Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug10/01) - Inukshuk Ventures Wilderness Camp co-ordinator Debra McGee never has a free lap for long. Kids are always climbing into it, fighting for her attention.

"They're like wild animals," she says. "If you run, they'll chase you."

McGee, along with six other counsellors, manages 70 young children at the camp, located at the Yellowknife Ski Club.

When Inukshuk Ventures, which is owned by the McLeod family, launched seven years ago, it was a two-week camp with 20 kids. It grew extremely fast.

This is McGee's fifth summer working for the camp. Five years ago, she wanted to be an occupational therapist. But she had so much fun herding the little rascals around during her summers, she changed her mind.

"I liked the kids so much that I decided to become a teacher," she says.

"Their problems are so simple to solve."

Each of the eight weeks is given a different theme. Last week was dubbed "Blue Lakes" and kids were taught water safety. They also went canoeing and to the beach at Fred Henne Park.

McGee said that kids basically entertain themselves at the beach. All she has to do is repeatedly count them. However, one year, some parents took their kids home from the beach without telling her. It gave her a pretty bad scare.

The kids can tell she cares about them. "She's nice and friendly and a good helper," says nine-year-old Ashlyn Gauke. The feelings are mutual. "By the middle of September, I'm missing camp," says McGee.