the green spot blog

2018 is going to be full of awesome new things at Evergreen. We've added another Family Camp to our schedule ( registration for Winter Fest Family Camp is open right now ), we're making Charge 3 co-ed, and we're adding two brand new camps to our schedule (Adventure and Wrangler Up). This week and next week, we are going to break down what Adventure Camp and Wrangler Up are going to be like. As our camps continue to fill each year - we're challenged with the question of how to grow while maintaining what makes Evergreen awesome and unique. As we were putting together our 2018 Camp Schedule - we took a hard look at our Out-trips. The campers that absolutely LOVE our out-trips do not often cross over to our Base Camps. There's something really special that happens out at the Tipis and at Foothills Outfitters Camp (Charge and Trails Away) that just can't be ignored. Knowing that these campers are often "once an out-tripper, always an out-tripper...

So​ ​ if​ ​ you​ ​ have​ ​ been​ ​ to​ ​ camp​ ​ you​ ​ have​ ​ probably​ ​ played​ ​ the​ ​ game​ ​ jug​ ​ and​ ​ jog. For​ ​ those​ ​ of​ ​ you​ ​ who​ ​ haven’t​ ​ been​ ​ here​ ​ to​ ​ experience​ ​ this​ ​ majestic​ ​ game​ ​ I ​ ​ highly recommend​ ​ coming​ ​ out​ ​ and​ ​ playing.​ ​ Here​ ​ is​ ​ a ​ ​ quick​ ​ overview​ ​ of​ ​ the​ ​ game:​ ​ There​ ​ are two​ ​ teams​ ​ each​ ​ team​ ​ has​ ​ a ​ square​ ​ marked​ ​ out​ ​ by​ milk​ ​crates​ ​inside​ ​ this​ ​ square​ ​ are​ ​ an assortment​ ​ of​ ​ jugs.​ ​ The​ ​goal​ ​of​ ​the​ ​game​ ​is​ ​to​ ​collect​ ​ all​ ​ the​ ​ jugs​ ​ from​ ​ the​ ​ other​ ​team's side​ ​ and​ ​place​ ​ them​ ​ in​ ​ your​ ​ box.​ ​ When​ ​ you​ ​ are​ ​ on​ ​ the​ ​ enemy​ ​ teams​ ​ side​ ​ of​ ​ the​ ​ field you​ ​ can​ ​ be​ ​ tagged​ ​ if​ ​ you’re​ ​ tagged​ ​ you​ ​ have​ ​ to​ ​ sit​ ​ down​ ​ where​ ​ you​ ​ were​ ​ tagged​ ​ and wait​ ​ for​ ​ a ​ ​ team-mate​ ​ to​ ​ rescue​ ​ you,​ ​ or​ ​ for​ ​ that​ ​ all​ ​ important​ ​ jail...

It is likely not a surprise to too many people that Camp relies on volunteers. It's true, we do have paid positions, however, so much of the work that we are able to accomplish each season is through our countless volunteers. Our volunteers come from all over and serve in many different ways. We generally have four types of volunteers that join us in our ministry work. The Marathoners - These are the volunteers who are typically retired and are able to give anywhere from four weeks to five months of time to camp. We have one retired couple coming to join us next month (Helmut and Doris) whose son was the Head Wrangler back in the 1990s. They will pull their RV in next month and stay with us nearly to the end of the summer. In addition to being our staff's adoptive grandparents for the next five months, Helmut will help with the grass cutting, maintenance, and feeding chores. Doris will help with our laundry, flowers, and a bit of assistance in the kitchen. The Up-and-c...

  We love fun at camp. We love to laugh and be silly. So it makes sense that our fundraisers should be some of the most fun, most entertaining events you could possibly attend. And the good news is - our fundraisers aren't all about Pond Hockey...even though we're quite fond of our Pond Hockeyers (that's definitely not a word). With all that said (brevity was never a strength) - we'd like to let everyone know about our Spring Fundraiser: A Dinner and a Laugh! This fundraiser will take place on May 7th, 2016 at 5:00pm The evening will start with a wonderful meal put together by our very own Chef Ken, who seems to outdo himself every time he puts on a meal, and will be followed by Leland Klassen. Leland Klassen is Canada's premier clean comedian! We'll be laughing our way into the evening. That's not all - there will be a fantastic silent auction and dessert to follow. Funds raised will go directly into supporting the programs that guests and campers enj...

We love fall around here. The changing leaves and the way the air is so crispy in the mornings. Yes - it's a haunting reminder that winter is coming but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. One of the things that fall means is Rise Up. It's our High School Retreat. It's so much fun and a great reminder of camp...which fades so quickly from our minds when school starts. So the most perfect way to solve that is to come to Rise Up! A perfectly packed weekend of fun, games, evening programming, and chapels. We're joined this year by Tom and Malora Mulhern from Dalhousie Community Church : And Jonathan Klein from First Alliance in Calgary (don't you just love what you can find on the internet?):   So if you're thinking to yourself - oh boy, I really, like, REALLY miss camp. Pack your bags because it's going to be a great weekend you won't want to miss! This retreat isn't just for youth groups! If you're a student enter grades 9-12 a...

