The Grand Paddle & Hike May 6-8, 2022

** Fundraiser extended and open until Sunday, May 15 **

Click here to donate or participate in this important annual fundraiser! 10% of proceeds going to support Ukraine.

Meet the Cooks!!

Silver Lake cooks have lots to say!  Read about what they love about cooking, recipes, and camp!  Erika, Liz and Michael will be head cooks at various points throughout the summer and Ben will be supporting the effort with fantastic baking skills for the last two weeks.  If this post doesn’t make your mouth water I don’t know what will!

Erika Falk

What I love about cooking:  It is an honour and a joy to feed people! The thing I love most about cooking is the process. The way you start with a list or a recipe, go through chopping and measuring, it’s a flow state for me. Everything else falls away and I feel content and present (most of the time). And the end result, if you’re lucky, is delicious and nourishing to the body and soul.

A favorite recipe, I couldn’t pick just one! Recently, with a baby and with it being wintertime, I’ve been into sheet pan dinners. I make a really nice, simple chickpea confit that has red onions and canned tomatoes. You can add chicken thighs or leave it plant based and it’s very grounding, herby zingy and great with bread or rice and salad. I love a soup or casserole, something that can have a lot of veggies in it as well as beans or lentils for fiber and protein. As well, dishes where each person builds their own plate are great for feeding folks with different preferences. Lookin at you, taco salad! I’m always baking something new too, whether it’s trying herbs and seeds in my sourdough bread or a variation on classic chocolate chip cookies. I made a batch this week with coconut oil and shredded coconut instead of the usual oats. So good.

Cooking at camp is so many things to so many people, so it’s a big responsibility and I take that seriously. Food is so central, so basic but also really emotional and nostalgic, even spiritual. What we eat is what we are made of! Food and love and sunlight, all of which we are getting lots of at SLMC. The meals I’ll cook this summer will connect back to my days as a camper, and on staff all those years with the classic dishes we expect like the cookout on the first night of camp. I also hope to bring to the table (heh) as much fresh fruit and veg as possible, options for all the dietary preferences/needs that are equivalent to the main for everyone else in taste and nutrition, and plenty of fun food experiences because it’s so much more than just fuel! I love when campers get involved in cooking, so I hope we will see baking projects and kitchen sessions this summer too. I can talk about cooking, and about camp, forever so I’ll leave it at that but I’m just really stoked to be back in the SLMC kitchen and be mixing up industrial sized meals for hungry campers, staff and volunteers.

Many of my favorite memories of SLMC are at the waterfront. As much as I love the heat and noise of the kitchen and dining hall, the water is a good break from that and I recall being out in a kayak by myself as a camper for the first time as such a core memory of self-efficacy. That’s such a gift we get from camp, to be empowered to do something hard, or new, with the support of the group which makes you feel so proud of yourself. Worship at the waterfront is always so meaningful to me, as we receive the gifts of the land and water and give back our voices raised in song.

Liz Klassen

What I love about cooking:  Can’t think of anything that makes people smile more than food. At camp the day is so full of activities that even children who are light eaters or “fussy” eaters are eager to see what is to eat. Cooking and meals bring out stories and form memories of camp.

Favorite recipes:  What I liked as a kid at camp: Mazzetti, chocolate oven pudding, egg boats, hot oatmeal porridge on a cold morning or after morning dip  What I like to cook: zweibach, soup, platz, willing to cook or bake just about anything that makes the staff and campers happy!

What cooking at camp means to you: My first time as Head Cook was when my son Chris was one year old – we spent the entire summer up at Silver Lake – great time. Cooking at SL is about being at the hub or nerve centre of the camp…cooks are often the (informal) welcoming committee and as we cook (and eat meals together) we have a wonderful time getting to know other volunteers and staff in a way that is so unique, with lasting memories.

Favorite memory of SL:  Well, Silver Lake is where I met my husband (Gerry Steingart) and where we made so many friends. SL draws us both back to good memories and lasting friendships that we continue to have all these years later. Memories of cooks from years gone by remind me of a number of women who came to SL to cook who at the time seemed SO OLD – I was amazed by their stamina in the kitchen and the skill and knowledge that they imparted. A few women I recalled in this category were Annie (Ma) Bergen, Marie Reimer, and Irma Kaethler – amazing women.  When I was initially working in the kitchen a good portion of time was spent cleaning up our messes (ton’s and ton’s of mixing bowls, pots and pans) NOW more time is spent on the fun aspect of baking and cooking and sending the dirty dishes to the wonderful dishwasher run by an amazing group of staff to do the clean up! Go team!!

