Even if you are not a staff member, you are most welcome to read it and see just a bit of what our staff members must know.

Cairn Staff Manual 2009

Volunteer Your Time At Home

Contact Rebecca (palais@ilovecamp.org) or Chantal (match@ilovecamp.org) to become a Project Partner!

• Make worship banners
• Sew costumes
• Collect Canadian Tire Money
• Save Arts & Crafts supplies and more!

Volunteer Your Time at Camp

Spend a few days at camp this spring, summer or fall.

• Stain a cabin
• Chop some wood
• Paint a sign
• Haul some brush
• Share one of your gifts and talents with our staff or campers.

Contact Cairn to let us know what you can do!

Talk at Your Church

Become a Cairn ambassador and make an announcement at your church about the amazing programmes that Cairn has to offer. We will send you brochures and a Power Point presentation.  Help us spread the Word!

Donate to the Wish List

Do you have items sitting in your garage, attic or basement that we could use at Cairn? Check out our Wish List (downloadable version: click here). We will make arrangements to pick your items up in May or June.

Donate to Camp

Cairn is part of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, a charity registered with the Canada Revenue Agency.  For any donations that you make to Camp, we will issue a receipt for tax purposes.

Cairn is committed to keep your family’s personal and health information safe & confidential. Your privacy is very important to us. We are always reviewing and revising policies and procedures to further protect the privacy of your information.

What Type of Information is Collected?

To provide your family with quality care at Cairn we collect both personal & health information. Your camper(s)’ date of birth, address, email address, Health Card number and personal history are examples of personal information. Your camper(s)’ health history and the records of medical care during visits to the health centre are some examples of your health information.

How is your Information Used?

The information that we collect from you is used:

• • to provide your family members with quality care while they are at Cairn
  • to carry out quality assurance to make us better
  • for satisfaction surveys to see how we are doing
  • to comply with legal and regulatory requirements
  • for fundraising for equipment and facilities to provide you with the most safe and developmentally appropriate services
  • for research to make Presbyterian Church camping the best we can and to help develop new programmes and facilities for the future

Do We Share Your Information With Anyone?

Cairn may need to share the information we collect with health care providers that become part of our Health Care Team (ie. the camp physician, Huntsville Memorial Hospital , Bracebridge Hospital ) in case healthcare is required that is beyond the scope of our Health Centre equipment or staff.

Cairn may also provide personal information to camp consultants and professional advisors hired to assist us to function and provide a safe, quality programme for your family. This will only be done by sharing the minimum amount of information required to help a consultant form a plan for future development or assess our place in the camping community.

What about Rock Talk – the online newsletter?

Any emails that are used for Rock Talk will be used for that purpose only. The email version of the online newsletter will be only sent to those who specifically ask to be added the list or those who check off “Please send email newsletter” on a registration form. That list will be used only for the newsletter or to contact families with urgent or important information about the camp.

No group outside of the Cairn organization will be sold or “rented” the Rock Talk list.

Questions or Concerns

If you have any questions or concerns about how we collect, store or share your personal or health information contact Chantal Jackson or Rebecca Jess, our Co-Directors.

Telephone: 705.767.3300

Email: match@ilovecamp.org, palais@ilovecamp.org

When we passed our 75th year of camping at Cairn in the Glen Mhor programme we became more and more interested in recapturing some of the history that we are missing. To this end we are asking for the help of all associated with camp since it’s beginning in 1930. We would like to make up a timeline of all of the Camp Directors that we have had. Please leave us a comment with any more information you may have.

Our Directors Timeline

2010: Chantal “Match Jackson & Rebecca “Palais” Jess, Co-Directors

2007 to 2009: Beth “Topaz” (Rayner) Allison, Executive Director; Adam “Taps” Brown & Chantal “Match” Jackson, Co-Directors

1996 to 2007: Travis “Zoic” & Beth “Topaz” (Rayner) Allison

1995: Travis Allison, Beth (Rayner) Allison & Diane “Sneezy” Reid (Leadership Team)

1994: Travis Allison, Diane Reid, & Judy McKay (Leadership Team)

1993: Sara “Ace” Friar, Diane Reid, & Becky Barrie (Leadership Team)

1988 to 1992: Robin “Knobbie” Doornink

1986 to 1987: Heather “Caps” Thompson

1985: Gwen “Snoozy” Brown

1984: Shaun Seaman

1983: Dick Moore

1982: Chris O’Reilly

1981: Gwen Brown

1980: John “Jav” Vissers

1979: Bill “Half Pint” Lamont, Gwen Brown

1976 to 1978: John Vissers

1973 to 1975: Doug “Flush” Johns

1970 to 1972: Art “Noah” Pattison*

1967 to 1969: Billie Forrest

1963: Tom Rayner

1952: Rev. Norman McMillan *
* Need some confirmation

Leave us a comment, please, if you know of any others.

