Camp Maskepetoon
RR1 T0C 2P0 Thorsby, AB, Canada

Happy #MaskepeTuesday everyone! Camp is full of simple pleasures. Like Archery. Sure there's a number of safety rules to remember and a few steps to be done to get it right, but once you got a handle on it and it's just you and the target, there's few things more satisfying than letting those arrows fly. And if you actually manage to hit the target? Well, that's a nice bonus #campmaskepetoon

Happy #MaskepeTuesday everyone! Today is a salute to everyone's favourite camp activity, the Mud Pit! Ok, favourite might be too strong a word. The Mud Pit is the rare camp activity that's fully optional and plenty of people are happy to sit out while everyone else gets muddy. Still, after a whole extra year away from all camp activities, even the idea of having the choice to go in the Mud Pit again seems pretty great. For now though, enjoy these pictures of past Mud Pit escapades. #campmaskepetoon

Happy #MaskepeTuesday everyone! Today's pictures are from 2019 and 2017. Camp is a creative place. There's nothing like the camp atmosphere to get those creative minds going and nowhere is that truer than our crafts program. It's always a joy to see the ways that campers take whatever the assigned craft is for a particular program and inject that craft with their own unique personality and style. The craft shack has been sitting empty for the past while, in need of some cool crafts lining its walls and shelves again. This summer, we're excited to see it roar to life again. #campmaskepetoon

Happy #MaskepeTuesday everyone! One of the nice things about camp is it gives you the opportunity to try things you don't normally get to do, like canoeing. Our canoeing program is a favourite here at camp and it's always nice when we have the opportunity to get out on the lake and paddle around. Of course, canoeing takes practice to get it down but once you can do it, there's nothing else quite as satisfying. We've missed being able to canoe and we're excited to get back to it this summer! #campmaskepetoon #welovecanoeing

Happy #Maskepetuesday everyone! Today’s photos are from 2015 and 2016 as we look back at one of our favourite camp activities: playing games! We play a lot of games at camp. A lot. Some are high energy and very involved while other are more chill. And whether you’re obsessed with competition or couldn’t care less about winning, when you engage with the games at camp and try your best, you’re always guaranteed a good time. We’ve missed running around the camp like mad playing games. We can’t wait to get back to that. #campmaskepetoon #lovethosesillygames

A beautiful fall day at Camp- blue skies, golden trees, and a still lake. Planning for 2021 is well underway and we are looking so forward to showing off some of our upgrades when we welcome campers back next summer!

Alright folks, it’s time for one final Camp Share. This time what are you looking forward to the next time you come home to camp, whenever that may be? As always responses get you one point, sharing this post and tagging us to your story is two points. And there is still time to submit a video showing off your talent to our talent show! (Videos will only be shared with permission). You will get 20 points if you submit a video by Sunday night at 11 PM. And stay tuned for info about our End of Summer Ice Cream Party livestream on the evening of September 2nd! #campmaskepetoon

Alright, it’s time for another Camp Sing-Along though no singing will be required. Just reply to this post with your favourite verse or make up a new one to classic campfire song My Mama Don’t Wear No Socks. If you need a example of the song structure a sample verse is below to get things going! Ice Cream Points are on the line here. My mama don’t wear no socks! (A ding dong) I saw her when she took them off! (A ding dong) She threw them on the wall! (A ding dong) Now Spider-Man refuses to crawl! #campmaskepetoon

We've had a lot of fun with the Ice Cream Point Challenge so far and it's not over yet. Here is the schedule for the final two weeks of the challenge. August 18- Camp Sing-Along: Once again, no actual singing will be required. We'll be asking people to post their favourite verse or make up a new one to the classic camp song My Mama Don't Wear No Socks! August 20- Camp Shirt Day: We'll be asking people to share pictures of themselves in their favourite camp shirt, hoodie, o...r other piece of Camp Maskepetoon Apparel. August 25- Camp Trivia Fun and Games edition: One final round of camp trivia based around the programs and games we play at camp! August 27- Camp Share: For our final Camp Share activity of the summer, we'll be asking you to share something you're looking forward to doing the next time you come to camp (be that in 2021 or whenever you arrive back at us again) In addition, we will be holding a "Talent Show" over these next two weeks as our last Big Effort challenge.. Send us a video of you singing, dancing, or showing off your skills for bonus points. These videos will not be shared without permission so you don't have to worry about everyone seeing you. We just want to acknowledge our very talented camp family. Stay tuned for details about our end of summer "Ice Cream Party" which will be taking place over Instagram Live shortly after the last challenge.

