The Beacon Lighthouse Landing Campers In Action
Family Camp
Issue 4
Fall 2009
Because of you…
Youth Leadership Shining Lights Camp for Adults with Inside this issue:
Campers In Action Projects
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CIA Projects Continued
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Trans Canada Trail & Children’s Cute Com-
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Going GREEN Nature’s Knockings!!
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Legend of the 6 Bear & Chipmunk 2009 Highlights 2009 Highlights 7 Continued
Thank you 8 Lake Cecebe Photo Winners Highlights
best, but we kept the sunshine going – just in The screen doors have being & doing! shut for another season. We see the sunshine Our last friends said every week as families good-bye on Monday October 12th. It is always experience a northern hard for us to say good- adventure together. In 46 years, many parbye and it never gets ents, grand-parents and easier. great grand-parents have Every time we say fare- told us, “Memories at well to you and you and Lighthouse Landing were you, it brings us one day our best!!” closer to saying goodbye to the gifts of your spirit. In our high tech world, As the camp closes, we we can give children and remember the fresh air, adults the opportunity to the vast expanse of dark experience an alternate blue water, the calm re- way of life! Individuals flections of the morning, can try living without a shimmering evening sun- T.V., computer, and cell At Lighthouse sets, nature’s many ac- phone. quaintances, smiling wild- Landing, campers live flowers and perennials, simply by experiencing peaceful moments, fun cold water from the tap, event planning and your outdoor washrooms, indoor or outdoor fires, and excitement! face to face interactions We were asked often, with nature. These activi“How was your summer?” ties deemed once impossible are fully experienced “Weather bad, eh!” How does “Economic times, bad as possible. this opportunity develop eh!” Yes these have been fac- our well-being? Greatly tors and we feel for all we’ve seen!! who have faced the trials of change. One camper We are fortunate to weland supervisor told me come visitors from all culthat the lay off at his tures and walks of life. company showed people Emily & Anna taught us a a great deal. Employees greeting from the could manage and fami- Marshall Islands in the Pacific Ocean. lies grew stronger. Isn’t North that what it’s all about? “Yokway” means You are The weather was not the a Rainbow and Yuki of
Japan taught us ing for our “Itadakimas.” Everyone brings to share and we in its truth.
a blessfood a story all grow
Yes, the location is magnificent, the cabins quaint, the staff remarkable (if I do say so myself) but your planning, packing, travelling, embracing simplicity, putting aside distractions and just being you are really what does it. You take the time to find your smile, your laughter and fun. Your example becomes our example and we thank you!!
Yokway Francine
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The Beacon
Lighthouse Landing –Campers In Action Projects 2009
Our special thanks to all the staff who helped with our Campers In Action Camps
Alyssa’s thesis titled Summer Residential Camps: Promoting Social Interaction and Self-Efficacy Among Young Adults With Special Needs was recently published in the American Camps Assoc. Journal
“We are children, children of the light We are shining in the darkness of the night. Hope for this world, joy throughout the land. Touch the heart of everyone, take everybody’s hand. Hands up, baby hands up, gimme your heart Gimme gimme your heart, gimme gimme – hands up!!”
What is Campers In Action? Campers in Action envelops our social justice mission to be campers of action in our own personal lives and to reach out and help those around us. Everyone who visits LL is a Camper in Action and we hope you will continue to give time, support and active participation to your local and global community. Jim recently completed a graduate level thesis and in it defined social justice as the distribution of benefits and burdens among people; and humanitarianism as an ethic of kindness, benevolence and sympathy extended universally and
impartially to all human beings. Translated into English, it is simply to love. At Lighthouse Landing we are learning everyday about what it means to live ethically and have made this the foundation for our day to day operation. How can I be more conscious personally and globally? How can I do my little important part to help others? Our northern location is Lighthouse Landing on Lake Cecebe in Magnetawan. Our everyday location is wherever we live, go to school, work or play. The season started with a donation to the Teen Challenge Vehicle Donation Program of our 87 Chevy Truck. The proceeds will be used to help youth in the many ongoing programs to support young men find freedom from their addictions. Lighthouse Landing is glad to donate to OrthoWalk 2009 in honour of Dr. Emil Orsini, an exceptional orthopedic doctor and individual. He liked to say, “Work hard, Play Harder.” Our new boathouse was designed and built by Jim and Alyssa. This along with moving the main dock was done for easy accessibility for all campers to the canoes, kayaks, pedal boats and safety equipment.
