2020 Annual Report

Annual General Report

2020

Annual General Report 2020

MISSION STATEMENT

Crowsnest Lake Bible Camp

Association is an autonomous,

evangelical, faith ministry dedicated

to bringing glory to God by

responding to the needs of the

whole person according to the

Biblical principles of evangelism

and discipleship through offering

programs in a camp setting.

Crowsnest Lake

Bible Camp’s

Mission &

Values

STATEMENT OF FAITH

We believe the Biblical scriptures to be

verbally inspired in the original manuscripts,

without error, the complete revelation of

God and of His will for the salvation of man,

and the divine and ﬁnal authority for all

Christian faith, doctrine and life.

This belief presupposes that there is indeed

one eternal God who inspired the Scriptures

to reveal His existence, character, actions,

and purpose.

We believe that God sent His Son, Jesus, to

die for our sins and that He was buried and

was raised to life on the third day. All those

who believe in Him receive forgiveness and

eternal life.

We believe that all should accept, strongly

hold, and practice everything taught in

the Bible, but do not insist that all respond

uniformly to any speciﬁc teaching; believing

that to so insist is at best redundant and has

strong potential to be divisive.

Annual General Report 2020

Hindsight on 2020

The Graham Family visited Riding Mountain

National Park in the summer of 1986. I was 7, and

my little brother Andrew was 5. We had fun, I’m

sure, but I don’t remember the fun.

What I remember - the only thing I remember -

was The Family Bike Ride. Dad led the way, and I

followed athletically behind. My younger brother

Andrew came next, but at the bottom of a steep

slope, he got a little bogged down in the mud,

and fell off his bike. An unremarkable crash... but

then Mom couldn’t stop.

Or, at least, she didn’t stop.

She rode right over Andrew’s belly, both tires.

I was impressed: despite the impediment, she

didn’t fall off her bike.

Andrew wasn’t hurt (some combination of

providence, along with soft ground and that

famous Graham core-strength), but when he

stood up, there were two perfectly preserved

muddy tire tracks right across his stomach. We all

laughed, though not right away.

We’ve talked about that trip many times over

the years. All of the details have faded except for

one: The Family Bike Ride where Mom rode over

Andrew.

Other camp summers are going to blur, and

mix together - “Was that one the summer of ‘17?

Or ‘18?“ But the summer of 2020 is singular: the

summer of Covid. “Corvid 20,” we called it. In 50

years, we’ll remember this one.

In this report, you’ll see a graph that shows the

drop-off in camper attendance from last year to

this year. For as long as we present that chart,

nobody is going to struggle to remember what

happened. No one is ever going to try to explain

the change without referencing Covid… “Yeah, we

must really have struggled to recruit cabin leaders

that summer?” or “Interest must have been really

low that year. Not a lot of demand for s’mores and

wide games and sleeping out under the stars, I

guess?” Nah. Fifty years from now, they’ll look at

that graph and immediately know - 2020 was the

summer of Covid.

What I am hoping you will see from this report

is that 2020 wasn’t just the summer of Covid. So

much happened, so much that was memorable,

instructive, fun. worthy, true, beautiful… you know,

camp-type stuff... In spite of everything, Camp

Happened at Crow in the summer of 2020, as it

has happened in every other summer for the past

60+ years.

You already know that there was a powerful

disruption at work in the world in 2020; this is not

a report of disruption, disorder, disease. This is a

report about what happened in spite of all of that.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness

has not overcome it.” John 1:5

We still don’t know what the summer of 2021 will

be like. We’ve got some hopes, and even some

early plans - the kind of plans that precede a

ﬁrst draft (a zero-th draft?) - but we don’t know

precisely what form camp is going to take in 2021.

Planning around Covid is a little like planning

around a live dragon, and as JRR Tolkien sagely

said, “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of

your calculations.”

But we do know this: Camp Happened in 2020.

And I am conﬁdent, despite everything, that

camp will happen again in 2021. And you can be a

part of it.

I hope you will.

David Graham,

Director of Camping

Message from the Director

Annual General Report 2020

“I saw God show people that he is

real and faithful. I saw him change

people so that they will never be

the same again. I saw him take

the tiny little bit that we offered

him, and break it into bits, and

hand it back to us to give out to

others, and bring joy and life and

encouragement and hope to the people we were

trying to serve, and still have really good leftovers

for us after. I saw him lead and heal and guide and

protect and strengthen and comfort and sustain

and create.“

- Yin Liu (COLTS Co-Leader)

“The summer of 2020 was unlike

anything I have experienced before.

