Kamp Kiwanis Overview

Kamp Kiwanis, provides a fully subsidized experience for youth, ensuring that financial barriers never stand in the way of growth, adventure, and connection. More than just a getaway, our camp is a place where young people build friendships, develop confidence, and learn the value of teamwork and leadership. Through outdoor exploration, hands-on learning, and community building, campers leave with lasting memories, new skills, and a deeper appreciation for nature and their role in the world.

Objectives

At Kamp Kiwanis, our goals for summer camp are:

• To ensure kids have fun.

• To create a physically and emotionally safe environment.

• To teach kids to respect others.

• To encourage kids to be active.

• To foster a connection between kids and the natural world.

• To ensure kids have full bellies.

• To help kids learn to take care of themselves.

• To support kids in developing healthy self-esteem.

• To inspire kids to be the best they can be.

Sessions

In 2025, Project Kampfire will offer 5 summer camp sessions, each spanning 8 days of unforgettable experiences. Every session welcomes 40-50 campers who have completed grades 4-6, providing them with the opportunity to explore, connect, and grow in a supportive outdoor environment.

Alongside them, 10-12 leadership participants, who have completed grades 7-11, will engage in specialized programs designed to develop their skills, confidence, and leadership abilities. Together, campers and leadership participants create a vibrant community that fosters growth, fun, and lasting memories.

Summer Camp 2025 Dates

This summer, the grades attending session 2 and 4 will be determined after the selection process so that we can ensure those campers who are most in need of a summer camp experience can attend.

• June 30 - July 7 for students finishing Grade 6

• July 11 - 18 for students finishing Grade 4/5/6

• July 22 - 29 for students finishing Grade 5

• August 2 - 9 for students finishing Grade 4/5/6

• August 13 - 20 for students finishing Grade 4

Leadership Program 2025 Dates

• NITES for students finishing Grade 7: July 22-29

• RITES for students finishing Grade 8: June 30 - July 7

• SITES for students finishing Grade 9: July 11-18

• LITES for students finishing Grade 10: August 2-9

• KITES for students finishing Grade 11: August 13-20

Inclusion

We strive to create safe, inclusive spaces where kids can meet the objectives of Kamp Kiwanis. We work to build a sense of belonging where everyone can be true to themselves and celebrate their differences in gender, race, ethnicity, culture, beliefs, abilities, and sexual orientation. We want all program participants, staff, and volunteers to feel welcome and respected.

While we accommodate many diverse needs, we recognize that some individuals with greater specialized needs may be beyond the scope of our staff training and staff-to-participant ratios. In these cases, we refer families to other camps better equipped to provide the most inclusive experience possible.

Unfortunately, due to limited spots, it may be necessary to create a waitlist for campers.

Kamp Kiwanis Location

Kamp Kiwanis 2025 will be held at Camp Connect, located off Highway 68 on the north side of Sibbald Lake. Click here for more information about Camp Connect.

How To Attend

Kamp Kiwanis is different from most summer camps. While many camps use a first-come, first-served registration model, our process is based on a nomination system. Since our goal is to provide a summer camp experience for children who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend, we rely on nominations to identify those most in need.

The majority of nominations come from teachers, but anyone can nominate a child. We accept nominations from outside the Calgary area as long as families can arrange transportation to and from the camp or one of the designated bus stop locations in Calgary.

We use different criteria to assess nominees for our Leadership Programs than for our regular camp programs. The ideal youth leaders will show emerging leadership qualities at school, home, or in their community. They will also express a desire to take on more responsibility within their community and an interest in gaining or improving interpersonal and outdoor skills. An interest in working with younger children in the future is also encouraged.

Once the forms are collected, a selection committee comprised of Project Kampfire Members and Staff will review all nominations and select the campers most in need of a summer camp experience. Health and permission packages will be sent to selected campers in early June.