paper Eggs, which store staff display in windows and on walls.  The result: a colourful display of community support across the country.

All funds support Easter Seals programs and services in the province where it was raised.

Paper Egg Campaign 2010 - March 8 - April 4

Visit paperegg.ca for more information and to buy a paper egg online!

National Sponsors

The Bargain! Shop

Money Mart

Lawtons Drugs (Atlantic)

Price Chopper (Atlantic)

London Drugs (Western)

Click Here for a list of all supporters.

On March 8th, The Bargain! Shop hosts Paper Egg launches in Edmonton, Regina, Port Credit, Kitchener, Perth, and Petrolia.

Edmonton Launch

Where: TB!S store at 11807 - 48 Street, Edmonton, AB
Time: 1:30pm (March 8th)
Details: Kevin Karius, Global TV Sports Anchor will host the launch and introduce Adam Thompson, the 2010 Northern Alberta Youth Ambassador. Susannah Staios will present Adam Thompson with a gift from her husband, Edmonton Oiler Steve Staios.

Regina Launch
Where: TB!S Store at 6175 Rochdale BLVD, Regina, SK
Time: 9:50am (March 8th)
Details: Alex Bear, the 2010 Easter Seals Ambassador for Regina, will kick things off with his classmates by purchasing the first paper eggs. Karen Moore, Regina Regional Director Saskatchewan Abilities Council, will talk about Easter Seals programs in Saskatchewan.

Port Credit Launch
Where: TB!S Store at 187 Lakeshore Rd East, Mississauga, ON
Time: 2pm (March 8th)
Details: Casey Mackay, the 2009 Easter Seals Ontario Ambassador and Mississauga native, will help kick things off at the Port Credit TB!S store. He’ll get some help from TB!S President and CEO Michael Roellinghoff.

Kitchener Launch
Where: TB!S Store at 700 Strasburg Rd., Forest Glen Centre, Kitchener, ON
Time: 11am (March 8th)
Details: Nathaniel Andrew, Easter Seals Kitchener Ambassador, will help kick things off at TB!S Kitchener store.

Perth Launch
Where: TB!S Store at 89 Dufferin Street, Perth, ON
Time: 10am (March 8th)
Details: Photo shoot with local Easter Seals Ontario ambassadors, Andrew and Matthew Maynard.

Petrolia Launch
Where: TB!S Store at 4141 Petrolia Line, unit # 1, Petrolia, ON
Time:  9:30am (March 8th)
Details: Bill Hoad, Easter Seals Representative joins Tammy Beaulieu, TB!S District Manager and Ken Johnston, TB!S Store Manager.

For the latest news on the Paper Egg Campaign, click on the following:

Paper Egg Media Launches

Easter Seals Anticipates Strong Results for 10th Annual Easter Seals^TM Paper Egg Campaign

TORONTO, ON (March 8, 2010) - Easter Seals^TM launches its milestone 10th annual Paper Egg Campaign, running March 8th to April 4th. Shoppers at participating retailers are encouraged to purchase a colourful paper egg to be posted on store walls in support of Easter Seals programs and services.

Despite the struggling economy Canadians dug deep in their pockets and contributed more than $838,000 in 2009, the highest total raised to date during the Easter Seals Paper Egg campaign.

“This year we have more retail sponsors than ever before,” says Cheryl McNamara, Development and Communications Manager for Easter Seals Canada. “Between our enthusiastic retail partners and their customers, it is highly likely that 2010 will be another milestone year for the Paper Egg campaign.”

Some of the new retail sponsors include Money Mart, which joins the campaign as National Sponsor after raising $69,000 in Ontario in 2009, and London Drugs, which recently announced its participation in all stores where it operates in Western Canada.

Easter Seals is pleased to welcome back Top National Sponsor, The Bargain! Shop (TB!S), whose stores, customers and partners raised more than $221,000 in 2009, once again almost doubling sales from the previous year. In total, TB!S has raised over $445,000 nationally for the campaign since 2007.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be part of this vital campaign to help the Easter Seals kids,” says Michael Roellinghoff, President and CEO, The Bargain! Shop. “It’s the fourth consecutive year we’ve been a part of this fabulous event and this year, with the enthusiastic support of our associates, customers and partners we expect another record result!”

The Bargain! Shop hosts launches on March 8th in Edmonton, Regina, Port Credit, Kitchener, Perth, and Petrolia. The Woodstock, New Brunswick TB!S store, the 2009 top Paper Egg fundraiser ($6,275), will host festivities on March 10th; and, Winnipeg Blue Bomber Obby Khan will visit the TB!S, 1674 Main Street store in Winnipeg on March 27 to sign autographs and serve up a free barbecue. For details, click here.

