All posts by Julie

Camp Staff, Summer Camp

Share Life Like No Other This Summer!

Are you 15 or turning 15 this year? Have you looked forward for years to when you will be old enough to serve on staff at Qwanoes?

You’re invited to join the team!

Qwanoes invites those who are 15 (or who will be 15 by Dec. 31, 2012) to apply for one special week of  Operations Support Crew and serve in a vital food services role (dishwashing, dining room set- up, etc). Leaders will offer you spiritual discipleship and there will be opportunities to assist in the camp program.

Reach for more this summer!

If you’re coming on staff as a 15 year-old, you will be part of the first weekend of Staff Training in late June. During this weekend, you’ll learn more about the heart of Qwanoes and what it means to be part of the staff team. You can choose the week in the summer you’d like to join us on staff except for Youth Camp (note that some weeks may fill so please apply soon). See Staff Opportunity For 15 Year-Olds for more info.

Whether you’ve been a camper before or not, see what camp ministry is all about and enjoy the friendship and support of other staff! You’ll be encouraged and challenged to grow closer to God and as the leader God has called you to be. Discover more about living and sharing life like no other this summer and put your faith into action!

~ Written by Julie Bayley, Qwanoes’ Associate Program Director.

 

 

Q-Town & Music

All-Night Video Shoot

The secret’s out! Q-Town was pumping out some tunes in an all-nighter this week!

One year it was a road trip to Alberta, the next year Stevie-G and Russ were in a race to Qwanoes from Vancouver – and this year the LIVE IT UP music video is yet another big surprise! There is so much to tell you, but what should I share first?? Well I was so curious about the tunes coming out of Q-Town in the middle of the night that I went out there myself to check it all out. I thought that maybe the Squirrel was missing summer so much that he was sleep-walking out at Q-Town, but he wasn’t :)…

Russ and Quixotic in Q-Town at the video shoot for the new "LIVE IT UP" music video.

The first thing I saw was the Quixotic band jammin’ away, and they sounded awesome! Russ Smith (aka the Squirrel) had this to say: “We’re at it again putting our new song LIVE IT UP on the big screen! This year it’s going to be an all-night video shoot and jam session! We are going the extra mile for our campers so the video is spectacular! So far it’s looking really good and we are just getting started!”

It was so cool to see all the lights and smoke and… ok I better stop there to leave some things a surprise! One thing for sure is that the new LIVE IT UP music video is going to be awesome! If you haven’t heard the theme song yet, you can listen to it online and see some sights and sounds of summer too. I love the start the best!

Click on the picture to see full update!

We look forward to welcoming thousands of kids to camp this summer and an email went out this week to give the invitation to as many people as possible! You can use this email invitation as a great way to invite your friends to camp. It is easy to share by “liking” it on Facebook, tweeting it to your friends, or emailing it. You’ll also find quick, fun links on this email to the LIVE IT UP full-length and mini slideshows, plus the new AT LAST I’M HOME music video.

Looking forward to when Q-Town is filled with all of you once again!!

~ Written by Jay Kennedy, Qwanoes’ Assistant Director.

 

 

 

Youth Retreats

Juniors Retreat Coming Soon!

Join us for one extra special weekend!

Do you know someone between the ages of 8 and 11 who is looking for a weekend adventure? Just can’t wait for summer to come to camp?

Our Spring Juniors Retreat is coming up from Mar. 30-Apr. 1, 2012. This special weekend is going to include lots of fun camp activities (Challenge Course & Archery plus much more), outdoor adventures, “Late Night Madness,” caring counselors and staff, friends, “Town Invasion…The Hot Tub & Pool Are Ours!” and always…a few surprises!

Try the Screamer for yourself!

Our speaker, Paul Olson, the Pastor of Family Ministries at Burnett Fellowship and father of 5, is looking forward to encouraging and challenging everyone to explore truths from God’s Word that will help us in our everyday lives.

Prepare to discover something so powerful that it cannot be stopped… and so amazing that it may just change your life! We can’t wait to welcome everyone!!

 

Heard at our fall retreats: “I love everything! My counselor! The SkyScraper! The food!” “I like the warming feel… the atmosphere, the feeling that everyone here loves me.”

~ Written by Julie Bayley, Qwanoes Associate Program Director

Events, Leadership Training, Summer Camp

On The Road Again!

Jay & Andrew with the wakeboard winner on the big stage at Youth Quake!

It’s a busy time right now as many Qwanoes staff are out and about spreading the news about the opportunities at Qwanoes this summer!