For better or for worse, camp is

a place where traditions thrive

and CLBC is no exception to that.

But many things were different

this past summer. Instead of the

natural divide of campers and staff,

we had 3(-ish) cohorts; the COLTs, the PITs, and the

Support cohorts. There were areas of camp that

I couldn’t enter, I had to use certain doors, and a

mask was always on my person. I learned to work

with some of my closest friends from 6 ft apart. And

yet, in the most important ways, it felt the same as

all my previous summers at Crow. How? Because

God was there- and working- and creating a

community of believers that support and encourage

one another as they serve. This summer I was taught

how important a community of believers is, for me

personally and in the lives of others- but especially

to our youth. I had the privilege of co-leading the

PIT crew and had a front-row seat as over the course

of 5 weeks He grew 12 kids into young leaders,

excited to share His love with others as they seek

to know Him better. This summer was strange,

unexpected, but as I spent each day in awe of how

beautiful His work is, how in the midst of the world

going crazy, He showed up at our little camp in the

biggest ways and in the smallest details, it became

clear that this summer was, in so many ways,

intentional.”

- Skye Sperling (PIT Co-Leader)

“The pandemic presented us with

a unique set of challenges and

created some exciting new

opportunities. There was a huge

need that ministry through

outdoor programs reached out

to for youth and families this year

speciﬁcally. We went for quality over

quantity and it was so effective – the impact was

deep and meaningful – and all sustained by God’s

grace. Ministry deﬁnitely happened – it was honestly

shocking how effective it was this year – small was

actually much more effective than we anticipated

and it was amazing to be a part of! The COLTS this

year were amazing, with a strong spiritual focus

and intentionality in how they allowed God to work

through them in their programming; it was truly an

honor to lead and work beside each one of them.

But the great work didn’t stop there; to top it all off,

we had a fantastic PIT crew and leaders who ran a

rock solid program, and then an absolutely stellar

kitchen and support staff team who spearheaded

some major improvements and were instrumental

in this summer’s success. Though this year was an

unmatched challenge and we needed to constantly

adapt and give our plans over to God, this summer

will probably go down as my favorite summer and I

wouldn’t change it for anything.”

- Stephanie Goodbrand (Brouwer)

(COLTS Co-Leader)

“He provided no less for our needs

(and wants) than every other

year, it just looked a bit different

than usual. Having a more restful

style summer allowed for a large

backlog of things to ﬁnally be

addressed, and for the focus to

shift more to the care of what we’ve

been given vs. constant outreach. It seemed like

something we had needed for a long time, that was

no longer made optional. We were given teams that

we’re amazing, people to run programming for and

everything we needed to do so. Praise the LORD

that we were still able to do work in His service,

even in a year where so many things were brought

to a halt.”

- Ashleigh Szarka-Rempel

(Support Staff Leader)

COHORT LEADERS

Overview of the summer

Annual General Report 2020

Crowsnest Outdoor Leadership

Training School is an accelerated

leadership development program

that aims to create Christ-centred

leaders in the outdoor industry. This

is accomplished through purposed

instruction and in-depth training,

then culminating with 2 months

of experiential practicums leading

outtrips during our summer camps.

This summer, God taught me to trust Him

more completely and to turn to Him in

prayer more consistently. When outtrips

started for the summer, very quickly on

I realized that I did not have enough in

myself to have a meaningful impact on

the camper’s lives. I (usually) had enough

to lead a group of kids from one place to

another safely but, in order to have the

impact that would last more than the

length of the outtrip, I knew that I needed

more than myself and my own strength. I

began to consistently turn to God in prayer

for wisdom, strength, enthusiasm, joy, and

peace and then trusting that He would

provide everything that was needed. And

he so faithfully and consistently did!

- Noah Tainsh

C.O.L.T.S.

PROGRAM

Flapjack Recipe!!

6.5 cups Brown Sugar

6.5 cups Margarine

24 cups Rolled Oats

2 cups Raisins or Choc. chips

1 Tbsp. Salt

• Cream the brown sugar and

margarine together, then mix in

the remaining ingredients.

• Press into a 18x24 inch pan, then

bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

• One serving is 3 by 4 inches.

Annual General Report 2020

For me, this summer was an absolutely

amazing experience. It was strange

and incredibly different, but it was still

amazing. Since we were practically

isolated to our cohorts, us PITs got really

close in the ﬁve weeks we were there.

