CAMP KOINONIA

Tim Ryeland

Tim has been going to and involved with Koinonia for his entire life as a third generation camper.  His grandparents Gord and Betty Polley were part of the group that founded the Camp.  Tim was a Jo-Boy from 1992 to 1997 and off season manager from 1996 to 2000.  Tim has filled many of the roles around Camp over the years from the various staff positions to Teens Camp leader and even cook on many a fall weekend.  Tim is entering into his 11th year on the Board of Directors, having served as Secretary, Treasurer and President at various times.  As someone who has always worked in Information Technology Tim has been at the forefront in pushing Koinonia forward in their use of technology.  He established and ran the first Koinonia email list in the early 90's when most people had no idea what email was and in 2000 registered and created the Camp website.  Tim and Elana along with their children Jackson (6), Elizabeth (4), and Aaron (2), love attending Family Camp and enjoy spending the time with friends and family, many of whom went to Family Camp together as children.  Tim hopes that as his children get older he will be able to once again rejoin the work weekends and spend time on the property that he enjoyed so much in the past.

Mike Fullgraf

Mike has been involved in camp life since he first attended camp at the age of 13. He spent many happy years working in a variety of roles at Ontario Pioneer Camp including cabin leading, being an activity head, leading Bible study and directing the day camp program. He tries to be involved in the lives of young people as much as his full-time job in the city will allow him, and has been known to plan his vacation days around opportunities to head up to camp and help out. Mike loves playing wide games, spending time around the fire and any activity involving a Frisbee.

Simon Davis

Simon has been involved in Christian camping first as a camper and then as a staff and volunteer member since he was 9 years old. In addition to work at day camps, Camp Revive, Kenosee Lake Bible Camp and Outtripping, Simon was a staff member at Pioneer Camp for many years before being introduced to Camp Koinonia in 2008. After stints as a speaker at Youth Camps at Koinonia in 2008 and 2009, Simon was very excited to join the Koinonia Board in 2010 and serves as a member of the Koinonia Communications Committee. Simon’s love of Camp has grown out of a love of serving youth and families that continues as he studies with his wife Ashley at Wycliffe College after serving as the Youth Pastor at St. Brides Anglican Church in Clarkson for three years. Simon’s favourite outdoor activities are playing soccer and fishing and his fate as a lifelong Koinonian was sealed when he caught a 3lb bass off the dock on his very first day at Koinonia!

Catherine Elliott

Catherine has been involved with Koinoina since her early years as a camper, staff member and board member in the 80/90's. Her parents (who helped get the first power on site!) introduced her to Family Camp when she was three years old and later to Koinonia's Jr. Teens camping. The next year she started working in the kitchen learning the ropes, becoming cook in 1977, and returning for half the summer in '82. Catherine served on the board for several years in the mid 80's and during the search for Koinonia's first executive director. Her interests are in volunteer management and training staff in the kitchen. If she gets some spare time she might be found hiking the nature trail or canoeing. After being abroad for several years, (2000-06) Catherine's family is involved in Koinonia again with teen camps and volunteering. Her family participated in a work weekend last spring and plan to return this spring, looking forward to a new tradition!

Caitlyn McDonald

Caitlyn has been part of Camp Koinonia’s community since her first year of Junior Teen’s in 1996. From this point forward, she has taken on many roles at Camp Koinonia including Day Camp Counselor, Kitchen Staff, Waterfront Director, Counselor and Program Director so joining the board seemed like a natural role to take on. Caitlyn says that “it was teaching campers to swim in Haines Lake and developing programs for teen’s camps” that led her to understand her passion for leadership and develop her gift of teaching. As a young camper, Caitlyn was overcome with a sense of joy and excitement at the thought of returning to camp the following summer and becoming a board member has renewed this spirit in Caitlyn.

Caitlyn has taken on the role of board liaison for the communications committee and is very excited to help continue to expand Camp Koinonia’s fundraising initiatives. Caitlyn brings experience from larger camps such as Camp Sebago in Maine and YMCA on Toronto Island to bring to her role as a board member for Koinonia. She also has professional experience working for a Toronto based finance company that is controlled by a board of directors and looks out for the best interests of the corporation members. Caitlyn plans to use these experiences to benefit Camp Koinonia’s board and the community as a whole.

Caitlyn’s favourite Koinonia activities include canoeing to the middle of Haines Lake and looking at the Koinonia Tree on a sunny afternoon, relaxing at the waterfront during tea time with a fresh toffee square in hand and swimming at teen rock.

Erinn Oxford

Erinn Oxford has always loved the outdoors: she grew up attending Pioneer Camp, cottaging in Killarney, and canoeing and hiking through various parts of Northern Ontario. Erinn, along with her husband Dion and daughter Cate began attending Family Camp at Koinonia a few summers ago and instantly fell in love with it. Erinn is also passionate about the city- she is the Managing Director of Parkdale Neighbourhood Church, an organization committed to journeying alongside people who have been displaced and now live in the margins of society, including those living on the street, those struggling with mental health issues and/or addiction. Another of Erinn’s passions is music: she is a pianist, vocalist and Private Piano teacher. Erinn has a pastoral heart and deeply desires to build community in her workplace, in her neighbourhood, and at camp. She looks most forward to any outdoor activities that include water, mostly swimming and canoeing.

Maureen Sawicki

Maureen was a late bloomer when it came to camps and starting volunteering at her first one when her youngest son was age 8. Since then, she has seen the difference that Christian camping can make in the lives of children and youth and has continued volunteering for the last 10 years, mostly in the kitchen. Maureen brings camp experience from Medeba and fundraising and administrative experience from working in ministry for over 12 years at The Dam, a drop-in for at-risk youth in Mississauga. Maureen is passionate about mentoring young people, and is usually found “hanging out” with them. Cycling, skiing, working out, swimming and her family takes up the rest of Maureen’s time, not necessarily in that order.

Jeff Allen

Jeff has been attending Family Camp for the last 7 years with his wife Josie and son’s Evan (8) and Benjamin (5) and is looking forward to many more years of enjoying Family Camp with family & friends.   Jeff was first introduced to Camp Koinonia in high school when he made the trek to Parry Sound to visit Josie one day while she was on staff.   Koinonia has become a very important part of his life and loves spending as much time as possible at Camp.    Jeff has spent some time on a number work weekends as a member of the property committee helping out as needed and is eager to do so again this year.   Jeff loves spending time at the waterfront swimming (really just floating!) and watching his children enjoy the beach and all the waterfront activities with friends.   Jeff works as part of the Management team of a Global Relocation Management company and hopes to utilize some of his work experiences on the Board to serve the Koinonia Community.

Chris J udge

Chris has spent the past 15  years working with young people in various capacities and in a number of different denominational circles. Chris worked as a chalet leader and in various other roles at Ontario Pioneer Camp in his lat e te ens while volunteering in Jr. High ministry at Chartwell Baptist Church in Oakville. Chris went on to do paid youth ministry, campus ministry  and summer day camp programs in  the GTA for 4 years until an opportunity opened up for him to work  in Youth Fundraising,  Special Events and Leadership Development at World Vision Canada, where he was employed  for 5 ½ years. Chris joined the leadership team at Trinity Anglican Church in March 2011 after almost 4 years  serving as the Pastor of Student Life at Bayview Glen Church, where he also developed a  successful LIT (Leader In Training) program for 13-16 year old students called “Elevate” which is  now in its third year of operation.

"Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."

1 Corinthians 12:27 - NIV