Camp Encounter is going broke

Lack of funds compromises safety, futire programming

- photo supplied Every year, more young people take advantage of the facilities at Camp Encounter

By FR. MICHAEL MIREAU
Special to the WCR

Camp Encounter, owned and operated by the Archdiocese of Edmonton, has been successfully serving the spiritual needs of our young people for over two decades.

In addition to our summer camp programs, we have been running school programs throughout the year, giving young people the chance to encounter God in God's creation, in others and in themselves.

Abundant success

The successes have been abundant. Under the leadership of our staff and in particular our directors, Doug Kramer and Dale Kiselyk, every year our numbers increase.

More and more children experience God, many for the first time, thanks to Camp Encounter which is located on Lac La Nonne, about 100 km northwest of Edmonton.

Nonetheless, Camp Encounter is going broke. The camp has been under-funded for the last 20 years.

We've received enough money to squeeze by every year, but not enough to put money away for repairs and upgrades on buildings. So we've delayed those repairs year after year, until now. To maintain safety and the quality of our site, they are now unavoidable.

How can this be? How can we undergo such financial hardship, when we fill our programs to overflowing every year? The answer lies in how all camps operate.

No ongoing funding

All camps subsidize their programming fees with donations. Those not owned by religious organizations have access to corporate funding. Protestant churches substantially support their camps.

Camp Encounter currently receives no ongoing financial support, either at the parish or the archdiocesan level.

While we have received overwhelming support from some individuals, parishes, Knights of Columbus councils and other organizations, our overall funding has been grossly inadequate.

Raising our fees is not the answer. If we raise our fees, we will no longer be competitive with the other camps in the area, and we will no longer be affordable to many families struggling financially.

So, we're simply running out of money. Unless various groups and individuals within our area take more of a financial interest in Camp Encounter, we will likely have to look at laying off our staff and shutting down our school programs.

A sad state of affairs indeed! Right now, many are realizing that ministry to youth is vital to the life of the Church. At the same time, establishing youth ministries that actually work has proven difficult.

In an area that has seen so many struggles and failures, Camp Encounter has succeeded in ministering to youth for over 20 years. Camp Encounter has been a blessing to so many; a true sign of God's work in the Church, touching the hearts of so many, showing them God's love for them.

Whether Camp Encounter can continue to do so is now in the hands of the parishes and the people of the Archdiocese of Edmonton. I pray to God for your support, and your prayers.

Donations can be made to Camp Encounter, RR #1, Site 21, Box 4, Gunn, AB, T0E 1A0. Information about the camp can be found at www.campencounter.com.

(Fr. Mike Mireau has been a staff member or board member with Camp Encounter for the last 14 years. He is currently chairman of the board.)

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