Youth Quake 2012

Last week, Jay Kennedy (Assistant Director) and Andrew Macdonald (Kaléo & CIT/LIT Program Leader) were at Youth Quake at Briercrest College & Seminary in Saskatchewan. Qwanoes teamed up with HO Sports Canada and Rocky Mountain Bicycles once again to give away a wakeboard and mountain bike at this huge Prairie youth event.

Missions Fest Alberta

This weekend, Ken Bayley (Director of Public Relations) and Matt Flemming (Recreation Coordinator) are in Edmonton representing Qwanoes at Missions Fest Alberta. This is always a great time of meeting new people and renewing friendships!

Quixotic leading Q-Town songs at Duncan Christian School!

Duncan Christian School

Yesterday, a team from Qwanoes was at Duncan Christian School talking to elementary-age kids about camp. Our band Quixotic led the students in singing some Q-Town songs and the Live It Up Summer 2012 Full-Length Slideshow was shown. Every year at this time, Qwanoes makes lots of visits to schools, youth groups, and churches to give as many people as possible the chance to hear about camp!

Vancouver & Mexico Ministry Trips

Meanwhile, two teams of Qwanoes students in our Kaléo Program and several staff members are in still Vancouver and Mexico on ministry trips right now. These trips will be wrapping up this next week and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to Qwanoes and hearing all about what happened!

Excitement Is Building!

Excitement is building at camp as we are just about 18 weeks away from the first camp of the summer, Jr. High #1! Summer registrations are continuing to come in as we prepare to welcome thousands of kids to camp in the summer ahead! We look forward to meeting each and every one. Meanwhile, the summer staff team is coming together and we continue to look for people who are excited about loving kids to life this summer… helping them discover, live and share life like no other!

Who do you know that should be a camper or a staff member at Qwanoes this summer? Join with us in getting the word out!

~ Written by Julie Bayley, Qwanoes Associate Program Director

Leadership Training

Making An Impact In Vancouver & Mexico

Did you know that two teams of Qwanoes students in our Kaléo program and several staff members are in Vancouver and Mexico on ministry trips right now? Along with academics, leadership training, community, and outdoor adventures, an essential component of the Kaléo Program is ministry – learning and doing!

Our student teams have gone to East Vancouver and Mexico to come alongside existing Christian cross-cultural ministries in order to support and encourage them in their work. Students are using their new skills, gifts and abilities that they have been trained in to impact kids, youth and adults. 

Northern Light Ministries, Mexico

The Mexico group has gone to work with Northern Light Ministries in Papalote, Baja California near San Quintin. This mission has a focus on training up indigenous people so they would go back to their people group to disciple others and reach people for Christ.

New Beginnings & Potter’s Place, Vancouver

The Vancouver group has gone to work with New Beginnings Fellowship Baptist Church and Potter’s Place Mission both of which serve the community of East Vancouver. New Beginnings Church seeks to reach into broken families with God’s love and to reach those who are hurt and broken. The mission of Potter’s Place is to “visibly, tangibly and measurable transform the Down town Eastside (East Hastings Street) through the power of God.” 

Here’s what some are the students are saying:

“We are looking forward to our two weeks with an attitude of expectancy. We know that we will be stretched and taught flexibility, for sure… we do know that God is going to do some really cool things in and through us if we are bold and faithful.” ~ Nicole Pauls, Team Vancouver

“After many weeks of prayer, fundraising and excitement I am finally leaving for my missions trip to Mexico tonight. Thank to all those who have prayerfully and financially supported me through this and I NEED everyone’s prayers for the next two weeks!” ~ Matthew Wigmore, Team Mexico 

“Off to Mexico for two weeks with 8 other students for the Missions trip!! I look forward to see what God does in and through our group!” ~ Stacey Renyard, Team Mexico

Please keep the Qwanoes students and leaders in Vancouver and Mexico in your prayers!

Events, Leadership Training

An Epic Battle

An extraordinary event happened last week in Pacific Woods Lodge! Find out more…

Pacific Woods Lodge A Battleground?!

Welcome to Pacific Woods Lodge!

Ever wondered what life is like living at Camp Qwanoes? Sometimes life is quite out of the ordinary! Last week, Pacific Woods Lodge was transformed into a battlefield, using couches as barriers and stairwells as tactical positions. Even the visiting professor from Briercrest College, teaching our students in the Kaléo program, got involved! See what happened in all the crazy photos on A Day In The Life At Camp Qwanoes.

LiftOff, Skiing & Snowboarding!

