West Bank Bible Camp – Swift Current, SK
Proper Title
West Bank Bible Camp fonds
Dates of Creation
1970–1982, 1992–1993
Physical Description
2.2 cm of textual records
Administrative History
The West Bank Bible Camp in South Saskatchewan was started by the Western Children's Mission around 1944. Under the energetic leadership of Rudolph Wirsche from Flowing Well, this camp was built at a site three miles south of Seventeen Mile Bridge, northwest of Swift Current. Beginning with the 1948 camping season the work was enlarged to include youth camps. Total attendance that year was 141. Wirsche was camp manager for six years, after which Eugene Martens held that position for eighteen years.
During the early years, financial support came from the Saskatchewan Mennonite Brethren Mission, with headquarters in Hepburn, Saskatchewan. Later a committee was set up in the Southern District, and West Bank came under the sponsorship of the Southern District Mennonite Brethren churches. In 1982 John Siemens, pastor of the church at Lucky Lake, Saskatchewan, was the director.
The camp is situated on 15 acres of land and consists of a swimming pool, cabins, dining hall and kitchen. In 1997 the West Bank director was Brent M. Alexander.
Scope and Content
This fonds consists of minutes of Camp Committee meetings from 1970 to 1975 and a history of the camp written in 1982 by Lydia Martens of Swift Current, Saskatchewan. A few more documents were obtained through Ross Hardy's personal papers, which were donated to the Centre for MB Studies. These documents contain reports, a state of expenses and a fundraising pamphlet, all dating between 1992-1993. Ross Hardy was a Canadian Conference Stewardship Representative in Saskatchewan during this time period.
Custodial History
The records came to the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies in 1996 from the Bethany Bible School in Saskatchewan, where they had been housed. Additional records were donated by Ross Hardy.
Notes
- Location: Volume 679.
- Finding aid consists of file list.
- Some files from accession no. 2013-30.
- Updated by Kate Woltmann, July 2014.
File List
Volume 679
1. History of West Bank Bible Camp, minutes of Camp Committee meetings, Director's report, Board report, Statement of Expenses & Donation pamphlet. -- 1970-1975, 1982, 1992-1993.