KidsClub: After School
Join our team on Monday afternoons for a specialized after school program. This session is all about baking and kitchen skills!
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Weekday Wanders: Fall Colours Hike
Join us and take in peak fall colour in the Sydenham section of the Bruce Trail! It’s MAGNIFICENT in the fall 🍂
PD Day Camp: October 16
Join us for a day of PD Day adventures! We will participate in a variety of camp games and activities like nature, crafts, archery, climbing, and more! Activities will be determined based on weather and age of campers.
Join us at our annual Fall Work Weekend!
Help us get our property ready for our fall and winter programs October 29 – November 1! This weekend is only for those who enjoy doing physical labour and cleaning up camp. It is fun and family friendly. This year, our Fall Work Weekend has a “flexible” date range. Families can choose their arrival and departure day anytime between Thursday, October 29 and Sunday, November 1st. The main work days will be Friday and Saturday. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided on Friday and Saturday. We ask that families select which dinners they will join us for so we know numbers for our kitchen.
FEE: No cost!
FALL WORK WEEKEND RSVP
Introducing KidsClub!
Join our experienced Outdoor Education team at KidsClub – a PD Day and After School program for children age 5 – 13 in Sauble Beach.
SLMC Summer 2026 Staff
Hello from our 2026 staff team! We can’t wait to meet you all this summer!
Remembering Steve Ballantyne
We are saddened to share the passing of Stephen “Steve” Ballantyne, who died in Hamilton on June 8, 2026, after a courageous, hard-fought battle with cancer. Steve had a long history with Silver Lake, serving in many roles over the years, including volunteer, retreat participant, camp parent, and more.
From the late 1980s into the early 2000s, Steve was very involved in organizing the annual Silver Lake Smorg fundraiser in Niagara. He also spent many years volunteering at camp, including helping with the window installation in The Pines (and a staff cabin or two). His support left a lasting mark on Silver Lake’s story.
Silver Lake was also close to Steve’s heart because of his family. His children, Patti and Jeff, attended camp for many years, with Jeff serving on staff. Now, Steve’s grandchildren continue that family connection, which meant so much to him.
Steve will be remembered with gratitude for his generosity, his willingness to help, and the many ways he strengthened the camp community over the years.
Remembering Marianne Enns, Viola Wallace, and Margaret Steingart
With both sadness and gratitude, we remember recent losses among us, and celebrate the lives of Marianne Enns, Viola Wallace, and Margaret Steingart, valued members of The Silver Lake community. Marianne, Viola, and Margaret shared their time, care, and generosity in ways that reflected the spirit of hospitality, service, and connection that we cherish at camp. Their presence helped strengthen a community where people feel welcomed, supported, and known, and they will be deeply missed.
Marianne Enns
Marianne was a generous long-time donor and a faithful volunteer whose service blessed Silver Lake for many years. She spent countless hours in the kitchen, helping to feed work weekend crews and also serving during summer camps. Camp was a very special place for Marianne, and it was there that many long-lasting friendships began and were sustained over time.
Marianne was also part of the annual Hamilton Mennonite Church retreat for many years, often requesting to give back to camp with a special work project around the site. Through her commitment and steady generosity, Marianne helped create a spirit of welcome and care that will not be forgotten.
Marianne’s love for camp was passed down to her two sons (Rob & Tom) and her four grandchildren, who attended Silver Lake as campers or staff over the years. Her husband Ed is also a long-time volunteer and has been instrumental in many building projects over the years.
Viola Wallace
Viola was a generous donor and a devoted volunteer whose connection to camp was marked by years of faithful service. She continued to volunteer in the kitchen into her mid-nineties, offering her time and care in a way that inspired many. It brought Viola great joy to watch her grandchildren, Kara & Henry, embrace camp life each summer. Viola was also a Grand Hike participant and fundraiser since 2021, including a walk around Rockway Gardens for the annual event.
Viola was the mother of former director Karen Cornies, and her support of camp extended beyond family connection into active and meaningful involvement. Her generosity, energy, and willingness to serve left a lasting impression on the camp community.
Margaret Steingart
Margaret Steingart, known to many as Margie, was a beloved volunteer in the camp kitchen who brought joy and warmth through her service. She was always involved in making her signature desserts, buns, and vereniki, and always baked something special that wasn’t on the usual camp menu — a real treat for camp staff.
Outside of the summer months, Margaret often helped lead the kitchen with her sister Betty Penner at the annual Smorg fundraiser at Linwell Church.
Margaret saw camp as a place for all generations. She would carefully plan her weeks at camp to coincide with when her grandchildren were campers, making camp a place for the whole family. She loved Silver Lake and what it meant to her family.
Thank You Fundraisers and Volunteers!
