Our History

How We Got Our Start

In April 2004, Ten Oaks Project was co-founded by Holly and Julia Wagg, who noticed a gap in services for the children and youth of 2SLGBTQ+ families in the National Capital Region. They felt Ottawa could use a place where kids from 2SLGBTQ+ communities could gather for fun, friendship, and a safe place to be themselves.

The feasibility of a summer camp program was tested and resulted in a favourable report: We Wanna Summer Camp Program!

The first program to grow out of this vision was Camp Ten Oaks, followed by Rainbow Families, Project Acorn, Oak Grove Family Camp, Camp Lifting Leaves, and most recently Trans About Town.

How We Got Our Name

Many camps seem to be based on two things – a number, and a tree. For the tree, the Board settled on the oak – it’s mighty, grows from a single acorn, and can withstand the test of time. On the number, everyone seemed to be talking about the 10% of the population that LGBTQ+ folks represent, and so 10 and Oaks it was.

Program History Timeline

Camp Ten Oaks
In August 2005, 22 campers aged 8-15 attended the initial session of Camp Ten Oaks, the first camp of its kind in Canada. Campers had a blast, returning year after year and helping to carry on Camp Ten Oaks traditions. The demand for Camp Ten Oaks grew over the years, and in 2018, we launched a second week of Camp Ten Oaks!
Rainbow Families
In October 2004, partnering with Family Services Ottawa and Centretown Community Health Centre, Ten Oaks launched a bi-monthly group that would be Ottawa’s first program for children of 2SLGBTQ+ families. The parents’ group met for support, education and advocacy. Childcare was provided for children 0 to 6 and the Ten Oaks Project provided programming for children 7-12. In July 2006, Ten Oaks handed the group off to the partnering organizations to focus on its own growth. It continues to run to this day though it is now known as Around the Rainbow!
Project Acorn
In 2009, we launched Project Acorn, a radical leadership camp for youth aged 16-24 from 2SLGBTQ+ communities. As a ‘by-and-for’ initiative, a committee of youth led the development, planning and delivery of the retreat with support and guidance from Ten Oaks staff, board of directors, and team of older volunteers who represented the ‘roots of our communities’. The engagement and unique perspective of each youth leader shaped a leadership development retreat that reflected the aspirations and capacities of youth from 2SLGBTQ+ communities.
Oak Grove Family Camp
In 2017, we launched our first session of Oak Grove Family Camp, a weekend long, sleep-away camp for 2SLGBTQ+ families with children 17 or under. Oak Grove is open to any family where at least any one member of the family identifies as 2SLGBTQ+.
Camp Lifting Leaves
In 2018, we partnered with Children’s Aid Societies across Ontario to launch Camp Lifting Leaves. We have seen a growing need for connection and community building amongst children and youth ages 8-21 from 2SLGBTQ+ communities who are in and out of care, and are thrilled to offer a camp just for them!

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are children and youth from 2SLGBTQ+ communities and families?

Ten Oaks Project defines children and youth from 2SLGBTQ+ communities and families as individuals who identify as two spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and/or queer (2SLGBTQ+), have a 2SLGBTQ+ parent and/or guardian, and/or who broadly speaking, are connected in some way to 2SLGBTQ+ communities (like having a sibling or relative that identifies as 2SLGBTQ+).

What is the relationship between Mountain Meadow and Camp Ten Oaks?

Mountain Meadow (MM) was a two-week summer camp for the children of 2SLGBTQ+ families that was founded in the early 1980s. Holly Wagg worked at MM for several summers and was inspired by the campers there to start a similar camp in Canada. The MM office was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the summer camp is run at a site in New Jersey.
In September 2004, MM partnered with Ten Oaks Project and helped to set up this camp program. MM has provided invaluable advice and support to our project. Much of our organizational tools and programming models are drawn from Mountain Meadow, which has shared the benefits of its experience. MM closed its doors in 2010.

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We are an organization built on the strength of our community and we would not exist without the valuable contributions of our volunteers, staff, directorate, sponsors, community partners, and donors.

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