Sarah Holland
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 20/99) - The youth in Rae will now have a program that continues through the winter.

In the summer of 1998, the St. Michael's Children's Community Recreation and Sports Program began for youth aged 13 and under. It continued through this past summer and will extend into the winter.

According to Bruce Hartery, the recreation co-ordinator for the St. Michael's Children's Committee, there are two components to the program.

"The first component involves community-based activities. We have a gymnasium open for the kids, activities such as board and computer games and the Internet. It's like a drop-in centre."

The kids also get to go on field trips to places such as museums, bowling alleys and swimming pools.

"We also do boating safety and go on the land for picnics," says Hartery.

"The second component involves us wanting the kids involved with traditional Dogrib activities.

"We have taken them on summer youth camps for four or five days. Elders teach the kids about tanning hides, the land and stories, skinning caribou and making bannock."

As winter approaches, the program takes a slightly different turn.

"We will still have the drop-in centre open and we hope to take the kids on winter camping trips up to the Barren lands to do some caribou hunting," says Hartery.

Hartery emphasizes that the program is important to both himself and the community.

"This is a really community-oriented program and we get a lot of support from in and out of the community.

"Kids get bored easily and can get into mischief and we hope to provide a positive atmosphere.

"The kids really love it, many are involved. We're offering them something that's not always there, something to constructively occupy their time.

"Everyone involved in the program is learning a lot and getting better all the time. The kids deserve this."