Camp BB Riback Update: Register now for summer 2025 and lock in the 2024 prices

By Maxine Fischbein

(AJNews) – Camp BB Riback saw a bumper crop of campers over the summer, with numbers rebounding since the interruptions caused by COVID, says Camp Director Stacy Shaikin. Some 191 campers attended first session alone, bringing the camp much closer to the 215 pre-COVID numbers. Staff numbers rose to 70, 10 more than in the previous year.

The camp is in good shape, having exceeded its projections in every area, Shaikin told AJNews, including camper registration, fundraising, and grants. This together with “very positive debt servicing,” including the repayment of the Federal Government CEBA (Canada Emergency Business Account) loan that provided COVID relief, means the camp may soon be debt free, Shaikin said.

This is due, in part, to the camp’s success in generating new revenue streams.

Camp Quality, which serves kids with cancer, sent 15 to 20 kids to Camp BB Riback beginning August 8, together with dedicated volunteers and counsellors as well as medics and a doctor.

Those whose conditions permit, participated—together with Camp BB campers— in some of the regular camp rotations.

Camp Maple Leaf, which caters to kids from military families, was booked to run two one-week sessions at Camp BB in late August after the regular camp sessions have ended.

The organization runs camps across Canada and has their own facility in Ontario. They toured Camp BB Riback in November and instantly saw the potential room for growth, Shaikin said.

“They are particularly impressed with our safety standards,” he added.

Both Camp Quality and Camp Maple Leaf are exploring the possibility of further rentals in the summer of 2025, having already established a business arrangement and a relationship with Camp BB Riback, Shaikin said.

Camp BB Riback has also benefited from renting their facilities to individuals and organizations within the Jewish community. In June, a former camper held her stagette at the camp, Talmud Torah students had a Shabbaton at camp and BBYO once again held their spring convention there.

“This summer we’ve broken through the wall as a business,” said Shaikin, adding that the camp is a “much smoother operation than it’s ever been.”

In more good news, the camp has received a generous gift from long-time supporters Len and Faigel Shapiro. The $175 thousand dollar gift, spread over three years, is devoted to a new doctors’ house and infirmary package named in honour of the Eichler family. Aron and Ida Eichler, both of blessed memory, were inaugural directors at the camp.

Shaikin is encouraging other camp supporters to be generous as this is a matching gift.

Past Camp Chair Cory Krygier, who currently serves as chair of the camp facilities committee, is working with Shaikin on a site plan for consideration by the camp board. Once the new building is erected, the current infirmary will be repurposed to accommodate staff.

The camp continues to work on other improvements, including the recent addition of a water chlorination system to the cistern thanks to a “considerable donation” from the Jewish Community Foundation of Calgary, Shaikin said.

Another project involves improvements to the mechanics of the camp swimming pool.

In September, five more camper cabins will be renovated, bringing the total so far to 16 cabins over three and a half years. That will leave only three cabins in need of refurbishment.

On the docket for next spring, is siding and a deck for the newish camp office.

A long-envisioned dockside amphitheatre remains on the camp wish list, says Shaikin.

As always, Shaikin has his eyes on security and says the camp was well prepared even prior to the October 7 attacks in Israel. He regularly reviews camp safety with the RCMP and closely follows updates provided by law enforcement and the Jewish Federations in Edmonton and Calgary.

Registration is now open for the summer of 2025. Campers registered prior to September 30 will get the summer of a lifetime at 2024 prices, Shaikin says.

Wondering which session to choose for your children?

“First session has so much energy, adrenaline and personality,” says Shaikin, adding “Second session is better for some campers because it’s more chill.”

“There are two kinds of experiences, and they are equally awesome,” said Shaikin who has happy memories of attending both sessions as a camper.

He does recommend that kids who do better with less sensory stimulation attend second session.

Shaikin says that about a dozen campers attend both first and second session, depending on the season, but he is a firm believer that the best camp experience is the one in which kids go home wanting more.

For more information about Camp BB Riback, or to register, go to campbb.com.

Maxine Fischbein is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.