Monsoon's Guest Post

Hello Kintailers!
Wow... school is hectic. There's homework to be done, theatre productions to be worked on, and a life to be had. It's basically crazy right now. And so I keep thinking: camp is just a few months away!

I'm super stoked to be returning to MAD, so I can play all the fun games I got to play last year, as well as introduce some new activities. I've been thinking about the Commisioning song, K8, and am especially excited for some sports-themed campfire songs for Sports Spectacular.

I'm also extremely thrilled about this year's staff. I'm looking forward to working with a fabulous group of people who I know will make this summer epic for everyone who comes! As well, I can't believe that some camps are full already! That's awesome!

I'm basically counting down 'til the summer.. so until then, later days! Monsoon

Knox College Visit

Last week I was invited to speak to the first year Knox College Christian Education class about camping as a context for ministry. It was great to meet so many excellent future ministers and Christian educators. Many of them had some experience with camping or retreats. Camp is a great place for children to recieve a significant experience of faith and Christian community. Camp can be a place where children and young people connect to God for the first time or connect to a community of faith. In partnerships with congregations, camp is a fantastic place for children and young people to grow in faith.

Kin-Tales

The new Kintail newsletter - Kin-Tales - is now on the website. Just click here to get a copy. There is lots of information inside about the latest events at Kintail, details on the 80th anniversary projects, the wishlist, and work projects for 2009. They have also been mailed to every Presbyterian church in the Synod, so ask your minister to put it up on a bulletin board to put it in your churches newsletter. We want everyone to know all about the great events happening at Kintail this spring and summer!

Bethany's Guest Post

Hi everyone, I can't believe how fast the winter has gone. I'm so excited for the warm weather and the spring flowers. Spring is my favorite season because everything is new and fresh and there's so much exploring to do to see what the winter has changed. There are new things to see, feel, smell, and hear. That's one of the things I'm looking forward to about camp this summer, everything is going to be all new for me and I'm looking forward to exploring. I hope that all you first time campers are as excited as I am to come and experience new things and meet new people. I'm counting on all you "experienced" campers to help me learn my way around.

As you probably know from the staff list, I'll be working as the administrative assistant this summer so I'll be helping make sure that things run smoothly in the office. But you'll probably see me other places too - I like to try and be everywhere at once.

Right now I'm busy getting everything that I'll need for camp, most important is picking a camp name because I've never had one before. I'm very excited about having one. My friends at Knox, Guelph (the church I attend while at school) have been helping make a list of possibilities but we haven't settled on anything yet. It's harder than it sounds! So that will be a surprise for all of you when you come whether you are old or new.

Looking forward to meeting you all, Bethany

Quasar's Guest Post

Hi Kintail enthusiasts!

I'm writing from Toronto right now and the weather is pretty miserable looking. It's rainy and mucky out. It’s on days like these that I always miss camp. I can't wait for the warm weather and nice sun that we always seem to be blessed with.I just thought I'd take some time to tell you how excited I am for the summer of 2009!

I'm really excited about my job as Specialty Counsellor because it means that I play a big role in the inclusion of campers. One of my favourite things about Kintail is that it is such an inclusive and accepting place. It doesn't matter who you are or where you come from because at camp, everyone is equally loved!As specialty counsellor I work to make sure campers with any needs or skill levels are a part of life at camp. This is something that is really close to my heart because as a child I remember being able to be myself and have endless hours of fun at camp. I want all children to have this experience.

I also help to comfort children who might get homesick at camp. I was a homesick camper myself and I found that my counsellors could always cheer me up, and by the end of the week I was begging my parents to let me stay!

Anyways, I hope to see you all this summer! -Lindsey

Sonic & Quasar at Kintail Player during Express last summer.

Vapour's Guest Post

Hey there Kintail fans and campers! It is now my turn to make a lovely blog post!

Camp crafts hasn't been held since approximately 1999 - ten years! I’m super excited to be bringing it back! Some of the things I'll be doing as Camp Crafts include teaching how to backpack, build fires, cook outside, build emergency shelters, and how to fight bears, among other things. Who knew you could learn so much on outdoor survival skills? I'll also be running a lot of the onsite tripping, when we take individual cabins out in tents for the night. It's always a lot of fun, and a great time for cabins to bond and learn more about each other. A lot of kids also like getting the more ‘rugged’ camping feel, without going on a full length trip, and it’s not too hardcore for the kids that aren’t fond of tough camping – no thunderboxes and tent trenching for us!

One of the really exciting thing about my summer is two new 'Outdoor Adventure' camps, K3O and K9O. Both of these camps will be held in Tir-na-nog, cabins on site, but slightly removed from the rest of camp. We will be doing our own thing, cooking a lot of our own food, and focusing primarily on the outdoors. I am super excited for these camps! It's always neat to be a part of something new at Kintail :) You can also check out the brochure for these camps at our main website.

The summer is steadily getting closer, and the weather's getting warmer! Hang in there until sunnier days, Kintail fans!

- Vapour

Camp in the Winter

We were able to get into the camp this weekend for the first time since Camp Closing. Everything looks like it made it through the winter very well. Camp is a different place in the winter - beautiful and quiet. The beach is spectacular with the lake frozen as far as your eye could see. It will only be a couple of months until the first brave souls go in the water in May - hard to believe when you see it looking like this! The newly renovated cabins of Kumbayah look great!

In the winter, the animals are busy at camp. These prints were found in Tir-Nan-Og.

If you want to see more interesting pictures of camp in the winter, check out the photo gallery on the front page.