Camp Qwanoes
Box 250 V0R 1R0 Crofton, BC, Canada

Amazing News - COVID-19 Emergency Fund Update: A month ago, after a variety of fundraising efforts since April, the remaining need to help Qwanoes make it through the impact of COVID-19 was $300,000. We set that as our goal for the Qwanoes Christmas Auction and December Donation Drive. The GoFundMe was part of this too. Every week in December people from nearby and very far away made gifts. Churches made gifts. Two supporting organizations committed to significant match gift...s. As of Dec. 18 we were at $170,000. On Dec. 29, $218,000. On Dec. 30, $232,000. Early on Dec. 31, $263,000. Then just before midnight, people joined together to bring us to... $302,000! The continued pandemic means we have many financial needs ahead in 2021 - but now we can begin this year in a healthy position - it's a FRESH START with the needs of 2020 having been met. We are all overwhelmed and blown away by God’s blessing through so many people. THANK YOU to everyone that has been part of helping Qwanoes make it through COVID-19. We look forward to continuing in the mission of loving kids to life like no other in 2021 and beyond! HAPPY NEW YEAR! : a fireworks shot from the Youth Camp ‘14 banquet

MEMORIES! Here are the top 9 photo posts on our Instagram in 2020, by number of likes, in order from 1-9... includes everything from staff and CIT’s together (pre-pandemic), to a DQ staff party at our guest house, to our late spring auction, to a snow day at Qwanoes, to QwanoesMC, to the first day of Day Camp 1, to spectacular drone shots, and more. This year hasn’t been anything like we expected when it began on Jan. 1 but we’re thankful for everything that was able to happen and everyone who has been part of making it possible. Happy New Year to everyone! #bringon2021 #happynewyear #lightitup2020 #qwanoesdaycamps #lifelikenoother #lovingkidstolife #visionhopelife #thankful

In this podcast from Fellowship Pacific, the group of churches that Qwanoes is part of, Dan Cody from their Church Management Solutions team talks with Scott (Qwanoes' Executive Director) about how the COVID-19 restrictions have deeply impacted the ministry of Qwanoes in 2020. In the words of Fellowship Pacific: "You’ll get to hear about how staying focused on their mission has enabled them to adapt their methods, and how God has been faithful to lead and provide every step of the way." Listen now: https://www.febpacific.ca//ep-18-focused-on-mission-camp-m

Before COVID-19 hit, the plan was to have our fall Jr. High Retreat THIS WEEKEND. We miss everyone so much and hope you are doing well. In the meantime, while we wait to all meet together again, check out this video just published today on our YouTube channel! The music video "We Are Alive" was filmed live at Camp Qwanoes during a Summer Jam Concert in "You Can't Stop This!" Summer 2019. "Love reaches out into the darkest night / Because of you our hearts are filled with lig...ht / You write the music that goes to the beat of our hearts" (Q-Town) Watch video: https://youtu.be/DYjercqQRys

We're excited to announce our first-ever, 10-day QWANOES CHRISTMAS AUCTION AND DONATION DRIVE is starting next week on Dec. 1st - Giving Tuesday! We have MANY cool items up for auction that will make for some really great Christmas gifts. In a few days, you'll be able to visit http://store.qwanoes.ca and click the 'auction' tab to view the items. The items up for auction will be posted over the next couple of days. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the future viabi...lity of Qwanoes continues to rely on the support of people coming alongside to partner and help. ALL money raised in the auction and donation drive will go to our COVID-19 Emergency Fund. Thank you for your support so far in 2020!

JUST PUBLISHED: The Road Tour Edition of Q4U, the fourth episode of our Qwanoes Variety Show, just debuted at qwanoes.online. This show featured the youth leader hungriest hippo challenge, summer 2020 highlights, music from Quixotic, speaker Randy Carter, Captain Q and much MORE! In case you missed it, you can watch it now here: https://youtu.be/XQGcHGbX5As Why Q4U? Because Qwanoes is FOR YOU!

