Camps with Meaning had a fabulous summer providing their summer camp programs to hundreds of children and adults over the past 2 months, through their 2 Manitoba camps; Camp Koinonia at Lake Max in Turtle Mountain Provincial Park, and Camp Assiniboia located near Headingly.

"At Camp Koinonia, we had a full summer," explains Associate Program Director for Camps with Meaning, Janet Peters. "We run 3 weeks of camp for adults with disabilities, including one in spring, and then we run 4 weeks for kids during the summer."

Peters says they were pleased with the number of campers at both camps this summer. Camp Koinonia had close to 100 children campers and 75 adult campers. Camp Assiniboia had between 200-250 children during their summer camps, with about 75 adults, being a larger centre.

Peters adds they had a great turnout of local kids attending Camp Koinonia this year, so much so that they cancelled their bus from the city.  "That was exciting, to know that we have a good local group of campers."

"We run one week for our youngest campers, Grades 1 to 6, and that was our fullest week at Koinonia this year.  We also do 2 weeks of Junior High camp, and with one of them we do an 'out-trip'.  So, every week they get to go out for a camp out, but on the out-trip they camp out for 2 or 3 nights and canoe around the lakes in the Turtle Mountains and do all kinds of fun things out there. And then we always do a youth week, Grades 9 to 12 and that's always a blast with all kinds of special activities!"

Daily activities include a zip line, archery, a climbing wall, swimming, canoeing and kayaking, "We also run a nature program as well, so they get to learn about the plants and animals that are around, they get to do some exploring and hiking, and camp skills," says Peters.

Camps with Meaning is affiliated with the Mennonite Church and so being faith-based they share the gospel with all their campers.  "We have Bible lessons as well as evening fireside sharing and singing, and things like that," she shares. "We come at things from an Anabaptist perspective, so we talk about discipleship, and community, and peace.  Actually, our theme this summer was all about peace, and how we can be peacemakers."

Please listen to Janet Peters below as she shares more about Summer Camp at Camp Koinonia.

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