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...

The winter season is coming to a close here at camp. In just a few short days, we will be welcoming a number of amazing individuals to join our team. There is a mixture of emotions amongst the staff. We are excited to begin this new season and ready for change, but change is scary and transition can be hard. So I want to take some time to reflect on this past winter season.   The Winter Staff One thing Taylor Jenkins has said to me from day one was "Slow Down and Smell the Roses." In spring, summer, and fall, we have guest group after guest group. We are running from the kitchen to activities, from activities to the kitchen, from the kitchen to cleaning. It is busy, busy, busy! Often times, you feel like there is no time to slow down and really take it all in. But Winter is a very different story. Weekends are still busy, but for the most part guest groups are smaller in number. We are ever so thankful for all the volunteers who helped us out on the busier weeken...

Jug 'n' Jog. If the world could just play more Jug 'n' Jog - I think it would be a happier place. It is quite possibly the number one, most singularly enjoyed game at camp. In fact - there are times when I think kids could come to camp, only play Jug 'n' Jog and leave being the happiest kids on Earth. In fact, we could almost be renamed Camp Jug 'n' Jog. And it's also funny - my computer or iPhone doesn't even recognize the words or phrase as being a spell check. That's when you know you talk about something a lot. You might think that those opening statements are strange or even foreign - maybe you don't even know what Jug 'n' Jog is...well, let me tell you! It's epic, it's fantastic, and it's played with recycling (we have to be good stewards, you know). The concept is quite simple - the field is divided into two halves, each team has a square on it with recycled jugs in it. The goal is to get the other team...

Five in the morning comes very early no matter how you slice it.  (the only exception would be a trip to Disneyland).  Sunday morning Camp Evergreen was on its way to Gem for our first ever soup and buns lunch.  Daniel, Bev, Ken and I (Ranger) packed up the van and were on the road by 6:18!  It was dark and a little blustery but Ken already had about three cups of coffee so there was no need to turn on the radio as we listened to his plethora of songs! After missing the 16th Ave exit off Stoney Trail and taking a quick tour of Chestermere, we headed east on the Trans Canada Highway.  First stop - Strathmore for breakfast at McDonalds.  Daniel and I were tempted to start drinking coffee because it was free.  That could of been a disaster.  Ken wasn't sure about his McGriddle and Bev needed a bit more water in her oatmeal.  But we needed to push on, so we took our orders to go and jumped back into the van.  (I should mention that I ...

  Those words floated like sweet music through the trees on January 10th. Eight teams and dozens of spectators joined us for one of our favourite days of the year: Pond Hockey! The day was beautiful. It sat right around nine degrees and even though we got a bit of snow throughout the day - the hockey was awesome. I had the privilege of being the whistle-blowers on Rink One and it was so much fun watching teams play. We had teams from across central Alberta. Lendrum from Edmonton even came with custom jerseys! They looked pretty flash with the Camp Evergreen toques that we gave all of the players! We had a number of teams from the Calgary area and one from Linden. And what good is a hockey competition with out the Commentators? A big thanks go out to our returning Colour Commentator, Tom Mulhern and our newly discovered, David Song, as our Play-by-Play. Between those two you knew everyone who "blew a tire" on the ice and what most players/spectators had for breakfas...

Last week our landscape changed. In truth, our landscape has been consistently changing for the last few years due to our cabins getting rebuilt. This summer saw all 10 new cabins house campers. Cabins Six through Eleven still stood on that back row beyond the bathrooms (called The Lost Cabins by some...or so often - The Boys Cabins). One by one, the cabins have been moving out. First eight, nine, and ten. Six made its way next. Eleven and Seven took the longest as the trees that have grown up around them made quite the challenge and puzzle for Rolf. Koda is sitting where Cabin 6 used to be. Finally, last week, Seven and Eleven were carefully moved out from their homes. This seemed, at least for me, the most significant of the changes that I've seen over the last few years. These little wooden cabins that had housed thousands of summer campers full of memories are almost finished their work here. As I watched Rolf haul Cabin 7 past the Welcome Centre last week, memories ca...

Leaves are falling all around, cold crisp air in the morning, strong gusts of wind blowing in each direction, Autumn has begun. Summer has come and gone, fall is here but not for long. The busyness of summer has died down and camp has settled into the routine of the fall season. Though there is a completely different feel to the fall season, we still get to enjoy God's creation. As different guest groups come, we get to love them through the way we act and treat one another. It is so beautiful to be outside in God's creastion each day, enjoying eachother's company as we work together in ministry serving God and other people. We can relate each season to different seasons in our lives. Sometimes we go through good seasons and sometimes we go through hard seasons. One thing that remains true through every season is that God is faithful to us. He remains constant when life is up and down. God's steadfast love is always there for us. So remember that during this season of ...