Monthly Archives: May 2012

Events, Family Programs

Opportunities For Families In May & June

Escape to the great outdoors… connect with God, your family, and others! Make memories that will last. There are many exciting ways for families to be involved at Camp Qwanoes during May and June.

Spring Family Retreat Is Here!

Starting later today as this May long weekend begins, families are going on an adventure together at our Spring Family Retreat! As I write, I can hear Russ and our band, Quixotic, practicing our new summer theme song, Live It Up, and our events team is outside in front of Club Coco getting ready for all the fun (and crazy) family times.

Special (& crazy) family times

The final touches are being put on the children’s and youth programs and the activities (including some Qwanoes Beach activities!) are ready to go. We look forward to holding our very first Surf-O-Rama carnival of many to come this summer! Now we  just need our Family Retreat guests!

Family Work Weekend… Go On A Family Missions Trip!

Two weeks later on June 1-3 is Qwanoes’ Family Work Weekend. This is a great opportunity to serve together and experience Qwanoes all in one weekend – and there is no cost! This special weekend includes all ages working together on Saturday to help prepare the camp for the summer season, our special “Day of Prayer” program, a family fun event and fireside Saturday evening, and a Q-Town Sunday morning.

Be part of preparing the camp for an exciting summer season of ministry! Your efforts will help create the best possible environment for high-impact ministry to take place. See Family Work Weekend for more info and to register.

All ages welcome!

Everyone’s Invited To Our Open House!

On Saturday, June 9… grab your suntan lotion, pack your swim suit, load up your family and friends, and prepare for a special day of adventure at our annual Open House! There’s something for everyone… Qwanoes Beach activities (including the Aqua-Park and Waterskiing/Wakeboarding), the Challenge Course, our world-class concrete skate park and other land activities, children’s activities, and many more options for all ages.

Meals are provided! Enjoy lunch and a barbeque dinner, both at no cost. The day will conclude with music, singing, testimonies, and thanksgiving at a special pre-summer Q-Town. We’d love to welcome you!

Don’t Miss Our 2nd-Ever Summer Family Retreat!

Our first Summer Family Retreat last June was a huge success and we are very excited to be offering families this opportunity once again. From June 15-17 (with a Jumpstart Option on June 14), families are invited to spend an early summer getaway together at Qwanoes!

Qwanoes Beach open at Summer Family Retreat

This special weekend features the program, food (and no clean up!), speaker for the adults, and great extras like complimentary evening babysitting that families love – AND it also features a full range of activities at Qwanoes Beach! We look forward to celebrating the start of summer with all of you! For details and to register, click here.

~ Written by Julie Bayley, Qwanoes’ Associate Program Director

 

 

Social Media, Summer Camp

Leave Summer Alone…?

At Qwanoes, it’s really starting to feel like summer is almost here! Today’s a beautiful, sunny, blue-sky day. Blossoms and new leaves are everywhere – and the grass is growing quickly. It’s so exciting to realize that our first camp of the summer, Jr. High #1, will be starting in 50 days!

We Love Summer!

Kids enjoying Qwanoes Beach in the summer!

At Qwanoes, we are in support of a school calendar that includes a traditional, full-length summer break. We believe so strongly in what happens in the summer when kids come to camp that we want to do everything we can to protect the summer break. Our hope is that as many kids as possible would be able to attend camp in the summer, the best time of year for kids and families to be enjoying the great outdoors of B.C.!

A Shorter Summer Vacation?

Last month, the B.C. government introduced Bill 36 (“School Amendment Act, 2012”). If Bill 36 goes through, it will eliminate mandatory school calendars in B.C. School districts may choose to have a more “balanced” schedule than what they have now.

But “balanced” unfortunately means a shorter summer vacation! Year-round schooling has the potential to change summer camp as we know it in B.C. For more information on this and what you could do to help, please see What’s This All About?

A Very Worthwhile Day In Victoria

Scott (Qwanoes’ Executive Director) and I went to Victoria on Monday to try to find out more about the thinking behind Bill 36, plus to share our concerns about year-round schooling. We had good meetings with the Director of Legislation for the Ministry of Education and with the Deputy Minister of Education.

Scott with the MLA's

Then we were sitting on the front steps of the B.C. Parliament Buildings when suddenly we realized we were surrounded by all the MLA’s of B.C. It was just the two of us, some photographers, and the MLA’s who had come out for a group picture. Scott and I took this unexpected opportunity to have a very good conversation with Doug Routley (MLA for Nanaimo-North Cowichan) about the implications of Bill 36.

Have You Seen “Leave Summer Alone” Yet?!

Meanwhile this past weekend Russ (a.k.a. The Squirrel) wrote a brand-new short song “Leave Summer Alone” on behalf of kids who love summer the way it is! Then a quick video shoot took place and a video was made for this new song.

Watch the video then share it with everyone! Facebook, Twitter, email, whatever way you want to… please help spread the word! #LeaveSummerAlone

~ Written by Julie Bayley, Qwanoes’ Associate Program Director

 

 

Adult Retreats, Leadership Training, Q-Town & Music

For The Very First Time

LIT’s Invading Qwanoes This Weekend!

Summer '11 CIT's with leader Andrew MacDonald (top right wearing hat)

Qwanoes is alive with activity as we are getting closer and closer to summer! This weekend, we’re holding our first-ever LIT Pre-Summer Training Weekend led by Andrew MacDonald, Qwanoes’ CIT, LIT & Kaléo Program Leader. All incoming LIT’s for summer 2012 have been invited to come for a weekend of reconnecting with each other, diving into God’s Word, stretching their leadership abilities, and preparing for the summer ahead. Saturday will even include venturing out to the Horne Lake caves at Qualicum Beach to do some caving together!

Also on Saturday, Qwanoes will be running a Music Team Workshop led by Russ Smith, our Music and Media Coordinator. In addition to all the training happening, a camp board meeting and summer work weekend will be going on. This all means that summer is coming quickly at this point!

Young Adults Invited!

Wish you could still be a camper at Qwanoes but you’re over 18? Are you wanting to connect with other young adults and with God? In just one week, from May 11 to 13, Qwanoes and Ethos are partnering together to offer a retreat specifically for young adults! If you’re wondering what Ethos is, it is a ministry to the young adults of Metro Vancouver that meets every Sunday night at Coquitlam Alliance Church.

It doesn’t matter where you’re from… all young adults are invited to take part in this retreat! The theme is “Under The Sun” and our speaker is Chris Throness, the pastor of Ethos Young Adults, who has been involved in speaking to students and young adults all over Western Canada, United States, and in Israel.

For more details, to register, and to take a look at past young adult retreats at Qwanoes, please see Young Adult Retreat. We look forward to welcoming you to Qwanoes!

~ Written by Julie Bayley, Qwanoes’ Associate Program Director