Easter Seals is pleased to announce that Lawtons Drugs, Price Chopper Atlantic and Sobeys Ontario will once again join the campaign. All three sponsors also broke campaign records in 2009 and have vowed to make 2010 another record-breaking year. For a full list of participating retailers, visit www.paperegg.ca.

Easter Seals has assisted Canadians with disabilities for more than 85 years, providing them with the tools they need to strive for independence, acceptance and achievement. Every year, more than 100,000 Canadians and their families access Easter Seals programs and services, the most recognized being Easter Seals camps. For more information, visit www.easterseals.ca.

For More Information contact:
Cheryl McNamara, Development & Communications Manager, Easter Seals Canada
Phone: (416) 932 8382 ext 245 Email: CMcNamara@easterseals.ca

Laura Secord Gives Back!

From February 22 to March 5, 2010 a portion of the proceeds of all Laura Secord Easter Cream Eggs will go towards Easter Seals. All funds raised in English Canada will support active living programs and Easter Seals camp experiences for children with disabilities.

Visit your local Laura Secord store and show your support for Easter Seals kids!

Currently with over 130 company-owned stores across the country, Laura Secord is Canada’s largest and best known chocolatier, selling premium chocolates, ice cream and other types of candies. With more than 400 products, Laura Secord still follows the time-honoured recipes and dedication to quality and excellent customer service as when the company first started. Every product carries an unconditional guarantee for quality. Laura Secord is dedicated to helping the community. They make many product donations every year to registered charities helping children and youth.

Visit: www.laurasecord.ca

By Heather Kuttai, Easter Seals Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Abilities Council

The seemingly daily improvements to the technologies we use to communicate, work, socialize, learn, and be creative do not often start conversations. We have come to expect our e-tools to work faster, better, and more effectively. Rather, we speak out on the occasions when our computers slow down or our mobile phones cease to work, and our patience has been exhausted.

But what does technology mean for people who can not necessarily join the conversation?

For people with disabilities, well implemented technology is the voice that allows them to join the conversation. New and sophisticated assistive augmented communication devices, for example, can allow a person to touch a computer screen in order to ‘speak’ and interact. Sip-and-puff devices can select and navigate computerized interfaces by controlling breath inhalations and exhalations. In essence, technology provides possibilities.

Finding those possibilities is the main focus of Reg Bartsch, Electronics Technologist with the Adaptive Technology Department at the Saskatchewan Abilities Council. Reg’s passion for discovering hidden potential began in his childhood when he would regularly take things apart and try to find a better way to make something work before putting it all back together. When Reg was an active farmer he believed that technology could help him work better, and he recalls using computers long before they were popular. This faith in finding alternative and better ways of doing things keeps Reg grounded when he looks for the potential for technology to help people with disabilities. Sometimes looking for that potential takes a while.

Just Wait
Paradoxically, while the technology Reg uses is becoming more efficient and ‘faster’, waiting is a critical part of his job. When implementing augmented communication tools, for example, it may take four minutes or longer for a client to answer a question. Time invested in patience and waiting during an assessment ensures that Reg does not “miss something.” Not waiting, and by consequence missing something, could be dire if it means a client loses a chance to control his or her environment or the ability to communicate.

Reg explains that the first goal of assessing a person’s abilities is to find a ‘switch site’, one muscle, big or small, that can be consistently controlled. If you can blink your eye regularly, for example, you can control a switch. If you can control a switch you can, potentially, control parts of your environment. You could turn lights on and off, change the channel on your television, adjust your thermostat, or use a computer. This kind of control, for someone who may experience very little control of his or her body, circumstances, or space, can have empowering results.

Being able to touch a screen or activate a switch and say ‘hello’ or ask for a drink or tissue, creates increased and empowered personal control. Self-determination and self-confidence are similarly bolstered when, through the use of communication technology, a person can assert his or herself and say, “Do not raise your voice to me,” or “Do not interrupt me when I am talking.” A child can communicate with their family, a student can ask questions of their teacher or talk with friends, and an adult can express himself or herself independently.

Reg says that it might sound simple but an important part of his job is his belief that everyone matters. Nothing is more rewarding for him when he knows a little technology has made lives better for clients with disabilities who he serves.

For more on Easter Seals Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Abilities Council, visit www.abilitiescouncil.sk.ca

Your company wants to make a difference and offer employees fun and challenging team-building opportunities.

Easter Seals produces a number of exciting and unique national and provincial events to put your company’s name behind. Whether it’s to party with a purpose or be a superhero for Easter Seals kids, Easter Seals delivers media intensive events that bring people and teams together in a fun and challenging environment.

