Two consecutive hot summers have led to a significant decision at Red Rock Bible Camp in the Whiteshell. Camp Director Allan Mailloux says the intense heat has meant sleepless nights which is wearing down their campers, camp counsellors and staff to the point of exhaustion. He adds that is about to change.

Allan Mailloux"We are working on a project, just starting this week, of getting air conditioning up here in this building which is for our support staff. It's the second floor, it gets hot. And then our plan for next year, by May, is to have air conditioning in every single cabin. So we're hoping to have air conditioners for all of our support staff who just really get exhausted really quickly because they are out in the sun all day, same as our campers. But our staff are here longer, eight weeks, so we want to make sure that they are taken care of and make sure their health is good."

Meanwhile, Mailloux says Red Rock has implemented a policy of no cellular phone use for campers. He adds it is generally getting a favourable response.

"Our kids are feeling good about being able to disconnect, being able to say; 'Hey, I was actually able to do it. I didn't think I was going to be able to be away from my phone but I did it.' That's kind of a bonus. We want to be able to make sure that distractions are limited for camp. We also think that the kids with their cell phones are very tied in, their necks are down and they don't enjoy the things around them and so we want them to see and look around and enjoy God's creation, enjoy hanging out in community. It's so important."

Mailloux says for parents who feel disconnected from their kids when they don't have access to their cell phones are invited to check out the camp's SmugMug page which carries 200-300 new photos every day. Parents are also allowed to email their children if they want to communicate with them.