This past Friday and Saturday, Qwanoes partnered once again with churches on Vancouver Island for LiftOff… an adventure that included music, Qwanoes’ 2012 slideshow, a night game on the streets of Campbell River, skiing and snowboarding at Mt. Washington, and more! We invite you to take a look at the Live It Up 2012 Mini-Slideshow for yourself!

Be Trained As A Leader In Summer’s Most Exciting Place

Are you trying to figure out what to do this summer? Do you love the outdoors and all the high-energy activities that are part of camp? Do you want to learn, interact with others, reach out to kids, and be challenged to grow spiritually and personally?

The Counselor-In-Training (CIT) Program at Qwanoes is a high-quality, entry-level leadership training program that introduces high school students to living and sharing life like no other in Christ. You will develop skills in leadership and ministry that will be valuable for the rest of your life!

In the words of  a CIT graduate: “”I just have to say that CIT was the most amazing and life-changing experience of my entire life.”

Experience solid training, spiritual growth, lifelong friendships and great times! And what better setting to get this training than camp—summer’s most exciting place!

~ Written by Julie Bayley, Qwanoes Associate Program Director

Camp Staff, Events

Qwanoes at Missions Fest Vancouver

The Qwanoes display at Missions Fest in Vancouver. Alicia (Camp Registrar) and Bethany (Staffing Assistant) in the front saying hello!

What a great weekend of connecting with so many wonderful people! It was awesome to see all the familiar faces and meet some new ones too. Thanks to all those that came by and said hello – it was great to see you! We truly enjoyed pinning on more “Live It Up” buttons than we could count! I even put on a few tattoos too!

Did you know there were about 250 ministries represented at Missions Fest!? It was incredible to walk into the convention room where all the  booths were set up. Everywhere I turned I saw displays and people who represented all the various ministries… I saw Bible colleges, other camps, ministries for youth, children, adults, homeless people, Christian radio stations, other country focuses, and the list could go on and on! If you ever get a chance to walk under the big white sails of Canada Place during Missions Fest you should definitely do it. It was so cool to see all the incredible things that God is doing around the world and for Qwanoes to be right in the middle!

Our Qwanoes students were at Missions Fest too taking it all in, from great speakers to topical sessions. Word has it that they even fit in a bike ride in Stanley park on tandem bikes!

Building the team one person at a time!

Camp counselor from summer 2011 giving a great big hug to some campers!

We are out and about all over the countryside looking for our summer team 2012! In fact just this last week we had staff in Alberta, Saskatchewan and of course right here in the Vancouver area inviting others to consider Qwanoes this summer. Slowly the team is coming together and starting to take shape one by one. It is exciting to see how it happens and how different people feel called to join up with us. Often people hear about Qwanoes through their friends, so if you know of anyone that you think would love joining the staff team, let me encourage you to share Qwanoes with them! We are looking for people who are excited about helping kids this summer discover, live and share life like no other!

Our Qwanoes display was set up in a giant room under the big white sails of Canada Place.

 

~ Written by Jay Kennedy, Qwanoes Assistant Director

 

Events, Leadership Training, Q-Town & Music, Summer Camp

Qwanoes is covered with snow! But summer sun is coming soon!

Now that's a little different look of the qrok Tower! The Squirrel is hibernating coming up with all new songs!

We woke up Wednesday morning like many of you around Vancouver Island and Greater Vancouver area to a blanket of fresh snow! From our entrance sign all the way to the end of the dock, there was snow everywhere. The year-round staff gathered together in Club Coco for our Wednesday staff meeting and shared stories of how we all got to camp. I live close by, so I put on my snow boarding boots and followed Stevie-G’s trail all the way to Club Coco. Thanks Stevie-G for breaking the path! Check out more Qwanoes winter pictures on our Facebook page.

Snow is here now, but summer sun is coming soon!! We have had many campers reserve their spot for a week at Qwanoes. Every day now registrations are coming in of past campers, and brand-new kids who have never been here before. We can’t wait to welcome everyone to Qwanoes this summer!

Here’s an update for you on the new full length CD that the Squirrel is working on. He last reported writing 6 brand-new songs, and there are only 4 to go! I love the new theme song “Live It Up”, but another new favorite one of mine is a new song called “At Last I’m Home.” It is an awesome song and you will be able to listen to the song and watch our new video online real soon! Stand by on FB and Twitter for when it goes live! You’re going to love it! For now take a listen to the new theme song and watch a brand new mini slide show!

Qwanoes students heading up the chair lift at Mt. Washington!

