2026 camp registrations open!
Our 2026 summer camp registration are now OPEN for all day and overnight programs! Check out our camp pages below for more information on available programs, dates, fees, eligible ages and more!
Author Archive
Now Booking Spring Outdoor Education Trips
Our Outdoor Education team are now booking spring trips. Select from extensive curriculum based programming or have Silver Lake create custom schedules and programs to meet the unique needs of your group. Day and overnight programs are available. For more information and a full list of programs visit Silver Lake Outdoor Education Centre’s official website:
Outdoored.ca
New Year, New Dish Pit
Our kitchen is one of the most frequently used places at our property in Sauble Beach. In the summer alone, our staff and volunteers produce over 21,000 plates of food to feed everyone on site. Add in retreats, rentals, and school groups that visit throughout the year, and that’s a lot of food — and even more dishes!
At the beginning of December 2025, our dishwashing area received a much-needed update. We can’t wait to share this improved space with all of our winter and spring rental groups — and, of course, our summer programs!
Thank you to PL Lawrence Plumbing and Heating, Brubacher Builders Inc., and Uni-Fab from Leamington for their hard work creating this incredible space that so many people will benefit from.
Want to see the kitchen in person? We’re looking for hardworking and talented people to volunteer this summer to help in the kitchen and around camp. Click below for more information on how to apply to volunteer at camp this summer.
2025 Grand Paddle & Hike
Join us or make a donation for the 16th Annual Grand Paddle & Hike Fundraiser in support of Silver Lake Mennonite Camp!
Introducing Our New Executive Director
The Board of Directors of Silver Lake Mennonite Camp are delighted to announce that after a long and exhaustive search, Alissa Bender has been appointed the new Executive Director of SLMC. We are so pleased that Alissa, who has been an active and engaged member of the Silver Lake community, has joined us in this new capacity. She will start October 15.
Alissa brings extensive camp leadership experience to SLMC. She spent the past two summers at Silver Lake as Camp Pastor, and has also served as Spiritual Life Director at Fraser Lake Camp and Camp Pastor at Camp Valaqua in Alberta.
Her other SLMC summers have included volunteering in the kitchen and leading specialized camp sessions. She even officiated the iconic chicken wedding that many remember from when the Silver Lake chickens were around!
Outside the camp setting, Alissa was the pastor of Hamilton Mennonite Church for 12 years and associate pastor of Calgary First Mennonite Church for three years. Her name is well known in the constituency having led MCEC committees around youth and capacity building. Young adult ministry has always energized her, especially accompanying young leaders.
Alissa brings collaborative leadership skills and leads with warmth and grace. A person of deep personal integrity, she is a strong communicator who engages well with all ages and brings everyone into conversation.
We are confident that with Alissa Bender’s strength and purpose, we are on an exciting new path to a continued bright and successful future at SLMC. We feel blessed and wish Alissa our very best at this new beginning.
Margaret Nally, SLMC Board Chair
Remembering Carla Isaak
It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the passing of a beloved member of our Silver Lake community, Carla Isaak. Carla passed away after a brief battle with cancer, leaving behind a legacy that touched the lives of many.
Carla’s involvement at Silver Lake was multifaceted and deeply impactful. As a dedicated board member, head cook, and former camp director of the girls’ camp, Carla’s leadership and enthusiasm helped shape memorable experiences for countless campers and staff over the years.
Her passion for Silver Lake lives on in her son, Tim Isaak, who comes to every Work Weekend helping to fix windows, screens, doors, and more.
Carla was an esteemed entrepreneur alongside her husband, Peter, managing Peninsula Glass for over three decades. Earlier this year, Peninsula Glass contributed to the success of SLMC’s 3-v-3 Basketball Tournament fundraiser that raised money for the new multisport court at camp.
In honor of Carla’s memory and her profound impact on our community, the family has written in the obituary that donations can be made to Silver Lake. Your contributions will continue Carla’s legacy of service and support, ensuring that her love for camp lives on in future generations of Silver Lakers.
Click here to make a donation.
Carla will be deeply missed here at SLMC. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and loved ones during this time.
Fall Coffeehouse Fundraiser on Sept. 28!
Join us for a Fall Coffeehouse (Fundraiser) on the second floor of 50 Kent Ave in Kitchener on September 28 at 7pm. Enjoy a family-friendly evening of community, food, great music, and kids’ activities!
This coffeehouse will be a sendoff for former Executive Director Karen Cornies, who has worked tirelessly for the last eight years to make Silver Lake the memorable place that it is.
If you are interested in attending the coffeehouse, please fill out this short survey so our organizers can plan accordingly.
Coffeehouses are a summer camp staple at Silver Lake, with performances ranging anywhere from silly to heartfelt. Songs, skits, poems, jokes, etc… We love it all! If you would like to perform at our fall event, please let us know in the survey.