Michael Born

What I love about cooking:  I love cooking for the people that I love and get to share the food with. It is such a wonderful way to bring together a community and stimulate good conversation. I have also learned so much from my Mom and Dad (Marlene Epp and Paul Born) about cooking and feel so lucky to get to give back meals to them after they have made however many thousands of meals for me.

Favourite Recipe: I don’t often use recipes as I like to cook by feel and recipes don’t allow that to be taken into account. In terms of favourite things to cook? I would say Indian is up there, I love making huge amounts of fried chicken for big groups, and recently I’ve gotten really into making Bao buns with BBQ pork inside.

What cooking at camp means to me:  I absolutely LOVE cooking at camp. Silver Lake has been such a special place in my life and every person that comes down Pine Forest drive allows camp to continue to run and thrive. The love that I have for camp is transferred to these people who make camp what it is. When you love the people you are cooking for, the food tastes better and the process of cooking is made so much easier because you are doing it for the people you love, rather than just because you need to eat. It becomes a very spiritual experience being able to convey love for people through your cooking.

Favourite Memory of Silver Lake: Leading the CILT program in my fifth year. It is such a cool system where you go through CILTS and learn from your CILT leaders how to be a staff member and how to give all your love to camp, and then when you are a CILT leader you put your own flare on what your CILT leaders taught you and it keeps the culture of SLMC alive and it’s just such a beautiful system of giving back. I really love that part about camp.

Ben Schwartzentruber

What I love about cooking:  The exciting mix of planning and improvisation that makes a meal come together.

Favourite recipe at camp:  Pizza rolls 🙂

What cooking at camp means to you:  Making and sampling yummy food! Waking up early to ensure campers and staff are well fed.

Favourite memory of Silver Lake:  Playing endless gaga ball as a camper! Eating meals and socializing in the dining hall!

Silver Lake Wants YOU! Registration is Open!

The countdown to summer is on! Click here to find the information you need to make your summer 2022 a summer to remember.  These camps are full:  Camp 2, Quebec eXplore, Onsite Day Camps.

See what Silver Lake summer 2022 is all about!

March 16 Camp Spirit Day! FULL!

Thanks to all who signed up!  Camp Spirit Day is now full.

See you at First Mennonite Church in Kitchener @ 800 King Street East. Come for a day of camp programs: games, outdoor activities (weather permitting), crafts and a time to connect!  Campers will be divided into groups by age (5-9 and 10-14). See schedule below (subject to change).

Click here to register

Meet the March Break Camp Spirit Day staff:

Cadance Tan- Assistant Director Media & Day Camps

‘Hi! My name is Cady! I am a student at Ryerson in the Creative Industries program – essentially, I love anything media related (especially children’s media). I have many years of experience at day camps where my favourite thing to do at camp was crafts! Crafts are definitely an area I want to highlight at camp as I love developing this type of creative expression in campers. So, a little bit more about me: I like swimming, hanging with my friends, and eating twizzlers. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone at camp!”

Nathan Diller Harder- Head Counsellor

What I love about camp the most is how supportive and positive a community it is. As a child, many of my fondest memories and most impactful growth experiences happened at Silver Lake and I am forever grateful that I can give back to a community that means so much to me.  Aside from working at camp since 2018, I have worked with the YMCA as a youth leader, volunteered in schools, tutored children, and worked with House of Friendship. I am set to graduate from the University of Waterloo with a degree in Social Development Studies and History.  My hobbies include running, basketball, reading, thrifting, soaking up the sun, and catching vibes while hanging out with friends 🙂 I hope to have a positive impact on the lives of campers, staff, and volunteers! Everyone who comes to camp deserves to be supported and welcomed, and to have a tremendous camp experience. I am excited to help make a wonderful environment where kids can be themselves and come home with a great camp experience! Whether through direct support, a positive attitude, checking in on others, or facilitating programming, I am ready to give my all to this wonderful community!

Mika Umutoni- Staff

Hi! My name is Mika!   What I love most about camp is the community! I always feel supported and welcomed. Silver Lake has a beautiful place which makes it great to spend summers working. I have volunteered at Eastwood Collegiate Institute, tutoring young children. I am a student at Eastwood Collegiate Institute graduating this year. My hobbies are dancing, volleyball, cooking, and hanging out with friends. I hope to have an impact on campers’ lives. I want the children to like SLMC so much that they would like to come back in the summer!

