S.O.S. / Share Our Sport

[Ripitz]

Years ago I worked at a YMCA Summer Day Camp as an Adventure Specialist. Besides being given a cool name I was given 30 Junior High School kids at a time. Kids from all different backgrounds. Many of them disadvantaged. I taught them archery, guided them through ropes courses, took them hiking, biking and canoeing. I chased those little demons all over the woods and they chased me. I barely made enough money to eat and put gas in my car. It was one of the best jobs I’ve ever had. Watching those kids experience things they would never have normally was the reason. Recently I’ve been absorbed with work and showing our Peanut the outdoors when I can. Skiing has been a privilege for us as a family. This recent article reminds me that I can do more.

The great outdoors has a diversity problem. Can it be fixed?

Parks and public lands are open to everyone, in theory. But racism doesn’t end at a trailhead. Why don’t children have equal access to the outdoors?

www.csmonitor.com

 

[XTski]

Years ago I worked at a YMCA Summer Day Camp as an Adventure Specialist. Besides being given a cool name I was given 30 Junior High School kids at a time. Kids from all different backgrounds. Many of them disadvantaged. I taught them archery, guided them through ropes courses, took them hiking, biking and canoeing. I chased those little demons all over the woods and they chased me. I barely made enough money to eat and put gas in my car. It was one of the best jobs I’ve ever had. Watching those kids experience things they would never have normally was the reason. Recently I’ve been absorbed with work and showing our Peanut the outdoors when I can. Skiing has been a privilege for us as a family. This recent article reminds me that I can do more.

The great outdoors has a diversity problem. Can it be fixed?

Parks and public lands are open to everyone, in theory. But racism doesn’t end at a trailhead. Why don’t children have equal access to the outdoors?

www.csmonitor.com

Nice Rip! Way back I “ worked” at camp Hi-Rock near Great Barrington, helping kids enjoy the outdoors, end of summer someone broke into the camp safe and stole the staff payroll

 

[Campgottagopee]

Years ago I worked at a YMCA Summer Day Camp as an Adventure Specialist. Besides being given a cool name I was given 30 Junior High School kids at a time. Kids from all different backgrounds. Many of them disadvantaged. I taught them archery, guided them through ropes courses, took them hiking, biking and canoeing. I chased those little demons all over the woods and they chased me. I barely made enough money to eat and put gas in my car. It was one of the best jobs I’ve ever had. Watching those kids experience things they would never have normally was the reason. Recently I’ve been absorbed with work and showing our Peanut the outdoors when I can. Skiing has been a privilege for us as a family. This recent article reminds me that I can do more.

The great outdoors has a diversity problem. Can it be fixed?

Parks and public lands are open to everyone, in theory. But racism doesn’t end at a trailhead. Why don’t children have equal access to the outdoors?

www.csmonitor.com

Similar experience.
I did my college internship for an organization by the name of Long Island Youth Guidance (no idea if they're still around), it was in the mid 80's. The kids in this program were one step away from kiddy jail, they were labeled juvenile delinquents. They were inner city kids and tough AF. One kid beat the shit out of his teacher to the point of hospitalization. Anyway, my job was to take these kids rock climbing (Gunks and Dacks), canoeing (Dacks), and backpacking (Dacks, specifically the Northville Lake Placid trail). As you say it was a great job that payed zero dollars, it was also very rewarding.

These trips were totally controlled in that we gave the kids a list of items they could bring and that's all they were allowed to bring. List included what clothes, food, toiletries, lights, etc etc. A big no no was any sort of radio (pre cell phone so no worries there). At one of the camping spots we ran into an adult group. I explained our group to them and suggested them move a ways down the trail to a different spot. They did but only like 500 yards away. The next morning I heard a radio??!!! Yep, in the middle of the night one of the kids wiped that cam out. He had a radio and food that he stole. Inside I was dying with laughter but I couldn't let on. To this day it still cracks me up when I think about it.

The most interesting part of the back packing trip was their "solo". The kids had to sleep by themselves, in the dark, in the woods. I lead them out and showed them where they could put their tents up. Many of these tough kids cried like babies. It's amazing what happens to tough kids when they're taken out of their environment. I could relate because I know for a fact if I had to spend the night inner city I'd cry too.

Good post Rip