Setting Up Camp

Windermere agents lend a helping hand at a Washington state summer camp for those who are often overlooked.

BY HALEY SHAPLEY

EVERY SUMMER, PUGET SOUND-AREA TEENS and adults with developmental disabilities have the opportunity to attend Lions Camp Horizon in Blaine, Washington. Held on the site of a former Air Force base, there’s plenty of room for campers to participate in classic activities like arts and crafts, talent shows, and sports—but all that space means there’s a lot to maintain.

That’s where the Windermere agents in Whatcom County, Washington, come in. The five area offices—Bellingham-Bakerview, Fairhaven, Lynden, Ferndale, and Birch Bay/Blaine—have joined forces to help improve Lions Camp Horizon as part of Windermere Community Service Day. An annual companywide tradition since 1984, Community Service Day is an opportunity for Windermere agents and staff to team up on the first Friday in June and take on a neighborhood improvement project.

“This camp has always been really important for people,” says Rob Washburn, owner of the Windermere Bellingham-Bakerview office. “Once these individuals turn 18, nobody really pays as much attention. We’ve had quite a few agents who have siblings or kids who are special-needs adults, so this hits home for us. These campers come back every single year, and this is their other family.”

In their most recent visit to the camp, Windermere agents spruced up the landscaping with donated flowers and shrubs, painted the dormitory lounges, power-washed outdoor benches and walkways, and created wooden risers to make getting in and out of bed easier for campers with limited mobility. They also tackled making the firepit accessible to wheelchairs by installing a sidewalk around it.

“It’s great for us to have a big project where we can stay together,” says Washburn, adding that about 100 people from the area offices lend a hand every Community Service Day. “It really is a big campground, with massive amounts of grass, a huge yard, and old buildings.”

That means they never run out of things to do, but in order to maximize their time, advance planning is key. Prior to the big day, they designed the risers, planned the sidewalks, and lined up equipment, such as an excavator, so when it was time to work, they were ready. “It gives a lot of agents opportunities to bring tractors and big equipment, and they enjoy doing that,” Washburn says. “It’s fun to plan out more than we could ever finish. It’s great for camaraderie, and when it’s done, everyone’s excited to do another Community Service Day.”

Learn more about the Windermere Foundation at windermerefoundation.com.