A SusanvilleStuff Feature
Melissa Blosser, Assistant Editor
Located on the shores of Eagle Lake in Lassen National Forest, is a little camp that many have heard of but may have never visited. Camp Ronald McDonald at Eagle Lake opened in 1992 and provides a “home-away-from-home” for families of critically ill and injured children. The camp is currently accepting financial contributions of any dollar amount and/or in kind donation to help fund their sensory Garden Project.
The cost of a sensory garden is about $20,000. This dollar amount would allow 78 campers to attend a week at camp.
“A sensory garden will provide both stimulating and relaxing experiences to allow all of our participants to enjoy,” said Vicky Flaig, Camp Director. “Sensory gardens have been linked to improvement of fine and gross motor skills; increased self esteem; improved communication and social skills and increased sensory awareness.”
While the owners of local McDonald’s restaurants generously contributed the seed money to camp (and currently about 10% of the operating budget), the majority of support comes from community donations, corporate sponsorships and from hundreds of volunteers who donate thousands of hour’s of service each year. The national McDonalds Corporation does not contribute to Camp Ronald McDonald at Eagle Lake.
All sensory gardens can stimulate the senses. In a sensory garden, plants and other design elements are selected with the intention to provide experiences for seeing, smelling, hearing, touching and tasting.
The gardens are especially good with younger children and have been used therapeutically for those individuals on the autism spectrum. The sensory garden provides a stimulating experience and promotes hands on learning, reducing stress, anxiety and frustration, and provides opportunities for investigative learning; while providing a non-threatening alternative learning environment.
“Campers that I observed really like the tactile aspect of the garden,” said Flaig. “They liked to be able to feel the plants and dirt, smell the flowers, eat the edibles and see a glimmer of a farm to fork aspect.”
The camp’s Sensory Garden will contain plants, flowers and environmental elements that will engage and entice all the senses. With the use of native flowers, edible plants and herbs. In a written media piece the camp also states it is their vision is to have fruits and vegetable accessible and easy to pick; vibrant flowers to smell and admire; mosses and leaves to touch and water elements to promote relaxation while engaging the camper auditory.
The camp also states its goal is to use native flowers, edible plants and herbs. We will have accessible walkways, raised flower beds and plenty of space for teaching and reflecting. This addition of an outdoor classroom to the camp infrastructure will also allow for expansion of their current programming promoting Outdoor Education, as well as Nutrition Education programs.
The camp facility sits on 35 acres on the shores of beautiful Eagle Lake in the middle of Lassen National Forest an offers an array of programs adapted to meet the individual needs of each camper. The staff experienced and well trained specialists in the fields of drama, arts & crafts, outdoor education, sports and waterfront activities. The program specialists are students studying in disciplines that promote individuals with special needs such as: therapeutic recreation, education, social work and nursing.
The camp benefits campers struggling with issues resulting from sexual abuse, child abuse and bereavement over a family member, as well as campers with a variety of physical, emotional or developmental disabilities such as cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism and muscular dystrophy.
All donations will be acknowledged in the Sensory Garden on our donor recognition wall.
Possible Levels of Giving
- $25 – Seedling
- $50 – Plant
- $100 – Flower
- $150 – Herb
- $200 – Edible
- $500 – Garden
Sample In Kind Donations Needed
- Plants
- Soil
- Aggregate/crushed gravel for pathways
- Lumber for plant boxes & raised flower beds
- Electrical Wire/Conduit
- Deer Fencing
- Benches for seating
- Gardening tools
- Water feature
“Camp Ronald McDonald removes all the barriers that campers with special needs have physical and mental,” said Flaig. “The addition of the sensory garden will expand our program areas as well as keep current with trends of healthy eating and physical activity.”
