Camp Staff

Chloe Shantz is a violinist and soprano vocalist. Raised in a musical family, choral and orchestral music has always been part of Chloe’s life. Her studies in violin led to many musical opportunities growing up, such as the Calgary Youth Orchestra, the Amici String Quartet program and the Calgary Performing Arts Festival. In High School, Chloe discovered a love for singing through school choirs, and was a member of the Alberta Youth Choir 2019 and Alberta Treble Choir 2022. Outside music, Chloe has a passion for reading and writing novels. She is now studying at the University of Waterloo with a double major in Music and English Literature. Chloe is looking forward to returning for her second year at OMMC! 

Ben Thiessen is a 4th year student at Wilfrid Laurier University studying Economics and Political Science, and he is super excited to be working at OMMC this year! He attended music camp from 2014 - 2016 and is looking forward to creating the same memorable experience for this year's campers! As the Rec director, Ben is planning a host of games and activities for all the times the campers aren't making music. Ben has played music nearly his whole life, playing piano for 17 years and achieving his grade 10 RCM in 2017. He picked up the trumpet in Grade 6 to play in his school band, and has loved it ever since! When he isn't playing music, Ben enjoys indoor rock climbing, reading sci-fi novels, and watching movies. Ben is pumped to work with the other OMMC staff to build an awesome two weeks of camp!

Oliver Lingertat is a recent graduate from the University of Waterloo in Computing and Financial Management. He has held musical leadership and instruction roles as the concertmaster of the Kawartha Youth Orchestra, section leader in the orchestra@uwaterloo, and as a beginners violin instructor. He has also performed with the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra, University of Waterloo Chamber Choir, and in the pit band or cast of several student musicals. Oliver is looking forward to sharing his love of music with campers this summer!

Yolanda Lichty is a soprano vocalist and composer. She graduated from the Teacher’s Apprenticeship Program at Faith Builders Educational Programs in 2019. This fall, she’ll be completing her second year of a Bachelor’s of Music at Wilfrid Laurier University. Before that, she had eight years of experience teaching at private Mennonite schools in Southern Ontario. There she had the privilege of doing music with people little and half-grown. She’s sung in multiple choral groups ranging in size from Mennonite Memorial Mass Choir to a sixteen-voice a cappella group called Heart Cry Ensemble. She enjoys writing creative nonfiction, watering her garden, and the colour of a lake on a grey day. Yolanda is delighted to get to make music and study truth with the campers at OMMC this summer!

Bel Cairns is a 3rd year student at the University of Waterloo, studying Classics. Bel spent the last year living in residence at Conrad Grebel as the president of the Student Council. Bel is excited to be joining the OMMC staff for the first time, as the Musical Theatre director. Bel is looking forward to using their experience in performing in and directing theatre to create a fun and supportive environment for campers to try new things and express themselves. They sing, play piano and French Horn, and like using music as a way to connect with people. Outside of music, Bel enjoys reading (in English, French and Ancient Greek), playing soccer, and taking care of their moss and pet worms. 

Kate attended OMMC as a camper from 2012-2016 and it had such a profound impact on her that she had to return as a staff member! She is a soprano vocalist, violinist and is learning both guitar and piano. She was part of the Kitchener Waterloo Community String School until the end of high school, a member of Menno Youth Singers for the first two years of high school and spent two years singing in Carleton University’s Choir. Kate graduated from Carleton University in Spring 2022 with a Bachelors of Global and International Studies and after worked at both Elections Ontario and Silver Lake Mennonite Camp. Since then she has been spending nine months in Seattle as part of the Episcopal Service Corps program to discern where God is calling her next. Kate is looking forward to leading the LIT program and seeing how music, faith, games, laughter, and creativity collide!