Alright folks, it's time for some Camp Trivia: Name That Tune Edition! There are 5 multiple choice questions based around songs we sing/listen to during campfire, meal times, and the dance. Each of them is worth 1 Ice Cream Point. They can be found below or on our Instagram Story (@campmaskepetoon). You can answer them anywhere but only once. For Facebook submissions, please message your responses to avoid people copying. The questions are as follows: 1. What is the name of t...he 90s dance song that accompanies our iconic Camp Dance? A. Oh Yeah (So In Love With You) B. This is Your Night C. Together Forever D. My Heart Will Go On 2. Meals at camp typically start with a quick grace adapted from a popular song. Which of these songs has NOT yet been a camp grace? A. Get Lucky B. Mr. Brightside C. Despacito D. Can’t Stop The Feeling 3. The camp dance is always changing to reflect current music, but the slow songs we do often remain similar. Which of these has NOT been a slow song in the past five years of camp? A. Iris B. Hey Ya C. I Will Follow You Into the Dark D. Stay 4. Which of these Campfire favourites was also a radio hit in the late 60s and early 70s? A. Swimming Pool B. Rose C. One Tin Soldier D. Rich Ledaisy 5. Over the years, our rendition of One Tin Soldier has taken on a couple little camp twists. Which of these added phrases is said during the chorus? A. Twang! B. Justify! C. Truck Yeah! D. Only A and B Good luck and stay tuned for more camp fun to come!

Alright! Today's challenge combines two of our favourite things: Nature and Crafts. The goal is to make a craft out of primarily natural materials (let's say 75% or so should be natural materials). You can do whatever you want and be as simple or as elaborate as you wish, but the more creative and/or camp-inspired the better. You will have until Sunday at 11:00 PM to complete the challenge and to submit a photo via Direct Message as evidence but there's benefits to doing it sooner rather than later. There will be 5 points given for making a craft, 3 possible bonus points for creativity and/or making it camp-themed, and 2 bonus points if you submit a photo of your creation by the end of Thursday. Good luck and happy crafting!

While we gear up for tomorrow’s DIY Nature Craft challenge, here are some pictures from the Throw Your Own Camp Dinner Challenge from the other week! We had some layer dinners, some formal dinners, a twin dinner and some original idea dinners among others! Thanks to everyone who participated!

Thanks so much to our dedicated volunteers who are spending their weekend helping keep Camp beautiful! We couldn’t do it without you! Summer 2021 is just 10 months away!

It's time for a game of Guess the Spot! Each picture here is a zoomed in photo of a different location or landmark at camp. Your job is to figure out where each photo was taken. Many of them are pretty easy to figure out but there's a couple tough ones in there. Each correct guess is worth an Ice Cream Point and there's a 2-point bonus if you get all 8 right. Message us your responses, making sure you make clear which photo your guess belongs to (I.E. The first photo is the lake, the second one is Outback, etc.,). Good luck!

We had a lot of fun submissions to our Throw Your Own Theme Dinner Challenge. Photos will go up in a couple days but in the meantime, here is the schedule for the next couple weeks of the Ice Cream Point Challenge! August 4- Guess the Spot! We'll be posting some zoomed in images of classic camp locations and you'll have to try to figure out what they are! August 6th- Camp Share Time. In keeping with the "camp location" theme for this week, we'll be asking you to share your fa...vourite spot or place at camp! August 11- Nature Craft Challenge. We'll be challenging you to make any craft you'd like primarily using materials found in nature! Like the dinner challenge, you'll have a couple days to do this one and the Ice Cream Point potential will be larger than normal. August 13- Camp Trivia: Name That Tune Edition. Another round of Camp Trivia, this one focused around classic camp songs from campfire, meal times, and the dance! And that's what we have coming up over the next couple weeks! Stay tuned for more summer fun!

