About
WHO WE ARE
Everything we do at Pioneer Camp is for the purpose of helping children and youth grow spiritually, mentally, socially and physically in a fun-filled and safe place of adventure and challenge. As a Christian camp, everything we do is based on our Biblical convictions about our relationship to God and with one another. This means that we respect the dignity of every person, desire their best and commit to doing our best to help them know they are loved and cared for by God. As a Canadian camp, we adhere to federal and provincial human rights codes.
Meet Our Team
Our staff are well trained to mentor and guide in all aspects of camp life, from developing skills to engaging in conversations about life and faith. We recognize that we live in a world where people have many different beliefs, perspectives and practices. We are committed to welcoming and treating all people with dignity and respect.
Our Story
Beginnings
Since 1942, Pioneer Camp has been building community and encouraging young people to know Jesus in a real and transformative way. As part of the InterVarsity ministry, we are engaged in meaningful partnerships with college and university students and campus ministers who are part of our summer staff team. This group of Christian leaders is further building our witness to the next generation who attend as campers.
As a camp we value our relationships with our neighbors Iskatewizaagegan #39 Independent First Nation and Shoal Lake 40 First Nation. We are acknowledging that we are on the traditional territories of the Indigenous peoples. The site of Pioneer Camp Manitoba is on Treaty 3 territory which is the traditional territories of the Anishinaabe, and the homeland of the Metis Nation. It is our hope that our relationship with these communities brings opportunity for mutual exchange, respect and use of the land.
Through the wilderness experiences, community living, and deep relationships formed at Pioneer Camp, young people are being transformed for a lifetime in positive ways. They are being challenged to grow in their understanding of what it means to follow God through the role models and experiences they have at camp. They are also engaging in social and emotional character development by learning to live with one another with compassion and a desire to serve each other well.
History
As a part of the Lake of the Woods system, Shoal Lake is rich in history. This is the place of the voyageur routes of the fur traders, and of the gold rush that might have rivaled the fame of the Klondike rush except that cameras were still primitive. Shoal Lake itself had 22 mines of the almost two hundred in the area, several of which are favourite visiting sites for our canoe trips.
MOVING FORWARD
Over the past 80 years we have welcomed thousands of campers to experience the beauty of creation and learn about God’s love for them at Manitoba Pioneer Camp.
We offer activities such as wilderness canoe tripping, fishing, sailing, and swimming at our camps for youth between the ages of 5 and 17. At Pioneer Camp we are dedicated to furthering God’s purposes among our staff and campers. Our interactions are guided by a commitment to challenge campers with the reality of God and introduce them to a real relationship with Jesus Christ. We are practicing, teaching, and modeling life that is led by the scriptures and focused on serving one another as Jesus did.
About InterVarsity
It all began with one student.
At 25, Howard Guinness heard God ask him to put his medical studies on hold, leave his home and friends in Oxford and sail across turbulent waters for the sake of reaching out to university students in Canada. It would have been easier for Howard to say no, to stay where he was comfortable… but he said yes. And with the help of a few friends, he raised funds for a one-way ticket to Canada.
He spent the next year criss-crossing the country, urging students to see the campus as a place where God would capture the attention—even the very lives—of their friends. Broadening their strategy beyond the university, Howard and a group of student leaders organized the first InterVarsity camp for high school students. Going further, they took part in forming the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students, a mission determined to introduce Jesus to students all over the world.
Through it all, they pursued Jesus with unwavering conviction. And because of the risky obedience that Howard and countless others have shown through the years, we can continue their work today, helping thousands of Canadian students hear God’s call. Almost 90 years later, they’re still saying yes.
What We Believe
Being shaped by God’s word and led by the Holy Spirit, the purpose of InterVarsity is the transformation of youth, students and graduates, in all their ethnic diversity, into fully committed followers of Jesus Christ.
Facilities
We are a well established camp offering a warm and welcoming environment for campers in the summer and rental groups during the months of May, June and September. Explore all we have to offer!
Committed to Excellence
Fully accredited by provincial camping associations, we follow recommended guidelines and standards in all areas including food service, health and safety, program and staffing. Trained leaders, committed to providing your child with an outstanding camping experience supervise all activities.