In late June LL was part of the Magnetawan Wood N Things Show. As people looked at all the wood and chainsaw carvings, Jim, Alyssa and Francine did busking for the visitors. CIA donates to the area for the Canada Day celebration which holds a day of park par-ti-ci-paction and evening fireworks. This year we welcomed to the camp humanitarian Jane Roy and her adopted children Abuk, Achan & Ater. In 2008, we did fund raising for Abuk’s herd and bought 12 goats for the people of Southern Sudan. In 2009 the Roy’s personal visit to Lighthouse Landing was very special. They enjoyed the camping experience, fishing in the rain and jumping off the rocks in Magnetawan. Jane Roy told a heart-wrenching story of the people of Southern Sudan at the Magnetawan Community Centre and Mary Beth Hartill wrote a story for the local newspaper. CIA sold massage bars to raise money for the foundation. Canadian Aid For Southern Sudan was again the summer project with our CIA Leadership Camp & Shining Lights Camp for Adults with Special Needs. Campers learned and
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Lighthouse Landing –Campers In Action Projects 2009 educated others about the plight of malaria in Africa. Malaria is responsible for half the deaths of African children under the age of five and takes the lives of 2,800 children per day. Insecticide -treated nets are one of the most effective ways to prevent malaria transmission and studies have shown that regular use can reduce mortality rates by about 20%. Malaria infected mosquitoes bite at night, and these nets provide an
Campers In Action, 198 Muriel Cres., London, Ontario, N6E 2K6 Campers In Action highlights the achievements of youth at the Magnetawan Agricultural fair with their donation.
perform better in school. LL Campers In Action welcomed a family from London under Project C.A.M.P.
Francine, Jim & Alyssa shared their musical talent again this year with “The Summer Singers” music group and performed during the summer and at
This was set up with the Children’s Aid Society in London to give a family the opportunity for a holiday in a camp setting. We willingly opened up one week for this very rewarding experience. THANK YOU
individual with a physical barrier. The young campers made signs then sang and drummed in Magnetawan as a fundraiser for insecticidetreated mosquito nets. A total of $270 was raised for 27 insecticide free nets and will be delivered by London volunteers to help protect children and families in Africa. This project will be ongoing until July 2010. If you would like to donate please send your cheque to -
the close of the Agricultural Fair. LL visited the Magnetawan Central School to share Miss Fran music circles with the excited Kindergarten children. Food donations were made to Magnetawan Central School Breakfast & Learning program that provides a healthy breakfast for all students. Studies show that well nourished children
A sincere thank you to all the families and campers who volunteered, supported and encouraged Lighthouse Landing Campers in Action in 2009. We are forever grateful for your hard work and enthusiasm. Here are a few projects we accomplished with your help: a new face lift on #9 Cabin; brush clearing of 15 fallen trees; newly crafted picnic tables; a new flag pole, improved wildflower perennial garden and also cleanup and repairs during the opening and closing of the camp. Thank you to all!
The Beacon
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Lighthouse Landing—Campers In Action Projects
There is no other door to knowledge than the door Nature opens; And there is no other truth except the truth we discover in Nature. -Luther Burbank
370 lbs of nonperishable goods was given to the London Food Bank in our Halloween for Hunger Campaign
This year LL reached into the community to support the 5km10km run/walk to help with improvements to the “Friendship Club” in Magnetawan. This fund has raised over $7,000 to assist the Magnetawan School, Nursing Station, High School Scholarship program and Magnetawan Fire Department. This year 10 participants came from LL. Francine led the unveiling ceremony of those showing support for the Trans Canada Trail movement in Canada. Here are some amazing facts: Magnetawan is on the Trans Canada Trail that winds across Canada and links 1,000 communities. When the trail is completed it will cover 21,500 km from the Atlantic to the Pacific and the Arctic Oceans. The trail is made up of wilderness pathways, forested trails, rural tracks, historic canoe routes, paved urban walkways, downtown streets, country roads, logging roads and secondary highways.
The Magnetawan kiosk has over 700 names of those dedicated to the cause of keeping and developing trails 2010 WALK SEPT. 11th. Francine spent time at the Burk’s Falls Food Bank and aided in the sorting of food which was then made available to those in need.
Mikey & Ryan having hours of beach fun!!
Claire adds, “My favourite part was going down the big slide and running around with Daddy and Carolyn, and playing in the sand and water. We caught a fish with a stick and a worm. Only Mommy would touch the worm.” On a hike Peyton questions – “Is that a crystallite?” (talking about fungus on a tree). Michael explains – “Hypothermia is a fluyou get very cold and sick and get a flu.” David slides into first base while playing soccer baseball and is muddy. He states, “Boys are meant to get dirty!!” When Emma is leaving she says, “The clouds are crying because Lighthouse Landing’s favourite family is leaving.”
