Camp OAC Working Towards Re-Opening in Summer 2024

At its meeting on November 28, 2023, the Diocese of Kootenay’s Diocesan Council approved an ambitious operational plan designed to get Camp OAC up and running for summer 2024. 

In August 2023, Camp OAC was ravaged by the McDougall Creek Wildfire. The physical property was destroyed but its spirit has not been consumed. 

For the last three months, camp director Ian Dixon has been working non-stop with key volunteers and diocesan leadership to develop a plan that will see this beloved camp thriving once again on the shores of Okanagan Lake. 

“As we work to rebuild the camp, we do so cooperating with our neighbours and with nature in the renewal of creation after fire,” said Archbishop Lynne McNaughton. “Much like the daily summer rhythms of life at Okanagan Anglican Camp, our approach to rebuilding is rooted in our baptismal covenant:  nurturing faith in ways that embody our commitment to safeguard the integrity of God’s creation by respecting, sustaining, and renewing the life of the earth.”

Diocesan Council’s approval of the $1.7M for the first phase of rebuilding is contingent on the receipt of insurance settlement, and will require additional fundraising to completely rebuild. 

To-date, the camp has gratefully received almost $200,000 in donations. This is a great start! Your donation will help bring camp back better than ever. 

You can donate to this project in one of the following ways. 

• Make an e-transfer to oacfinance@kootenay.info
• Click here to make a safe and secure online donation

If you would like to make an Electronic Funds Transfer or donate Securities, please email oacfinance@kootenay.info 

Young people come to camp to push their boundaries and try new things. Campers show up nervous and uncertain, only to find that Camp OAC is a brave and beautiful space where they can be fully themselves. No pretense. No pressure. Campers are introduced to a loving God, a community that honours and explores their deepest questions, and are affirmed in their beloved identity, as God created them to be. 

With your help, 2024 will continue to build on an incredible legacy of camping ministry, creating a community where young people  are safe, loved, and free to be themselves. 

In a recent statement in the provincial legislature, Kelowna West MLA Ben Stewart said, “Camp OAC is more than a physical space. It’s a sanctuary where generations of community members have formed solace, formed lasting bonds, forged memories that linger like a comforting embrace.” You can view his entire speech below: