2025 Annual Report – Southern Alberta Bible Camp

What Does This Mean?

Our desire is that these deadlines will help us communicate with our staff well, create good expectations, identify gaps, and aid us in building a cohesive team in a timely manner as we prepare for the summer months. We encourage you to apply early for your top choice(s) of position in order to be considered.

PETER BANDA

MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT

Peter started in the summer of 2023 as a cabin leader and he liked it so much he knew he wanted to get more involved in camp. Right after summer he was recruited to maintenance assistant and he has been injoying it. When Peter isn’t on call he enjoys , making music, hanging out with friends and family. The one thing that drew Peter the most to camp was the sense of community that drives each other closer to God.

CHARLIE PRESTON

FLEX DIRECTOR

Charlie has been full time at SABC since September 2017, which gets to be about 5 and a half years right now. Charlie has also been apart of summer staff 4 summers before joining full time, and grew up coming to SABC as a camper for many years. She has been on the program team and is now co-leading the FLEX program! She has been working on soaking in the natural beauty around camp by walking on the shore, swimming in or skating on the lake as much as possible. She loves to quote movies, play around with fashion and have movie nights with friends. Other things she does in her downtime is reading, crafting, sewing, visiting family and friends, an occasional hike or camping trip. I love getting to know the people who come onsite, our summer staff, the campers of all ages, and our rental groups; and that camp is intentional about making those personal connections as well as having fun and giving people their best experience of camp.

JORDAN LATURNUS

PROGRAM DIRECTOR

SABC has been part of Jordan’s journey longer than he can remember! His parents were on staff when Jordan was born and has been a camper or staff member every summer since he was able to. Jordan joined the full time time team in the fall of 2015. He originally joined the team as seasonal staff then switched to the maintenance team and joined the program team as the Program Director in fall of 2016. Jordan loves all aspects of camp and is always looking at new and creative ways to make campers’ experiences excellent. He is also the scheduling master and always making sure people are in the right places. Jordan met his wife Amber at the camp while they were both cabin leaders and got married in May of 2019 and now have two girls Elliot and Isla. Jordan loves all things sports from watching the Raptors and Leafs, coaching at the Lomond school and playing volleyball, basketball and soccer. He also has an eye for designing new and exciting projects and is often building these creations with his dad and grandpa. Jordan’s favorite thing to do is spending time with his family going on walks and playing games. Camp has had a huge impact on Jordan’s faith journey and he is excited to share this with all campers that come through the camp. Seeing kids from previous summers or events and reconnecting with them and walking alongside them is Jordan’s favorite part of camp. Jordan has seen God work in so many ways at the camp and is excited to see what He does next!

ABBEY KEHLER

EVENTS COORDINATOR AND BOOKKEEPER

My husband Jon and I moved to SABC in 2009 with our 3 kids, and 2 on the way. I started in a part time position in 2016 as one of the housekeepers. In 2018 I joined the office team in a variety of ways. I am the Bookkeeper, Ride for a Reason, Senior Sing & Dine Coordinator, Medical Administrator, Emergency response team and most recently I have started helping on our staffing team. Brielle is our oldest daughter, she lives and works in Calgary. At home still are Micah, Isaiah, and our twins Kallie & Malachi. I love playing games and being outside, when it’s warm out that is. Going for day hikes, camping with my family, sitting on the beach here at camp with a good book and an iced coffee are some of my favorite things to do! I love interacting with people of all ages here at camp. From campers and staff in the summertime, to ladies that come for a scrapbooking retreat in the winter months. We are constantly hearing how people just feel that there’s something special about this place, a peace that they can’t explain. People feel loved and at home here. I am so blessed that I get to be a part of what God is doing through SABC and how he uses us to show love to everyone that he brings here.

BARRY WEBER

MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR

I have just completed five years here at SABC maintaining the property and buildings. My Family lives on-site here at camp. My wife’s name is Erin along with our three kids: Arianna (oldest), Felix, Clara (youngest). I enjoy all activities that we can do as a family. We enjoy boating, activities in the gym and playing games. My favourite part of being a part of SABC is that I get to work alongside my brothers and sisters in Christ who seek to join Him in what He is doing.

Jodi Mowers

Office Administrator & Registrar

Jodi joined the SABC team in March of 2018 as the Administrative Assistant. Her job is to manage the office, handle communications, and help everyone get registered for camp, as in February 2022 she added the title of Camp Registrar to her role. (If you’ve ever called the camp you have probably spoken to her!) She also enjoys helping our team stay organized which usually means building an awesome spreadsheet! During the summer she tries to get outside of the office as often as possible, usually to get on a boat, whether she’s tossing staff off tubes, being towed herself, or teaching campers how to waterski. Her favorite part of SABC is all the opportunities it gives kids and how God uses those to change the lives of campers and staff alike, whether that is simply the chance to come to camp, make a new friend, or learn a new skill. Outside of camp Jodi loves to spend her time reading (there is always a pile of books waiting for her and she usually is reading more than one) or starting a new creative project. She enjoys trying new things whenever she gets the chance which has led to her taking up bow hunting and helping coach the Lomond school’s basketball team.

