Summer Camp
FAQ
Feel free to call us at 403-638-4230
Yes. Camp Evergreen exists to see lives transformed by the power of Jesus. We do this by inviting kids into God’s creation (nature) where they can have fun, be themselves, and learn about Jesus in a fun, low-pressure environment. You can read our Beliefs and Practices or our Statement of Faith comes from the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches.
Yes. There are two formal Chapels or Bible study times each day, 15 to 30 minutes long, where we lead fun, upbeat music, learn about the Bible, and hear stories that relate what we find in the Bible to everyday life. Our activities throughout the day also aim to demonstrate God’s work in our lives. We are Gospel-centred and Biblical-grounded in what we or our speakers teach.
Approximately 40% of our campers do not have a faith background or attend church. We always consider this when planning activities or Chapel. Campers are never pressured, manipulated, or coerced into making any kind of faith decision at camp. We try our best to ensure that no one feels that their choices or those of their family are bad; instead, we teach what we believe and show the kids that Jesus loves them. Our goal is to give your child the best week of their summer!
The camp is a registered Society and Charity. Our registered name is Camp Evergreen Mennonite Brethren Ministries, Sundre. Our roots are in the Alberta and Canadian Mennonite Brethren Conferences, and we remain affiliated with them. Our Society members are people who love us and are invested in seeing Camp Evergreen continue as a light for Jesus in our community and province. Head to the “About Us” section of the website to learn how you can become a member!
We view training and preparing our staff for the summer as one of our most important jobs. Throughout the summer, staff lead activities, care for campers, and share the Gospel. Therefore, Staff Training Week is the foundation to having a great summer.
Before a staff member even arrives at camp, they must go through our screening process:
All of our staff are Christians and are committed to helping campers connect, explore, and grow. Staff Training Week is no joke. In addition to familiarizing our staff with our policy and procedures, our staff learn all the activities and games they will be facilitating throughout the summer. This may even include how to start a campfire with one match and then cook over it! Here are the policy and procedure manuals our staff are trained in:
We also have sessions that are designed to develop skills around group management, creating special camp moments, and being effective at sharing the Gospel:
Lastly, we have sessions that focus on helping staff not just “survive” the summer but thrive in our challenging environment. While Sr. Leadership Team facilitates the majority of our sessions during Staff Training, we will bring in outside facilitators (Mental Health Nurses, Psychologists) to assist with specialty sessions:
All staff working with children or leading an activity have Standard First Aid and CPR, as required by the Alberta Camping Association.
The Alberta Camping Association requires our Designated Medical Personnel to have at least Standard First Aid and CPR. We work very hard to have two medical personnel each week of the summer. Typically one or both of them will be an RN, LPN, EMT, or Paramedic. The DMPs are on-site at all times. You will have the opportunity to meet our DMPs during Check-in.
All of our out-trips (Charge, Trails Away, Adventure, and Roughin’ it) have appointed First Aiders and have cell/radios for contact with our main lodge which is less than 1 km away.
The Sundre Hospital is 15 minutes away should there be an emergency.
Pack medications separately and label them with your child’s full name. During check-in, you will be asked to give any medications (prescription and otherwise) to the Designated Medical Personnel. It is helpful if you also enclose a photo of your child with their medication.
If your child has a history of wetting the bed, please let us know beforehand so we can be prepared. In the event that your child wets the bed, our goal is to change, wash, and replace the bedding without anyone else in the cabin knowing, except your child and the Cabin Leader. We want to do everything we can to eliminate fear or embarrassment.
Please inform us ahead of time if your child has a food allergy or dietary restriction (ie: vegan/vegetarian). We can accommodate most diets, however, if your child’s dietary restrictions are complex, we may request that you provide your own snacks or meals. Our camp is nut-aware and ready to accommodate any nut allergies.
Our goal is for every camper to have a successful week at camp. However, the camp environment is not always suited to every child. We work to integrate children with mild delays into our camp setting; a child who functions on their own in a school setting will often function well at camp. We do not, however, accept applications for children who function more than two years behind their peers emotionally or socially.
We have had positive experiences with children with many developmental and neurodiverse challenges. We recommend that if your child has been diagnosed with a developmental challenge or delay to contact our office so that we can talk through whether camp is the right fit.
If a child has a greater chance of succeeding at camp with the accompaniment of an aide, we invite the child’s aide to join us free of charge. Please let us know if an aide will be attending when you register your child. Your child’s aide will be required to go through our Volunteer Application Screening process found in our Work at Camp section of the website.
