Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

NNSL (July 16/99) - "It doesn't suck because we get to play games and stuff."

That's the judgement of Colin Laferty, one of the 20 youth attending the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre's Aboriginal Day Camp.

According to supervisor John Antoine, a third-year counsellor, this summer's activities will be mostly outdoors, weather permitting.

"We'll be doing a lot of outdoor recreational activities this summer," Antoine said. "We'll be going on a few fishing trips to some of the lakes around town, maybe even a trip out to Camp Antler on the Cameron River.

"We are teaching a lot about their cultural background and we do a lot of activities like making dream catchers and beadwork."

Another counsellor, Michelle Laroque, added: "We are also concentrating on how to interact with other races and people. We get together in a big circle and just talk about issues and each other's feelings."

The most important aspect of the day camp, of course, is simply just to have fun.

"We had a big water fight in the park by Fraser Towers last year," Antoine said. "It was really hot and we thought that we'd blow up some balloons and get out the water guns. It was a lot of fun for the kids."

All 20 spaces are filled up for the summer but some may open up on short notice if children can't make it or drop out of the program. Last year, 40 kids participated.

"The board thought that maybe 40 was a bit too big," Laroque said. "So this year we're only having 20.

"Sometimes kids misbehave and we have to send someone home and that's really too bad."

The day camp was held at Long Lake beach Monday. The temperature was in the high 20s C and the sun hot and strong.

For Vanessa Chaykowski, the beach was the perfect place to spend a warm, sunny afternoon.

"I like going to the beach best of all," Chaykowski said. "It's nice to go out on hot days and jump in the water."

The day camp commenced July 5 and will continue until Aug. 27 and runs every week day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.