I really saw God through my fellow

PITs because, despite our tendency for

distraction, we had good conversation and

connections, and really worked to build

each other up and to help each other

further our faith. I saw him through the

other staff at camp, in their dedication and

love for him and the examples they set

because of that, as well as through their

hard work and cheerful spirits. I saw God

through the people who drove all the way

to camp and followed protocols to lead

our sessions, in their selﬂess attitude and

in what they taught us. I saw God through

my PIT leaders, Eric and Skye, who put up

with our crazy shenanigans and worked

hard to help us grow in, learn about, and

connect with God despite the restrictions

we faced. And honestly, just being at camp

feels like a special place where you can

put aside all the distractions of life and

just be in his beautiful creation, and feel

his presence all around you. It’s incredible.

So yeah, it’s really hard to sum up the

summer, but I would say that’s my best

shot. It’s been amazing to see God at work

through the people around me, even with

an eerily empty camp that had no camps.

Despite everything that was and is so

different, God is still the same.

- Raquel Adrian

P.I.T. PROGRAM

The PIT Crew program is unique

to Crow, but is similar in emphasis

to other camps’ teen training

programs. It emphasizes and

exposes all aspects of camp

ministry as being of equal

importance, giving training for and

experience in all areas of camp.

Annual General Report 2020

I have spent several full summers at camp

– including for COLTS in 2019 – and this

was the ﬁrst time I have done one role

and worked with one team for the whole

summer! It was a unique opportunity to

go deeper than usual in our roles and

community. For me, this meant two

months of running the dish pit, doing a lot

of COVID-inspired cleaning and sanitizing,

preparing disinfectant spray bottles for

everyone, and working alongside and

supporting the cooks. It was a huge

blessing to be in my role long enough to

learn it, master it and learn about myself

in it – and God really gave me a lot to learn

through this cleaning and support role

this summer. In many ways, the slower

pace and longer time in one position gave

each of us a chance to learn and prepare

more deeply for the ministry opportunities

in every corner of camp. I am so thankful

God provided the opportunity for me to

be at camp and in the Support Cohort,

where I learned so much from working

alongside and serving the COLTS, PIT and

Maintenance groups. I have learned about

myself and the interests God has given me,

I have grown in my faith and relationship

with Him, and I have strengthened and

gained several great friendships.

- Danica Jensen

SUPPORT STAFF

This summer a crucial role was

ﬁlled by our support staff, which

consisted of three different

teams. We had an incredible

team cleaning and in the kitchen

feeding everyone, a two person

team dedicated to the Ofﬁce and

supporting the COLTS, as well as

the maintenance team and without

them things would fall apart both

literally and ﬁguratively.

A three strand cord is

not easily broken

Ecclesiastes 4:12 b

Annual General Report 2020

2020 Registration Report & Stats

* Pre-COVID numbers are the numbers of campers who signed

up before camps were cancelled April 23, 2020.

Annual General Report 2020

Due to COVID-19, all 21 of our regular summer

camps were cancelled. By the time camps

were cancelled on April 23, 2020, we had over

900 campers apply for a camp, with 844 of

those applications for our youth camps.

Despite having to cancel all regular summer

camps due to COVID. We are thankful for the

opportunity we had to run modiﬁed summer

programs for youth and families this year.

We ran 17 different outtrips for youth, families,

couples, and for the PIT Program. This year was

the ﬁrst time we ran outtrips for families and

couples which were both huge successes and

something we would consider doing again in

the future.

Another new thing we were able to do this

summer was run 4 Family Day Programs

days, were we did Archery, Canoeing, and Day

Hikes for families. 12 families attend our day

programs, with 11 more families on the waitlist.

We were also able to run 8 Youth Nights for

local youth throughout the summer, with an

average of 20 youth attending each night. The

COLTS would lead the youth in different camp

activities like canoeing, archery, or wide games,

with a campﬁre time afterwards.

The PITs did a Youth Day Camp for local youth,

were 15 youth attended. They lead the youth in

COVID-safe day at camp that included outdoor

games, activities, food, chapel, campﬁre time,

and so much more.

Although this year looked a lot different here at

camp, we were still able to run our COLTS and

PIT programs. 13 people applied for COLTS this

year and we were able to accept 5 of them. For

the PIT program we had 24 youth apply and we

accepted 12 of them.

We hosted 5 Back Country Clean-up events

this summer, cleaning up approximately 3000

pounds of garbage out of the back country.

