Our History..

Mr. Walter McNaughton, a graduate of Prairie Bible Institute, responded to a letter from Mrs E Monge. She had asked Prairie to send someone to start a Bible School in the north. Mr McNaughton travelled on his bicycle with 23 cents in his pocket. In 1933/34, Peace River Bible Institute was established.

From its early days, PRBI set an example of outreach by starting many Bible Camps in the area, and encouraging their support. In 1947, Emmitt Miller and Arvid Anderson helped Walter start a camp at the Taylor Flats army base. They used the quonset huts for cabins and much of the army kitchen and utensils. When the Peace River flooded the area in 1948 the camp was moved to the Kiskatinaw River and was called Alaska Highway Bible Camp.

Staff and students from PRBI, helped the Rolla Alliance and other local churches operate the camp for many years. The camp had to cancel operations one summer because of polio in the area.

Changes included the addition of horse riding and a pool (dug-out lined with plastic). Farm grain sheds were moved to the property to be used as cabins. Beds were made of straw. Emmitt was active with the camp for 24 years. Arvid kept in touch and prayed for the ministry for over 40 years. The name was later changed to "Rock of Ages Bible Camp," until it merged with the Camp Sagitawa in 1971.

Doug & Janet Spinney visited Moberly Lake during a vacation in 1956. This visit prompted them to meet with Rev Bill Ryans (Calvary Baptist, FSJ), Rev Don Miller (First Baptist, D Ck), and Bob Neufelt (McLaurin Baptist, GP). In 1960 they brought several car loads of teenage boys to a rented site at Sunny Acres (private property on the delta of the Upper Moberly). The camp soon became known as Sagitawa. In 1966 a girls camp was added. But in 1967 Sagitawa became too large for Sunny Acres. God directed them to buy half of the Garbitt Estate (67 acres) for $15,000. As a result, Camp Sagitawa held its first summer sessions at the present site in 1968.

The first buildings to go up were three 2-bedroom houses (no longer standing). Alden Spinney surveyed the property and drew up the plot plan with a development sketch of where future buildings would be located. In 1970, under the direction of Mr. Art Whitford, a 40' x 60' multi-purpose building, with kitchen and showers was erected (our present chapel). By this time, the camp acquired three horses, two canoes and a sailboat.

Then in 1971, it was felt by those involved that God was making the way clear for Rock of Ages Bible Camp, and Camp Sagitawa to come together. In August representatives from both ministries met to negotiate a merger. The name Sagitawa is a Cree word which was given to the place where the Peace River joins the Smokey River. It was used symbolically by the camp's founders to refer to a place where the spiritual and physical parts of a person come together under the Spirit of God. When the two camps joined, the name Sagitawa was retained.

The founding officers of the original society:
Rev Doug Spinney, Mr. Vic Wilk, Mr. Warren Ralston, Mr. Erwin Martens, Rev. Don Miller, Mr. Clyde Spinney.

The first Executive after the merger:
President - Fred Walton, Vice President - Bernard Little, Treasurer - Frank Luella, Secretary - Ken Harris.

Since then, the camp has grown into a year-round operation with a large emphasis on well trained staff and volunteers. Since 1992, over 200 volunteers assist each year. We believe that God is continuing to bless this ministry as we teach the application of Biblical Christianity.