When Camp Arnes staff were having trouble finding ways to engage campers 15 to 17 years old, they created a new program: Crew. The program allows youth who are interested in working at camp—but who may not be ready for the counsellor-in-training program—to gain work experience at the camp while also allowing them time to worship God and take part in typical camp activities like swimming and rope climbing. As part of the Crew program, campers are mentored by camp staff as they learn the basics of housekeeping, servanthood in the dining hall and kitchen, as well as in maintenance.
"We have our Ignite program, which is our counsellor-in-training program, and generally that's for kids who are committed to Christ and want to be counselors in the future," says Will Wear, the executive director of Camp Arnes, located one hour north of Winnipeg. "[Crew] is an alternative for those kids who have grown up at the camp but have not progressed enough where they're ready for Ignite."
"They get a little more one on one mentorship and feel more involved as a team … behind the scenes," Wear adds.
There are many Christian summer camps throughout Manitoba, and like Camp Arnes, many of them will be trying new things with their programming as they aim to reach children with the message of Jesus Christ through a mixture of outdoor activities and worship sessions.
Pathway Camp Ministries is relatively new and dramatically different from other camps in Manitoba. Started in 2007 by directors Richard and Elizabeth Greer, Pathway brings camp to young people instead of bringing young people to camp.
"We take camp to where kids are at," Richard says. "We don't have a property, we don't have a climbing wall, we have a 15-passenger van which we fill to the hilt with people, and an enclosed cargo van that we load with our gear, our food and whatever equipment we need, and we drive to three communities and we fly to four others to do camp."
While the Greers live in Moosehorn, Manitoba, they have brought camp to children in Easterville, Grand Rapids, Little Saskatchewan, Berens River, Poplar River, Garden Hill, Jackhead First Nation and Bloodvein First Nation.
Approximately 90 per cent of the campers are Aboriginal children.
Pathway staff run camps from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The day's activities include eating, worshiping God and a lot of playing.
"Playing with kids is how we build a foundation," Richard says. "The fact that we play with them tells them that they're worth our while."
At Manitoba Pioneer Camp, staff are taking a similar approach as Camp Arnes staff and reaching out to 16- and 17-year-old campers with the creation of Pioneer Youth Crew, a program that offers the campers the opportunity to learn about the behind the scenes work that goes on at the camp, such as maintenance, boat driving and serving in the kitchen.
"We just have so many people wanting to come and connect with our community at camp," says Pete Dearborn, the camp's director of operations. "This is our way to meet that need and maintain that connection [to the 16- and 17-year-old campers] as they minister with us."
And working with young people is, after all, the point of summer camp. For Camp Arnes' Will Wear, seeing how camp changes young lives has been the highlight of the 11 years he's spent working at the camp.
"Camp Arnes is a place to grow," he says. "Every camper experiences some degree of growth. I love seeing how camp finds a way to challenge them while they're here."
"We have our Ignite program, which is our counsellor-in-training program, and generally that's for kids who are committed to Christ and want to be counselors in the future," says Will Wear, the executive director of Camp Arnes, located one hour north of Winnipeg. "[Crew] is an alternative for those kids who have grown up at the camp but have not progressed enough where they're ready for Ignite."
"They get a little more one on one mentorship and feel more involved as a team … behind the scenes," Wear adds.
There are many Christian summer camps throughout Manitoba, and like Camp Arnes, many of them will be trying new things with their programming as they aim to reach children with the message of Jesus Christ through a mixture of outdoor activities and worship sessions.
Pathway Camp Ministries is relatively new and dramatically different from other camps in Manitoba. Started in 2007 by directors Richard and Elizabeth Greer, Pathway brings camp to young people instead of bringing young people to camp.
"We take camp to where kids are at," Richard says. "We don't have a property, we don't have a climbing wall, we have a 15-passenger van which we fill to the hilt with people, and an enclosed cargo van that we load with our gear, our food and whatever equipment we need, and we drive to three communities and we fly to four others to do camp."
While the Greers live in Moosehorn, Manitoba, they have brought camp to children in Easterville, Grand Rapids, Little Saskatchewan, Berens River, Poplar River, Garden Hill, Jackhead First Nation and Bloodvein First Nation.
Approximately 90 per cent of the campers are Aboriginal children.
Pathway staff run camps from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The day's activities include eating, worshiping God and a lot of playing.
"Playing with kids is how we build a foundation," Richard says. "The fact that we play with them tells them that they're worth our while."
At Manitoba Pioneer Camp, staff are taking a similar approach as Camp Arnes staff and reaching out to 16- and 17-year-old campers with the creation of Pioneer Youth Crew, a program that offers the campers the opportunity to learn about the behind the scenes work that goes on at the camp, such as maintenance, boat driving and serving in the kitchen.
"We just have so many people wanting to come and connect with our community at camp," says Pete Dearborn, the camp's director of operations. "This is our way to meet that need and maintain that connection [to the 16- and 17-year-old campers] as they minister with us."
And working with young people is, after all, the point of summer camp. For Camp Arnes' Will Wear, seeing how camp changes young lives has been the highlight of the 11 years he's spent working at the camp.
"Camp Arnes is a place to grow," he says. "Every camper experiences some degree of growth. I love seeing how camp finds a way to challenge them while they're here."
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