To find out how Easter Seals can meet your corporate needs, please contact Lisa Van Arem at 416-932-8382 x 226 or lvanarem @ easterseals.ca.

Resources:

Easter Seals Sponsors

National Easter Seals Events

Easter Seals In-Store Campaigns

Provincial Events:

Easter Seals Alberta

Easter Seals British Columbia

Easter Seals Manitoba

Easter Seals New Brunswick

Easter Seals Newfoundland & Labrador

Easter Seals Nova Scotia

Easter Seals Ontario

Easter Seals Prince Edward Island

Easter Seals Quebec

Easter Seals Saskatchewan

As you prepare your will, please consider making a lasting legacy by helping to ensure an accessible future for Canadians with disabilities. An Easter Seals fundraising professional is happy to assist you.

To find out more, please contact Lisa Van Arem at 416-932-8382 x 226 or lvanarem @ easterseals.ca

Interested in supporting Easter Seals through a personal event? Easter Seals is pleased to offer you an easy and handy online tool to promote your event and manage donations, whether it be a birthday party, office get-together, golf tournament, etc.

Simply  click on the link below to register your event and set up your personal event page.

Personal Event Page Set Up

Frequently Asked Questions

Who should I send emails to?

Send emails to family, friends and others in your life who believe in Easter Seals and want to make a difference. Ask them to attend your event and/or make a donation to Easter Seals.

Why set up a personal event page?

o Online donations are the most cost-effective way to give to Easter Seals.

o It’s the most time efficient way to let people know about your event, and manage it.

o It’s simple to set up.

o You don’t have to put a time limit on your campaign.

o People can donate from anywhere at anytime.

o Your donors receive a tax receive instantly via email.

Can I collect offline dontations?

Yes. Simply download the pledge form on your personal event page to record all your offline (cash & cheque) donations. Remember to include the mailing addresses of your donors to ensure they receive a charitable tax receipt.  Once you’ve collected all your offline donations, mail them to:

Easter Seals Canada
40 Holly Street, Suite 401
Toronto, ON M4S 3C3

Please do not send cash in the mail. Please deposit the cash and write cheque made out to Easter Seals Canada.

Do I need to make a donation myself?

It’s not required. The decision to make a financial donation to Easter Seals is up to you.

“Easter Seals has shown me that I can do anything!” 11 year old Hayley Redmond

Hayley is just one child who has benefited from the services of Easter Seals programs and services. Thanks to the help of supporters like you, Easter Seals has been able to provide inclusive and engaging opportunities for children, youth and adults with disabilities through summer camps and active living programs, in addition to other services such as the provision of specialized mobility and access equipment.

We want to show more kids like Hayley that they can do anything. Please help by making a donation today. Thank you for making a difference!

Online Donations

Easter Seals offers you an easy and secured way to process your donation through the Internet. Method of payment is credit card. We accept Visa, Master Card, American Express or Diners Card. Benefits to online transactions:

• Instant receipt of your tax receipt via your email address
• Choice of making a one time payment or monthly contribution
• Facilitates making a tribute gift in honour or in memory of a loved one

Donate Today:

Donate Now to Easter Seals Canada and choose to direct your support to either our national or provincial programs.

You may also donate directly to your provincial Easter Seals office by clicking one of the following.

Alberta

British Columbia

Manitoba

Newfoundland & Labrador

New Brunswick

Nova Scotia

Ontario

Prince Edward Island

Quebec

Saskatchewan

Mailed Donations:

Easter Seals Canada is happy to receive your donation by mail. Please make your cheque to Easter Seals Canada and send to:

Easter Seals Canada
40 Holly Street, Suite 401
Toronto, ON M4S 3C3

Thanks again for your support!

Your Dollars at Work:

Sign up today for Our Stories, Easter Seals Canada’s quarterly e-News, and find out how your dollars are making a difference.

An Important Message to our Supporters:

Easter Seals places a high value on our relationship with you, our donors. Without your support we would not be able to achieve our mission to enhance the quality of life of Canadians with disabilities. We thank you for your commitment to us.

We believe that transparency and accountability are essential to our success. With this in mind, we have recently joined Imagine Canada’s Ethical Code Program.

The Ethical Fundraising and Financial Accountability Code lays out a set of standards for charitable organizations to manage and report their financial affairs responsibly. By adhering to these standards, we are complying with generally accepted practices for soliciting and managing donor dollars. This is important because you, our supporters, are entitled to transparency and the greatest impact possible for your investment in us.

If you have any questions about our adherence to the Ethical Code, please feel free to contact Lisa Van Arem at lvanarem @ easterseals.ca, or request a copy of our financial statements. You can also download the Ethical Code itself by going to www.imaginecanada.ca.