MacSkimming - Tiring but Terrific!!

We made it! It was two days of rain, sun, cloud, thunder, and fun (with a bunch of learning mixed in, but they didn't even realize it). I have done this trip seven times with groups from Churchill, and I have to say that this group genuinely seemed to have more fun than any group I have gone with before. They were just so positive about everything. They all worked and played together beautifully over the two days. We engaged in pond studies and tree identification. The pray/predator game was a hit, as always. We did a long hike today through the forest to identify methods used by First Nations people to survive before European contact, with our guide Brenda showing us plants and trees throughout the forest that can be used in a number of ways (ask your children what tree can be boiled to cure scurvy, or what Trout Lily leaves taste like, or what the twig at the base of a Yellow Birch leaf tastes like). They boiled water with rocks heated in a fire, they learned how to build a tinder bunch and a structure for lighting fires, and then they lit them. And they experienced the struggles of the fur trade in our fur trade game today. Of course we also found time to play a great game of Ultimate, for the students to invent a game they called "angry farmer", for us to have a campfire, cook smores, sing songs, and dance. Some were even up for a "night walk" (though quite a few opted to tuck off to bed-very sensibly).

Throughout it all the kids were exemplary students who represented our class, and our school well. Brenda said as much after spending two days working with our class, and she mentioned to me that it is always a pleasure to have groups like ours because she is able to do more with them and they get more out of their time at MacSkimming than most groups. I got the biggest smiles from everyone whenever I asked if they were having a good time. It really made it worth the trip to see how they interacted with each other, the instructors, and the volunteers.

I would like to thank all of the volunteers who made the trip, the parents who sent in food, and Cheryl B. in particular for all of her help. It really is a community effort to make things like this work out, and we were able to create a positive experience for this class that they will not soon forget.

My only hope now is that everyone gets some well deserved rest tonight, and a well needed bath or shower before coming back to school tomorrow.

Happy, but tired, Ray