Winter A/C Outreach 2022

 

Visit the AJFWA Store to register starting December 4, 2021

2021 Peter Mehl Scholarship Winners

 

JFW Virtual Lessons for Wardens

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a call out was  made to anyone in JFW (whether a leader, parent, support person, Warden, Alumni member, sponsored member) interested in volunteering their time to teach a lesson to our Wardens.  That call was answered, and we are pleased to roll out JFW Virtual Lessons.

The Lesson Schedule (see below) will be updated as lessons are add.  Check back here or visit the event calendar on the Members Only Website home page to see what's new.  We will also let you know on Facebook when new lessons are added.

NEW Find pre-recorded video lessons after the Lesson Schedule.  And check back here too as more video lessons are added.

If you would like to learn more about instructing, click here.  This is a great opportunity to connect with our Wardens since we can't meet in person and share your skills & knowledge with them.

To access a lesson, please ensure that your device supports the Google Meet platform and that you have your @ajfwa.ca log in handy. Note:  Lessons may be recorded for our JFW Lesson Archives.

Contact office@ajfwa.ca if you have questions and to RSVP so the instructor knows how many attendees to expect.  Lessons may be cancelled if no RSVP`s are received.

President's Message

I trust this note finds you, our JFW family, well and getting ready to take on the challenges ahead of us in the fall. COVID has been a difficult beast for AJFWA to navigate through, but we have tried our best and continue to try to plan for what may be the new norm for the next many months.  

 

Our primary focus, as always, has been on the safety of our membership.  We have fashioned our policies and best practices based on what Alberta Health and the government have suggested are reasonable and prudent approaches.  As we move into months where increased group numbers and loosening of COVID protocols may be possible, we hope to come to a point where club nights and regional activities will virtually be the same as they were pre-COVID, but for some extra hand washing and a mask or two. 

 

The AJFWA Board spent much time discussing our plan going forward and coming up with contingencies, if the COVID situation improves or gets worse in the coming months.  

 

Many clubs are struggling trying to find locations for their club nights given that the facilities they used to hold their meetings are no longer opening their doors to outside organizations, primarily because of the cleaning requirements that now come with letting others use their facilities.  Some clubs have been successful by offering suggestions to facility managers such as one family per table with the appropriate distance between tables, wearing masks and implementing check sheets to ensure no one with symptoms is given access to the facility. Those clubs who are able to secure suitable indoor space will, of course, need to be mindful of the fact that the progression of this pandemic is constantly changing, and having a Plan B ready to roll out, if needed, should be thought out ahead of time.  

 

We are hopeful that clubs will spend as much time as possible outdoors in the coming months, in any event.  There are many ready-made lesson plans available on the AJFWA website that could easily be used with the addition of the social distancing protocol. Once winter hits, outside club meetings may not be practical.  

 

We are also mindful of the recommendations that indicate families should be picking one activity and not co-mingling their children in multiple social groups.  

 

With all of this in mind, here is what we have come up with for JFW going forward.

 

Registration/chartering will take place as usual in the fall

 

We encourage club nights to take place outside for as long as possible.  Social distancing, and perhaps wearing masks, will ease parents’ nervousness about social interaction, and given that we are outside, we should not run into problems with families having to pick our group/cohort over another.  If activities occur indoors, social distancing protocols should be implemented. As mentioned above, our website has many lesson plans ready to use, and if there is something in particular you are interested in, please reach out and we will make efforts to design a plan for you or put you in touch with someone who can help.

 

Link to lesson plans

 

Email address for Club HELP enquiries:  help@ajfwa.ca 

 

The following links should take you to the most recent protocols set by Alberta Health.  Please be mindful that these protocols are constantly changing and you must take a look at these often to ensure you are following the most recent guidelines. 

 

Link to Alberta Health Guidance & Restrictions

 

SPAR Guidelines

 

 

Online meetings / virtual lessons

 

Commencing this fall, we will be offering online meetings to registered wardens.  We have requested the assistance of our leaders and have asked that they consider taking on a night or two where they will offer an online session.  If a leader isn’t comfortable teaching an online session, another option is to record the lesson and submit it for viewing by membership.  We extend this call out for help to the parents as well.  

 

Please give it some thought and reach out with your ideas.  Demonstrate the simplest of crafts, do a short cooking lesson, teach something about compasses, play a game, do a campfire sing-a-long, take us for a hike in your community — the options are endless! The idea is to fill the calendar with as many options as possible to keep our children engaged in the JFW program and in touch with their fellow Wardens. A calendar of lessons will be posted, including information about the topic covered in each lesson and suggested age group.  We will be asking members to pre-register for each session.  An email list of any required supplies will be sent out before the class so families can prepare for their online session.  We hope to record the online sessions as well and add them to the lesson plan resource page on our website. 