Jason Eichorst

Sous Chef

Jason has been at SABC for since April of 2022 as the Sous Chef. He is here with his wife Tricia, and his newborn baby girl Elizabeth. When Jason isn’t on the clock he enjoys doing photography, spending time with his family, hunting and shooting his bow! The sense of community as part of the team, but also as a visitor is his favorite part about SABC.

Dave Blenkin

Executive Chef

Dave originally started at camp on base staff way way back in the day. He has been our assistant cook and head cook over the years but is currently on his seventh year as Executive Chef! He has three of the most amazing girls in the world. His oldest is Sonia who is 12, in grade 8, Kalyn is 11, in grade 6, and his youngest is Rosie, in grade 3. Dave doesn’t have alot of hobbies other than laundry, cleaning his house, and taking care of his girls. However, Dave does love watching movies in his own movie theatre (its pretty sweet). He also works on the occasional puzzle. He loves the camp family at SABC and how we all support each other. It’s incredible to do camp ministry with so many great people with beautiful servant hearts for the Lord.

JON KEHLER

Properties Manager

If you are reading this, that means Jon hasn’t written his bio! Encourage him to write his bio by sending him a message! Message Jon

Lori Rawleigh

Guest Services Manager

Summer 2023 will be my eleventh summer serving at SABC. I started in 2013 as a cook at the Fort and then applied for the new Guest Services Manager position for the fall of that year and began that role in October of 2013. My position has evolved in many ways and now in addition to managing all things rental group related I also spend a good portion of my time co-facilitating seasonal Human Resources management. I live in Vulcan, Alberta with my husband James and my youngest son. My middle daughter and oldest son have already left home and are on to their next adventures! I am most passionate about my faith and my family and am a firm generational believer that most worries can be solved over a cup of tea. I spend a lot of my leisure time with my husband and kids, our parents, our siblings and nieces and nephews. My favorite places are the mountains and the ocean and I enjoy traveling when I get the chance. I spend a lot of time outdoors, especially with our spunky golden retriever. I also have an abundance of crafting hobbies when I find the time and I love to plant a garden and flowers in my yard. SABC is my home away from home and the people I work with are family. God shifted things in my life to bring me here and I recognize and rejoice that call on my life. There is no other place in the world quite like SABC. This camp is a second home to so many; I have witnessed camp’s transformative effect in the lives of all three of my kids and countless others; God is moving here and I just can’t imagine working anywhere else.

Tonia Martens

Program Manager

I started as the Program Manager at SABC on July 1st, 2017. It was an eventful beginning with a thunder storm that hit the Cross with lightning and began the very first day of camp that summer with a display of God’s power and faithfulness. I have the privilege of working with the Humans of SABC – hiring, training and walking with our staff in and out of the summer camp season as well as working with a year round program team making campers experiences extraordinary! My husband, Kimbal, and I live in Lethbridge throughout the year and are on site during the 4 months of the camp season. We have three children who are grown and married, living in BC – Bria and Matt, Tyler and Rachel and Jessa and Rylan – we also were blessed with our first granddaughter in 2022 – Macy Denae – she is the literal BEST! I love coffee, travel, food, movies, reading and celebrating! I also love to capture the moments in the ordinary days as well as the extraordinary ones through the lens of a camera. Really any chance I can gather a group of people to share in an experience or conversation, I’m in! Seeing the way God uses SABC to make a difference in the lives of staff and campers through the year round and summer staff is the best part of being at SABC! Truly my heart is to walk with and develop leadership in youth and young adults through laughing, learning, working and playing and SABC offers many spaces throughout the year to do just that. Oh and we have a ton of fun doing all the things!

Jon Gartly

Executive Director

After finishing his BA in Biblical Studies from Providence College, Jon began a one year internship opportunity at SABC in 1991. Little did he know that this one year would turn into a life career with the camp – first for 5 years as a Program Director, then 25 years in his present role as Executive Director. Jon is passionate about the way God uses camp to touch and transform lives. The stories of God working are endless. Jon is married to Melissa who shares in the love for camp ministry and serves as a teacher in a local school. They have 3 children – Nolan, Norah, and Nate – with the youngest still at home. Jon enjoys following the Calgary Flames, a tall cold Coca Cola on ice, Ford trucks and most of all a steak with a baked potato, all the fixings, and corn on the cob!