Click here for a full list of our activities.
There is not a pool at Camp Evergreen, but we like to play in the nearby Fallen Timber Creek. Don’t forget your swimsuit or trunks!
We offer a wide variety of delicious and balanced meals which vary according to age groups. We usually have fruit or veggies included at snacks.
No! It has already been accounted for in your registration fees. Every camper gets the choice of two items from Moose Junction each day! Feel free to purchase swag or candy on your drop-off/pick-up day! Please do not send money with your camper for their week.
There are 8 to 10 campers in each cabin, with 2 cabin leaders.
There is usually a 1 leader for every 5 campers in our overnight camps, 1 leader to every four campers on Outtrips.
Yes. As long as you have recorded the cabinmate request on your registration form, we will ensure that they are placed in a cabin together.
The Moose Junction General Store offers everything from deodorant to Skittles.
We offer a wide variety of well-balanced meals which vary according to age groups. Each day, campers will enjoy three meals and an evening snack. Evening snacks are usually something fun and a piece of fruit.
If your child has special dietary needs or food allergies, just let us know ahead of time, and we will be sure to make sure our kitchen staff are aware. We are a busy summer camp and do have our limitations. We will always do our best to provide delicious alternatives for special diets and allergies. In some cases, we may need to ask you to bring foods to help us meet your child’s needs.
Camp Evergreen endeavours to provide a safe camping experience for any children who have nut allergies, and therefore, we have a Nut Aware Policy. No nut products are served from the Kitchen, or sold in our Moose Junction General Store. However, while at camp, your children may be exposed to nut products when coming into contact with other campers or guests. We suggest caution for parents registering campers with extreme or life-threatening nut allergies.
We know accommodation and cabinmate requests can profoundly impact your child’s experience at camp. We take great care to honour each family’s cabinmate request on their registration form. Here are a few things that we’d like you to know:
Our Abuse Prevention Policy does not allow for changing or nudity in open spaces. That is why we request all campers bring full pyjamas (tops and bottoms) to camp for sleeping. Base Camp Cabins have two changing rooms plus a large outdoor bathroom space.
Any camper who is not comfortable using the multi-stall bathroom areas can use the Barrier-Free bathrooms at the Outdoor Washroom or the Welcome Centre.
BASE CAMP
OUT-TRIP CAMPS
We have three unique, remote sites on the Camp Evergreen property set up for Out-Trips. The sites are equipped with outhouse facilities, and campers can return to the main site for showers. Campers will stay in groups with leaders either in:
DEVELOPING LEADERS
Campers in our Developing Leaders programs will stay in groups in:
The cabins are close to washroom facilities and have bunk beds for your stay. Our lodge also has full washroom facilities.
We knew you would ask that, so we made a list of all the things you need to remember. View List
Campers will not have access to the internet, and we have extremely spotty cell coverage. Our staff will never deny your child a chance to call home. If your child asks, we will connect them with a phone to call home.
Please leave these at home. In our experience, devices get lost, stolen, or broken at camp. For security reasons, we ask that any device be handed in for the week. If your child wants to call home, they just need to ask their leader.
Please leave your pet at home, including when you check in or pick up your child from camp.
Alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and vapes are not allowed at camp.
Parents are welcome to phone the main office anytime to see how their child is doing. We do say that “no news is good news”. Our staff are very quick to call you if we have any questions or if your child is struggling. If you haven’t heard from us, it’s likely a good sign! Children are welcome to phone home at any time they want. However, we would caution you that calling home can trigger homesickness, especially at bedtime.
Parents, did you know that you can send emails to your kids throughout the week? Our Camper Mail system is a one-way (parent to camper) communication method to send your child messages of love, encourage, photos, colouring pages, or whatever you can email! Campers get these messages once a day from Monday to Thursday. Simply email your messages to: camper@camp-evergreen.com.
No, for two reasons:
Yes, we always welcome volunteers in our kitchen. All volunteers must complete our Volunteer Application and Screening process, which can be found in the “Work at Camp” section of the website.
We ask that all camp fees are paid in full 4 weeks before the beginning of your chosen camp.
We believe every child and youth should be able to have the life-changing experience of camp. We also know that camp is a significant investment for families and there may be financial barriers to affording camp fees. That’s why we offer three ways to make camp more affordable:
Campership Aid is built on the belief that no camper should be refused access due to financial circumstances, and we do our very best, with the support of generous donors, to honour each request.
