By Angelica Ingram

Published August 9 2016

Children of all ages in Haliburton got a taste of the outdoors last week as they went on a wilderness escape at Lakeside Baptist Church for the annual vacation Bible school.

Held from Aug. 1 to 5 more than 100 campers age four to 10 participated in the VBS program which had a theme of survival and adventure this year.
“We wanted to connect it to the Haliburton wilderness” said co-ordinator Rebeka Borgdorff “and make it more modern.”

There were approximately 40 volunteers assisting with the program including preteen and teenagers who helped out as counsellors said Borgdorff.
The theme of the week was “God guides and provides” with different messages each day including “God gives us strength He gives us what we need and He is with us.”
Borgdorff said the campers are taught key elements of survival with the use of items such as a compass walking stick shelter food and water.

Each day the program starts with singing and then groups break off to do various activities including crafts games outdoor play a Bible story station and snack.
In the afternoon the VBS headed out in the community for field trips which included the Haliburton Highlands Museum Cowling farm Medeba and the Haliburton Wolf Centre.
Borgdorff says the camp has been going really well and every year it grows.
At just $10 a day the VBS provides affordable programming for the community.
“We [Lakeside] are really wanting to provide something for the community” she said.

This year VBS partnered with outside organizations such as the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Outdoors Plus and the Cowan family who donated items such as the taxidermy animals to help create the atmosphere of a outdoor forest.
Lakeside offers a Wednesday evening program throughout the year that includes a free dinner and program for children and their families.