John Reimer was born on the prairies in 1931; at the age of four his family moved to a small farm in the Fraser Valley where his father worked in the construction industry.
Farming wasn't always easy and one challenge they faced was the flood of 1948. John and other young men in the area had to help rescue farm animals, chickens and floating furniture from the flood.
John recalls helping the military boat rescue team unravel fence wire from the props on their boats.
The Red Cross came in and fed them and for awhile they slept on sandbags. Through all of this his parents did not know where he was so it was a time of great concern.
John worked for Nickel Plates Mines in Hedley and was trained in blasting, drilling and running the air and electrical equipment.
He also took courses in first aid, fire fighting, mine and mill rescue and safety management.
John said, "I arrived in Prince George in the fall of 1952. I bought a lot on Spruce Street for $500 and built a cabin. The cabin had no electricity or running water and was heated with wood and coal. I hauled water from the neighbours and to make things interesting I had two boarders. Cooking was a challenge especially when all the food was frozen."
While visiting his cousin Wil Wiens at Budd Lake he met Sunday school teachers George and Nellie Campbell who had arrived at the school house by bike. It was a snowy day so he loaded their bicycles in his car and drove them back to their home.
John and his cousin were invited for a moose supper and it was then that the Campbells told of their vision to start a children's Bible camp on their seven acre property at Ness Lake.
Here is John's brief history of the Ness Lake Bible Camp (NLBC): there was no road access to the Campbell's property at Ness Lake; the only access was by boat from the Campbell's farm or a two mile trail from the main road. In 1953 director Henry Unrau, five Bible college students, many local young people and several business men began clearing the land.
John helped design and build a barge to cross the lake to the campsite. The barge could hold 30 campers and for the month of August that year they had 99 campers.
Leboe Lumber and Fichtner Lumber constructed the two mile road to the present site.
Soon cabins and a dining hall were built and local sawmill owners donated kitchen equipment, bunk beds and tents.
Since 1953 NLBC has constructed over 30 buildings and have accommodated more than 50,000 campers. Local businessmen have since bought adjoining property and donated it to the camp for a total of more than 75 acres.
John said, "With great joy and privilege I have been involved with NLBC since 1953."
For more info go to: www.nlbc.bc.ca.
In 1953 John attended Briercrest Bible College and met Gwen Cole, a school teacher from Ontario who was also attending the Bible College.
They were married in 1957 and in fact they spent part of their honeymoon at the Ness Lake camp.
Gwen taught at King George V school and John worked in construction. In 1958 he was hired by Erwin Homes and worked for them for 18 years as foreman and branch manager. The company built over 500 homes in Prince George and other towns throughout the north.
In the '70s John began his own construction company, trained his family in the building trade and now his son owns the business.
John said, "I met many good friends during my involvement with the Christian Business Men's Committee; a group that sponsored banquets, Moody films at the fall fair, and the annual Mayor's prayer breakfast. Gwen and I helped establish the Kelly Road Sunday School which is now the Kelly Road Gospel Chapel."
John and Gwen have five married children - Ruth Anne (Jim) MacKnee, Paul (Michelle), Allan (Diane), Linda (Sean) Langley and Valerie (Wayne) Dirks; they have 14 grandchildren and one great grandchild.
John explains, "I never really retired and I am not sure what retirement means. I often help my son on the job or I go to the NLBC to work on some project there. I go to the swimming pool for exercise and to meet friends and I enjoy fishing or taking the grandchildren or friends out in a boat for the day."
John and Gwen keep busy with Pine Ridge Bed and Breakfast a business they started 15 years ago. Many interesting guests have come through their door.
Gwen volunteers for the Bibles for Missions thrift shop and together they have had the privilege of seeing other cultures during short term mission trips over the past 24 years.
They have worked on construction projects in Ecuador, Brazil, Kenya, Spain, England, Trinidad and Hawaii. Gwen has been the cook and has helped to keep all the workers healthy.
Each time they return from overseas they always say, "Thank you Lord, for our wonderful country and our great city."
They have lived in Prince George for 58 years and do not plan to move anywhere else.
