My husband Ad and I have been the executive team at Luther Village for a year now and I guess that means we are not new anymore, yet every day still feels like a new challenge and we are learning new things all the time.
Our theme for the summer was Generation to Generation, learning about where we have come from and where we are going. This seemed very fitting for a year of so much transition and uncertainty.
We took over running a camp that had been under COVID restrictions for the past two years. In 2022 we were allowed, for the most part to return to regular programming (morning jam, evening campfires, street dances and more). Our American friends were able to cross the border. Staff were allowed to live together and enjoy simple things like sharing evening snack. For so many, these things were missed.
As excited as we were to be able to offer these things, we were also hesitant to make promises to campers, as we were worried about new restrictions, people getting COVID, etc. We are extremely grateful that we had only a few isolated cases.
We know that we are not the same as we were before COVID. We need to re-imagine and rethink our vision for the future. Slowly and cautiously, we are hoping that we can start to rebuild some of the connections with schools, groups, etc.
The pandemic definitely had negative impact on our revenue, but thanks to many grants and dedicated donors we are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.
This year we had to hire a brand-new staff and that created some challenges but we were blessed that some amazing former staff volunteered to come out to teach them “all things Luther Village” such as what is FEND? as in Fend for yourself… and they definitely taught us a few things too.
We are looking for the 2023 Luther Village staff team. If you think this might be something for you, please contact us.
Last summer we were able to run our LIT program (leader in training—hopefully future staff), teen canoe-trip, work weekend and MNO synod Thanksgiving youth retreat. We also had 6 weeks of Family Camp, offering adult and kid’s sessions, activities from canoeing, pontoon boat rides, beach volleyball, crafts and more. Evening campfires, Sunday worship on the beach to ending our week with a community potluck BBQ and talent night.
We are looking forward to 2023 and being able to offer kids camps, families eating together in the dining hall, retreats such as our Beten und Brauen and more.
We knew that Luther Village needed a lot of major maintenance and repair. It was hard to decide which had priority over others and so we began to make a list.
Then life happens and things need immediate attention, such as spring flooding washing out roads, sewer pipes destroyed over winter and our seasonal docks that were beyond repair.
As we began the year, it was also evident that our beloved dining hall was no longer safe and had to be closed. We decided to demolish the existing building and have started construction on an addition to an existing building that will become our NEW kitchen/dining hall in the summer of 2023.
With our staff and volunteers, we were able to tackle many projects including much needed camp cleanup, levelling several buildings, games area in the chapel, fire pump house, cabin upgrades and more. We are working on a new list for this year and look forward to keeping the community updated on the progress.
We are grateful for all our volunteers, staff, the LV board and for everyone for their support through donations and prayers. We look forward to the opportunity to see many of you at Luther Village Camp in 2023.
You can learn more about Luther Village—website: www.luthervillage.ca , email: lv@luthervillage.ca .
Follow us on Facebook or Instagram @luthervillager .—Lisa van Dijk, co-executive director, Luther Village
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