The local “Youth Encouraging Lasting Leadership (YELL)”, under the umbrella of the not-for-profit Synergy in Chestermere, Alberta, has won a trip to Jasper National Park as the JOY in Nature contest winners. They will be in Jasper from June 19th to June 21st, 2014.
They submitted an entry that shared an experience and photo of them spending time in nature. The story of their weekend “Rock the Ranch Retreat” held in Bragg Creek. The weekend included many activities such as canoeing, low ropes course, horseback riding, camp fires and songs, and sleeping in a tee pee. “This weekend retreat was created as a way for youth to build confidence and develop leadership skills by taking part in challenging activities in a new environment” said organizer Anna Bata. Youth were given the chance to become more independent, meet new people and gain valuable camping experience. Topics such as bullying, teenage self image and building healthy relationships were discussed. For many of the participants, this was their first real camping experience.
Thursday at 11 am 12 of the members of YELL, including chaperones and leaders, met at the Chestermere Town Hall, bags packed and ready to hit the road. Everyone huddled outside the bus in the rain, waiting for the cool boxes to be loaded in the back. But don’t worry parents, the weather is supposed to be great in Jasper this weekend.
The group will soon be exploring Jasper National Park and enjoying a raft trip with Jasper Raft Tours, geo-caching, nature photography and stewardship activities with the Palisades Stewardship Education Centre of Parks Canada. They will also have their first experience viewing the town of Jasper from the Jasper Tramway. Accommodations have been provided by HI-Jasper hostel to provide a hostelling experience.
And, I was told that it’s one of the girls’ birthday this weekend too so there’s going to be a birthday on the mountain. Happy Birthday Sarah and congratulations YELL for winning this amazing trip to Jasper.
