ACHO DENE KOE/FORT LIARD - Dillon Lomen wants to be able to play rock and roll songs on his guitars.

Thanks to free guitar lessons being offered in Fort Liard with enough practice Lomen, 12, may one day attain that goal.

He can already play the A, D and E strings on his electric and acoustic guitars. Someday he'd like to be able to play songs by Slipknot, his favourite band. For now he just wants to learn enough to be able to play at home.

"They're good," said Lomen about the lessons.

Every Tuesday and Thursday night since Oct. 20, aspiring guitarists have been gathering in the Fort Liard community hall from 7 to 9 p.m. to learn how to play the instrument. The free lessons are part of the hamlet's expanding recreation program.

When Roslyn Gardner Firth, the hamlet's manager of wellness and recreation, was filling out her application for funding from the territory's Youth Corps program she included a proposal for guitar lessons. The ultimate goal is to organize a band within three years that youth from the community can play in. The first step is to start with guitar lessons and then add in other instruments if youth are interested and if there are available instructors, said Gardner Firth.

Although she knew there were youth in the community who were interested in learning how to play guitar she said numbers have exceeded her expectations.

"I'm really pleased with the turnout," she said.

A core group of approximately eight people have come out to each lesson. The group is made up of approximately two-thirds youth and one-third adults.

Part of the Youth Corps funding was used to purchase two acoustic guitars, two electric guitars and one electric bass guitar that participants can use at the lessons. Some of the budding musicians, particularly the adults, bring their own guitars.

Gardner Firth said she thinks attendance at the program will grow as more people become aware of it.

Doug Villeneuve, a local resident who plays the guitar taught the first four lessons. Alberts Rokpelnis, a Beaver volunteer, will be replacing Villeneuve, who is moving from the community.

"It's coming along good," said Villeneuve about the initial lessons.

There was a lot of anticipation about the free lessons, said Villeneuve who fielded many inquiries about when they would start.

The majority of the participants are starting from the very basics but some have a bit of experience. Villeneuve said the group has been very receptive during the lessons and the youth especially are learning the skills quite quickly. Some of them are naturals, he said.