One of our most beloved traditions at camp is our many themed dinners at camp. Whether a simple dress-up dinner, a challenge like Co-Operative Dinner, or a semi-narrative event like Medieval Dinner, there was always something exciting going on at dinner time. So this weekend, the Camp Ice Cream Point Challenge is asking you to stage your own theme dinner from the comfort of your home and submit to us photographic evidence. Because this is our biggest ask yet, 10 Ice Cream Poi...nts are on the line here. But you don't need to throw something together on the spot. You will have until 11:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on Sunday night to complete this challenge. Submit photos of your dinner to us through Messages. If we have permission to use your photo in a follow-up post highlighting some of the dinners, please specify with your submission. If you're wondering what qualifies as a theme dinner, any of our many dinner themes or any creative ideas of your own can be done but here are some suggestions of some of the easier to execute ones: Dress-Up Dinner: Pick a theme (Superheroes, Under the Sea, Animals, Cavepeople, etc.), and then dress up in a costume that reflects that theme Toga Dinner: Create a makeshift toga out of whatever supplies are on hand and wear it to dinner. Twin Dinner: Dress up like someone else in your household Formal Dinner: Dress up in your fanciest clothes Co-Operation Dinner: Everyone ties their hands together and must complete a meal Layers Dinner: Put on as many layers of clothing as you can manage (Maybe don't try this on a day with a heat warning) Limitations Dinner: Come up with some creative limitations for each person at your table (blindfolded, has to sit backwards, can only say a specific word, has to feed someone else, etc.) and watch as hilarity ensues. These are just some of the easier suggestions but feel free to consult with the camper in your life to come up with other ones. Good luck and happy eating!

A couple of things: first if you are 18+ or have attended Lead Week, there is still time to sign up through this link: https://docs.google.com//1FAIpQLSfbplFDf3rZdqUBHD/viewform Attendees will get ice cream points. Otherwise It’s time for a Camp Sing-Along though no singing will be required. Just reply to this post with your favourite verse or make up a new one to classic campfire song I Just Wanna Be A Sheep. If you need a example of the song structure a couple sample ...verse are below to get things going! Ice Cream Points are on the line here. I don’t wanna be a pharisee (a pharisee), I don’t want to be a pharisee (a pharisee). Because they’re no fair you see (oh, so what’d you wanna be?) I just wanna be a sheep! (Rest of the chorus is optional) I don’t wanna be a Astronaut (An Astronaut?) I don’t wanna be a Astronaut (An astronaut?) Because they’re such Astro-NOTS! #campmaskepetoon

Alright it’s time for a camp share and today we’re asking you to share a favourite memory from your time at camp, be it a big memory or a small one that makes you smile. You can be as detailed as you wish. Each response will earn an ice cream point (you can only respond once). In addition, share this post to your story or page and you will get an additional 2 ice cream points (be sure to tag us so we know). Happy sharing!

Alright folks, it's time for some Camp Trivia! There are 5 multiple choice questions. Each of them is worth 1 Ice Cream Point. They can be found below or on our Instagram Story (@campmaskepetoon). You can answer them anywhere but only once. For Facebook submissions, please message your responses to avoid people copying. The questions are as follows: 1. What year was camp founded? A. 1945 B. 1956 C. 1964 D. 2012 2. What is the oldest building at camp? 1. The Shed B. Dowler Lod...ge C. Cabin 8/9 D. Porters 3. What utensil is inside of the Bell at the front of the lodge? A. Fork B. Knife C. Spatula D. Spoon 4. Including the Volunteer Cabins but not counting Porters or Cookshack, how many cabins are at camp? A.10 B. 11. C. 13 D. 15 5. Camp has had many Theme Dinners over the years. Which of these has currently NOT been a Dinner Theme? A. Monk Dinner B. Family Feud Dinner C. Lawyer Dinner D. Honey Ham Jamboree Good luck and stay tuned for more camp fun coming up!

Here is the schedule for the first two weeks of the Ice Cream Points Challenge which will begin in earnest tomorrow: July 21- Camp Trivia! Test your knowledge of camp with some lightly skill testing questions. Questions will be in our Instagram story but also posted on the Facebook page. July 23- Camp Share Time. We'll be doing a couple of these. For this one, we'll be asking campers (whether actually of camper age or just in your heart) to share a favourite memory from your ...time at camp! July 28- Camp Sing-Along. No singing required! Just write out a verse (old or new) for classic "fill in the blanks" campfire song I Just Want to be a Sheep! July 30- Throw Your Own Theme Dinner Challenge! Camp is known for our varied theme dinners like Twin Dinner or Layers Dinner. Try to recreate your favourite from the comfort of your own home! (Suggestions for themes will be provided the day before) More details will be provided on the actual days but this will hopefully give people a chance to get prepared and get hyped!