Family & Youth Outtrips

Youth Outtrip #1 (July 10-13)

Family Outtrip #1 (July 11-12)

Youth Outtrip #2 (July 16-20)

Family Outtrip #2 (July 17-19)

All Boys Outtrip (July 24 - August 1)

Family Outtrip #3 (July 25-26)

Youth Outtrip #4 (August 6-10)

Family (Couples) Outtrip #4 (August 7-9)

Youth Outtrip #4 (August 14-17)

Family Outtrip #5 (August 15-16)

Family Day Programs

Archery & Canoeing (July 28)

Archery, Canoeing & Day Hikes (August 2)

Day Hikes (August 21)

Archery & Canoeing (August 22)

Local Youth Ministry

Youth Day Camp (PIT Camp) (August 5)

Local Youth Nights (July 8, July 15, July 22,

July 29, August 5, August 12, August 19,

and August 26)

Training Programs & Events

C.O.L.T.S. (April 27 - August 30)

P.I.T. (July 5 - August 9)

Skills Week (June 16 - 20)

Back Country Clean-up #1 (July 8)

Back Country Clean-up #2 (July 22)

Back Country Clean-up #3 (August 3)

Back Country Clean-up #4 (August 12)

Back Country Clean-up #5 (August 19)

Modiﬁed Summer Programs

“Camp will share dates for 2021 Camp

sessions - just as soon as we have them!”

Annual General Report 2020

With a year ﬁlled with twists and turns and the

thought of getting a lot done in and on the

buildings at Camp this past year it turned out to

be a bit of a surprise to have to totally focus on

exterior projects.

We got a lot done. Seeding, watering and

cutting of the new playing ﬁeld after the fence

was put up in frozen ground; the Mega clean-

up of the back parking lot; the demolition of

the old playground; the staining of the Lodge,

and the Sonnenberg Trailer; bridge repairs at

Mountain site; boat house repairs, with the

addition of a lean-to; brush and tree cutting

almost everywhere on both sites; a renovation

of the archery range shelter; the relocation of

the ﬁre pit; major clean and organization in

the kitchen; clearing more space in the shop

for extra water tanks; updating and servicing of

our boilers, air exchangers, and hot water tanks;

lights, plugs, and switches replaced; girl’s cabins

repainted, thoroughly cleaned and decluttered;

vehicle repairs as required - some disposed of

and others acquired - as well as a plan to service

and repair a few more before spring. The sauna

was gutted in preparation for a renovation with a

new stove, chimney and interior walls.

And this isn’t even an exhaustive list! In the

process of working through this list, there were

always adjustments and repairs to do along the

way.

There are a few projects that remain on the Big

To Do list as winter sets in. The big items on that

list are: moving and re-siding Crow Manor; sound

dampening in the dining hall; new doors for the

new spaces in the boy’s cabins (and possibly

ﬁnishing of the bathrooms in those cabins as

well, if funds and manpower are available). We

plan to move ahead with a new Director’s Cabin

at Mountain Site, as well as patching up the

damage from

the vandalism we

were the victims

of this fall. And

there will also

be some more

bridge repairs.

We’re hoping to

complete the

installation of

new donated

playground

equipment,

as well as the

relocation, of the

ﬁre circle before summer. It’s a lot, but we’ve got

a plan.

As I look back on the year, with one leg still

recovering after surgery, and not quite up to par

yet, I am amazed and blessed at the number

of things that were achieved. I am especially

thankful for the help of those who took the time

to come to Crow and bless us with their labour,

and moral support. As the old adage goes, you

are only as good as the folks you have around

you, and I had an armful of help that made it

doable to accomplish so much this summer:

Jonathan C, Nate, Pete, Mike, Nathan, Rea,

Jeremy, Zach, Josh, Don, Eric, Andrew B,Charles,

John, Lois, David, Nathan, Nigel, Noah, Jason,

Andrew L, not to mention the Colts and the PIT

crew... Without your effort, I’m not sure where

we’d be.

I am thankful to have been a part of the process,

and I trust that strength and stamina will come

my way once again as we look ahead to next

year and all the projects that are before us. We’re

trusting that God will supply the resources as we

“ask seek and knock” for his favor.

CLBC FACILITIES / MAINTENANCE

REPORT

Randy Demman

(Facilities Manager)

Annual General Report 2020

Even more so than most years, 2020 has been

a Dickensian year around the Bible Camp: “It

was the best of times, it was the worst of times,”

Dickens wrote, referring, if I am not mistaken,

to the 2019-2020 Fiscal Year at Crow. Dickens

had unusual foresight, because the months of

October 2019 to February 2020 were terriﬁc,

really, the best of times - ﬁnancially speaking.

Thereafter came the worst of times.

