“When, O Christ our God, Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, Thou didst reveal Thy glory to Thy disciples in proportion as they could bear it. Let Thine everlasting light also enlighten us sinners. Through the intercessions of the Theotokos, O Lord glory to Thee!”
Troparion of the Transfiguration, August 6
Camp Transfiguration was born from the rich camping tradition of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America and was inspired by the Antiochian Village Camp in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. As the Antiochian Village Camp’s popularity grew, being accepted as a camper for a session became highly competitive. Due to a shrinking Canadian dollar, the high cost of sending a child to the Antiochian Village was also a motivating factor in establishing a camping program in the Can-Am Region.
After the 2002 Can-Am Parish Life Conference in Geneva, New York, a summer camp Organizing Committee was assembled at the behest of V. Rev. Fr. Peter Shportun and Rev. Dn. Michael Shaheen on February 13, 2002, at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Montreal, Quebec. The Organizing Committee was comprised of clergy and laity from the sister parishes of St. George, St. Mary and St. Nicholas Orthodox Churches of Montreal, Quebec.
After additional research and losing its initial camp rental site, the Organizing Committee welcomed Fr. Michael Nasser, Camping Program Director for the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America, to Montreal on Super Bowl Weekend 2003. On January 27, 2003, Fr. Michael was driven to the prospective camp rental site (Camp Bruchési, located on Lac Achigan in the Laurentians of Quebec) for inspection. At a meeting held later that evening, Fr. Michael gave his approval of the newly discovered accredited camp rental site. It was at this same meeting that our camp, known until then as the “Antiochian Can-Am Camp Committee”, was officially renamed Camp Transfiguration. The Committee members at the time of this historic meeting were the following:
From St. George Church,
sponsoring parish of Camp Transfiguration:
Rev. Dn. Michael Shaheen,
Co-Chair
Mr. Leonard Ayoub, Researcher
Ms. Beverly Bishara
Mr. Kevin Bolanis, Camp
Co-Administrator
Mrs. Anna Cocja, Camp
Co-Administrator
Mr. Thomas Saba
From St. Nicholas Church:
Fr. Peter Shportun, Co-Chair and
Advisor
Mr. Michael Lawand, Treasurer
and Secretary
Miss Bruna L. Salhany
Ms. Louise Salhany, Fundraising
Advisor
With the goal of bringing together the children of the Can-Am region for a period filled with prayer and play, the Camp Transfiguration Mission Statement was determined as being the following in February 2003:
“Camp Transfiguration will uphold the camping tradition of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America. Translated to Greek, “transfiguration” becomes “metamorphosis” which literally means “to change”. Camp Transfiguration shall aim to instil in all of its campers, staff and volunteers the glorious teachings of Jesus Christ, as well as the traditions of the Orthodox Church, for their spiritual growth and for the glorification of God.”
Shortly thereafter, His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP Saliba, Primate of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America, gave Camp Transfiguration his official blessing. The next step for the Organizing Committee was to promote the camp to the sister parishes of the Can-Am Region.
On August 1, 2003, after two and a half days of staff training, Camp Transfiguration began a very successful 13 day session by welcoming a total of 52 children to our tri-lingual (English, French and Arabic) camp.
The campers were from the following parishes:
St. Elias Cathedral, Ottawa, OntarioSt. George Cathedral, Coral Gables, Florida
St. George Church, Montreal, Quebec
St. George Church, Richmond Hill, Ontario
St. George Church, South Glens Falls, New York
St. George Church, Utica, New York
St. Mary’s Church, Mississauga, Ontario
St. Nicholas Church, Montreal, Quebec
Our inaugural year Camp Staff was the following:
Fr. David
Smith, Director (St. George Church, Utica, New York)
Miss Bruna
L. Salhany, Assistant Director (St. Nicholas Church, Montreal, Quebec)
Mrs. Huda Kanawati-Kandalaf, Christian Education Director
(St. George Church, Montreal, Quebec)
Mr. Richard
Nimey, Programs Assistant (St. George Church, Utica, New York)
Mr. David
Jacobs (St. George Church, Utica, New York)
Miss
Catherine Kishfy, Counsellor (St. Nicholas Church, Montreal, Quebec)
Miss Ramia
Ibrahim, Counsellor (St. Elias Cathedral, Ottawa, Ontario)
Miss Fadia
Monsour, Counsellor (St. Elias Cathedral, Ottawa, Ontario)
Miss
Christina Zoghbi, Counsellor (St. Nicholas Church, Montreal, Quebec)
Mr. Sandro
Ibrahim, Counsellor (St. Elias Cathedral, Ottawa, Ontario)
Mr. Ronnie
Lawand, Counsellor (St. Nicholas Church, Montreal, Quebec)
Mr. Philippe
Martin, Counsellor (Sign of the Theotokos [OCA], Montreal, Quebec)
Mr. Abraham
Wehbi, Counsellor (St. Elias Cathedral, Ottawa, Ontario)
During the course of camp, we were visited by Fr. Stephen Rhudy, pastor of St. George Church in South Glens Falls, New York; Fr. Peter Shportun, pastor of St. Nicholas Church of Montreal, Quebec and Dn. Michael Shaheen, Pastoral Assistant of St. George Church of Montreal, Quebec. Sub-Dn. Khalil Samara also was with us during Staff Training and for the first few days of camp.
Our camp was also greatly supported by the presence of our volunteers: Mrs. Mabelle Abou-Mrad (St. Mary Church, Mississauga, Ontario); Mrs. Alida Rossi (St. George Church, Montreal, Quebec); Ms. Louise Salhany (St. Nicholas Church, Montreal, Quebec) and Mrs. Salome Tannis (St. Elias Cathedral, Ottawa, Ontario).
The Inaugural year for Camp Transfiguration was successful only due to the hard work and dedication of its Staff and Volunteers. We are thankful for the support shown and given to us by our donors, sponsors, and for the faithful who kept in their prayers all those who were involved with Camp Transfiguration. May God grant them many, many years!