History
In October, 1990 Brenda Poworoznik and Myra Reinheimer held the first informal meeting of what would eventually become our annual St. Peter the Aleut Orthodox Summer Camp. Brenda was a member of St. Herman of Alaska in Edmonton and Myra was living in Andrew, AB with her husband Fr. Larry Reinheimer, who was serving six of the Lakeland Mission parishes. As young girls, Brenda and Myra had both attended the same Protestant summer Bible camp in Saskatchewan and wanted to offer some aspects of that experience to the youth of the Orthodox parishes in Alberta. Fr. Larry, along with several members of the St Herman Parish, joined Brenda and Myra to form a committee in charge of planning and organizing the camp.
In July of 1991, 37 campers and 11 staff participated in the first ever St. Peter the Aleut Orthodox Summer Camp. For the first eight years a camp site was rented at Moose Lake, AB. In 1999 camp was moved to Pigeon Lake, a more central location between Edmonton and Calgary, which also had a small but adequate Orthodox Church where we could hold our daily prayers. Following Fr. Larry’s assignment to the mission in Calgary, campers had begun attending from the Calgary area. In 2010, camp was moved to Hanmore Lake, AB to a site that better suited the growing needs of the camp. 2014 found St. Peter the Aleut Camp in a new location on the shore of Gull Lake, AB to try out a more central Alberta location. In 2015 we returned to Hanmore Lake and established Pioneer Bible Camp as the preferred home for St. Peter the Aleut Orthodox Summer Camp.
As with most public activities, camp was cancelled in 2020, and a single day-camp was held in both Calgary and Edmonton in 2021. We were excited to return to Hanmore Lake again in 2022, and plan to continue meeting here, Lord willing, for many years!
In July of 1991, 37 campers and 11 staff participated in the first ever St. Peter the Aleut Orthodox Summer Camp. For the first eight years a camp site was rented at Moose Lake, AB. In 1999 camp was moved to Pigeon Lake, a more central location between Edmonton and Calgary, which also had a small but adequate Orthodox Church where we could hold our daily prayers. Following Fr. Larry’s assignment to the mission in Calgary, campers had begun attending from the Calgary area. In 2010, camp was moved to Hanmore Lake, AB to a site that better suited the growing needs of the camp. 2014 found St. Peter the Aleut Camp in a new location on the shore of Gull Lake, AB to try out a more central Alberta location. In 2015 we returned to Hanmore Lake and established Pioneer Bible Camp as the preferred home for St. Peter the Aleut Orthodox Summer Camp.
As with most public activities, camp was cancelled in 2020, and a single day-camp was held in both Calgary and Edmonton in 2021. We were excited to return to Hanmore Lake again in 2022, and plan to continue meeting here, Lord willing, for many years!