Near McHenry in Garrett County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Blind Campers Given the Joy of Outdoors Fun With the Deep Creek Lake Lions Club

Photographed by Bradley Owen, June 12, 2025

1. Blind Campers Given the Joy of Outdoors Fun With the Deep Creek Lake Lions Club Marker

Inscription.
In 1925, Helen Keller challenged the International Convention of Lions Clubs to "constitute yourselves as Knights of the Blind" and "to make the lives of the blind more worthwhile everywhere by . . . giving them the joy of normal activity." Under one of our flagship programs - the Blind Campers - the Deep Creek Lake Lions Club has done just that by bringing visually impaired children to the area to experience the wide range of recreational activities Garrett County has to offer. During the program, the campers, their families and school counselors camp in tents, water ski and tube, go on hikes, participate in art activities and ride on area attractions like the Mountain Coaster and go carts. The Program is truly a showcase not only of the beauty and fun of the area, but also of the generosity of local businesses which donate meals, passes for events and other services. High school volunteers and Boy Scout Troops also get involved, helping with the camping and serving as sighted guides for the campers. Club members are also heavily engaged with the program, volunteering their boats for time on the lake, sleeping at the

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campsite, and putting together a cookout for the campers to tell everyone about their experiences. Not only do the campers build confidence and self-esteem by engaging in activities which may be otherwise inaccessible, but the program also serves as a much needed respite for family members which attend with their campers.

(Captions):

Campers and local volunteers alike enjoy the ride on the "banana split"

Tubing: Campers hang ten on the "taco tube"

Longtime Program Coordinator Tom Wenzel and Camper feel the need for speed at Wisp's Mountain Coaster

Swallow Falls Hike: Boy Scouts help lead Campers on a hike at Swallow Falls

The Blind camper and associated Blind Skier Programs are paid for by a variety of events that the Deep Creek Lake Lions Club hold each year. Please consider making a donation or other contribution or even joining the Club. Everyone is welcome in our club and it is an experience which will truly change your life. For more information on current events or to learn how to donate or join, visit our website at www.deepcreeklions.org

Erected by The Deep Creek Lake Lions Club.

Topics. This historical

Photographed by Bradley Owen, June 12, 2025

2. Blind Campers Given the Joy of Outdoors Fun With the Deep Creek Lake Lions Club Marker

Marker is the second one from the left.

marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1925.

Location. 39° 34.392′ N, 79° 20.123′ W. Marker is near McHenry, Maryland, in Garrett County. It can be reached from Bumble Bee Road 1.3 miles north of Mosser Road, on the left when traveling north. Marker is located in Deep Creek Lions Club Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1249 Bumble Bee Road, Mc Henry MD 21541, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Western Maryland.

It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Deep Creek Lake Lions Give Sight-Challenged Students the Adventure of a Lifetime (here, next to this marker); It takes a community... to build a community park (here, next to this marker); Doing Good at Deep Creek Lake

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(a few steps from this marker); Deep Creek Lake (a few steps from this marker); Meshach Browning surveys a mountain sunset (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Meshach Browning Trail System (about 300 feet away); Life in Western Maryland during the Pioneer Era (about 300 feet away); Mary Browning and her Tree of Life (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in McHenry.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 18, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 17, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. This page has been viewed 92 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 17, 2025, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia.