Rotary Norfolk Sunrisers Jim & Marjorie Dawson have returned from Pikangikum FN from their recent trip to train Project Journey Students (Gr 5,6) and the High School Outdoor program students. They certified 6 PJ students and 9 High School students with a level 2 canoeing certificate. They had great canoeing weather with light winds and warm temperatures which allowed classes to be on the water every day of the week. The students were well motivated and picked up the key canoe skills quickly leaving time for games such as dead fish tag, teach a duck to fly and race to recover 3 floats.
More text & photos from their adventures are given at the ‘Read more …’ tab
This year we were able to go on a three day canoe trip with the PJ and outdoor program students. We avoided having to paddle the full length of Lake Pikangikum using the culture program boats to take the canoes and paddlers to a point at the south end of the lake where students could paddle safely to the campsite. The canoe trip involved paddling down the remaining arm of the lake and up a winding river over two beaver dams and a couple of portages to give the students a chance to paddle their canoes in a real canoe trip. We were able to catch 8 pickerel providing a great addition to the Friday night supper. The students had time to swim, fish and play games such as nighttime hide and seek at the campsite and helped prepare and clean up all meals.
The Rotarians, who have a long standing relationship with the community, took with them donated materials from local businesses. Beach Reads provided a box of Young Adult books for students to own and share since there is no high school library. The books were well received and at least three students were so keen on their books that they took them on the canoe trip. My Top Drawer provided over 200 pairs of underwear as well as nursing bras and baby belts to support the women’s lodge, a women’s shelter. The school and the nursing station also are sharing the donated garments to support girls at school and women when leaving the community to have their babies.