Our students in our Kaléo program can’t wait for the summer too, but they are all loving the snow right now on Mt Washington. They headed up to the mountain bright and early on Monday morning at 5:00 am! You really have to love snowboarding and skiing to do that. They all stayed together in a mountain chalet right at the base of the ski hill. It’s been an awesome time of hanging out together, chapels in the evening, and just enjoying God’s creation. They are coming back to camp tonight, and heading out to the youth groups they help out with. You can go online to learn more about our Kaléo program for college-age students and follow the journey through the program blog. We are now accepting registrations for next year’s program.

We hope to see you at Missions Fest in Vancouver next weekend! We will have our camp booth up in the same spot as last year. Stop on by, we would love to see you!

Summer sun will soon be here at Qwanoes! We can't wait for giant water fights once again!

 

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Camp Staff, Events, Summer Camp

Qwanoes is coming to Vancouver!

Just a few days ago the Qwanoes year-round staff headed to a Parksville hotel for our annual staff retreat. We sure started the retreat in Qwanoes style! We broke up into teams, made our team mascots, came up with a team name/chant, and we were off and running. We quickly turned the conference room into a battle zone with tables, boxes, balloons, and a whole lot of nerf guns!

There were nerf bullets flying everywhere, staff dodging, and shooting to protect our kingdom from other kingdoms…. yes, I know what you are thinking… and yes we are just like campers… sometimes :). When we weren’t competing in our own style of All Star Games, we were slowing down and taking time to reflect on all that God is doing in our lives personally and at Qwanoes. We took time together, to pray and look forward to all that God has in store for our new theme “Live It Up!” It was an awesome weekend to be together as a full-time staff team.

Cowichan Valley Youth Night is happening at Qwanoes tonight! It’s going to be one fun-filled night with lots of youth from around the Cowichan Valley. We have a night game planned, Quixotic will be playing along with a band of students from our Kaléo program, a message by Andrew Macdonald, and of course  Mug-Up! This is the third year we have been partnering with Cowichan Valley youth groups to put this on, and it is always a great night. The theme for the night is “ONE” – one valley, one night, one God. Looking forward to it!

 

 

 

 

Missions Fest Vancouver is coming up fast and we will have a Qwanoes booth set up once again! We really hope you stop by to say hello. We will have our new video/slideshow playing with the “Live It Up” theme song! We also have another video just out today with a brand new song for summer 2012. Be sure to stop by!

Have you received your SUMMER 2012 brochure yet!? They have all been mailed out, maybe your picture is in it or one of your friends! If you haven’t received your free brochure or you want more, it’s quick and easy to order them online and we will send them to you right away!

The new 2012 brochures are ready! Maybe your picture is in it?

 

Q-Town & Music, Summer Camp

New theme, new song, new pictures, new video and more!

Alicia, our Registrar (in the back), and Keerstin, Admin Support, were busy in the Qwanoes office this morning!

At 9:00 this morning the phones started ringing, online applications started coming, and registration for 2012 programs began! It was an exciting time as we have been waiting for this day ever since last summer ended. Much planning and preparation has gone into our new theme and 2012 programs, and we can’t wait to have campers back once again!

For all your registration needs please visit our website. It only costs $150 for a deposit to reserve your spot for summer 2012 – LIVE IT UP!

We gave you a sneak peek at the live unveiling of our summer 2012 theme in the last blog post, but here is the rest of the story…

At our Staff Retreat this past weekend, Qwanoes Executive Director Scott Bayley kept sharing more and more of what summer 2012 has in store…. Okay, let me take you there to show you what it was like! The way we announced the theme is with the Squirrel (Russ Smith) at the back of Club Coco ready to press play on the new theme song. Then the big screen came down and part of the new poster could be seen… and then at the same time the new theme was heard in the song, the Squirrel revealed the new theme logo on the screen! Reading about it is just not the same as seeing it… is it? So how about we just show you on  Twitter!

What a great way to bring in the New Year with the excitement of knowing a whole new adventure called “LIVE IT UP” awaits all who will be part of Qwanoes this year! Here are a few pictures of what happened at the sneak peek of the new theme – go to our Facebook for even more photos.

Don’t miss watching the new LIVE IT UP video and hearing our new theme song! Way to go Squirrel (Russ Smith)…it’s another amazing creation!

Check out our new SUMMER 2012 page! Just click on the link and scroll down to find the LIVE IT UP logo. Be one of the first to share it with your friends!

Scott Bayley, sharing new LIVE IT UP 2012 theme!
The new posters are here and will be mailed to your house soon!
The new LIVE IT UP banner looks great outside of Club Coco!