Amelia’s Everlasting Journey with Beaver Creek Camp
Long before she was old enough to attend, Amelia Tremblay knew she would spend her summers at Beaver Creek Camp in Saskatchewan. Growing up in a Salvation Army family, she watched her older siblings head off to camp every year, so naturally she believed it was her destiny.
Amelia’s camp experience began at a young age and it continues to this day.
“As soon as I turned seven, I said, ‘I’m going to camp.’ Every single year since then, I’ve been a camper or part of the staff,” Amelia shares.
As a young camper, she remembers feeling excited and at ease, thanks to the welcoming environment created by staff. That comfort helped shape her childhood in meaningful ways.
“I felt like this was a place where I had time to be a kid and play,” Amelia says. “I was learning new skills as well, so it was really fun. I remember many of the cabin leaders and staff. They became people I looked up to.”
Amelia discovered a love for nature at camp. She enjoyed hiking and learning how to guide others, while arts and crafts helped spark her creativity.
“I remember many of the cabin leaders and staff. They became people I looked up to.”
Camp also helped her grow personally. It encouraged her to come out of her shell and build confidence, which made it easier to make friends each summer.
In her teens, Amelia joined the Leaders in Training (LIT) program to prepare for a staff role. Since 2019, she has returned to Beaver Creek every year, now as a leader, helping others grow the way she once did.
“My role is program support and leaders in training coordinator,” Amelia says. “Campers aged 13 and 14 come out for three weeks and go through leadership training. I walk them through shadowing jobs and show them how camp runs. The other half of my job is supporting the program team.”
With her background as a longtime camper, Amelia’s knowledge provides valuable insight to the staff.
“My experience gives me a perspective not everyone has. I know which activities were fun and which ones not so much. I have an insider perspective. I can look back on previous experiences and remember what might work.”
Now that she is on the staff, Amelia encourages more parents to consider The Salvation Army’s summer camps for their affordability and the personal development it can bring to participants.
“They know there are people here who care and will listen.”
“It could end up being one of the best experiences a parent could put their child through,” Amelia says. “We see quite a few campers from rougher home lives who don’t always get the chance to go out and play. Camp becomes that place where they don’t have to worry. They know there are people here who care and will listen.”
Amelia is currently studying at the University of Winnipeg, but each summer, she returns to the place where she grew up, a place that continues to shape who she is.
By Juan Romero