Children’s Cute Comments Emma catches a fish and asks, “What will we name the fish?” Before going out fishing Michael exclaims, “This is going to be a memory to remember!” Mikey yells, “I had one but it bited it all off!” “Look what the fish done.” Carolyn says, “My favourite part at camp was running around with Daddy.”
Lighthouse Landing continues to follow the three R’s of Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. Thank you for composting this year. We take more recyclables to the landfill site than regular garbage.
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GOING GREEN What a great accomplishment in working for our environment. Thanks for your donations of biodegradable products, recyclable items and fluorescent light bulbs to be used in the cabins. To follow our plan to go green at Lighthouse Landing, we have included opening up our minds and soles to walking in the green & learning about what lives in the green. This year as we roamed in the woods, we celebrated the red squirrel & chipmunk. Nature’s Knockings!! This year our families participated in making friends with our camp residents: the red squirrel and chipmunk. We had so much fun watching, feeding and taking pictures of our furry friends. It was incredible to watch the Blue Jay take the nuts before the squirrels could grab them. We had many entries for our picture of the year and after much deliberation “The Crummer Capturing Moment” won!! We celebrated the squirrel with our new T-Shirt, “WE GO NUTS FOR LIGHTHOUSE LANDING”. Designed by Jim, this shirt is part of our going green project since it is 100% organic and pesticide free (from harmful
chemicals to farmers and the environment) and produced using environmentally friendly dyes and North American labour. We finished the season when Alyssa & Jim made an acquaintance with a flying squirrel. No one would believe it until we saw it hop on the ground, climb to the top of a pine tree and then soar to the ground. It was a moment we will never forget! A Few Fun Facts: Why does the squirrel have a long tail? Tree squirrels use their long tail to assist with balance, to protect against sunlight and rain, to keep warm during the cold weather and to communicate with other squirrels. Like humans, do squirrels have talents too? Tree squirrels can run and jump 20 miles per hour. Squirrels chatter and use their tails to talk in a complex language. When in danger they flatten against a tree to avoid predators. Squirrels build their own houses called drays and live in tree cavities in the winter (we have seen these tree house holes). Squirrels have a lot of energy and like to gather and hide their treasures.
They work hard but are very forgetful. One saving grace is the squirrel has a great sense of smell. Often times they lose their cache but do find their friends. Squirrels eat seeds and nuts but also beetles, larva, grasshoppers, crickets, worms, snails, centipedes, millipedes, berries, apples, maple keys, and pine cones. With this extensive list, we realize how important they are in the circle of nature! Legend of the Chipmunk & the Bear by Kevin Callan Why do chipmunks have a stripe? Legend goes that the bear and chipmunk fought for the right of complete darkness or complete light because the earth was undecided. Most of the animals believed that the bear would win because of its strength and size.
Crummer’s Capturing Moment
Page 6 Yuki from Japan loves our Night sky!! Here she is watching a meteor shower.
NEW!! Take the time to reflect on those we love in our
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Nature’s Knockings Legend Continued When the struggle began, the agile chipmunk outmanoeuvred the awkward bear. Eventually the bear trapped the chipmunk under its massive paw and it looked as if darkness would soon cover the earth. At the last minute the chipmunk squeezed its slender body out from under the bear’s grasp. The battle ended in a tie allowing both day and night. To this day the chipmunk bears the five brownishblack scars across its back to remind everyone of the fight between darkness and light. “Nature does not steal time – it amplifies it!”
In mid July the camp was filled with sweet wild raspberries. We all went out and feasted on nature’s dessert! 2009 became the Year of Astronomy at LL as we all learned about the stars with our new 10” Dobsonian telescope and our knowledgeable astronomers Morris & James.
“Circle Of Life” garden
Nature Hike in the “Circle Of Life”
We love our nature friends – frogs, ducks, loons & geese. Building up the shoreline with grasses has kept geese to the water which has helped decrease the souvenirs they leave behind.
2009 Highlights The ice left Lake Cecebe on April 19th and we welcomed our first guests on Easter weekend for their 11th year. Lighthouse Landing celebrated Canada’s 142nd birthday by putting in teams for the Magnetawan tug-of-war. Winners Jim, Madelynne & Henry displayed their new Canada T-Shirts.
Step Class lead by Alyssa was a fun and healthy daily activity that energized campers. Jim constructed multiple steps out of recycled wood. These classes were attended by complete families which made them extra special. The “Circle Of Life” garden for those we love was designed and
planted by Joe to give individuals an area for quiet reflection. Alyssa & Jim painted our aluminum canoes with a red stripe and created a “Lighthouse Landing” stencil. What a wonderful sight to see our canoes coming off the water from a distance!
