This summer, as wildfires swept across Newfoundland, the Seventh-day Adventist-run camp Woody Acres found itself at the very heart of the emergency. Located on the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland, an area heavily affected by ongoing fires, the camp made the extraordinary decision to pivot from its summer mission of serving children and youth to housing and supporting first responders.

That decision, and the camp’s ability to act so quickly, was shaped by preparation. Just a year earlier, under Ken Corkum’s leadership and in partnership with ADRA, Woody Acres invested in upgrading its infrastructure and completing Emergency Response Training (ERT). These proactive steps ensured the camp was emergency-ready, positioning it not only as a place for children and youth but also as a potential hub for community support in times of crisis.

On August 8, after the Holyrood and Kingston fires threatened nearby communities, Woody Acres welcomed its first 28 firefighters within hours as summer camp sessions were cut short and campers sent home. Over the following weeks, their numbers swelled to more than 90, including personnel from Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, British Columbia, and search and rescue teams.

The effort was nothing short of remarkable. With most summer staff gone back to school, the burden fell on a skeleton crew: one cook, two maintenance staff, and the director herself, Kaitlynn Harushimana. Volunteers from surrounding churches stepped in daily to cook, clean, wash laundry, and provide encouragement. Local congregations also rallied with donations of supplies and food when government provisions fell short.

Meanwhile, the fires themselves raged on. Through it all, Woody Acres became a beacon of resilience. What was once a camp filled with the laughter of children became a sanctuary of service, proof that even in crisis, God can transform challenges into opportunities for compassion and community.

As the situation continues, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Newfoundland and Labrador, alongside ADRA Canada, remains committed to supporting both first responders and affected families. Woody Acres shows us what happens when preparation meets opportunity, because leaders invested in being disaster-ready, the camp became a sanctuary of service when it was most needed.

Let’s all be disaster-ready, so that when the community needs us, we can be change makers together.