Revitalization and Sustainability Plan

 The Value of Camp      

Camp Monahan has a rich tradition of serving the community and the Archdiocese of Regina since 1945.  We estimate that over 17,000 campers, staff, and volunteers have experienced our summer camp program.  Camp’s greatest value to our youth is providing opportunities that are unique to our camp experience.  The opportunity to become independent, make new friends, express themselves, and grow in a place where they are accepted for who they are. Our goal is to never turn a camper away; on average 10-15% of our campers receive full or partial sponsorship. These youth are often from foster homes, at-risk populations, and low-income communities. Camp reflects the best parts of society by providing stability, comfort, and safety. Campers return year after year to familiar surroundings, staff, and friends. No price can be placed on the benefits camp provides for a child’s physical and mental wellbeing. 

Staff and volunteers learn and benefit as much from camp as the campers.  They learn how to balance confidence and humility, leadership and servitude.  Staff members learn to love and give to the children they serve.  A camp counselor will trade a dry sleeping bag for a wet one so a child stays warm and give them their last sip of water when their own throat burns from the heat.  Service to the community does not end at the gates; our past counselors are your teachers, social workers, priests, supervisors, volunteers, parents, and friends.  They continue to serve for a lifetime to better our communities.

Funding

Our funds are raised through camper fees, fundraising projects and grants, as well as the generosity of many supporters, alumni, parishes and service groups.  Camp Monahan has an annual operating budget of $180,000.  The average Saskatchewan camps budget is $371 000 while serving a similar demographic of campers.  In comparison, Camp Monahan has been underfunded; with camper fees covering 70% of our operating budget, and grants and donations covering the remaining 30%.  In order to keep camp accessible to as many families as possible, raising camper fees is not viable. Camp requires a significant investment of income today to complete the required infrastructure upgrades and to invest in programming. Making these upgrades will ensure the longevity of our current buildings, which in turn will increase rental revenue. Upgrading our programming will draw more youth to our camps and schools to our rental program.

Camp Monahan Revitalization Plan

The catalyst for the Camp Monahan Revitalization Plan was the chapel. In 2019, with crumbling shingles, poor drainage, and a deteriorated foundation, the chapel was in a state of needing immediate repair.  Following this realization, we completed an inspection of our buildings and grounds, and a prioritized list of projects was made.  In 2020 with COVID 19, camp was presented with a whole new set of challenges.  For the first time in 76 years, the shores did not echo with the sounds of laughter and song. This step away from the usual business of the summer season gave us an opportunity to reflect and look at where we are and where we want to be. From here we have identified three areas of focus:  

Repair and Rebuild

Many of our existing structures require attention to ensure their longevity and improve the overall grounds of camp.   Our goal is to choose long lasting maintenance free materials to upgrade our buildings and attend to outstanding areas that need improvement. Most buildings require siding, shingles, new flooring and paint.    

Growth and Modernization

It is our goal to grow Camp Monahan by offering support to schools, churches and youth ministry as well as deepening and building partnerships in the community.  We will do this by modernizing camp programing with a focus on recreation, faith development, Truth and Reconciliation and land-based education. Creating programming to enhance the education curriculum to support the goals of schools, churches and youth ministry will provide more opportunities to involve the youth of our community at every level.    

Sustain and Improve

The addition of year-round facilities and programming to support our communities and provide a year-round source of income. We will continuously monitor and evaluate existing programs and structures to provide progressive and relevant development in these areas.  

Where we are now:

Through the generosity of the Knights of Columbus Charitable Foundation, the Lorne and Evelyn Johnson Foundation and countless volunteer hours our chapel has been repaired and will continue to serve our campers and community for many years to come.

Our inland counselor cabin was renovated in 2020 through the generosity of the Van Dussen Osteried family.

Fries Tallman donated $40,000 in materials which includes siding for the dining hall, shingles for several buildings and new windows and doors. 

Our Lady of the Prairie Foundation provided the funds that allowed us to install new siding on the craft hall.

Regina Skills and Trade donated their time to the cleanup of camp through the removal of our old cabins.