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2009 Highlights In July we had 18 bags of garbage from the camp and 15 bags of recyclables. We donated pop cans to the Anglican Church for renovations and saved pop tabs for wheelchairs. In one week Audrey had filled two compost bins and this will in turn enrich our wild perennial garden for all of us to enjoy!
ing but was still exhilarating. Audrey went by bike from LL and it took her 45 minutes. Another self-propelled out-trip that will be repeated in the future.
Gord and family volunteered to perform at the Music Festival in McKellar. The Valiquette Family rented a pontoon boat to celebrate a day on Lake Cecebe & Ahmic Lake.
It was fun watching Nicole(18) & Shannon (21) in the weed bed by the volleyball court looking at a swarm of catfish. This same picture was taken years ago.
Catch & Release fishing derbies for a new fishing pole were exciting. Large fish were caught by Dean, Liz, John, Mitch, Taylor, Lauren and Douglas. Ultimate Frisbee was again an ultimate experience. We also had lots of fun with Soccer Baseball! Patti lead a cooking activity on the beach with her Radiant Heat Cooker. Gord prepared for the annual Fish Fry. fish for 14 people. Our thanks goes out to all who grew in their knowledge and love of the fishing hobby. Canoe/Bike trip to Knoelphi Falls on Ahmic Lake. After a 3 hour paddle we arrived at the falls for a picnic lunch. It was rain-
We had first lake swims for several campers and Jim & Alyssa swam from LL to Magnetawan in one hour.
Jim, Alyssa, Ryan & Christine took a canoe trip heading down the Magnetawan river system that begins in Algonquin Park and travels to Georgian Bay. Lake Cecebe & Ahmic Lake are 40 miles of this 300 mile route. They reached Maple Island which is a 3 day paddle from the camp and they plan to continue the trip in the future. Yuki travelled from Japan to Magnetawan to stay with us for one week. She had never been camping in northern Ontario and she really loved it. Yuki works hard in Japan and saves her money so she can travel. We enjoyed her gentle manner, her stories and learning a Japanese card game called “Babanuki”. We ended up calling the game “Babayuki” in her honour.
Labour Day 4th Annual Volleyball Tournament was a spiking success. Eight teams, including a LL team, played hard, learned new skills and had great fun. This year we served up a homemade gourmet meal for our players that included Wraps, Wedges & Wicked Cookies. Looking forward to next year. Mark the September 3rd weekend on your calendars and plan AHEAD!
In September, Jim, Alyssa & Francine canoed to the landmark Echo Rock to discover the walking trail that leads to the peak. After hiking to the top of the 100 ft rock, we enjoyed the breathtaking view!
Lighthouse Landing Camp 3739 Hwy 520 RR#3 Burk’s Falls, ON P0A 1C0 705-387-4626 Winter: 198 Muriel Cres. London, ON, N6E 2K6 519-685-7161 info@lighthouselanding.ca
Lake Cecebe Waterway Photo Contest Winners ‘Mist On Lake Cecebe’— James Andraza ‘Water Babies’ — Joi Brennand We are ever grateful for the pictures you share with us!
Lighthouse Landing on Lake Cecebe in Magnetawan has been operating since 1963. We have been blessed to welcome families year after year. We played with children who are now parents with children and grandchildren. We like to say that each year we can pick up where we left off. We have been able to share special highlights in your lives. Thanks for giving us this great privilege and for all your help and encouragement. Looking at the green trees we reflect. Lighthouse Landing is people! Each of you! The roots are your energy, the trunk is your spirit, the fruit is your families and friends, the branches are the love and hope you share while at camp and in the world! Looking forward to continuing where we left off in 2010!!
6 Months to opening!!
Highlights Continued We love celebrating your special moments over the summer. This summer we recognized birthdays, anniversaries and an engagement. These moments remind us of our wonderful LL family. Family Reunion with the Crummer family of London. There was Grandma Therese & Grandpa John with their three children and their seven grandchildren (15 family members in total)! The youngest member this summer was Cathleen of Stevensville & the oldest member was Ed of Mississauga.
Weddings at Lighthouse Landing Lighthouse Landing is a beautiful lakeside, wildflower and woodland setting for a wedding. This summer Joi & Ken will be wed at Sunset Serenade in August. We would like to help you with your planning if you are interested in making Lighthouse Landing your wedding destination. We were lucky to have Brett & Bryan Hill host the Bachelor party for David James at Cedar Cove this summer. Congratulations Newlyweds Sean & Nikki Slee who were wed in the spring!!