The fourth episode of Q4U - our NEW Qwanoes Variety Show - the ROAD TOUR EDITION is debuting this Saturday, October 3 at 8pm at qwanoes.online! Features include the youth leader hungriest hippo challenge, summer 2020 highlights, music from Quixotic, speaker Randy Carter, Captain Q and much MORE! Plus you're invited to join in on the live chat with Qwanoes staff during Q4U - Road Tour Edition. Hey, before Saturday why not binge-watch our first three Q4U’s on our YouTube chan...nel?! Watch now - Q4U Season 1: https://www.youtube.com/playlist

This Saturday, Oct. 3, all youth workers are invited to be part of the ISLAND YOUTH WORKER CONFERENCE. Because this one-day conference is virtual, you can join in from anywhere! The high-quality training being offered is designed for anyone working in youth ministry including volunteers. Features include keynote speaker Jason Ballard and presenters Dr. Marv Penner, Iona Snair, Peter Yoon, Chandra Styles, Sid Koop, and more. Be trained, energized and encouraged to reach kids during this difficult COVID-19 season and beyond. For more info and to register now: http://islandyouthworker.ca

This Saturday, October 3 at 8pm: Q4U - The fourth episode of our Qwanoes Variety Show is the ROAD TOUR EDITION! Features include the youth leader hungriest hippo challenge, summer 2020 highlights, music from Quixotic, speaker Randy Carter, Captain Q and much MORE! Plus you're invited to join in on the live chat with Qwanoes staff during Q4U - Road Tour Edition. In a typical fall for decades, Qwanoes has brought the excitement of summer to the city... for a series of fun-filled nights of music, fun and togetherness! This year, the tradition carries on although it's happening online. Wherever you are, we hope you will join us at http://qwanoes.online at 8pm this Saturday!

ISLAND YOUTH WORKERS CONFERENCE: An awesome day of virtual training for youth workers - designed for anyone working in youth ministry - is coming up on Saturday, Oct. 3. Features include great music, keynote speaker Jason Ballard (Alpha Youth Series/The Way Church) and presenters Dr. Marv Penner (Coalition For Youth Ministry Excellence), Krista Penner (Fellowship Pacific), Iona Snair (Life Teams/Youth Unlimited), Peter Yoon (Christian Life Assembly), Chandra Styles (Forest Grove Church), Sid Koop (Truth Matters), Tim Gonsalves (Alpha Canada), and more. Be trained, energized and encouraged to reach kids during this difficult COVID-19 season and beyond. Join with other youth workers and youth leadership teams from Vancouver Island and the Vancouver area for this day of high-quality training - register now: http://islandyouthworker.ca

Are you a youth worker trying to navigate ministry to youth during COVID-19? We want to invite to attend our first-ever VIRTUAL Island Youth Workers Conference this year on October 3rd. This one-day training event is geared for any youth worker trying to reach kids during this difficult season. With an excellent line-up of speakers featuring Jason Ballard, Sid Koop, Tim Gonsalves, Iona Snair, and many others, you will not want to miss this year’s Island Youth Workers Conferen...ce. This conference - offered by Qwanoes, Truth Matters Ministries, and Fellowship Pacific - is geared toward volunteer youth workers who are looking for some practical guidance from some incredibly gifted people in youth ministry. Join in from your home or gather together with your youth ministry team to take in the main sessions with great music and Jason Ballard, along with specific learning labs throughout the day. Registration is only $20 BEFORE September 26th. We hope to see you there! Watch the video and register now: https://youtu.be/dzIwZjkWxfQ

Q4U - The third episode of our Qwanoes Variety Show! Premiered on Saturday, September 12 at qwanoes.online, featuring the impossibly challenging Wheel of Cataclysm, our new "Made Alive" music video, trivia, Captain Q and MORE! #Q4U #qwanoesvarietyshow #summercamp #lifelikenoother #QTV #lightitup2020 #wheelofcataclysm #qtown #summersmostexcitingplace

This weekend, after a busy first couple of days of Kaleo program orientation, our students received solid entry-level training to be challenge ropes course instructors. Elements focused on included the Screamer, Sky Station, Elevator, and Airwalk Village at Qwanoes. Tomorrow morning bright and early, the students and leaders are headed off on the first out-trip adventure to Mount Albert Edward, one of the highest peaks on Vancouver Island! The Kaléo program is an 8-month foundational leadership college program of Qwanoes and Briercrest - applications are open now for 2021/22: www.kaleo.ca

We were so excited to welcome 25 students to Qwanoes this week for the 2020/21 Kaleo program year! Here’s a look at the past few days since everyone arrived on Wednesday - from the first (physically distant) group photo to the Jet Stream to Qwanoes Takeout to chapel to challenge course training and more - all with smoky skies for a backdrop. It’s only the beginning and it looks like it’ll be an amazing year ahead in a truly unique moment in time. About the Kaléo program: www.kaleo.ca

