As we come to the end of another school year, we would like to thank Sask Outdoors and Saskatchewan Lotteries for their funding support. This year the Wilderness Adventure Club, run by teachers Ian Temple and Jori Cachene, were able to go on 3 camping trips with the support of these two organizations.
The first trip took place in October 2015 (fall camp), the second in January 2015 (winter camp), and finally the third took place June 2016 (spring camp). Each of these camps met our grant application requirements.
The fall camp took WAC members out to Echo Lake for some tenting fun! We worked with students, many of which have never been tenting, on the basics of camping. Information such as how to put up a tent, how to start a fire, how to leave no trace, how to pack and cook outdoors, were covered. In addition, we also did some fun team building exercises such as orienteering, toxic waste game, and electric fence game. Students also learned about the different plants in the valley during our hikes, and we discussed the delicate ecosystems that the Qu’Appelle lakes provide for many of the lake creatures and how that ecosystem is becoming polluted.
The winter camp took place at Lumsden Beach Camp. While we did sleep indoors, students did not get to go inside until bed time. Winter camp is all about survival. We built fires, talked about how to keep warm, and what to do and what not to do in case of emergency. In addition, we had with us 2 nursing students who taught students about basic first aid, and how to avoid and treat frostbite. We also looked at animal tracks and discussed how different animals survive in the winter.
Finally, the spring camp took place in Prince Albert National Park at The Narrows campground on the SW side of Waskesiu Lake. Students experienced the Boreal Forest, many for the first time, and the peace and serenity of the park. Time was spent hiking the trails, studying the different plants and animals of the forest, and canoeing.
