STARTING SOMETHING NEW

ORIGINAL LODGE BUILDING TO BE TAKEN DOWN

The Lodge that has life changing memories attached to it will be taken down in the coming month. This plan has been in the works for many years. The building has been assessed and this decision was made because of many issues surrounding fixing it’s problems as well as bringing it up to the present code. Built between 1979 and 1981, the lodge symbolized a huge step of faith for SABC leaders and community members. SABC had been located on a plot of land just West and North of Vauxhall, AB since 1954. There were some issues with this site – the camp did not own the property, the buildings were in desperate need of upgrades, the swimming pool dugout was condemned, and the location did not lend itself to being an ideal place to hold camp. The board of directors took it upon themselves to find another location in the late 70’s.

Lynn Ruggles was a board member at that time. The Ross Ruggles family had a piece of property on the Travers Reservoir that he thought would be a perfect location for a Bible camp… but he had to get the permission of his 5 brothers and sisters – Tom, Frank, Carol, Iona and Phil. When he approached each of them about this, there was not one hesitation. They unanimously agreed that they should offer this land to the camp as a permanent location. The Lord was working in each of their hearts to allow this to happen. We are so thankful for the generosity, faithfulness, and vision of the Ruggles family. God has done more than we ever could have imagined.
There are many stories that live on. Vern Beck tells the story of driving cement trucks from Bow Island and getting them stuck in the prairie trails that led to the camp property at the time (think about it – a cement truck stuck in the mud equals a disaster!) There was also the time when volunteers were putting up trusses and a ring got caught up on a nail and a finger was lost. There were Electricians that did the drywalling and farmers that did the flooring, and somehow it all got done! The gift of these volunteers laid a strong foundation for SABC and has enabled us to progress to where we are today.
It was a noisy place. The dining room was directly above the chapel. When there were 150 young people jumping up and down during a game or a camp song, the whole floor moved! The kitchen was state of the art and many meals were prepared for guests and volunteers. Most importantly, the lodge was a place where the Gospel was shared with thousands of people. The life-giving message of hope and love was proclaimed loud and clear. And many gave their lives to Christ for the very first time. This is the legacy that will continue to live on as we replace the old with the new.
We have salvaged much from the old building. The dishwasher was given to another camp and some of the furniture and beds were given to another non profit. The rock from both fireplaces has been salvaged and will be installed on fireplaces in the new building. We know those founders of SABC would take joy in how God is continuing to bless their efforts.
Do you have any memories from the Heritage Lodge? We’d love to hear from you. You can share them on our facebook page.

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