the green spot blog

I think sometimes September is the month of "don't forgets". Don't forget your notebook. Don't forget your lunch. Don't forget your gym clothes. Don't forget to check your class schedule. Don't forget your locker code. I was watching the staff this last weekend as we served a large Guest Group. Each week seems little more busy than the last.  There's a lot of things to remind the staff as we welcome a new group on-site. There's a lot of... Don't forget to check your schedule. Don't forget to turn off the dishwasher. Don't forget to grab the activity binder. Don't forget the keys to the challenge course. Don't forget the code to the Playing Field Shed. Don't forget to check in with the Kitchen. That's a lot of remembering. It doesn't matter if you're a student at high school, college, or university - it doesn't matter if you're a staff member at Camp Evergreen. September is full of...

Just over a month ago we welcomed 17 more staff onto site for our Spring Season. These staff, along with our winter staff, have been and will continue to serve our Guest Groups that come through the camp in May and June. These groups are largely made up of schools, Scout and Guide groups, and Churches who are having retreats here. Gerrit and Mikaela Challenge Course Training Days are busy and long - three meals a day, five activity blocks, cleaning, and evening programming which includes wide games, Yodel 'n' Hum, and campfires. Our staff work tirelessly to serve our groups and make sure that they are having an unforgettable experience here at camp. Sometimes you hear people say that camp isn't a "real" job. I'm pretty sure I could make some pretty strong arguments towards saying that there are not many jobs that measure up to camp work. It's not just work though - our staff do Bible Studies together, play sports together, and straight up hav...

Hasn't fall just been absolutely amazing this year? I feel like we're being spoiled with the colours. I don't know if we have had the kind of colours that we have had this year in years. It's almost unbelievable to walk out to the barn and see the array of yellows, oranges, and greens. We're just starting our second month of fall groups. By the time October finishes, we will have seen over 2000 people come through Evergreen in just two months. Isn't that crazy? I love Guest Groups. The variety and personalities of the group. One day we might have a group of Beaver Scouts and the next could be a quilting group. Today we have a huge Home Schoolers group and tomorrow will be Edge School of Athletics. It's always an adventure here. This last weekend was a special one though. It was our Heart Transplant Group. Families from across Western Canada who have a son or daughter who has been through one or more heart transplant. This group has been coming for a f...

We're expecting 2,400 guests to join us here at Camp Evergreen between September and the end of November, 2015.  2,400 is a large number.  By comparison is only 2,637 km to Disneyland from Camp Evergreen.  (I just checked on Google Maps as Disneyland is never far from my mind!). Typically when we think about the ministry here at Evergreen we think about our summer camps.  And rightly so.  We think about chapels and camp fires.  We think about singing and testimonies.  We think about speakers and cabin devotions.  And while its true that ministry happens in summer (267 campers made a life changing decision this summer), the other ten months of the year have just as much value in our ability to see lives transformed by the power of Jesus. I was reminded again this morning scrolling through Google News, that we live in a very messed up world.  However, I was also encouraged this morning reading the apostle Paul's letter to the Eph...

Most people don't get excited about Annual General Meetings, but here at Camp Evergreen we like to think of them as our Awesome General Meeting and combined with our Open House in the afternoon is one of our favourite days of the year! Highlights of this years AGM include:  - a great skit led by our German volunteers.  Watch out for that squirrel!    - three board members sharing a short testimony and being re-elected for a three year term.  - a great (and entertaining) financial report - thanks Kevin!  (who knew financial reports could be entertaining?)  - the launch of our Reaching Higher campaign.  - free 2016 camps given away.  - record number of 54 members present!   Each member present received a backpack with a special members pen and pin.  Courtney was also handing out an alumni pin that we were encouraged to proudly wear throughout the day.  Its never too early to start thinking about becoming a ...

Volunteer - noun - a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task.  verb - freely offer to do something. Colter and Tia helping out at the barn.  Nice hoodie Tia! I asked Bekah to give me a list of volunteers that have helped us out over our winter months.  I was expecting a few names, I was not expecting a list of over 50 names!  It's been a real blessing to be able to share our ministry load with our volunteers.  Some of our volunteers are previous staff members.  Some of our volunteers come on a regular basis - thanks Jeanette!  Some of our volunteers come from Sundre, and others as far away as Edmonton or Lethbridge - just for a weekend.  Some of our volunteers have only joined us once.  Some volunteers drive tractor, wash dishes, teach activities, scoop horse poop (which really isn't as gross as you may think), clean wash rooms or cook meals.  Some volunteers are young and some a little older....