Hello Everyone! As we are getting ready to launch our 2018 summer plans, we are excited to bring you up to date on summer 2017!
So, beginning last May, if you did not already know, Jennifer Hay joined our staff team year-round, in a part-time capacity. Jennifer has spent more than a decade at FL. It is where she developed many skills and her Love for the Lord. She was the Senior Assistant Director the previous summer, and was a huge help to Trish and myself in our transition to our new position. We are very thankful for the Lord’s provision and we enjoy serving alongside her.
Coming into the 2017 summer, we were blessed to have some new additions to our core staff.
Sophie
The first was Sophie Roy. She came with experience having previously led a Day Camp Program along with multiple Kids Clubs in the Magog/Lennoxville/Ayers Cliff areas. Sophie took on the responsibility of Day Camp Coordinator. Campers were drawn to her as she is very engaging and creative with her program. Sophie and the other Day Camp staff were kept on their toes, as they had the job of dealing with the fluctuation in daily numbers. Day Camper numbers would range from 20 to 50 and quite often you wouldn’t know until the bus showed up at 8am!
Samantha
Samantha Pinnow came on board to be our summer Cook, and to lead our Kitchen Crew. It was quite impressive to see her organization skills in regards to planning menus, the daily structure for getting tasks accomplished, keeping a clean kitchen, and working with an eclectic crew, all the while preparing 400-700 meals per day!
So, with everyone in place we went about the task at hand…To help staff and campers understand who they were created and saved to be! We strive to make all decisions with this mission in our minds. We tried to do this by both site development and new building/renovations so that we could better facilitate spiritual growth through the program, Bible studies, teaching sessions, training, and building community.
So here is the rundown of what happened May through October!
This year at camp
May
We had 60 people split between two workdays show up to help get water turned on, docks installed, the buildings and site cleaned, a cabin roof shingled, and demolition of the interior of the Arthur Hill building in preparation for the coming renovation.
There was a Golf Tournament that raised $3,500 toward camper scholarships.
A new line of Frontier Lodge merchandise was launched, featuring the new camp logo. Items include t-shirts, hoodies, water bottles, and lanyards. We had to make a second order as we were sold out by the end of June!
June
Staff visited Grace Chapel in Sherbrooke and Greenridge Baptist in Lennoxville to show our appreciation for supporting FL. Hope Community Church came out and held a Sunday service and baptism at camp.
Staff had a day of service where we went out to lend a hand landscaping, trimming trees, building
a fire pit, and a garden. We are trying to make FL known for supporting others with the resources we have, rather than just asking others for support.
Staff ran a program for several School Groups of which some groups stayed overnight.
A new, larger Motel was built (20ftx50ft, 5 rooms with 30+ beds for boys staff housing), replacing the old Motel.
Arthur Hill had new floors, windows, and walls installed. This was done to facilitate a working area/home for Day Campers.
A Pentecostal Hispanic group from Sherbrooke held their church’s family retreat with close to 200 people on the grounds.
FL Family Camp was brought back! With parents, children, and staff, we had approximately 200
people running around camp the weekend of June 24th.
UCC held their teen camp.
We held staff training, staff bonding, and sessions that focused on re-visiting the Gospel and the implications for our lives in the newly renovated AH building.
The bus was fired up and Day Camp begun!
July
Residential camp started up!
Grace Chapel came out to camp and celebrated the Lord’s Supper, had a picnic lunch, and also had baptism in the lake!
Another cabin roof was re-shingled.
The Chapel was re-designed with the purchase of new equipment including speakers, a sound board, a large projector, and a projector screen.
The laundry room was renovated with new walls, insulation, and new washing machines.
The Arthur Hill renovation continued with the addition of a new deck and the installation of lights. This allows the Day Camp and others to be inside/outside even when raining!
August
Both Residential and Day Camps came to a close after a 5 and 8 week run.
Yevghenii ran Tropinka, a Christian Russian Camp, for two weeks.
We had a school rental.
Westview held their Young Adults Retreat on Labour Day Weekend.
Planning for summer 2018 began!
Throughout The Summer
- New program activities included inflatables, archery tag, and bubble soccer.
- Waterfront purchases included 2 sailboats, 4 stand up paddle boards, and thankfully only 1 water tube (last year we went through 3).
- A new weekend structure was introduced in which we ran our Sunday service on Saturday night. Weather permitting, we held the service by the lake around a fire on the point. This allowed a more relaxed environment (not rushing for new camper arrival), created community and staff bonding. It also allowed staff to sleep and get much needed rest Sunday morning!
- 100+ buckets of water were used to flush toilets when the power went out
- 20,000+ meals were served in the kitchen (400-700 per day depending on the week)
- Day Camp averaged 32 campers per week, including a weekly Day Trip
- Residential Camp averaged 60 campers per week
- 117 staff helped make everything happen
- 60 staff average per week
- 130 staff meetings were held with a devotional and prayer time
- 65 chapel services were held with 9 different speakers
- 60 bible studies were held for staff
- Testimonies: It is amazing to think that for years, every night around the campfire, people are testifying to who Jesus is and what He has done in their lives.
Not Done Yet…
September
We recognized that everything we want to continue to implement going forward was going to require more help, so Jennifer has joined us full-time as FL’s Assistant Director!
Arthur Hill was re-sided and completed, with the exception of a new window for the laundry room.
The large cement blocks/piers on the Waterfront were removed as we are in the process of re-doing the waterfront set up.
The Hispanic group came back for their weekend men’s retreat.
Kevin Smith from HCC came and ran Breakaway Fall Retreat, which is a weekend for teens.
October
New grass was seeded, and is growing around the office.
Another application was made to the Tillotson Foundation, and a grant was awarded to help fund the Day Camp. Within the last year, we have applied for the grant twice, and have received a total of $11,400.
Closing off the season, our annual staff Halloween party was held in Montreal. We brought in staff from the Eastern Townships, dressed up in silly costumes, just like at camp, and we experienced community and bonding, coming together as one body to spend time in worship.
Thank You!
We would like to give a special thanks to Jon and Tonja Waind. Thank you for bringing your family down to FL for 6+ weeks. In humble service, it was wonderful to watch you be an example in all aspects of camp, pouring into the lives of campers and staff.
You gave of yourselves from 8am until 11pm… Above and Beyond!
Thank you to all those who spend time in prayer for camp. We feel an overwhelming sense of support, and we are very encouraged as many people are getting on board supporting Frontier Lodge in various ways. We also want to say a big thank you to all the staff, nurses, speakers and numerous volunteers for the time that you give to the Lord through camp. It is a pleasure to facilitate you serving the Lord. We look forward to watching you as you continue to grow in your faith and service to the Lord… Hopefully, next summer at Frontier Lodge!
Richard Cameron and Patricia Mosher, General Directors