A group of former Girl Guides, leaders and friends of Guiding have come together to ensure the future of one of British Columbia’s best-loved Guide camps.
Camp Olave, located on the oceanfront at Roberts Creek on the Sunshine Coast, celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2010. However, the long-term future of the camp is threatened by the spectre of increasing property taxes on the 56-hectare waterfront property. The current Sechelt municipal council graciously provided a grant in lieu of taxes for the coming year, but cannot guarantee what any future council might do. If full property taxes were demanded, they could be paid only by raising camp fees well beyond the range of the average family, thus denying future generations of guiders access to this amazing oceanfront experience.
The supporters of Camp Olave have concluded the best solution to the problem is to start now an Endowment Fund, the interest from which would cover the taxes should this ever be necessary. If the taxes remain low, as is hoped, the interest would be used to maintain and upgrade the facilities and to provide camperships for girls who would otherwise not be able to afford a week at camp.
The group has started the Camp Olave Endowment Fund under the auspices and management of the Victoria Foundation. It is hoped the fund will grow to about $200,000 to ensure the tax payments would be available if needed.
Over the years, thousands and thousands of girls and young women have enjoyed Camp Olave, we are hoping many of them will hear about this new fund, and give – a little or a lot – so thousands more girls will be able to take advantage of the wonderful opportunities available at this oceanfront camp over the coming decades.
Anyone interested in donating to the fund should make contributions payable to Camp Olave Endowment Fund and send to the Victoria Foundation at 109 – 645 Fort Street, Victoria, BC V8V 1G2, or make an online gift by going to the website: www.victoriafoundation.bc.ca and click on the red Make a Donation button located in the upper right hand corner.
