NewView Oklahoma believes that every child deserves to have a summer camp experience, and that’s why OWL Camp, or Oklahomans Without Limits, was created in 2000 for children who are blind or visually impaired. Therefore, NewView is excited to announce the recent acquisition of a Lake Tenkiller property that will host future OWL Camps through an incredibly generous gift from Globe Life.
Globe Life is donating their corporate meeting facility, complete with a caretaker’s cottage and guest house on a 3-acre waterfront property that is valued at $1.8 million. The donation is one of the most significant gifts in the history of Globe Life.
“We became aware of NewView’s mission to serve sight-impaired children through various summer camps at lakes throughout Oklahoma, and the donation of the Globe Life property at Lake Tenkiller seemed like a perfect fit,” said Globe Life Direct Response President and CEO Bill Leavell. “Globe Life has used the lodge as a meeting and teambuilding facility for over 50 years. As the company has grown, we’ve outgrown the space, so we are thrilled to be able to pass it on to support NewView Oklahoma. We believe the property will be a terrific venue for NewView’s programs. We can think of no better organization to use the facility to support Oklahoma children.”
OWL Camp activities are carefully planned and designed to encourage collaboration, improve confidence, self-esteem and independence and challenge societal and self-imposed limits. Along with sighted buddies, campers will surely enjoy the property’s many amenities including a tennis court, putting green and two boats for activities such as water skiing and water tubing.
“We are incredibly humbled by Globe Life’s generous gift,” says NewView President and CEO Lauren Branch. “This facility allows us to further enhance the unique experience OWL Camp offers to our clients and volunteers. We look forward to using this facility for many years to come and know the impact will be great.”
OWL Camp is structured specifically to engage sighted children and those with vision loss. Each blind or visually impaired camper is partnered with a sighted buddy for the entire week, and they do everything together. The goal is to provide lasting effects by allowing the sighted buddies to understand that people with vision loss can do anything they can do, with very little adaption.
Branch explained, “Our hope is that the sighted buddies will go back to their peers and share their experience to help eliminate the stigma that is too often associated with kids and disabilities.”
To learn more about NewView OWL Camp and other programs and clinical services operated by the organization, visit www.newviewoklahoma.org.
About NewView Oklahoma:
NewView Oklahoma is a private, not-for-profit organization founded in 1949 with a mission to empower people who are blind and visually impaired to achieve their maximum level of independence through employment, low vision rehabilitation, and community outreach. NewView Oklahoma is the leading employer of the blind and visually impaired individuals in Oklahoma and offers the only comprehensive Low Vision clinics in the state. Visit online at
www.newviewoklahoma.org or follow on Facebook and on Twitter.
About Globe Life:
Founded in 1951, Globe Life is proud to provide life insurance coverage to 4.2 million policyholders. Globe Life is the top volume issuer of ordinary individual life insurance policies in the United States. For more than 25 years, Globe Life has earned an A+ (Superior) financial strength rating from A.M. Best Company. With $80 billion of insurance in force, Globe Life is committed to providing secure life insurance protection to their policyholders. Visit online at
www.globelifeinsurance.com.