Donate

1. This ministry belongs to God. The eternal changes brought about are solely due to him. He has used many people over the years to establish and maintain this ministry but it has never belonged, and will never belong to the society board or the on-site staff. We are merely fellow servants in the work of the Kingdom.
2. The Lord has apparently chosen to place His approval on the ministry of Camp Sagitawa, not because of anything we have done but because of His mercy; therefore, we will devote every ounce of effort to the task given to us until, either Jesus returns or He chooses to close this ministry.
3. The Lord provides for this, His ministry primarily through His people; therefore, we will make our needs/obligations known to our membership and constituency. We will never resort to what we consider disrespectful or dishonourable methods of fund-raising even if the needs are serious.
4. Sagitawa, as a mission with its base directly in the local church, relies extensively on the churches (through their budgets) and the individuals in the congregations to fulfill its obligations.
5. We will also seek contributions from other interested parties.
6. We will not operate this ministry in an ongoing deficit. All capital projects will only be undertaken as the finances are supplied. Only interest-free loans will be sought, with the exception of the standing “line of credit” if it is needed for short-term operations, and all loans will be repaid as soon as possible.
7. We realize that the contributions received are from the Lord. Our obligation therefore, is to spend that money conservatively and wisely as the board determines the Lord’s will in continuing and furthering this ministry.
8. We do not intend to use vendor’s money and will pay invoices within 30 days wherever possible.
9. We will not try to raise funds we do not need.
10. We will never sell, rent or loan our mailing lists to those who wish to use the names and addresses of our supporters.
11. We will conform to the standards established by the Canadian Council of Christian Charities – the national organization created to assure ethical financial practices.
12. In summary integrity will govern all aspects of financial practices.

Current and Future Goals
Since the revenues for Capital rely heavily on donations, the Capital budget is full of unknowns. It should also be noted that the Property Committee has concluded that it is in Camp’s best interest to build quality so as to avoid costly fixes in the future. Our current Capital Goals are as follows.

Which Comes First?

Our budget divides our Designated Funds and Capital Goals into two groups: Buildings and Special Projects (larger program development). Unless the campers sleep securely, it’s pointless to invest in a new pier to reposition the jungle swing. Yet it is equally inane to invest in new cabins when no kids are attending camp.

As an organization grows, so does the quantity of things needing attention. The result is that we can no longer afford to sidestep program or building needs for long–and especially so when many of our buildings are showing concurrent signs of disrepair.

We are thankful for the Regional District’s Grants-In-Aid Program. Over the years it has helped us build six boys’ cabins, our climbing wall, a playground, some canoes and kayaks, a tri-maran, several new docks and other equipment. It is currently providing most of the monies needed to start on a new climbing wall project.

Many generous individuals and organizations have also given over the years –for both program and building. We are very thankful for the way that our community shares our vision, generously donating through finance, labour and materials.

Which pocket?

We make every effort to seek capital donations from those who are not already supporting our general fund. Yet seeking a new audience for new ventures is not easy. One of our prayers is to find a corporate sponsor who could help with a lion’s share of the need. This would free up other donations, while at the same time sparking a renewed enthusiasm amongst our supporters.

We are continuing to broaden our horizons as we discuss avenues such as planned giving that deal with wills and estates or special insurance policies. We use online giving, and are working on making donations possible through thebanks.

Though we do carry on other special funds from time to time, we have chosen to publish a more limited list of designations to help the Board have control of the finances. For example, rather than appoint a fund for a pier and another for the waterslide, we make one fund for Special Projects which includes any that we are working on in that particular year. We notify you what particular things we are working on in newsletters and other paraphernalia.

Our regular funds are as follows:

Building Fund

Maintaining buildings is important, but adding new boards to rotten frames is not wise. There comes a time when rebuilding is important. At Sagitawa, we have hit the point where several of our buildings need to be replaced concurrently. Our need is for $1.5 million just to get us through the immediate hump. Our list of current goals is available online.

Bursary Fund

Our Bursary is set up to assist students in returning to school. Some staff come for the summer, knowing that they are giving up a possible summer job. We are praying for $45,000 each year to help these staff to return to school. We can help.

General Fund

The average age of our support base has grown, and as a result we have an increasing need for renewed vision among a younger support base. We are praying for 200 donors to give on a monthly basis with amounts of $10 to $100 a month.

Special Projects Fund

Special Projects usually take the form of larger program items. They may be related to new SWAT canoes, or an outdoor basketball court, or a new mountain bike park on our hill. Our list of current goals is available online.

Sponsorships

We accept sponsorship donations to help kids who would otherwise not be able to afford coming to camp. Parents are asked to suggest how much they can afford in their application. Perhaps they will be able to give back to help other kids attend in a future year.

We also invite you to donate to any of our Wish List items. You can link to our current Building goals, Special Projects goals Wish list items online.

Is there someone you would like to honour by giving a gift to Camp Sagitawa? You may do so by sending a note to the camp office with your special donation. But you may prefer to print the card below and send it in. We wish to honour your wishes regarding your donations. If you have other areas you would like to donate to in memory or in honour of someone who was significant in your life, please call the camp office and discuss it with us. We can help by discussing our current needs and goals.

Here are a few ways for a low or average income earner to plan to give more substantially. (Info gleaned from this excellent website.)

1. Bequest
2. Cash or Securities
3. Life Insurance
4. RRSPS or RRIFs
5. Annuities
6. Charitable remainder of trusts
7. Residual interest
8. A gift in memory of a loved one
9. Real estate
10. A gift to honour someone
11. Special occasion giving

If you would like to know more, please speak with your financial advisor.