Please consider bringing a donation to help continue Karen’s mission of making Silver Lake a fun and welcoming place to be! Under her leadership, our camp has achieved tremendous success and implemented many new programs, including offsite day camps, the Indigenous Land-Based Learning Program, Newcomer Family Holiday, and much more.
We look forward to seeing you in September!
HIRING: Executive Director
Please Note: The application deadline has been extended to Sept. 9, 2024!
We are seeking a skilled individual with capacity to lead a dynamic, youthful, and faith-filled organization into the future.
Silver Lake has weathered the COVID challenges to emerge as a significant place in which to offer an excellent experience for young children, leadership training for youth, and a good workplace for young adults as they experience creation and community.
The organization has enjoyed expansion into exciting new dimensions of our traditional programs and communities. We hold these growing edges in gratitude, and in awareness, that they need particular attention.
Our new Executive Director will hold the history and legacy of SLMC as sustenance to enrich the forward journey with the ability to be truly present to the changing dynamics and trends of our current realities. The rich heritage of the Mennonite Community guides our values and leads our organization in the beliefs that sustain us.
The ideal candidate has excellent communication and financial management skills. Reaching out and listening deeply to the hopes and dreams of the whole community takes particular navigation capacity. The ED will be comfortable with constituency engagement, promotion and marketing.
The ED demonstrates ability to apply health and safety regulations that manage crisis and mitigate risks. SLMC has a solid base of community support to fulfill its financial obligations, and this needs careful and wise management to hold the necessary daily and seasonal concerns as well as building for a sustainable future.
If you feel you can fulfill the mandates as stated, please view the full job description HERE. You can send your resume and cover letter to boardchair@slmc.ca. Applications are due Fall 2024 (date TBA).
Welcoming the new multisport court and treehouse slide
Silver Lake is wrapping up two major projects: the multisport court and treehouse slide. Both will be built in time for this summer. These new features are the result of our successful Fun at Camp campaign, and we are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to making these dreams a reality.
The multisport court will be the heart of our Sports Camp, scheduled from August 4-10. This versatile space will host a variety of activities, providing endless fun and fostering teamwork among campers. Whether it’s basketball, volleyball, or soccer, the multisport court will enable campers to play their favourite sports and try new ones.
Another exciting addition is the treehouse slide, which promises to be a highlight for all who visit Silver Lake’s iconic treehouse in the Enchanted Forest. The twirly slide’s vibrant teal color was chosen by our Silver Lake community through a vote, which also included purple, red, and yellow.
These projects are a testament to the incredible support and generosity of our camp community. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who donated and supported these initiatives. Your contributions have made it possible for us to continue providing a nurturing and fun-filled environment for our campers.
If you want to be involved, we’re still accepting donations for sports equipment and needed landscaping around the court. CLICK HERE to contribute. Thank you so much for your support!
Stay tuned for more updates on these exciting projects. We look forward to seeing many campers use the court and slide this summer.
Thank you, Silver Lake community!
Remembering Ed Harder
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Ed Harder, a cherished member of the Silver Lake community. Ed, a devoted Silver Laker, left an indelible mark on our camp through his leadership, dedication, and tireless volunteer efforts.
Ed’s journey with Silver Lake spanned decades. He was on summer staff in the early 1970s, which included leading the CILT program with his wife Jo-Anne. Through the 1990s, Ed served on the Board of Directors, playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of our camp. His hands-on approach was evident in the construction of the volunteer cabins and staff cabins that are still used today.
Former Executive Director Dave Erb fondly recalls Ed’s instrumental role in planning the reconstruction of our new dining hall after the old one was destroyed in a fire. Ed’s vision and meticulous planning were also crucial in the development of the new cabins on the north side of camp. His contributions have created lasting memories and spaces for future generations of campers.
Ed’s love for SLMC has been passed down to his daughters Rachel, a strong supporter of Silver Lake, and Rebecca (Heide), who works as a year-round staff member with the administration team. His grandsons Nick, Noah, Kieran, and Adam are all on summer staff, while his youngest grandson Toby is a CILT II this year.
In May of 2023, Ed was able to visit Silver Lake for the last time. He toured around camp and inspected every single building on site to make sure they were all holding up okay!
To honor Ed Harder’s legacy and his lifelong dedication to Silver Lake, donations can be made in his memory through the Ed Harder Memorial Fund. Your contributions will continue Ed’s mission of enhancing and nurturing the camp he loved so dearly.
Click here to make a donation.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Ed’s family and all who were touched by his remarkable spirit. He will be deeply missed but forever remembered in the heart of Silver Lake.
Here is the link to Ed’s obituary to see visitation and service details.
