Cornelius Broersma - Director
How long have you been involved with Campfire!?
I have been involved with Campfire! from the get go. I have served in many different areas of camp. I have been a chaplain, a cook, a counsellor, and relief staff. This is my third year as a member of the Campfire! staff.
What is your camp name?
Psir Cheez. (don’’t forget the period please)
What are you like most about Camp?
The things that I like most about camp is the fact that there are hundreds of people that love to help out with Campfire! I love the fact that many people dedicate their time to make sure that camp is able to run smoothly. At camp, I love new friends, campfires, side hugs, chapel, chaplains, smiles, critter hunts, counsellors, early mornings, campers, games, swimming, learning, Monday mornings, , old friends, sand castles, sharing, singing, canoeing, sword drills, circle prayers, the pond, cooks, and the stars.
What are you excited about for this coming summer?
I am excited about serving God at camp. I am excited about seeing new people. I am excited about sitting down with old friends. I am excited about sharing and learning. I am excited about the staff that is going to work together. I am excited about the food. I am excited about the singing. I am excited about everything.
What do you do in your normal life?
I am a husband of an amazing woman and a father to an equalling amazing daughter. They are my life and I love spending time with them. When I am not at home with them or at Campfire! I am a Grade 6 teacher. I have been teaching for 6 years now. I have taught Grade 3, 5 and 6 at John Calvin School in Smithville.
Ben Lootens - Assistant Director
How long have been involved with Campfire!?
I’ve been involved with Campfire for the past four years as a counsellor mostly, but I have also done a week as a cook/maintenance assistant. That means that this year, year number five, my relationship with camp will be the same age as a kindergartener! I love taking time each summer to stop my regular life and regular job to go to camp, and then I come home tired but rejuvenated at the same time!
What is your camp nickname?
Hmmm... maybe I’ll need some suggestions.
What do you like most about camp?
What do I like most? Well I don’t think camp would be the same if I was there all by my lonesome, so I’m going to say that I love the people that God sends to camp. I love serving with them, singing with them, smiling with them, beaching with them (used it as a verb!), laughing and loving with them. And we all get to do it together the whole summer long.
What are you most excited about this summer?
This summer, I am super excited to serve on my first year as a staffie with 7 of my good friends. I’m excited that we get to grow and learn together, and I’m stoked that I get to live in a tiny trailer smackdab in the middle of God’s amazing creation.
Also, I’m excited to give my Secret Friend(s) awesome gifts! You’ll never see it coming!What do you do in your 'normal' life?
That depends on how you define ‘normal’. But, going with the popular definition –“conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural”—I’d have to say that I am an Honours English Major at Redeemer University College. I am in my third year and loving it, because I like reading. And writing sometimes too. But mostly just reading. Also, I like plants and pie, especially the blueberry kind. Secret friend, start taking notes.
Peter Vlaardingerbroek - Program Director
How long have been involved with Campfire!?
I have been involved with campfire since the summer of 2005.
What is your camp nickname?
Zonq!
What do you like most about camp?
What I like most about camp is witnessing the pure joy, known only in Christ that fills everyone present. I love that in the same moment I can see that joy on the face of a five year old Sprout, and their teenaged volunteer counsellor; or a fourteen year old camper and the adult chaplain of the week. That joy is electric. That joy is beautiful.
What are you excited most about this summer?
I am most excited this summer about having “Pizzeria” (aka my mom!) volunteer for an entire week at camp as a cook!
What do you do in your 'normal' life?
In my non-camp life, I do a whole assortment of things. This past academic school year I have been living in Charlottesville, Virginia where I have been a part of a unique leadership development program. In this program of fifteen post-graduates I have been taking seminary classes part time through Reformed Theological Seminary. I have also found myself doing an assortment of the following: volunteering at a Christian bookstore, public relations for a local non-profit music company, and researching for a Religious Studies PhD student at the University of Virginia. While this hardly seems normal, it certainly is enjoyable!
Erica Broekema - Assistant Program Director
How long have been involved with Campfire!?
I am thankful to say that I have been involved with Campfire! for nine years. This is my second year as a staff member and I have been able to serve at every camp week except for Wilderness. Perhaps it's time to change that?
What is your camp nickname?
Coda (preferably followed by two eighth notes).
What do you like most about camp?
There are a zillion things. I love camp. It is truly a beautiful fortress. I love being immersed in God's word and learning more about Him. I love singing with my whole heart and a hoarse voice. I lovespending time building one another up in love. I love spending time together in prayer and Scripture. I love chanting and cheering. I love water fights and wrestling. I love the beach and sunsets. I lovemaking hemp bracelets and teen's girls night. I love evening campfires and starry hosts. I love that God is at the center of what Campfire! is.
