Summer Camp & Retreat Facility

Land Acknowledgement To acknowledge the traditional territory upon which Pearce Williams resides is to recognize its longer history, one predating the establishment of the earliest European colonies. It is also to appreciate and respect this territory’s significance for the Indigenous peoples who lived and may continue to live upon it. Pearce Williams acknowledges that their practices and spiritualities were and are tied to the land and continue to develop in relationship to the territory and its other inhabitants today. We acknowledge that we gather on the traditional territory of the Anishnabek (on-is-saan-e-bec), Haudenosaunee (hau-denosaunee), Ojibway/Chippewa, and Lunnaapeew (luna-pow) peoples, and we deeply appreciate their historic connection to and stewardship of this land. We also recognize the contributions Métis, Inuit, and other Indigenous peoples have made, both in shaping and strengthening this community and to our province and country as a whole. As settlers, we are grateful to be able to live and learn as guests here today and welcome all who visit to join our collective commitment to make the promise of Truth and Reconciliation real in this community, while advocating for justice for Indigenous peoples across the country.

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Help children get to summer camp. Donations for children in need to be able to attend overnight summer camp in Southwestern Ontario and Elgin County YOU CAN HELP A KID GET CAMP CHANGE A LIFE TODAY - GIVE Children need to have a space to run, play & discover. Children need to get outside. Children need Summer Camp. HELP A CHILD GET CAMP - GIVE A GIFT NOW Emma wakes up to a cold apartment, an empty fridge and not knowing when she will eat, the cost of food is out of reach for her family. Emma cuddles with her stuffed elephant trying to remember a better time. Emma’s mommy is trying to give her a happy childhood, but her part-time job does not allow for sports or extra activities, or even the basics. Emma’s family is struggling - our community is struggling. HELP PEARCE WILLIAMS GROW LOCAL LEADERS for ELGIN COUNTY & SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO You can give Emma a home away from poverty. You can give Emma the Pearce Williams Summer Camp experience. Many children like Emma will not have the opportunity to attend summer camp this coming summer without your help. Please give to our camper scholarship fund so that we can send 40 kids in need to Pearce Williams this summer. $600 provides a week at sleep-over camp for a child in need. Can you give the $1.64 per day to help a child get to camp for a week? Can you give $120 to provide a day at camp for a needy child? Can you give $25 to help feed a child for a day at camp? HELP A CHILD GET CAMP - GIVE A GIFT NOW You can help Emma become more independent. You can help Emma learn to problem solve. You can help Emma, and children like her, make life-long friends, make happy memories and find a home away from home. You can give a child the summer camp experience. Your gift will not only help with camper scholarships, but it will also help in many other ways. You’ll help kids have amazing staff, program supplies and a safe space to create life-long happy memories. You are a difference maker in the lives of the children who come to camp. Our goal is to have as many children as possible be able to come to camp. You can help that happen. Joe Richards, Executive Director & Guitar Player Donation_Form

Families need camp together too, and at Pearce Williams the whole gang can join us for a week of overnight summer camp, hosted on our 170+ acre property in rural Ontario. FAMILY CAMP Archieved For campers young and old, come finish the summer off with your camp family at Pearce Williams! Family Camp is running the weekend before school ends from Friday June 20th to Sunday June 22nd. Family Camp is all about giving you and your family a chance to relax and enjoy camp. Our staff will lead activities all day long - we have programming for children and adults every morning and afternoon. Each family gets their own space and the chance to mingle with others as well. Evenings are filled with AMAZING family programs and special guests. Pearce Williams staff will even help serve your family at meal time so that you don’t have to worry about anything but spending time together, at camp! Activities at camp include: swimming, archery, nature/ecology discovery, sports, low ropes, chapel, drama, singsongs, hiking, sleep-outs, cook-outs, rocket building, GaGa ball, 9 Square in the air, Battle Stilts, and much more. Adult:$350 Child(3-14):$300 Child(0-2):$65 Cancelled

Our Team. Meet the Pearce Williams team! Our dedicated staff are committed to creating a welcoming and enjoyable environment for all. Joe Richards Executive Director joe@campisbetter.com Ila "Hiccup" Manderson Director of Camps & Programs hiccup@campisbetter.com Nikki "Sunshine" Lavoie Office Manager & Guest Services info@campisbetter.com Louisa "Chica" Flock Donor & Fund Development give@campisbetter.com Geoff "Flash" Auckland Maintenance Lead flash@campisbetter.com Jessica "Ica" Tenhor Head Cook ica@campisbetter.com 2024's Summer Team Zukes Summer Camp Director Leadership Team Zukes, Bacon, Roo, Chica, & Marshmallow 2024 Summer Staff . 2024 CITs Counsellors-in-Training / Campers-in-Transition

