In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is with a heavy heart that we are not able to offer our usual in-person spring and summer camp programs for the 2021 season. As an alternative to our usual summer programs, we are looking into offering family retreats. For more information about this program, please see the full letter from the Board of Directors below.
This is now our second year in a row of being unable to run our usual programs. During the summer of 2020, we were able to host a small team of staff up at camp to help us keep the spirit of camp alive. Our talented team put together a virtual camping experience through a 6-week series of videos called the Spirit of Bosco. More information can be found on the Spirit of Bosco page or in our announcement video.
The pandemic has put Bosco in a difficult financial situation. If you are able to help us pay the bills and keep camp going, please consider making a donation today. Direct e-transfer donations can be made to payments@johnboscocamp.com. Charitable donation receipts are available for donations over $30. For other ways to donate, please see our donations page.
To our Bosco Membership, Alumni, and all Interested Parties:
We have been getting many questions to the board and our manager Bernie about this upcoming summer season. Here is what we can tell you at this time.
Regrettably, we already know we will not be able to offer our usual spring and summer camps. We are hoping for a lifting of pandemic restrictions by summer, but we are also realistic about the current situation. As of the latest revision of the Re-Open Saskatchewan plan published by the provincial government on March 26, 2021, overnight youth camps are not currently permitted to operate.
If pandemic restrictions are relaxed by the summer, our priority and hope will be to open and run our summer senior programs with a focus on keeping senior campers interested in coming back as staff for future years. We feel our senior programs would be the easiest to operate safely with distancing in place since campers spend minimal time at main camp together.
As an alternative to our usual summer programs, we are looking into offering family retreats. You and your family would come to Bosco for a 3-day slot with your own equipment, tents and/or RVs during July and August. We would provide bathrooms and shower facilities as well as program opportunities geared toward families. Prices and dates are yet to be determined and we might be able to allow booking back-to-back slots to give you a longer stay. Here is where we are looking for your input:
Would you be interested in coming to Bosco this summer for a retreat with your family if we were to offer one?
We are in early stages of planning and at this point we simply want to know how much interest there would be if we were to offer this program. If there is enough interest, we will still need to seek approval from the provincial government to run this type of program. No programs of any kind will be able to proceed this summer if we do not have approval from the Saskatchewan Health Authority and provincial government. The safety of our campers and staff is our top priority throughout the pandemic.
If you are interested in the proposed retreat program or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@johnboscocamp.com. As well, please watch our social media and website for updates on our summer plans and other important information.
Thank you for your time and patience with us and know that we are all missing you and hoping to see you this summer. Be healthy and safe and keep experiencing God’s nature around you!
The Board of Directors
St. John Bosco Wilderness Camp
Camp - Summer 2020
Spirit of Bosco
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Bosco on YouTube
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Alumni Fundraising Project
Kitchen Campaign
more- about us -
Do you love the outdoors?
Our camp is an exciting wilderness adventure!
Nestled on the shores of Zeden and Ispuchaw Lakes in Narrow Hills Provincial Park, Saskatchewan, St. John Bosco Wilderness Camp operates primarily as a summer camp for youth ages eight through seventeen. The focus at camp is having fun, learning and living in the outdoors.
Facilities
Ages 8 – 17
Swimming
Naturelore & Discovery
Canoeing
Sports & Orienteering
Group Initiatives & Hebertism
Archery
Watch our Promotional Video!
- facebook feed -
Camp News
Do you have bottles and cans pilling up?
Why not donate them to Bosco's virtual bottle drive!!!
Visit any SARCAN depot and look for Drop & Go type in "boscocamp"
Follow the instructions on the screen to print labels for your order.
Label your order and go!
#bottledrivefundraiser
Due to COVID preventing our usual summer programs, we are in the early stages of planning a family retreat program hosted at Bosco. Would you be interested?
Comment on Facebook 1399900510267025_2861461110777617
Jill Brinkman would you do this with the three of us? Dawn Devine?
Yes... that would be fun!!!
Dear Bosco Family,
Happy New Year! We hope that you are all safe and healthy during this time.
We are starting to get questions about this upcoming summer at camp, but at this moment we don’t yet have any solid answers. We are currently looking at all the available possibilities for running programs this summer, however we must monitor the developing pandemic situation and follow all guidance for overnight camps provided by the government. It is clear to us already that if camp goes ahead this summer, it will have to be run differently to ensure the safety of our campers and staff.
As the situation develops and more news is available, we will post updates to our website and social media pages. Please check back often for more information. During this time, Bosco continues to look for donations and grant funding to cover the cost of our operations and our Kitchen Campaign for a new dining hall. We thank you in advance if you are able to contribute in this way.
Thank you and we hope to see you this summer!
Comment on Facebook 1399900510267025_2828720564051672
All the best to you! Hope we are able to connect and continue to grow in faith and camping together.
Office Address
The camp office can be reached year round:
St. John Bosco Wilderness Camp
PO Box 3002
Saskatoon, SK
S7K 3S9
Phone/Fax Toll Free: 1-844-SJBOSCO
(1-844-752-6726)
Email: info@johnboscocamp.com
Please direct comments regarding the website to webmaster@johnboscocamp.com.
Summer Address
SJBWC can be contacted directly during the summer months only:
St. John Bosco Wilderness Camp
PO Box 217
Smeaton, SK
S0J 2J0
Phone: 1-306-426-2227
Camp Manager: Bernie Vossen
manager@johnboscocamp.com