the green spot blog

Ooooooo - I love lists. Christmas time just screams lists, doesn't it? I'm sure with all that has been going on in your world - there's not a lot of time to make another one. So I went ahead and created it for you! Today marks only 15 days until Summer Camp Registration opens. If you haven't thought about Summer 2018 yet...you should really start (along with baking cookies, giant turkeys, wrapping gifts, and chasing the cat out of your Christmas tree). Camp is awesome. You know that - otherwise you probably wouldn't be here reading this blog. Or maybe you're a first timer...thinking about sending your son or daughter to camp and you are just trying to figure out if this "outdoorsy, crazy game-filled, Bible camp thing where my child is in the hands of complete strangers" is really the right thing to do... Let me help. I am what you call a camp veteran - a lifer . I'm not ashamed to admit that. I attended camp every year from when I was f...

It's certainly easy for me or anybody that works at camp to tell you why it is so awesome and why it is so important for kids to experience. I started attending camps when I was five years old and kept attending straight through graduation, when I turned into a seasonal staff member - working during the summers between university semesters. I still couldn't keep away - I then became a full-time director. You can see why it's easy for me to talk about the life-changing role that camp plays in one's life. It played that role in mine. Many people agree with me. The activities, games, and the outdoors obviously make camp so amazing. When we ask kids what they love about their week the normal, expected answers pop up. But would you believe me if I told you that one of the things that campers talk about when asked what they love about camp is that it's a break from their devices? Camp is a place unlike any other. Freedom from devices and technology, outdoor advent...

Have I mentioned that 2018 is going to be an awesome year? Camper mail hit Canada Post today...that means more than 1000 kids are going to be getting notes from their Cabin Leaders and our 2018 Camper Brochure. It's such an exciting time! It's also exciting because we have another brand new program to introduce to you. Wrangler Up! Wrangler Up joins our Pit Crew and Internship Program to help build our next generation of staff. If you guessed that our Wrangler Up program is about training up new Barn Staff - you are correct. It's designed for horse enthusiasts to refine their riding, saddling, and cleaning skills while forming friendships which last a lifetime. Something that we've known for a long time is that when a camper loves horses - they really love horses. We also really believe in training the next generation of staff. We love our Barn Staff and know that it's just as important to train the next generation of horse-loving staff as it is our Cabin Leade...

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 you've had a whole week now to build your team and draft your players. what you need now is strategy! Good thing for you this blog is all on strategy, tips and tricks from the experts that have played years of Jug and Jog.  "I rarely played jug and jog in summer, but when I did it was great!" -Becca Glavind Well Becca now the next time you play you will have all these wonderful tactics to use to elevate your game! Defence I start with defence because a good defence is key to winning. You want like 25% of your team playing defence these players should be watching the box at all times remember they only win when they get all the jugs. It doesn't matter how many people are in your box the only thing that matters is that your jugs don't leave your zone.  Your defence line should be spread out along the middle of your half try to cover zones of the field don't bunch up around the box, that's puppy guarding, and not effective. Always have ...

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...

I had a bit longer of a blog written and decided to delete it because something a camper wrote in a Pit Crew application is better than anything I could say today. Pit Crew is part of our Junior Staff program. It's the first program you can go into (grade 9,10) to train to be staff here at Evergreen. It's a two week program where campers learn what it means to follow Jesus, to be a servant, and to start experiencing and serving camp from behind the program. Signing up for Pit Crew (and Internships) is more than just a registration form for parents to fill out. There's an application where we ask about the camper's testimony of faith and why they are wanting to be part of our Junior Staff program. Here's how one applicant responded in their 2016 application: "When I was in grade 6, my friend told me about this camp that he heard from his friend called Camp Evergreen. We asked our parents to sign us up, and they did. I had no idea who Jesus was or God. I he...

As you may have noticed on our Facebook Page - this last Saturday was our annual Pond Hockey Fundraiser and let me be the first (well, I'm probably not actually the first) to say that it was an amazing day! Nine teams signed up for the day - all prepared to win the coveted Golden Skate trophy. Teams came to us from Sundre, Edmonton, and Calgary. We even had some "free agents" sign up for the day to be placed on some teams that needed some extra legs. The day started out at 9am with some pretty frigid temperatures. -24C to be exact. At this temperature...not much works (like us humans!). Not even the ice. Our Ice Maintenance teams were quick at work trying to patch large cracks in the ice from it being too brittle. The "Quadbonie" team on Rink 2 and our Ice Maintenance Rink 1 team worked hard to make sure the ice was as good as we could make it. We kept trucking, patching, and playing and with each game - the temperature rose about 4 or 5 degrees. Before ...

That's right! Campers you have mail coming to you! Letters from your cabin leaders and brochures for this next summer. There's even a poster to hang up on your wall to remind you to dream sweet dreams about    Jug 'n' Jog for the next six and a half months. Registration opens on January 4th, 2016! In the spirit of camp brochures and looking forward to Summer Camp 2016 - here's what one camper (we'll call him Jeff* ) had to say about Camp Evergreen during his week at Impact in 2015 and why he keeps coming back. CE: Hey Jeff, how has your week been? Jeff: It's great! Like, seriously awesome. CE: When did you start coming to camp? Jeff: I have been coming here since I was in grade four. CE: Wow! Four! Why do you keep coming back? Jeff: The people here keep me coming back. You know activity-wise there's always another zipline, right? So, it's not that special in a way - but what makes it special is the people. Like, Cam (S...

This is the best day of my life - I love camp, I JUST LOVE CAMP!!  Those are familiar words at camp - kids living in the moment at camp. Each day is filled with new adventures - from rescuing princesses in towers (staff on top of the climbing wall) to stopping the cookie thieves on horseback or rounding up dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. Camp creates a world like no other - opening doors of imagination and wonder. If that wasn't enough - the food is amazing (not as amazing as your mum's, of course) and the staff are like superheroes. For some campers, a week at camp represents more than the games and activities - one camper describes camp as their "home away from home. It's impossible to come to camp and not make friends". It also offers a place to learn about the Creator of the world in a safe place. To learn who Jesus is and how much each of us are loved by Him.  An application from one of our Interns this year said that every person should get to ex...

That's how many Germans we're at. Twenty! Can you even believe it? Two weeks ago, Marlisa (Marley) Nikesch, our twentieth volunteer from WEC Germany arrived, rounding out Generation Four. Introducing Generation Four (you have met Toby, Gerrit and Manuel on Facebook): A giant welcome to Marley...we had some challenges finding the "right" picture: Some of you may remember that we name each year of German Volunteers by Generations. We started back in 2012 with Generation One that consisted of Christoph (#1), Jessica (#2), and Hannah S. (#3). We assign numbers (for no other purpose than to keep their order straight in our heads) based on when they arrive - making Christoph German #1...much to Jessica's chagrin. Generation Two started with Maren at #4, Daniel at #12 in Generation Three, finally Miriam who was #15 started Generation Four off. It's pretty amazing to think that only a few short years ago this whole life-changing adventure started. Not just ...