What are you excited most about this summer?
Serving God within the body of Christ. Getting to know and learning from the campers, cousellors, cooks, chaplains, fellow staff members, and all who come to share their time and gifts at camp.
What do you do in your 'normal' life?
I have one of the arguably best 'normal' jobs out there. I currently am a Grade 6 teacher at Timothy Christian School in Hamilton, ON. It is a pretty spectacular blessing to work with children and teach/learn about God every day. Lord willing, next year I will be crossing the Atlantic and teaching English and Music in my father's hometown in Groningen, the Netherlands. Outside of the classroom, I like to go out for ridiculously long breakfasts with friends, immerse myself in music, enjoy pleasurable conversations with my family, play the great game of soccer, or delve into inspirational literature.
Brianna Veldkamp - Head Counselor
How long have been involved with Campfire?
This is my third year on staff and my third year in a new role. I have, however, been coming to Campfire! since I was a wee one.
What is your camp nickname?
fynn.
What do you like most about camp?
Spending the summer immersed in God’s word and surrounded by His beautiful creation. His people and the great outdoors!
What are you most excited about this summer?
So much! Being fynn, my dear brother coming as a lifeguard, starry evening campfire’s, campers, 514 Golden Falcon over Scamper, making new friends, thunderstorms, care packages from my mommy and sister, stickers!, pocket patch, early morning circle prayers, the dress up box, Watermelon and sing sing singing.
What do you do in your 'normal' life?
I’m completing my final year at the University of Toronto where I study International Relations. I like exploring the world around me, travelling and trying new things. Some of my favourite things to do include writing snail mail letters, spending time with my sisters and family, swimming, drinking tea and wandering the streets of Toronto.
Daniel Muis - Assistant Head Counselor
How long have been involved with Campfire!?
I am a brand new staff member! Year one! But I've been involved with campfire since approximately forever. We'll say 10 years
What is your camp nickname?
It's..... A work in progress. I have some ideas. Maybe Mr. cool? No, Mr. super cool? hmmm, it's tough.
What do you like most about camp?
I will answer your question with a question. How do you pick your favourite colour of the rainbow, when together they make something so much grander?' If i have to pick, than it learning to worship in everything. And also everything else.
What are you excited most about this summer?
I’m excited to grow with campers and counsellors.
What do you do in your 'normal' life?
I am a full time student. I am still deciding where I will be studying next year. I still have four weeks to decide. No pressure.
Lynetta Bouwman - Head Nurse
How long have you been involved with Campfire!?
I have been a counsellor a couple of times in the past. This will be my first year as a nurse at camp, as well as my first year on staff!
What is your camp nickname?
I do not have a nickname at this time…
What do you like most about camp?
The Christian atmosphere where counsellors and campers seek to bring praise to God in all activities of camp, including singing, during Chapel, and around campfires!
What are you excited most about this summer?
I am looking forward to using my nursing skills in a camp environment!
What do you do in your 'normal' life?
In my ‘normal’ life, I work as a nurse on a medical floor, in addition to being a full time student, bridging from being an RPN to becoming an RN!
Nadine Muis - Head Cook
How long have you been involved with Campfire!?
Oh boy. Several years? I’ve been going to camp since I was a wee one, I should say. I’ve served as a camper, counsellor, kitchen helper, cook (but this will be my first ever time on staff… how exciting!). The summer just isn’t whole without some camp.
What is your camp nickname?
Well, as of right now it’s unofficial. I’m thinking of ‘tsiki’. Pronounced ‘tseekee’, with two long i’s. And yes, it’s kind of like the sauce, but spelled with an ‘s’ instead of a ‘z’ because I was worried I would have to explain how to pronounce it to people.
What do you like most about camp?
I like a lot of things. But, probably some of the highest on that list aaaare… singing EVERYWHERE, trees, being engrossed in the worship of our God, meeting new people, learning, joy, devos, prayer, stars, COOKS, laughter, existing, and rejoicing.
What are you most excited about this summer?
Gooooood question. Umm, I’m excited about being challenged, about being confronted with God and what He desires from me, and about learning what it means to serve wholeheartedly. And about all the things listed in the answer to the previous question, basically.
What do you do in your ‘normal’ life?
Well, currently I attend the University of Alberta. I’m studying in order to acquire a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Linguistics. I hope one day to go on to acquire a Masters degree in Speech Pathology. And then… well, who knows, really? I love, love, love being in school and it takes up most of my time, but I like to do other things too. I like to spend time with my family, laughing with them and just being kinda dorky with them (dorkiness builds strong bonds, you know). I also very much enjoy reading… and dancing in the rain… and star spinning.