Bian Almasri- Staff

Clara Joy Tan- Staff

Schedule at a Glance:

8:30-9:00am Drop Off

9:00-9:10 Camp Opening, Morning Watch and Welcome Activities

9:10-9:40 Session 1- Team Building

9:40 -10:10 Snack, Bathroom Break and Games

10:10-10:40 Session 2:  Tag Time

10:40-11:10 Session 3- Active Circle Games

11:10-11:40 Craft + Clean Up

11:40-12:10 Session 4 – The Park!

12:10-12:30 Session 5 – Bathroom Break and Activities

12:30-1:00 Lunch-.  Bring Your Own Lunch (no nuts!) and Campfire & Hot Chocolate

1:00-1:30 Session 6- Nature

1:30-2:00 Session 7- Quest

2:00-2:30 Snack, Bathroom Break, Clean Up

2:30-3:00 Session 8- Camper Choice Activities

3:00 – 3:30 Large Group/Field Games

3:30-4:00 Session 9- Campfire

4:00-4:30pm Free Play and Pick Up

SLMC Through the Years – A Digital Tour

Click here to take a trip down memory lane at Silver Lake! View the historic timeline, photos and much more! Another 60th Anniversary Project to remember as Silver Lake heads into its 61st year.

Join the Circle! Become a Campfire Builder Monthly Donor

New Fundraiser Launched to Recruit Monthly Donors!

October 8, 2021

Hello Friends of Silver Lake!

For our final fundraising campaign in honour of Silver Lake’s 60th Anniversary, we hope to enlist 60 monthly donors to become Campfire Builders!

Monthly donations are especially helpful, since they allow predictability for planning in everything from programming to facilities.

The campfire circle is the heart of Silver Lake and your steady support helps that heart beat strongly. Your regular contribution, big or small, will have a significant impact over time.

Campaign Details

• Your monthly donation to the general fund will offer a steady and predictable source of income for camp.
• Have your name acknowledged in the list below to encourage others to join! (option to remain anonymous)
• All Campfire Builders will receive a special thank you SLMC magnet!
• Click on the button below to set up your easy and automated monthly gift to SLMC.

Become a Monthly Donor Now!

Monthly Donor List

A heartfelt thank you goes out to SLMC’s long-time monthly donors (#1-9). Your ongoing generosity and commitment is what inspired this campaign.

Join the Circle and we will add your name to this monthly donor community! Can you help us grow this list to 60 Campfire Builders?

↓ Keep scrolling to view the photo gallery.

1. Mark Weber & Sheri Wideman
2. Dylan Siebert
3. Quinn Klassen & Matt Madigan
4. Anonymous
5. Wendy Janzen & Chip Bender
6. Beth Wasylyk
7. Nathan Kruger
8. Paul Boers
9. Janet & Trevor Bauman
10. Ed & Jo-Anne Harder
11. Dan Pauls & Treena Pauls
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13. Nancy & Ernie Regehr
14. Ingrid & Henry Heinrichs Pauls
15. Akio Saito
16. John & Ruth Dyck
17. David Bergen & Deborah Kehler
18. Mark & Rachel Diller Harder
19. Paul Fieguth & Betty Pries
20. Tara & Todd O’Donnell

21. Peter & Ella Pauls
22. Tim & Tammy Isaak
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24. Rachel Harder & Matt Snider
25. Christine & Don Weber
26. Hannah Fransen & Joel Morrissey
27. Linda Weber & Chris Javornik
28. Darren Brunk
29. Tim Hedrick & Janice Maust Hedrick
30. John Brubacher & Rhonda Wideman
31. Kate (a.k.a. Kathy) Neudorf
32. Jillian Burkhardt & Chris Steingart
33. Anonymous
34. Linda Janzen
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Photo Gallery - The Beloved Campfire Circle Through the Years

Click on the first photo to start slideshow!

Become a Monthly Donor Now!

60 Years. $60,000. Let’s Build a CILT Cabin!

Update – The CILT Cabin Campaign Fund continues to grow. We are getting closer and closer to reaching the goal thanks to the generosity of the Silver Lake community!

March 20, 2021

We are excited to officially launch the first fundraising campaign to celebrate Silver Lake’s 60th Anniversary!