Camp’s ﬁnances have always reminded me of

Tiny Tim from Dickens’s A Christmas Carol. Like

Tiny Tim, Crow’s ﬁnances are… not robust; perhaps

even fragile. Like Tiny Tim, Crow’s ﬁnances limp

gamely on, with a cherubic smile, even in difﬁcult

circumstances. Like Tiny Tim, Crow’s ﬁnances

are a symbol and witness to the importance of

choices, and how those choices really do matter.

Like Tiny Tim, Crow’s ﬁnances are known for the

signature catch-phrase: “God bless us, every one!”

The Best of Times: we could not have chosen

a better summer for a massive disruption.

Daniel was off on a planned sabbatical. Vitae

Environmental Construction installed a new

playing ﬁeld, which would have surely been

endangered by hundreds of eager feet in a

standard camp season. Randy had a knee

replacement in September. Due to a government

regulatory decision, Crow has been without

a source of drinking water since October

2019, which was difﬁcult even with a reduced

occupancy, but would have been very, very

disruptive otherwise. These small stories felt

providential to us, in the midst of a summer that

was painful for so many, and for so many reasons.

The Worst of Times: Since March, compared

with 2019, monthly revenue has been markedly,

even dramatically, lower. (You can see the Draft

Finance Statement at https://www.crowcamp.ca/

blog/statement-revenues-and-expenditures-2020

or email david@crowcamp.ca if you’d like a

more detailed look at the numbers) We’re

seeing a decline of more than 60% year-over-

year, including the substantial contraction of our

rental business, compounded by a reduction in

charitable giving. It may be that some folks do

not have it to give this year. And, of course, fewer

donations is precisely what you would expect,

after a camp season where we saw so many

fewer children: many parents give us a cheque

when they drop their kids off, and this year, there

were simply not as many drop-offs. We also didn’t

sell nearly as many camp mugs, or hoodies, or

t-shirts, and this is a place where every dollar

counts. Like Tiny Tim and the rest of the Cratchits,

we do not have much set aside to help us

weather a lean season (though we always have a

bite of beef on hand, even in the darkest days).

Even in this decline, we see God’s provision.

Thus far, we’ve been buoyed up by the Federal

Government’s Canadian Emergency Wage

Subsidy (CEWS) program. A large portion of

Crow’s salary costs (up to 75%) are covered for

businesses that can demonstrate a reduction in

revenue - and boy howdy, if a revenue reduction

is what you’re after, you’ve come to the right

place! CEWS payments are scheduled to taper

off over the coming months; for now, we are still

stoutly crutching along, a determined Tiny Tim.

Crow is used to this kind of pressure; we’re used

to being ‘up against it‘ from time to time. I’ve

even heard it said - by a Chartered Professional

Accountant, no less - that perhaps Crowsnest

Lake Bible Camp will always face a shortfall,

regardless of how much revenue we generate,

and regardless of how carefully we set the

budget. It seems irresponsible, but perhaps there

is something to it: after all, you are called - as I am

- to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do

not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs

3:5

This is Crow’s occupation, too. And as we trust,

we do see God’s continuing provision, even in this

distressing and difﬁcult time.

David Graham, on behalf of the Finance

Committee

Thus says the Lord:

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man

and makes ﬂesh his strength,

whose heart turns away from the Lord.

He is like a shrub in the desert,

and shall not see any good come.

He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,

in an uninhabited salt land.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,

whose trust is the Lord.

He is like a tree planted by water,

that sends out its roots by the stream,

and does not fear when heat comes,

for its leaves remain green,

and is not anxious in the year of drought,

for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

~ Jeremiah 17:5-8

Finance Committee Report 2020

403-563-5120

587-838-9724

info@crowcamp.ca

Director of Camping:

David Graham - david@crowcamp.ca

General Contact:

Crowsnest Lake Bible Camp

Box 250

Coleman, AB

T0K 0M0

Mailing address:

Located in the Rocky Mountains, Crowsnest Lake

Bible camp is ideally situated to host your rental

group. We have the capacity to host your church’s

leadership retreat, a ladies weekend, and so much

more! From day programs to recurring events,

Crow has a lot to offer! If your school is looking

for a site to run Outdoor Education Classes; if

your business needs a great place to host a team

building retreat; if you are looking for a mountain

getaway for your wedding – look no further! Email

our Rental Coordinator at rental@crowcamp.ca,

or check out our website (crowcamp.ca/about/

rental) for more information.

Cover Photo Credit:

Sentinel Photography:

www.sentinel.photography

instagram.com/sentinelphotography

Rental Information

for 2021