Last weekend, May 8–10, our community took part in the annual Grand Paddle & Hike fundraiser, alongside a special milestone: the 65th Campfire Concert celebrating 65 years of Silver Lake.Â
Together, we raised over $55,000 (and counting!) in support of our programs. As a not-for-profit, we are incredibly grateful for the generosity of this community in making that possible. Donations are still coming in, and if you would like to contribute, you can do so here.Â
These events wouldn’t be possible without our dedicated fundraisers and volunteers. Whether you reached out to friends and family, performed in a band, shared your camp story, or helped behind the scenes, thank you—we couldn’t have done it without you.
65th Campfire Concert Performers, Speakers, Volunteers, and Organizers
Liz KlassenÂ
Duane HeideÂ
Kieran HeideÂ
Oliver Berg Â
Bryan BergÂ
Ella PaulsÂ
Peter PaulsÂ
Ben JanzenÂ
Justin MartinÂ
Jenny Enns ModoloÂ
Sarah MartinÂ
Laura ShantzÂ
Chris SteingartÂ
Nick BaumanÂ
Ryan O’DonnellÂ
Gerry SteingartÂ
Dave ErbÂ
Chris SteingartÂ
Noah HeideÂ
Robbie MacGregorÂ
Maeyken JonesÂ
Rebecca HeideÂ
Alissa BenderÂ
Rebekah CaldwellÂ
Tim ShantzÂ
Maya KaekizaÂ
Karen BuschertÂ
Staff and Alumni who helped with kitchen cleanup
Grand Paddle & Hike Corporate Donors
Grand Paddle & Hike FundraisersÂ
Ella and Peter Pauls
Rachel Harder & Matt Snider
Erik Streufert
Rachel Weber
Karen Cornies
Daniel Friesen
Tim Shantz
Josh Wiebe
Cam Dingman
Bethany Froese
Duane & Rebecca Heide
Grace Namajambere
Ellie Cressman
The Shantz-Buhler Family
Nathan Dick
Karen Buschert
Alissa Bender
Nat Wiebe
Mark Diller Harder
Noah Heide
Anita Fieguth for the Grand Pedal group
Marty Shantz
Ava Friesen
Lyric Beech
Kieran Heide
Lilly Bender
Lily Wright
Megan Sloka
Thomas Beech
The Steingart Family
Lilette Wiens
Ryan O’Donnell
Alice Willms
Cole O’Donnell
Chloe Mcgregor
Emma Martin
Daniel Peters
Joanie Willms
Moses Moini
Stefan Fieguth
Josie Winterfeld
Sarah Reid
James Sweeney
Calvin Cairns
Wesley Goerzen-Sheard
Sevil Aydin
Phil Neufeld
The Shantz Piccini Family
Anya Fieguth
Paola Makengo
Christina Reimer
Nick Heide
Isaac Weber
Pranusha Gade & Abhishek
Daniel Good
Charlie Fast
Evan Pooley
Whitley Enns
Levi Bender
Anna Baker
Lynda Hansen
Asher Kraemer
Kara Cornies
Shadrach Kamyori
Owen Secord
Hanan Kaekiza
Seth Bergen
Micah Janzen
Erika Javornik
The Gilbert Blair Family
Shauna Heide
Kaesha Cornies
Kevin Martin
Anthony Javornik
Adam Snider
Henry Modolo
Kate Klassen
Tobias Snider
Nathan Diller Harder
Stuart Archibald
Jessa Braun
Join us May 9th!
Join us on May 9th for a celebration of Silver Lake with three special events!
Annual General Meeting @ 10:00 AM
Join us via Zoom for our Annual General Meeting. The Board of Directors will review 2025 and look ahead to another exciting year in 2026. Click here to RSVPÂ and receive the Zoom link.
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Grand Paddle & Hike Fundraiser Group Events @ 2:00 PM
Open to all! Bring family, friends, and even your pets.
The Grand Paddle– Canoe, kayak, or SUP the Grand
- The paddle will start at Grand River Access Point #7 (39 Golf Course Road)
- Keep an eye out for Jessa, our 2026 Grand Paddle leader!
- There is limited parking at the access point so please unload at the access point and then park your car along the road to make room for the next group.
- The paddle is BYOW — bring your own watercraft
- The route is Approx. 2 hours, ending at Joe Thompson Park on Bridge Street. However, teams can end wherever works for you.
- For more details on what to expect on the paddle, check out this helpful video Jessa put together a few years ago
The Grand Hike– hike along the Grand!
- The hike will be at Snyder’s Flats Conservation Area (1494 Snyders Flats Road)
- Keep an eye out for Alissa, our 2026 Grand Hike leader!
Make sure you bring a waterbottle, sunscreen, and hat! Click here for more Grand Paddle & Hike details.
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The 65th Campfire Concert @ 5:00 PM
Join us at Breslau Mennonite Church for a special evening of music from across the decades, a delicious meal prepared by Arabesque and the SLMC kitchen, and great company as we celebrate 65 years of Silver Lake. Doors open at 5 with the activities starting at 5:30. Fundraisers who have raised over $100 will receive a free ticket (includes entrance and dinner). Tickets must be reserved ahead of time. Click here to RSVP