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.

Meadow Lake Woodlanders Winter Family Camp (Feb 24 - 26, 2017)

Camp Oshkidee is a lovely camp facility on the north side of Jeannette Lake in the Meadow Lake Provincial Park (click to see map)
Mark your calendars! This camp is for all ages and skill levels! Note that there are warm cabins for sleeping, indoor plumbing and an awesome kitchen for meals.Come prepared for an entertaining and exciting weekend of JFW activities.Fees: $30 per person (wanderers are free) to a max of $100 per family. Includes meals. Registration cut-off will be February 17.

Questions or to register by email holly.wassing@ajfwa.ca or call Holly Wassing at 306.236.2944Friday

• Plan to arrive after 3:00 pm. Room assignments will be posted on the cabins. Sandwiches and snacks will be available for a while. Bring your snow shovel to help clear an area for Saturday’s events, explore on some snowshoes, try the toboggan hill or relax at the indoor craft table. Spend some time around the campfire.

Saturday

• Morning activities – Everyone builds your very own ice fishing rod and create your own lure! Now we will be all set for the afternoon!
• Afternoon activities – Now is the chance to use that new ice fishing rod. On-ice activities, pick your favorite or rotate through all the planned activities: ice fishing, skating, “curling”, hockey, helping to set-up the new parachute tent, tobogganing, roasting marshmallows on the fire pit, build a snow fort or touring up to the chalet to warm up.
• Red Shirt Supper
• Music brings us together! Join together for toe-tapping live entertainment and dancing with Lucas Welsh and friends! (Yes, there will be dancing!)
• followed by campfire time - weather permitting and the desire to cook smores

Sunday

• Team activities – join in the activities guaranteed to bring out the kid in all of us.

Woodlanders 20th Anniversary Camp March 9-11

The Meadow Lake Woodlanders Junior Forest Wardens are celebrating their 20th year!

JFW families and JFW Alumni are invited to join in the fun at our family camp, March 9-11 2018, at the beautiful Camp Oshkidee on Jeanette Lake in the Meadow Lake Provincial Park (Not far from the site of National Camp 2014)

Please mark the dates on your calendar, and watch for more information.
Costs will be small, fun will be HUGE!
Club contact email: info at woodlandersjfw.org

The Passing of a Legend: Larry Nelson, 1950 - 2017

It is with profound sadness that we share with you the news of the sudden passing of Larry Nelson at his home in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan.

Larry will be deeply missed by his twin brother Garry, their extended family, and his countless friends throughout the Junior Forest Warden world and beyond.

Garry shares these words:

"I thank everyone for their kind words about Larry. He was a great brother and friend and he even looked like me".

We know that many of you have fond memories of Larry and we would like to hear them. Please send your favorite stories, photos, and recollections to treemail@ajfwa.ca. We will compile these into a memorial to be presented at National Camp and in Tree Mail.

Personal messages to Garry can be sent to garry.nelson.greetings@ajfwa.ca

Build a Kicksled!

Ever heard of a Kicksled?  

(And would you like to build one?)

Kicksleds are likely a Swedish invention, and have been around for a century or more in the Scandinavian countries and Finland.  In Canada, however, they are almost unheard of.  Not any more!  The Meadow Lake Woodlanders will lead the way to a bright new kick-sledding future!

Commercially-built kicksleds are lightweight, and usually fold for storage.  Here is a sample, in the picture on the right: 

Basically a chair on runners, they look like a cross between a dog sled and a scooter.  They aren't meant for heavy loads, but are a quick, maneuverable means of getting around on packed trails, city streets and parks.   Scoot down to the store for a few bags of groceries, or load up the toddler and go for a jog!

The Woodlanders JFW club inherited a large number of assorted used skis (large, small, cross-country, downhill). Most were not suitable for their original purpose, but the club was loathe to throw them out.  What to do?  Build kicksleds, of course!

Step 1:  Look for a model.   Luckily, our friend Bridget has her very own genuine Finnish kicksled.  She and her family brought it over one evening to demonstrate.  We took careful measurements, and tried it out!

Step 2: Experiment with prototypes.  We build a couple of rough-and-ready mock-ups, just for ideas.

Step 3: Turn the club loose!   Each family was given a challenge: Take a pair of skis, and build something fast and fun.
The results have been inspiring, and cover a wide spectrum of approaches, such as:

• Simple but effective: Bolt a Coleman chair to a pair of skis (bonus: folds for storage!)
• Basic joinery: Build a rigid frame out of 2x2s, use the fabric from an old camp chair as the seat
• Rustic: An impressive willow chair on skis
• Elaborate: Bentwood chair, attached to skis using the original bindings

We hope this catches on, and we will certainly us our new sleds a lot this winter. We also have lots of old skis left - many more kicksleds to come!

Awards presented at this year's Fall Workshop

Awards presented at this year's Fall Workshop

Merry Brotherston received the Order of the Golden Spruce

Order of the Golden Spruce

    Alumni 

• Merry Brotherston

Gold Honor

    Glory Hills Grey Wolves 

• Amber Garrett
• Andrew Garrett

35 year Award

   Calgary Eagles 

• Brian McBride

Brian accepting his 35 year award - a single shot .410 shotgun

20 year Awards

    Airdrie Hawks 

• Gary Thompson

    Calgary Bobcats 

• John Stoodley 
• T Stoodley

    Meadow Lake Woodlander

• Audrey Marsh
• Neil Marsh

    Smoky River Bears 

• Dale Dupuis
• Lucie Dupuis

15 year awards

    Airdrie Wolves 

• Don Dixon
• Debbie Pupato

    Alumni

• Kirt Bennett

    Glory Hills Grey Wolves 

• Rob Neider
• Susie Neider

10 year awards

   Airdrie Hawks 

• Norma Fixter
• Dan Fixter
• Dawn Friesen
• Samantha Miller

    Calgary Eagles 

• Allison Knoepfli
• Hans-Peter Knoepfli

   Rocky Rams 

• Carson Stewart
• Donna Stewart

   St. Albert Sturgeons 

• Cory Soetaert
• Heather Soetaert

Big Shoe Award

Jim Ellison presented Brian McBride with the Big Shoe Award

Donation from Odd Fellows and Rebekahs

Once again we were fortunate to have a representative from the Odd Fellows join us for Saturday's activities and supper.  The Odd Fellows presented AJFWA a cheque for $5,000 as well as a donation from the Rebekahs for $2,050.  These groups generously donate to AJFWA as we are a great fit for their Living Legacy Program - a mandate to plant trees worldwide.

“Plant a tree who comes after me”