About Us

The Easter Seals Society of PEI Campaign is a franchised project of the Rotary Club of Charlottetown, and supported by the Rotary Club of Summerside and the Rotary Club of Montague. Annual activities include a direct mail campaign, the Tim Hortons’ Ambassador’s School Tour, the Paper Egg campaign, fundraiser at an Island Storm Basketball Game, Charlottetown Islanders Hockey Game, UPEI Sports Games, Dooly’s pool tournament, various BBQs, and many other fundraising initiatives and campaign sponsor contributions, that enable Easter Seals to help provide programs and equipment for people with disabilities on Prince Edward Island.

The PEI Easter Seals Society has provided financial assistance to support programs of the PEI Cerebral Palsy Association, Camp Gencheff, Stars for Life Foundation, Autism Society of PEI, PEI Rehabilitation Council, Joyriders, PEI Association for Community Living, PEI Council of People with Disabilities, and many other worthy organizations.

The money raised is used to help Islanders with disabilities, right here on PEI. Grants are given to charitable organizations, whose mandate is to enrich the lives of Islanders living with a disability. Grant application forms to apply for funding from the PEI Easter Seals Society are available annually in the fall.

History

The Rotary Club of Charlottetown agreed by unanimous vote on February 13, 1956 to adopt Easter Seals as the program through which to continue its support of children with disabilities. The Club members of the time recognized the quality of the Easter Seals program, and knew it was fully compatible with the Clubs objectives of community service.

Although the Rotary Club of Charlottetown did not sign an official franchise agreement until 1960, it participated in the program under a verbal agreement beginning in 1956 when $2,100 was raised. The current franchise agreement will remain valid until such time as the Rotary Club of Charlottetown decides to relinquish it and thereby discontinue Easter Seals activity.

Under an agreement ratified by the Rotary Clubs of Charlottetown, Summerside and Montague and Eastern PEI in early 1988, and revised in 1992, the three Clubs participate directly in the annual Easter Seals Campaign through a provincial committee, officially known as the Easter Seals Society of Prince Edward Island. The Committee consists of members of the Rotary Club of Charlottetown and one member from each of the Summerside and Montague Clubs. Monies raised from the annual campaign are divided as follows: 50% to the Provincial Committee with the remainder divided among the three Clubs according to the proportion of the monies raised in each of the three counties in which each club is located. In recent years, the breakdown has been 50% for Charlottetown, 30% for Summerside, and 20% for Montague.

The funds raised during Easter Seals Society of Prince Edward Island campaigns stay on the Island and are used to support programs helping the disabled throughout our Province.

Our Mission

The Easter Seals Society of PEI is committed to fully enhancing the quality of life, self esteem and self determination of Islanders with disabilities. The Easter Seals Society of PEI responds to the needs and aspirations of children, youth, and adults with disabilities by providing services and support to enable access, inclusion and opportunity to promote increased activity and involvement. We support fundraising, services, public and consumer education, research and increased awareness of disability issues in the private, volunteer and government sectors.

Easter Seals Committee 2021

Committee

Bill Martin – Chair
Regan Lewis – Treasurer
Pat Campbell
Paul Crant
Daniel Kutcher
Jamie Macphail
Keith Tanton
Kevin Porter
David Smith

Past Chair – Edna Reid

The Story of Easter Seals

Easter Seals has been helping individuals with disabilities and special needs, and their families, live better lives for more than 80 years. From child development centers to physical rehabilitation and job training for people with disabilities, Easter Seals offers a variety of services to help people with disabilities address life’s challenges and achieve personal goals.

Tragedy Leads to Inspiration

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

The Birth of the Seal

In the spring of 1934, the organization launched its first Easter Seals campaign to raise money for its services. To show their support, donors placed the seals on envelopes and letters. Cleveland Plain Dealer cartoonist J.H. Donahey designed the first seal. Donahey based the design on a concept of simplicity because those served by the charity asked simply for the right to live a normal life. The lily – a symbol of spring – was officially incorporated as Easter Seals’ logo in 1952 for its association with resurrection and new life. Until recent years the lily appeared as a graphic on a square on seal. In some places that seal continues to be used. The Easter Seals Society of PEI’s official seal, as it appears on this page, is a simple red square with a scalloped edge reminiscent of postage stamps.