Brad “Peche” Cross is our Volunteer Coordinator, and he is gracious enough to organize work crews for us at our Work Weekends.  Brad is a new father (congratulations!), and we are so thrilled for his family.

If you’d like to Volunteer for us at camp, please contact the camp office or find Adam or Brad on Facebook.  We’re always glad to have more helping hands!

We would like to extend a huge “Thank You” to the Men’s Group and the Sr. Youth Group of Knox Waterloo Presbyterian Church!  These groups help us annually at our Spring Work Weekend, and many of the projects at camp simply couldn’t have happened without them.  The Sr. High Youth Group put in our docks (a thoroughly chilling job in May) and then borrow camp’s canoes to do a 24-hour trip in the Leslie Frost Centre.  The Men’s Group uses the Work Weekend as a time of bonding, and enjoy the sunshine, fresh air and hard work that comes with camp projects.

If your group would like to participate in one of our Work Weekends, please let Rebecca know: palais@ilovecamp.org.  We’re happy to host, feed and do some programming in exchange for your care and labour.

If you would like to get involved at Cairn, whether as a member of the Camp Board, as a maintenance or construction volunteer or as a special guest to work with our campers, please contact Chantal Jackson or Rebecca Jess.

Volunteer of the Year Award

Each year, we would like to recognize the efforts of one extraordinary volunteer. This is the person who has exemplified the meaning of servanthood.  Please check back at the end of our season to see the photo and description of this year’s invaluable friend of Cairn.

If you know of someone who should be nominated for the Cairn Volunteer of the Year please email us: info@ilovecamp.org

Dear TopaZoic.
I Just thought I’d send you a little something to make you realize what Cairn has done for me. I have been coming to camp for years, and it makes my year. Many of my friends who have never been to camp, don’t understand the way camp is, how it picks you up and feeds your spirit and can give you a life time of inside jokes. Camp for me has always been more about  the memories and fun times than it has been about the friends I will have for life.
That is, until this year. LIT has done amazing things for me. I’m so much closer to God, I’m more patient and flexible, I gained a bunch of hard skills like portaging and canoeng and swimming. It let me learn thigns about myself too, like how I need friendships and relationships with real emotional substance, that I DEF need alone time:), that I can be myself all the time with who ever I’m around and thats ok.

The Most Important Thing I Gained from my Cairn Leader in Training Programme

The most important thing that I have gained from LIT is love. I have never felt as close to any 14 people ( incl T-Bayco [ed.: T-ba & Chayko, the LIT Directors]) in my entire life. These people were there for me through an entire month of life.  Real, dramatic, and fun, and hard and unforgettable life. They taught me about me, about themselves, about what true friendship is, they put themselves on the line for me to catch if they fall, and always the other way around. At the beginging of July I put myself into the hands of Cairn, and came out with a better life. I learned, i laughed, i cried ( yes, i’ll admit it), I gave but i never gave up, grew but didnt grow all the way up, I sang, danced, played, I lived and I Loved. More than anythign I Loved.
Already I have hung out with Mauri ( and plinko and topia) countless times, went to Zooka’s cottage with 7 of the LIT‘s, visited camp yesterday ( and hopefully again this weekend). I talk to the LITs on msn alot, and I’m thankful for that. These people are my friends, my bretheren, and I have You guys to thank for that.
So, thanks. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thanks for my spirit, and the love, for my brothers and sisters, for countless memories. I just feel amazed at the way the month turned out. I know this whole thiing is a little corny or whatever, but its really the way I feel, and I’m so thankful. You guys are amazing and you are making peoples lives better. You are giving what God gave you and multiplying it tenfold.

Chantal “Match” Jackson

Chantal Jackson has been involved in camping since 1999 and has been working at Cairn for the past eight years. Prior to taking the role of Co-Director at Cairn, Chantal filled many roles on the Cairn staff, such as a Counselor, Adventure Programmer, Dance Director, Head Counsellor, and finally the Outdoor Centre Director.

Chantal graduated from the University of Waterloo with an Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree in Recreation and Leisure. She spent five years at the University and in that time, pursued many interests. One of her main interests was dancing and she got the opportunity to be on the university dance team for 5 years, being Captain for two. She also was highly involved in residence life during her time at Waterloo. Her responsibilities stemmed from being a faculty frosh leader for two years, the Recreation and Leisure Mentorship Programme director for two years and finally a Residence Life Don for her final two years at school. Being a Don at the university was an incredible leadership opportunity for Chantal as it allowed her to bring camp-like programming to the university. Her training from camp, and her understanding of community allowed her to create an inclusive and a welcoming residence “home-life” for first year students.