Mail at Camp 1 Email your Camper Campers can receive two (2) emails per camp session. Make the most of your emails – write it exactly like a letter full of family news! Emails will be printed at 9am daily and delivered during the lunch hour. Please include the Campers Name, Cabin & Counsellor Name in the subject line. Emails can be sent to: campers@campisbetter.com . Please note that we are not able to process camper replies to email. 2 Sending Physical Mail Feel free to send your camper a couple of pieces of mail at camp! If you are sending letters through the mail, be aware of shipping times and ensure letters arrive prior to picking your child up. A more time conscious option is to bring pre-written letters in envelopes with your camper at the beginning of the week and hand them to your camper’s counsellor at drop-off. Their counsellor will distribute them to your camper throughout the week. Our address is: Pearce Williams c/o –CAMPERS NAME 8009 Iona Road Fingal ON, N0L 1K0 3 Campers Sending You Mail If your camper would like to send letters to you or anyone else in your family, you can send self-addressed and stamped envelopes with your camper! If you let your camper’s counsellor know you have sent one or more self-addressed envelopes, they will ensure that your camper sends some mail out. Your camper’s counsellor will collect the mail that campers may have and they will be placed in the mail daily. If your camper writes any letters to send out and did not bring pre-stamped envelopes, these letters will be handed to you at the deregistration table prior to taking them home.

Sample Schedule Explore this page to gain a deeper understanding of the amazing week your camper will have! By reviewing this schedule together with your camper, you can help ease any pre-camp jitters and build excitement for the activities ahead. *Schedule may be different than what you see here. Some weeks have a slightly altered schedule: Wilderness & World Camps - Schedules follow a similar structure but are adapted to accommodate specialized programming. To read more about how these camps differ from Main Camp programs, visit their descriptions here: Wilderness , World Camp . Leaders-In-Training Camp - Shorter Week & the addition of night games for the older age group. First Timers / Primary Camp - Shorter week, earlier bed times & no sleepout.

Thank you to our Donors Recognizing Grants On December 1st, 2023 we recognized $253,700.00 in Grant Funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and Resilient Communities Fund. Check out below our media release and some photos from this event! Media Statement MEDIA RELEASE December 1st, 2023 $253,700 Capital Grant & Resilient Communities Fund lead to New Improvements at Pearce Williams Fingal, ON – On Friday, local MPP Rob Flack will meet with the team at Pearce Williams Summer Camp to hear more about the $253,700 they received through two grants from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) in November 2022. “The investments in Pearce Williams Summer Camp by the Ontario Trillium Foundation are well deserved,” said Rob Flack, MPP for Elgin—Middlesex—London. “The history of this facility is extensive, and the impact that this camp has had on countless children and families is testament to the good work that they do.” In March 2022, Pearce Williams was awarded a $143,700 Resilient Communities Fund grant to fund the purchase of solar panels to lessen our carbon footprint and reduce fixed cost and create a fundraising action plan. These improvements will make sure Pearce Williams can rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring the can be there for future campers in the years to come. A $110,000 Capital grant was also awarded in November 2022 to fund accessible renovations the main dining hall and replacing doors and windows to extend the useful life of the building. These new improvements will allow camp to remain accessible and inclusive to all who come. "This deck has allowed us as a facility to become more accessible.” Joe Richards says, “These improvements have allowed us to increase what we can use the space for from summer camp to rental facility opportunities.” Pearce Williams Summer Camp & Retreat Facility is committed to preserving this space and ensuring that it remains accessible and environmentally conscious. If you wish to enquire about using the space for rental events, or sending your child to summer camp please visit the website at: https://www.campisbetter.com/ The Ontario Trillium Foundation’s (OTF) mission is to build healthy and vibrant communities across Ontario. As an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations, last year, OTF invested over $110M into 1,022 community projects and partnerships. Visit otf.ca to learn more. Organization Contact for Media Inquiries: Joe Richards, Executive Director Pearce Williams Summer Camp & Retreat Facility 519-764-2317 info@campisbetter.com Check Out the New Deck! Here is a photo of our new accessible deck on our dining hall. We also were able to put up solar power around our facility thanks to these grants!

