Ride for a Reason is in its 12th season. Over the years there has been feedback given to encourage the organizing committee to keep the RIDE fresh and new from year to year to give some variety to returning riders. The committee has risen to the challenge and Viola!, a new type of Ride has been crafted. Honestly, this ride is needed now more than ever. COVID-19 has thrown a new curve in camp in that traditional camps are cancelled for the summer. But the work goes on!
One of our staff members had a conversation with a camper parent recently who relayed that her daughter was extremely sad and disappointed that summer camp was not going to run this summer. She said that it was the one thing that she looked forward to all year. She loved the friends she made every summer and the amount she was able to grow both as a person and as a Christian. This breaks our hearts. We see summer camp as being such an encouragement to children and youth.
We also see the many campers through child and family services that come for a week of camp. This is their highlight of the year. One of the social workers commented that the children she brings always comment on how loved they feel at SABC. Our mission is to see lives transformed by God. We don’t want to waste the opportunity to fulfil this mission.
There are 1800 campers that will not be able to attend summer camp, yet they are stuck in their homes and are in need of a connection to the outside world and some encouragement in their Christian faith. Our staff are working hard on an online version of camp - mainly to reach out and offer help to kids that are hurting and need some encouragement. Even though summer camp has been cancelled as well as all rentals until the fall, SABC still also has financial commitments and ongoing expenses.
Our goal for 2020 is to raise $50,000 for Southern Alberta Bible Camp. This fund allows us to send camp home to kids! It will also allow us to continue to operate SABC under these difficult, difficult times. I’d encourage you to join us as we continue to pursue our mission. Join us as we continue to bring camp to kids. Join us as we see lives transformed in the midst of so much change.