Chantal has experience in leadership training, group facilitation and adventure programming. She currently sits on the OCLW (Ontario Camping Leadership Workshop) Executive and is in the process of aiding to develop a new type of conference, run out of the OCLW for Camp Directors entitled THINK CAMP. She is excited about all of her new responsibilities and another great summer at Cairn!

Rebecca “Palais” Jess

Rebecca Jess started coming to Glen Mhor Camp as a camper in 1992. For 13 summers in a row, Rebecca attended Glen Mhor, first as a camper, then, Leader in Training, Counsellor, Arts and Crafts Director and Programme Director. Even when no longer on staff, Rebecca continued to visit camp each summer to volunteer and fill in where help was needed. She says “It is one of my greatest joys to have been a part of camp’s amazing growth and evolution over the past 18 years”.

Rebecca holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree from Queen’s University in Drama and English. She also holds a Bachelor of Education from Queen’s within their Artist-in-the-Community Education program, where she focused not only on providing education in the classroom, but on creating and bringing arts-related education to non-traditional school settings in a variety of communities. While at Queen’s, Rebecca spent most of her time performing in musicals and sewing costumes in wardrobe.

Acting is one of Rebecca’s favourite things: she has performed in touring children’s theatre shows, university performances and community theatre, and has taught drama classes and workshops with the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People in Toronto. Rebecca also loves to sing and has sung in a wide range of choirs over the years; most recently, she joined the Canadian Stage Company’s choir in Toronto.

Rebecca owns her own small clothing design business, called Palais Designs. The business name is derived from her camp name because the first t-shirt design she ever did was for the Glen Mhor staff uniforms back in 2002. Rebecca’s focus is on silk screening, applique and machine and hand embroidery done on t-shirts and tops. You can find her clothing line in Kensington Market in Toronto in a shop called, Fresh Baked Goods.

Rebecca is extremely excited to be working as Co-Director of Cairn! Camp is one of her greatest passions and she can’t wait to jump in with both feet!

CAIRN’s Administrator

Bridget Tilly

Bridget spent her childhood summers in Muskoka but her family moved to the UK when she was 7. She grew up in Scotland and worked in London, England in continuing education and training prior to moving back to Canada 10 years ago. She now lives in Baysville (a short drive to work!) with her husband and young son who is fortunate to accompany her to work every day in the summer and he loves it.

Bridget is a graduate of the University of Glasgow and is also qualified in Personnel Management and Psychometric testing. Her interests include traveling, entertaining and drawing portraits. She is also involved locally in the Lake of Bays Skating Club, Bayville’s Fire Station 40 and the Horticulture Society.

We Would Love to Catch Up With You

Help us do better at keeping in touch with our camp family. Please take a moment and let us know where you are these days.

For more information on for CAIRN Alumni (former staff and campers of our Dorothy Lake, Glen Mhor, Iona or Music Camp programmes) please [click here].

10-Year Paddles

It has been our pleasure to have presented almost seventy-five 10-Year Paddles at CAIRN in Baysville.

The Baysville Programmes at CAIRN are pleased to offer 10 Year Paddles for campers, staff and alumni who have been involved for 10 or more years. To qualify you must have attended camp for 10 years in any of the following capacities: camper, staff, board member or volunteer.

Even if you are not presently involved at CAIRN you can still get your paddle if you qualify.  Please include the information in the Alumni Form below.

Donate To CAIRN

If you would like to help another family afford camp for their child you can donate to the CAIRN Campership Fund via CanadaHelps.org

To complete your online registration please [click here] to download your Glen Mhor confirmation package.

or [click here] to download your Iona confirmation package (including all Trip sessions).

These files are in PDF format and you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, you can download it here for free. Complete the forms and mail them along with your cheque or money order to:

Cairn
R.R. #1
Baysville, Ontario
Canada
P0B 1A0
Telephone: 705-767-3300
Fax: 705-767-2232

Cheques should be made payable to Cairn.

Please Note: This Registration Request that you have just completed serves as an official Registration Form.

You will receive our confirmation of registration by e-mail or Canada Post following receipt of your fees.

If you experience problems downloading the registration package, please contact Bridget, our Administrator (admin@ilovecamp.org).

I Am A CAIRN Camper.

I Would Love To Be A CAIRN Camper.