PREECEVILLE, SASK.- Ketchen Lake Bible Camp campers enjoyed a great, successful season at the lake. There were many campers who took advantage of the summer camps. The camp also celebrated a major milestone with 85 years as a camp and 50 years in its present location
“It was so great to see so many campers of all ages join us this summer,” said Elaine Brewer, Camp Director. “We hosted a full season of camping. The weather also co-operated with us, which was really nice. Camp is a great way to enjoy summer and explore the lake and what we have to offer. The facilities we have are so awesome, and hopefully we can attract more to come out,” she said.
The Camp offered both overnight and day camps. The overnight camps were available for teens, junior teen camp, intermediate camp and squirt camp. Something new was the basketball sport camp with Athletes in Motion.
This year, the camp focused on building two new cabins, a girls' cabin and a boys' cabin.
“We also introduced laser tag. The laser tag is something we would like to expand upon by adding a more challenging course. It was a very relaxing well attended fun summer,” said Brewer.
“As camp concluded for another season, we are looking forward to next year with our spring banquet and hamburger barbecue sales. We are always looking at fundraiser ideas as the costs for operating the camp are always increasing and we try to keep camp fees low so everyone can afford to send their children to camp. We have never turned a child who wanted to attend camp away,” said Elaine Brewer.
The camp quietly acknowledged its 85 year as a camp and 50 years in the present location this summer, with a celebration that included cupcakes at the family camp in July.
The following camp history was written by Don Kachman in September 2021.
The first Crystal Lake Bible Camp was started about 1942 by Pastor Edwin Wright from Sturgis. It was held on the CCF campground which was located on the southeast side of the lake where Feeley Drive now sits. The CCF allowed Pastor Wright the privilege of using the buildings for his first camp.
That first year he had about 12 boys from Sturgis. The second year, he invited two or three other churches to be involved. Kids from Hyas, Pelly and other surrounding towns were eager campers. After that, Pastor Wright and others involved rented property from Mr. Black who owned Black's Beach.
The area was a 60 acre field located north of Black's Beach. It was filled with nice trees. Mr. Black allowed a 30-year lease to be signed and over those years the camp grew and was developed. There was a very big kitchen and dining hall, while dorms for boys and girls with tents provided for overflow.
Lois Newman sent a postcard in 1952 (submitted by Keith Dawson). Lois was attending the bible camp by Black's Beach. According to Doris Kopelchuk, who also attended that year, Lois's maiden name was Spratt, and she was from the Melfort area. Keith Dawson added, "The girls' residence and kitchen were across the road in that bluff of trees. Boys were quartered in cottages down by the beach. Crafts were in Nicholson Hall. I went two summers, United Church camp maybe. "
During those years, the Pambrun Bible School, located in southwest Saskatchewan, became involved with running the camp, providing speakers and overall leadership The yearly camps were well attended and enjoyed by many from communities all around the lake. It was during camp that many young people were influenced for living a life of faith in Jesus Christ.
The camp lease expired in approximately 1972. The camp board requested another lease for 20 to 30 years. Mr. Black did not agree to that and offered a year-by-year lease only, as he wanted to build a golf course on the property occupied by the camp. Thus, Crystal Lake Bible Camp existed for a period of 30-plus years.
And then a search began to find a new site because the need and passion for Christian camping was apparent to leadership and families alike. The search for an appropriate site took about two years and ended on an abandoned farm site northwest of Preeceville. The site was located on a lake and the new camp, founded in approximately 1975, is still known as Ketchen Lake Bible Camp. Many of the new buildings at Crystal Lake were torn down and the wood used to begin building the new camp.
Don't count on social media to deliver your local news to you. Keep your news a touch away by bookmarking Canora Courier's homepage at this link.
Bookmark SASKTODAY.ca, Saskatchewan's home page, at this link.
