Joe and Lori have been leaders in the outdoor and environmental education community for as long as most of us can remember.
When I first started the Greenall Outdoor School program 12 years ago, I had 3 different people tell me that I had to get in touch with Joe and Lori. When I called Joe to ask him for advice and help getting my program off the ground, he was more than welcoming. The same evening as my initial phone call, I found myself at Joe and Lori’s house in Regina. They welcomed me into their house and after an hour or so, I had dozens of book recommendations, I had got to try out Joe’s atlatl, I got to check out an ingenious canoe cart and I left with a plethora of knowledge and an invitation to come back anytime. It is rare to meet someone who is more welcoming, passionate or knowledgeable than Joe or Lori. More recently, I called Joe again to ask his advice on hot tents and he invited me over to check out his as it was set-up in his backyard. Lori and I laughed about it that evening when she was at the University of Regina presenting to the EOE 414 students that Heather and I teach. Joe and Lori are dynamic leaders in the outdoor and environmental education community and they are as active in that community as anyone I know.
In his role as Recreation and Interpretive Specialist for Saskatchewan Parks, Joe Milligan lives outdoor education every day. Find an amazing interpretive program or an amazing park interpreter and chances are, Joe has been a part in things. Joe is active year-round, but a significant amount of his energies go to winter camping and training people to winter camp. As one of Saskatchewan’s most experienced and active winter activities experts, Joe has directly or indirectly taught most of Saskatchewan’s winter campers. Joe has also lectured at the U of R and has been a mentor for many outdoor educators.
As the Program Director for Outdoor Education, Lori Milligan and her staff lead outdoor and environmental education experiences for nearly 32,000 students yearly. As stated on the Saskatchewan in Motion Website, “Lori works closely with Saskatchewan conservation organizations to connect students with outdoor projects and opportunities. She’s passionate about wildlife, conservation, backpacking, canoeing, and winter camping. Lori’s background is in biology with a specialty in medicinal, edible and useful native prairie plants.” Outdoor educators know that Lori literally wrote the book on outdoor education. Her book, Wonders of Wildlife is a treasure trove of great activities and ideas for outdoor leaders. Lori and Joe have also been active teaching students at the Sask. Wildlife Federation’s summer camps and they have taught several outdoor education classes at the University of Regina. Lori has been a guest curator for Saskatchewan in Motion and she has a series of Saskatchewan in Motion podcasts. One paragraph isn’t enough space to do justice to describing Lori’s passion or involvement in our community.
Lori and Joe have been leaders in the Saskatchewan outdoor and environmental education community for over 30 years and would be very deserving recipients of the Bernie Melanson Award.
Nominated by Jeff Moore