Tier Pricing Explained Realizing that families have different abilities to pay, Pearce Williams offers a voluntary three-tier payment program. You may choose the tier that is most suitable for your family. TIER SYSTEM EXPLAINED Our Pricing Model The Tier System allows us to continue to offer our amazing summer camp programs while letting everyone know the true cost of camp. The average cost of camp in Ontario is $1300 per week. Expenses for a camper to attend a single week of camp at Pearce Williams are well over $1000 when all is taken into account. We keep our fees for camp families significantly lower than the provinical average by subsidizing them through donations and rental income. Based on the above information you may choose the tier that is most suitable for your family. Tier I provides significantly subsidized fees compared to the true cost of camp. Tier II offers more subsidization of our fees for those who need to pay a little less. Tier III offers the lowest fees available for camp, making our programming as accessible to families in need as we possibly can. THIS PROGRAM IS VOLUNTARY AND IN NO WAY INFLUENCES THE EXPERIENCE CHILDREN RECEIVE, YET IT OFFERS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FAMILIES TO TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLL IN SUPPORTING THE TRUE COST OF THEIR CHILD’S CAMP EXPERIENCE. ONLY THE OFFICE STAFF KNOW WHAT TIER YOU HAVE SELECTED AND THAT INFORMATION IS USED ONLY FOR BILLING PURPOSES. If you cannot afford the cost of Tier III, please email or call (519-764-2317) for a scholarship application. Scholarship applications are due by March 31st each year, and are open now. Apply for camp November 1, 2024! Click Here to Apply Questions? Drop us an email: info@campisbetter.com

We offer Outdoor Education for school groups in May & June Our Programs 1 Day Program Book a day long field trip from 9:30am - 2:30pm for you classroom! We offer a variety of programming options for all grade levels, K to Grade 12, allowing you to choose activities that best meet your curriculum needs, as well as the needs and interests of your students.We offer a variety of sessions that all age groups will love. Email us to get a package and more information! 2 Overnight There is no better group bonding experience than an overnight at camp. From wake up to bed-time, our staff will give your grade K-12 students all the wonderful things that we offer in our summer camp program, compressed into a two day experience. Program runs from 9am - 9pm daily, with adequate break times built in. Start time on arrival day and end time on departure day are determined by group arrival and departure timing. Email us for more info and to get a package. 3 2 Nights There is no better group bonding experience than an overnight at camp. From wake up to bed-time, our staff will give your grade K-12 students all the wonderful things that we offer in our summer camp program, compressed into a three day experience. Program runs from 9am - 9pm daily, with adequate break times built in. Start time on arrival day and end time on departure day are determined by group arrival and departure timing. Email us for more info and to get a package. Sample day: 9:30am – 2:30pm Schedule will be modified for individual arrival and departure times: 9:30-9:45am – Introductions & Group Split 9:50-10:45am – Session Block A 10:50-11:45am – Session Block B 11:45am-12:15pm – Lunch Students eat lunch with the supervision of the parents, volunteers & teachers 12:20-1:15pm – Session Block C 1:20-2:15pm – Session Block D 2:15pm-2:30pm – Pack Up, Bathrooms & Load the Bus Day Program Pricing & Availability: Day programming is on a first come, first served basis. Groups of less than 80 will be paired with other schools, up to 100 total participants on any given day. Contact Us

The Counsellor-In-Training Adventure Learning Week is solely for 15 year olds who want to learn, who enjoy working with children and who may want to work at Pearce Williams in the future. The program includes a one-week training camp, followed by two weeks of cabin placement working directly with a Pearce Williams counsellor.  COUNSELLOR-in-TRAINING ADVENTURE LEARNING WEEK JULY 6 -11 2025 The Counsellor-In-Training Adventure Learning Week is solely for 15 year olds who want to learn, who enjoy working with children and who may want to work at Pearce Williams in the future. The program includes a one-week training camp, followed by two weeks of cabin placement working directly with a Pearce Williams counsellor. Contact our office (info@campisbetter.com ) for more information and to set up an interview for your CIT camper. t1:$425 T2:$405 T3:$390 APPLY NOW

Our All Ages Camps are open to all campers ages 7-14 - that’s why we call them all ages! Your camper will get to choose from a variety of programs that are offered each day. The goal at Pearce Williams is to allow your camper to gain self-esteem and self-confidence, while living in a community setting while learning to live and interact with others.  ALL AGES JULY: 13 -18 GIRLs: JULy 27- August 1 AUGUST: 10-15 End-Of-Summer: August 17-22 Our All Ages Camps are open to all campers ages 7-14 - that’s why we call them all ages! Your camper will get to choose from a variety of programs that are offered each day. The goal at Pearce Williams is to allow your camper to gain self-esteem and self-confidence, while living in a community setting while learning to live and interact with others. Activities at camp include: swimming, nature, sports, teamwork/team building games & initiatives, Makerspace, archery, chapel, drama, dance, hiking, cook-outs & sleep-outs, rocket building, gaga ball, 9 Square in the Air, campfires and so much more! t1:$640 T2:$615 T3:$580 APPLY NOW