 

Link to Virtual Instructor Questionnaire

 

Upcoming events

 

We continue to monitor protocols in place to determine when we will be able to offer in person activities such as PT Cruiser Camps, Fall Workshop,  AC Conference, etc.  Unfortunately, at this point in time, these in-person events are all on hold.  We have reached out to the event organizers and have asked that they attempt to convert their weekend programs into an online format.  Stay tuned for the release of information on the various activities that may be offered online.

 

AJFWA Committees

 

With the decrease in regular club nights the last several months, many of our volunteers have been meeting via online conferencing and telephone to catch up on committee work.  

 

We would like to remind all parents that our committees need your help.  There are many committees that could use more sets of hands to work on the tasks on their ‘to do’ lists.  Below are links to learn more about the  committees.  

 

Link to Committee List  (click on the Standing Committees tab)

 

Link to Committees section of AJFWA website

 

In general, most committees meet once a month for an hour or so to discuss their tasks, which range from computer work to by-law/policy drafting to fundraising and the list goes on.  Please have a look and see if there is an area of interest that you could spare an hour, or two or more (as fits your schedule), a month to help us out.  Many hands make light work and all the work done benefits the JFW program for our children. 

 

As always, the AJFWA Board is more than happy to address any questions or concerns families may have. Please reach out to the Board at board@ajfwa.ca and we will ensure that your questions get to the people who have answers.

Monica Robinson

AJFWA President

president@ajfwa.ca 

Opinion - The Three R’s of Junior Forest Wardens

The Three R’s of Junior Forest Wardens

“What is the philosophy of JFW?” This is a question not often heard. It is more common to hear asked, “What are the ‘aims of the Junior Forest Wardens’?”, as this is contained in the Pledge, which every new member learns by heart soon after joining. Indeed, the Pledge, Code, Watchword and Motto are central to the Junior Forest Wardens philosophy, and deserve their place of prominence at every camp and club gathering.

There is another element, deceptively simple, yet profound. It is not often spoken of, so it would not be surprising if you have not heard of it. It ought to be, though, because it is the very heart of all that is good about Junior Forest Wardens. It is the ‘3Rs’.

"Reduce, Reuse, Recycle?" Nope, not those 3 R’s. "Replacement, Reduction, Refinement?" Not those either. "Readin’, wRitn’ and ‘Rithmetick?" "Rapid, Reliable, Repeatable?" Not even those.  

The Three R’s of Junior Forest Wardens are: Responsibility to Myself, Responsibility to Others, and Responsibility to Junior Forest Wardens and the Environment. There is a lot packed into these three short phrases.

If I am responsible to myself, then I ought to take care of my possessions, take care of my health, and feed my body with good food, my mind with knowledge and good stories and my soul with the arts and especially with experiences of the natural world. Furthermore, I will find that the consequences, for good or ill, of every word I utter and of my smallest action is my responsibility alone to bear. 

If I am responsible to others, then I will accept and treat each person as my equal. I will respect their property and their persons, and I will honour my commitments. I will try to be helpful, supportive and unselfish. I will be kind, and will consider the needs and the happiness of others as being equally important to my own.

If I am responsible to Junior Forest Wardens, then I will take it seriously, learn all I can from the opportunities presented, and work to build up my club and help it flourish. I will extend this caring attitude to the place where I live, and be a supporter and builder of my community.  I will pass along the high ideals of JFW to others, and try to lead by example. (Junior Forest Wardens provides an unparalleled chance to gain some important knowledge, attitudes and life skills that we can use for the betterment of everyone).

Similarly, if I am responsible to the earth and the environment, then I will try to understand the profound importance of the natural systems that make life possible. I will learn all I can about the earth, and from it, and I will - as often as possible - immerse myself in the natural world, of which I am inextricably a part. (We belong to the earth, it does not belong to us). I will apply the concepts learned in JFW, and work to protect the earth so that none of its intricate marvels are marred or diminished. It is indeed “a great entail, and we have no right…” ...you know the rest!

The 3R’s have a corollary: Respect for Oneself, Respect for Others, Respect for the Earth. Showing respect, being respectful, being respectable, commanding respect - these are all marks of character. Developing good character is the worthy pursuit of a lifetime. The great Chief Warden, Ernst Klazus, exemplified these principles. His life’s work was, in part, to learn to live in harmony with the earth and with others. His legacy is an invitation to live seriously, joyfully, respectfully, responsibly and purposefully. Ernst embodied the 3R’s of JFW. 