Camp Maskepetoon may have had to suspend summer programming for the 2020 season, but we are trying to keep the spirit of camp very much alive this summer and you can help! Beginning the week of July 20, we will be doing a virtual twist on our classic Camp Maskepetoon Ice Cream Point Competition, which happens every week during a normal camp session. There will be an ongoing series of challenges, camp questions, trivia games, and other things to spread the joy of camp around t...hrough our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram. And by participating in the challenges, responding to the posts, or even just sharing them with your friends, you or your child can earn ice cream points, as well as entries that will be put towards a draw for a very exclusive prize: a limited edition Camp Maskepetoon 2020 hoodie. Only two of these hoodies will be made; one to be awarded to the person who has accumulated the most Ice Cream Points by the end of the summer and one to the person who wins the draw. So everyone who participates will have a chance to win. In addition, the person who collects the most Ice Cream Points by the end of summer will also win an ice cream party for their family! A schedule for challenges will be posted on our social media feeds every couple of weeks so you’ll have a good idea of what to expect. So if you’d like to help us keep that spirit of camp going and possibly win a one-of-a-kind camp collectible, then join us for the Camp Maskepetoon 2020 Ice Cream Point Competition, happening all the rest of summer! See more

Been missing camp this summer? So have we. But fear not because we’ve got some stuff planned in the coming days weeks to make you feel like you’re at camp from the comfort of your own home! It’s the next best thing to actually being at camp this summer. So join us won’t you for #Maskepetoon2020 , and keep those great camp feelings alive this summer!

Last summer, Accessible Media did a story on Camp Maskepetoon and their work with the CNIB in offering an inclusive camping experience for partially sighted and non-sighted campers. Last week, they did a follow up story about camp and our situation this year. Check it out if you'd like to see some footage from camp when it's filled with happy kids and to hear from a couple familiar camp faces. https://www.ami.ca/category/ami-week/media/camp-maskepetoon

Dear Camp Family, Normally at this time of year we would already be two weeks into our summer programming. Although circumstances have changed due to COVID-19, our Board of Directors has been hard at work ensuring a smooth transition to next summer. We are excited to announce that our director, Gabrielle Lent, has been working with us to develop additional resources for both the summer and future off-season school programming. Much-needed renovations have continued and we ar...e excited for you to see the new lodge roof and floor as well as some newly-stained buildings. We are reaching out to invite you to participate in some upcoming Camp projects. First, on Wednesday, July 15th from 6:30 to 7:30 pm, the Program Committee will be hosting an online round table for our volunteers and former staff members to discuss current initiatives with Camp, gather ideas and feedback, and share ways that you can help keep the Maskepetoon family excited about Camp through the summer. To attend, please RSVP to [email protected] and we will send you a link to access the meeting. On August 8th-9th, we will be meeting out at Camp for a work party. There are various jobs to do around the property to help maintain it and keep it looking fresh. Many of these jobs require no specific skill set, only the willingness to work hard. We are also always on the lookout for skilled professionals who are willing to help with more technical jobs. While we will have a lot of the necessary tools, we also are happy for you to bring out anything you currently have in your garage that might help including work gloves, weed whackers, chainsaws, etc.. Board members, former staff and alumni will be in attendance. Because of additional concerns around COVID-19, we require that all attendees be 18+ or have previously attended Lead Week. Precautionary measures in place will include hand sanitizer stations, physical distancing during projects and meals, and mask usage when physical distancing cannot be maintained. Meals will not be served buffet or family style. Most projects will be outdoors. The number of participants will be limited to ensure physical distancing. If the weather forecast for the weekend calls for rain, the event will be postponed no later than the evening of Thursday, August 6. If you intend on staying over, please know that cabins will be distributed to members of the same household on a first-come, first-served basis via the registration form. We would encourage those interested in staying over to bring their own tent. Meals will be provided and dietary preferences should be indicated via the registration form. Please complete this registration form for each member of your family that is attending: https://forms.gle/CPHzjNcK2oGqvKXa8 Hope to see you soon! Your Friends at Camp Maskepetoon

Today's message of camp encouragement comes from Riku, who worked at camp as a counsellor and programmer in 2014-16 and as the assistant director in 2018. This week was supposed to be the first week of our summer season but sadly, it wasn't meant to be this year. But with all the support we've been getting from past alumni, it's clear passion for camp remains strong even when we're all away from it. But camp still needs help to move forward, and if you are able to contribute to that, please do so here: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/25268

Today's message of Camp encouragement comes from Twig, a programmer in 2017 and 2018 who actually lives close enough to camp that she was able to shoot her video there. So enjoy the sight of our famous rock along with some enthusiastic words from Twig. Also there's a dance break. It's a little random but so is camp. And as always, if you would like to support camp during this difficult period you can do so here: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/25268

Today's message of camp encouragement comes from Timber, another long-time staff member who's been working at camp in counselling and programming roles since 2015. As we get closer to the start of summer, the loss of camp begins to feel more pronounced, but Timber's message shows there's plenty of good times to look back on and look forward to. And if you'd like to support camp during these difficult times, you can do so here: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/25268