Monthly Archives: October 2012

Events

The “Mac & Cheese & Milkshake Lady”

Janet Anderson surrounded by kids in Colombia while on a Qwanoes missions trip

Many of you know that Janet Anderson, Qwanoes’ Board Chair and our friend, passed away on October 14 after a courageous battle with cancer. A service in celebration of Janet’s life and a carnival (yes, you read that right!) were held on Saturday, October 27 at Oakridge Baptist Church in Vancouver. Janet’s desire was that this service would be a party and that lots of kids would be there!

So what was it like to be there on Saturday and why did Janet want this to be a party and a time of fun?!

Janet's pastor Barton Priebe leading the service (note the balloons - they were everywhere!)

Janet’s celebration of life was an event those who were there will remember for a very long time! It was a truly unique and God-honouring experience. The service was all about what Jesus can do in a person’s life. Camp Qwanoes had been asked to put on the carnival Janet requested and we were ready. Once the service ended, the carnival got going and it was almost impossible to get around from one room to another in the church – it was jam-packed!

What it was like being at “Janet’s Celebration of Life Carnival”

The candy table "in sweet loving memory of Janet"

Picture walking up to a beautifully-decorated table, getting a colourful paper cupcake holder, and filling it with delicious candies of all types that are displayed all over the table….

Girls and the "Green Man" enjoying the carnival!

The carnival also included a whole bunch of fun games and challenges, face painting, bubbles, music, popcorn, cotton candy, hot dogs right off the barbeque, macaroni and cheese, Ice Cream Island, milkshakes from Club Coco, Shave Ice Palace, the Tuck Shop – you name it… it was there! I heard kids at the carnival saying that it was the best carnival they had ever been to! I know I felt like I was a kid again for a couple of hours. Janet would have been so pleased!

Help love kids to life at Qwanoes!

Those who knew Janet are aware that she was passionate about Qwanoes’ mission of loving kids to life… helping them discover, live, and share life like no other in Christ. For those who were not there on Saturday, an exciting opportunity exists to help love kids to life at Qwanoes! Janet’s husband Frank has requested that gifts in memory of Janet would be given to Camp Qwanoes. Several families that are also passionate about the mission of Qwanoes have committed to match the gifts that are made in memory of Janet! Every $1 given will be matched by $3 for the first $20,000 given – meaning that your gift will be quadrupled!

To give a gift to Qwanoes in memory of Janet, please contact Betty Bayley at 250-246-3014 or toll free at 1-888-997-9266. Or you could mail a cheque to the camp with a note that your gift is in memory of Janet. To have your gift quadrupled, please give by November 15.

Step right up!

Why Janet wanted her celebration of life service to be a party and a time of fun

Janet’s husband Frank made it clear why Janet wanted her service to be this way:

  • “She would be in Heaven where there is no sorrow, no tears, no sadness, only rejoicing, peace, and love and we here can also rejoice in this.”
  • “She wanted to recognize how joyful her life in Christ had been. She wanted to show that living the Christian life is exciting, fulfilling, and full of fun.”
  • “Because of who she was… a fun loving, exciting person. She was known by nieces and nephews as the ‘Mac and Cheese and Milkshake lady.'”

I know that I am inspired by Janet’s life and by what went on at her celebration of life. I agree with Janet, as she said shortly before her death, that life in Christ is “wonderful!”

~ Written by Julie Bayley, Qwanoes’ Associate Program Director

 

 

Adult Retreats, Events, Guest Groups, Leadership Training, Youth Retreats

A Super-Sunny Start To Fall

I can't believe it's late September in this picture!

What a great start to Fall! I don’t know what the weather has been like at your house, but it has been SUNNY every day since the last day of Youth Camp here at Qwanoes – and there is no rain in sight!

Guest Groups At Qwanoes – All the sunny weather has been great for many school groups who have made Qwanoes their destination for kick-off retreats to the school year. Imagine your school coming to Qwanoes!?? You should ask your teacher!

One of the school groups that came was the leadership students of Trinity Western University. For many years now, they have made it one of their annual events that the students look forward to and this year was no exception. The speaker was great, the food was fantastic, and Qwanoes Beach was open for one last time! It was like summer all over again, but the campers were a little bigger than our summer campers.

So good to see lots of LIVE IT UP t-shirts at the Road Tour!

Road Tour – Qwanoes took camp on the road for four awesome Road Tour events at churches near many of you!  It was so great to see so many campers once again and many of their friends. The Squirrel and our band Quixotic was on the stage leading everyone in Q-Town, plus Stevie-G and crew led some lively All Star Games with rockets flying everywhere! And the night wasn’t over until everyone enjoyed some cookies and juice at mug-up!

One of the highlights for me was having CIT’s and campers at every Road Tour share how much camp has made a difference in their lives and so has being a part of a youth group throughout the year. One camper said it best: “Camp is so great but youth group is great too, and it’s like a little bit of camp once a week all year long.”

If you aren’t connected to a youth group yet, no worries. Just check with a friend who is in one, or check out our church finder online or call the camp. We know many great youth groups! SEE MORE PICTURES FROM ROAD TOUR

Qwanoes’ Students – Our students in the Kaléo program are up to new things every week! And this week is no exception. Right now they are on a really big sailing ship in the Gulf Islands that sleeps 32 people! Imagine being on a sailing trip like that! This trip includes lots of shore excursions, swinging from ropes off the ship, lessons on how to sail, and lots of great chapel times learning and growing together. We can’t wait to see pictures and hear stories soon!

Next week the students will be taking their Camp & Youth Ministry class along with a number of Qwanoes interns, and after that they are off on a cold water surfing trip in Tofino. To follow the journey of Qwanoes’ students and to learn more about our Kaléo leadership program, follow the weekly blog.

Fall Retreats – Missing Qwanoes? You don’t have to wait until next summer! Come on back for a retreat where we pack the fun of summer into one weekend. You won’t want to miss getting together with all your friends at Qwanoes. We miss you and hope to see you back at camp soon! More info about Qwanoes’ fall retreats for youth and adults.

Happy Thanksgiving from Qwanoes! Give thanks this weekend!

That's what the tall ship looks like that the Qwanoes students have been on all week!

 

~ Written by Jay Kennedy, Qwanoes’ Assistant Director