Of course, our modern, fearful, litigious society makes other documents necessary, such as risk waivers and codes of conduct. While essential to the functioning and protection of an organization, they are not the heart of it. A code of conduct, like any code, can only prescribe minimum standards, or limits on behaviour. It is a useful guide, but it cannot inspire. 

The 3Rs, in their simplicity, are powerful. They are the very opposite of arrogance, of carelessness, of cruelty, greed and waste. They are mirrors to examine ourselves in, and simple yardsticks with which to measure our individual and collective growth as humans. They are a worthy philosophy for life, they are suitable for daily (outdoor!) meditations and they can help us avoid the meaningless pressures and trivial distractions of our cluttered and noisy civilisation.

The 3Rs don’t send us to war. They won't have us pursue wealth or power or fame.
They send us out to plant trees.

by Neil Marsh (with thanks to former Assistant Chief Warden Brian McBride for the inspiration)

Winter Outreach 2020

COOL ACTION ADVENTURES!

Register now - Space very limited!

When: Feb 14-17, 2020

Where: Athabasca Falls Hostel

Who: Adventurers, Challengers, Leaders, Alumni and Parents

This is an invitation to all Adventurers, Challengers, Leaders, Alumni and Parents to join the Outreach Committee for a fun and challenging weekend participating in the 2020 Winter Outreach. This year we have put together a great program in the Athabasca Falls Hostel in Jasper National Park.

The program of activities will include ice climbing with Rockaboo at Tangle Falls! We also plan to do some basic mountaineering skills, snowshoeing and maybe even the Maligne Canyon Ice Walk (cleats provided!). We will also have a guest speaker for Sunday night, Loni Klettl, who was raised in Jasper as a child of a park warden, then became an Olympian, and still resides and works in Jasper and is the head of the Jasper Trail Alliance.

The Outreach Committee would love to have you join us! For more information please contact Terry Garrett at terry.garrett@ajfwa.ca or phone 780-963-7183 or Roger Madaire at roger.madaire@ajfwa.ca or phone 403-869-1941.

COST: $285.00 per participant. This would also make a wonderful Christmas gift – the gift of adventure! Register on-line without delay! This adventure could be used for your Duke of Edinburgh Awards program. Participant Information packages will be provided after registration is complete.

Payment Options: $285.00 Online via Paypal (credit card) *at time of registration only; club cheque or e-transfer to Treasurer@ajfwa.ca

**Your registration is not confirmed until full payment has been received and payment must be received prior to the event date. NO payments will be taken at the event.

Cancellation Policy: The Outreach Coordinators reserve the right to cancel or amend the Outreach program based on weather, availability of guides/instructors or unforeseen events. If the program is cancelled, refunds will be issued. Cancellations by a participant before January 31, 2020 may be subject to a 20% non-refundable fee. NO refunds will be given on cancellations AFTER January 31, 2020, unless for medical reasons, at the discretion of the Committee and AJFWA Board Policy.

Calling all JFW Graduates!

If you, or a family member, graduated from the JFW Program, we would love for you to share a photo and a little bit of information about the graduate with us.  

Please email treemail@ajfwa.ca with the following:

• photo of graduate
• name of graduate
• Club attending at time of graduation
• number of years in AJFWA as a Warden
• year graduated
• (optional) memorable moment, skill, trip or event from graduate's years as a Warden

We'd also love to post any photos you have of your graduating group.

Click here to view the 2019 Grad Gallery.  

Click here to view the 2018 Grad Gallery.

2019 Peter Mehl Memorial Scholarships

The Alberta Junior Forest Warden Association, in cooperation with the Edmonton Community Foundation, is happy to announce the:

2019 PETER MEHL MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS

The annual Peter Mehl Memorial Scholarships are available to students enrolled in Forestry, Ecological or Environmental related programs who have been members, leaders or volunteers for a not for profit youth group.

Application:  2019 Scholarship Application Form

 Application deadline:  July 31, 2019  (must be received by that day)

Available scholarships:  two $500 Scholarships 

Awarded by Scholarship Committee:   September 2019

Criteria:  

Applicants selected for the Peter Mehl Memorial Scholarship will best meet the following criteria:

• Be resident of Canada.
• Be accepted by a post-secondary institution in a faculty or program appropriate for entering career in natural resource management or outdoor related fields.
• Have a strong academic record, supported by transcripts.
• A record of commitment to a not for profit youth program.

More details:

For more details, visit the AJFWA website.

Don't miss out on this opportunity!