Friday, July 15, 2016

Hello from Camp Evergreen!

It is one year since we launched our Reaching Higher campaign to build a new lodge and staff housing. While a lot has happened, one things hasn't changed - we continue to grow! Summer camps filled up in record time this spring and we have turned away campers in most of our summer camp programs. We are in desperate need of new and larger facilities.

We have solid plans for the new lodge which will be built over our current RV sites. The front of the new lodge will be facing the parking lot, so that it will be the main thing you see when you drive into camp.

The lodge will be 38,000 sq. ft., enough room to eventually double our summer camp numbers and significantly expand our guest group ministry. It features a new kitchen and dining hall which will meet our most pressing needs. Currently we are feeding over 200 people with a kitchen and dining hall designed for at most 150. It also features a gym with climbing wall, 25 lodge rooms with bathrooms, a fireside room, and meeting rooms. This will enable us to grow responsibly by expanding our guest group ministry alongside our summer camps.

Please visit www.reachinghigher.ca and click on "View Project Plan" for more details and renderings.

We are getting ready to break ground on the two new staff houses. Bob Thiessen, who will be leading the home builds as our interim building chair, is lining up trades and working on getting the build permits. We are looking for skilled trades to donate labour and/or materials to the builds, can you help?

We hope to break ground on the new lodge next spring and we are working towards getting a project plan in place which will allow us to proceed confidently as funds come in. We are looking to have one million dollars donated and pledged before moving forward with blueprints and building permits. This is a big project with a budget of five million dollars. As of May 23, we have 46 people who have pledged and donated $207,412. This is a great start!

It will take all of us coming together to get this project done, and this includes you! Our focus right now is on getting the word out about the project. Camp Evergreen was built 50 years ago by many people who had a heart to see future generations raised up knowing and following Jesus. It is our turn now to come together and see that happen for the next 50 years.

One of the exciting ways you can get involved is by committing to a monthly pledge for one of the rooms in the new lodge. There is everything from $25/month for a sitting area, to $500/month for a lodge suite. Maybe you could get your small group or extended family together to build a room?

Are you able to host a meet-up with a few people to hear more about the plans and vision behind Reaching Higher? Would you prefer to visit over coffee? We would love to hear from you.

Thank you for your support!

Andrew Baerg