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: We are very sad to announce that our much-loved staff member Russ Smith (a.k.a. "Squirrel") will be leaving the Qwanoes year-round staff team. Not only has Russ served as Music & Media Coordinator since 2000, he has been creating Q-Town music for 25 years - including every theme song since 1995. Russ has led hundreds and hundreds of Q-Town's and firesides at Qwanoes over the years, and DJ'd hundreds and hundreds of qrok shows from the qrok Tower and onli...ne at qrok.ca. Along with music co-creator Rick Colhoun, Russ is leaving a legacy of almost 150 original Q-Town songs - starting with "Live The Adventure" for summer 1995 and most recently with "Light It Up!" for summer 2020. These songs have impacted the lives of tens of thousands of campers and staff and they will continue to live on for years to come. Q-Town Records has been honoured by the Gospel Music Association of Canada by winning a number of Covenant Awards in recent years for songs and albums of the year. After taking a break this September, Russ will join the staff of one of Qwanoes' partner churches, The Meeting Place in Nanaimo, as Associate Pastor of Music & Discipleship. Have no fear... Q-Town Records will live on as Russ is already booked to write Qwanoes' summer 2021 theme song! We are all going to greatly miss having Russ at camp! "Play each Q-Town like it's your last. One day it will be." ~ Russ to Quixotic band members

JUST PUBLISHED ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: The stage is SET and the time is NOW. Now that summer is over... like a FLARE in the night, it's time to take this life... and LIGHT IT UP beyond Qwanoes and in the world. LIFE LIKE NO OTHER awaits. I (Jesus) have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark (John 12:46). Watch now: https://youtu.be/iLE7r77STbo

Thank you to everyone that was part of LIGHT IT UP! Summer 2020 - a summer like never before and one that turned out far better than we could’ve imagined just a few months ago. I (Jesus) have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark (John 12:46). Check out this brand-new video - Day Camp Highlights Summer 2020 - featuring some of the best scenes of the summer: https://youtu.be/sUoL_S-UNYw

ENROUTE PROGRAM: Be part of this brand-new, year-round leadership program for high school students who have completed Step-Out, CIT, or LIT that builds on Qwanoes’ summer leadership training with potential to impact the rest of your life! Be encouraged, challenged, and inspired as you navigate your high school years and seek to live and share life like no other in Christ. enRoute includes caring community, solid spiritual foundations, and making a difference. For more info or to request the enRoute application package: email Ben Laird (Youth Leadership Programs Coordinator) at [email protected]

Summer is wrapping up here at Qwanoes and we’re bringing you some of the hit songs from Light It Up Summer 2020... check out this brand-new playlist, plus find one on Spotify (QROK) as well: https://music.apple.com//qrok-september/pl.u-yZyV73lFrBMY8

NEW VIDEO ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: The music video "You Can't Stop This" was filmed live at Camp Qwanoes during a Summer Jam Concert in "You Can't Stop This!" Summer 2019. "So jump in shout it out / Love is here to stay / And we'll never be the same / Jump in shout it out / Love is here to stay / And it's calling out your name" (Q-Town) Watch now: https://youtu.be/X0aHn751eRY

Q-Town LIVE Plus Celebrating 25 years of Q-Town in 2020! On Wednesday, Sept. 2 we are having our last Q-Town LIVE in summer 2020 and YOU ARE INVITED. It will feature our band Quixotic and our much-loved speaker Storm Moore. PLUS, help us celebrate 25 years of amazing new music from Q-Town. It all started with "Live The Adventure" in 1995 and now it's been almost 150 songs filled with vision, hope, and life. Here's how you can help! Share with us what Q-Town music has meant t...o you - maybe an example of how a song has impacted you or even a fun story. Some of these memories will be shared at Q-Town LIVE on this special night and we'll include them in a special "25 Years of Q-Town" book that will live on in Club Coco in the "Q-Town Records" corner. Send your memories to [email protected] or comment below, ideally by Sept. 2 at noon. We'd love to include your story! Any memories you send will be greatly appreciated, especially by Russ and all who have been part of creating music that has inspired campers and staff for 25 years. Join us for this extra-special night of Q-Town on Sept. 2 at 8pm at: http://qwanoes.online "LIGHT IT UP!" SUMMER 2020 | Q-TOWN LIVE