Kids need camp more today than ever before and Sherbrooke Lake Camp is made for everyone. It's a place for kids to be themselves, to learn new skills, unplug, develop independence, meet great friends and eat home-cooked meals. The phone service isn't great at camp - but the connection is amazing.
We are a rustic camp nestled deep in the woods. We pride ourselves on our commitment to respect the natural environment, our waterways and the kilometre-long sandy beach where we swim, canoe, laugh, sing and play!
Sherbrooke Lake Camp is an affirming camp with gender inclusive cabins, opportunities to explore spirituality and ask questions about faith. Regardless of faith or beliefs, campers of all backgrounds are welcome and invited to join our safe space in beautiful and rural Franey Corner, Nova Scotia.
Sherbrooke Lake Camp is situated on Mi'kma'ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi'kmaq people. We seek to live by the principles of Peace and Friendship with our Indigenous siblings, the land, and all of our relations.
Our Cabins & Facilities
We have 9 stand-alone cabins that sleep 8 campers each in the main room in 4 sets of bunkbeds. There is a change room for privacy and a backroom for the counsellor and counsellor-in-training. The cabins are new since 2017 - built by local community members and students at NSCC! Our cabins maintain the natural camping experience and don't have power. However, they boast beautiful bright windows and a solar light for bedtime routines! The beautiful sound of crickets while campers curl up for a good night's sleep is loved by many!
Close to each cabin is a set of latrines. Latrines decrease our carbon footprint and impact on water usage at camp! They are cleaned twice daily and pumped through the season.
Campers eat in our traditional dining hall at tables with their cabin mates. Meals range from Subs with Salad to Mac n' Cheese to a full Turkey Dinner!
Hygiene is important at Sherbrooke Lake Camp! Our future plans include a space for camper showers, but for now we encourage washing up at the washstand with biodegradable soap and plenty of swimming in the lake!
Our Relationship with our Environment
The United Church of Canada's Faithful Footprints program offers inspiration, tools and grants to help it's communities of faith reduce their energy and carbon footprint. We are proud to acknowledge that we are successful recipients of this program and received funding to update our fridges and lights on site to EnergyStar products with the support of our local businesses like New Ross Home Hardware and Douger the Lugger. This decreases the amount of energy we use on site to support our programming while supporting a healthy and safe kitchen environment! Thank you Faithful Footprints for this opportunity and thank you to our staff and Board of Directors for helping with installation!
If you're interested in this program we encourage you to check out the flyer here or contact us at ed@sherbrookelakecamp.org
Our Canoe Program
Our canoe program is run by our amazing Waterfront Program Directors who are Paddle Canada and CANSPEI Certified. They ensure the program empowers campers in participating in canoeing safely and confidently while on the water. As campers grow in their interests and skills, they have the opportunity to canoe with staff during free swim as well!
Our Craft Program
Our craft program is run by our amazing Craft and Drama Program Director! Crafts aim to be sustainable by reusing, reducing and recycling products as possible. Often, campers come home with bracelets and crafts galore to proudly show off to friends and family!
Our OLS Program
Our outdoor living skills (OLS) program is run by our Outdoor Living and Environmental Stewardship Program Director! OLS brings campers into nature to learn about their surroundings, navigation, fire building, shelter building and natural habitats. For intermediate and senior campers, this is the opportunity to develop the skills needed for their out trip, an overnight adventure to one of our rustic campsites on the property.
Faith Formation happens after breakfast as an introduction to lessons and values that are important to our mission and faith. Campers will learn about friendship, patience, love, inclusion, nature, respect and so much more as we support them in curiosity and opportunity. They often will learn through stories, crafts, skits, games and activities.
Vespers happens every night at Sherbrooke Lake Camp and is the opportunity for campers to peacefully reflect on their days and practice mindfulness. As an affirming and inclusive camp, this looks like the entire camp hiking to Chapel Island, a peninsula at the far end of our beach. Once there, we explore our faith through the songs, stories and values of our tradition. Campers, volunteers and staff are encouraged to practice what feels good for them.
Faith Formation & Vespers
Campfire
Each night, after vespers the entire camp walks to Campfire Point to participate in campfire! As part of each cabin's daily duties, 3 cabins are responsible for organizing campfire each night! Around a glowing fire, we sing, dance and put on skits to make each other laugh. The only thing between campfire and bedtime is snack and a visit to the washstand to brush our teeth!
Candle Lighting Ceremony
Buddha shared with us "Thousands of candles can be lighted by a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared."
This is true about love, kindness, joy and camp. On the last night of every camp, we gather together to celebrate our week. Our Summer Camp Director lights a single candle in the dark - a candle of love, kindness and joy. The light of Jesus. Each and every camper then joins by lighting their candle from this flame and soon enough we have a bright night filled with the memories of love, kindness and joy from our week together.
Campers, volunteers and staff alike adore this tradition.
Healthcare at Camp
At Sherbrooke Lake Camp, all of our staff are First Aid and CPR C Certified. Additionally, starting Summer 2024 we will have a Healthcare Director to ensure that supplies are available and ready for any bump or scrape that may happen. They are responsible for medication administration and documentation of the roles as well.
Our Executive Director is a CNA Certified Pediatric Registered Nurse and supports the training of healthcare staff at camps across Canada and the USA.
Sherbrooke Lake Camp is grateful to have had the opportunity to collaborate with Sunshine Paul-Martin as we commit to justice and reconciliation as as organization. From Eskasoni First Nation, Sunshine Paul-Martin, is a L'nu'k Language and Cultural Specialist in Millbrook First Nation. In our July training, Sunshine shared the sacred teachings of medicine wheels with our young staff and empowered them to learn more about Mi’kmaq history, traditions, and culture.
In October, Sunshine returned to camp to offer a Mi’kma’ki Blanket Exercise. Grateful for the financial support of The United Church of Canada’s Justice & Reconciliation Fund and the Camping Association of Nova Scotia and PEI, Sherbrooke facilitated 29 community members on site for this impactful session. Folks from across Bermuda-Nova Scotia & Fundy St. Lawrence Dawning Waters Regions, some from as far as Port Hood and Moncton, joined us to experience a timeline of colonization on Mi’kma’ki. If you’d like to learn more about this event, check out the 2024 Mi'kma'ki Blanket Exercise Report
Our Commitment to Justice & Reconciliation
