Clyde River (Mar 14/05) - Normally, February is too cold for a picnic out on the land.

But on Feb. 20, the skies were clear and the weather was wonderful, so Clyde River residents decided to take advantage of the good fortune. About 60 residents left town by dog team and got active out on the land to promote diabetes awareness and healthy living. "Sundays we usually stay home and watch TV, but that day we got to get out and get some fresh air," said resident Steven Aipellee. "We travel by Ski-Doo nowadays, so it was good to see those five dog teams there," he added.

During the one-day picnic, which was organized by the Ilisaqsivik Family Resource Centre, everyone from elders to youth ate country food, talked and took rides on the dog sleds.

Hunters provided country food such as frozen char, cooked caribou and polar bear for the event. Other residents were also asked to bring what country food they could.

It is not always easy to get elders and youth together, says centre director Jakob Gearheard. "But this is one of the ways to do it, to go out on the land because both youth and elders are interested in going out on the land," Gearheard said.

Money for the event was provided by the Department of Health and Social Services.