60 Years. $60,000. Let’s Build a CILT Cabin!

Silver Lake was started by young Mennonite leaders in 1961. From then until now, Silver Lake has empowered young leaders. The Camper in Leadership Training program (CILTs) has been a cornerstone of the Silver Lake experience. The CILT cabins are the last cabins at camp that need replacing. As we support young leaders and meet the demands of an expanding leadership program, this project of building a CILT cabin and rejuvenating the CILT area is the perfect fit for the 60th Anniversary, honouring camp’s past and preparing for the future.

Be sure to scroll down to see CILT groups from the past! Can you find your crew? If you have any other photos of CILT groups, please send to fun@slmc.ca. We would love to fill in the missing years!

We have currently raised $66,345 towards our goal! Your gift, big or small, could help us reach $60,000!!!

You can donate online quickly and easily here:

Donate Now to the 60th CILT Cabin Campaign!

• Donating online through the above link is the best option for camp! However, we are still happy to accept donations by other ways.
• Cheques can be mailed to: Silver Lake Mennonite Camp, 209-50 Kent Avenue, Kitchener ON N2G 3R1  (*please mark 60th Campaign on your cheque)
• E-transfers can be sent to fun@slmc.ca (no password required)

The Fine Print: Any funds that go above and beyond the goal, will be saved for CILT area improvements and additional building expenses. Due to current high building material costs, it’s expected that the total price to build the CILT cabins will be higher than the original estimate.

Thank you in advance for your support and generosity, not only this year, but over the past 60 years at Silver Lake!

April 7 – Second CILT Cabin Announcement!

At this time, we are thrilled to announce that on behalf of the Henry & Nancy Pauls Family, a generous donation has been made, in the amount of $60,000, to go towards a second CILT Cabin! This special gift, made in memory of Henry, is such a fitting tribute to honour Henry’s legacy and years of service at Silver Lake. (Henry, a long-time Silver Laker, passed away in May 2020.) Our heartfelt thanks goes out to Nancy and the Pauls family for their generosity and continued support of Silver Lake. What a gift to our leadership program and future CILT groups!

Scroll down to see CILT Groups from the Past!

** Attention long lost Silver Lakers! To reconnect with camp or to be added to our Staff Alumni list, please fill out the following…

Fun Data Gathering Form!

1987 CILT 1’s and 2’s plus some staff

1986 some CILT 2’s and staff

2003 CILT 1

2002 CILT 1C

2010 CILT 1A outtrip

2012 CILT 1A

1992 CILT 2’s

1991 CILT’s

1987 CILT 1’s

1988 CILT 1’s

2019 CILT 1’s

2014 CILT 1’s

2015 CILT 2’s

1992 CILT group! Duane & Elinor leaders

199_? CILT Group

2011 CILT Group

2011 CILT group

2011 CILT group!

2011 CILT group

2011 CILT Group

2011 CILT boys

2019 CILT 2’s

The Grand Paddle & Hike 2021 Fundraiser- an Incredible Success!

Silver Lake’s annual fundraiser looked a lot different this year, but that didn’t stop the support from being record breaking! During a year when we couldn’t actually gather together for this event, we never would have imagined surpassing our original goal ($35,000) by such a significant amount. The grand total for funds raised was $54,000! Incredible!

A heartfelt thank you to each participant and each donor for your enthusiasm, your generosity, and your support of Silver Lake, especially this year. The funds raised will go towards summer staff wages and supporting young leaders at Silver Lake.

Check out the gallery below to see photos of some of the families and individuals who hiked/ paddled/ ran/ biked/ and walked to raise funds for Silver Lake on the weekend of May 7-9. A record 35 teams helped to make this fundraiser so successful!

The Grand Paddle & Hike May 8/9, 2021

Click here to donate or participate in this important annual fundraiser!

Make Music with Silver Lake!

Do you sing?  Play an instrument?  Silver Lake needs you!

Calling all friends of Silver Lake to join voices and instruments together.

This is a chance to spread some joy, recording your part in your home, and sending it in to become part of an online music group singing and playing “Oh Silver Lake” and “Will You Let Me Be Your Servant.”

If you are or have been on staff at Silver Lake, we hope you’ll be part of singing “Praise God From Whom” (606/118/ 71) in Silver Lake style (acapella and at a good pace).

Click here to sign up and soon you’ll receive a lead track recording, information about the music and tips on how to best record yourself for these songs.

Recordings must be in by February 26th.

Whether you are/ have been a camper, staff, volunteer, supporter, or camp encourager, your voice matters and we hope to hear you through your instrument or vocal cords!