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New summer camp offers outdoor adventure skills to kids

Some kids in Corner Brook spent the first part of summer learning basic outdoor adventure skills thanks to a new camp in the western Newfoundland city. Element Outdoors Education is a three week camp to teach kids between the ages of eight and 14 essential skills for land and water adventures.

Graham Zilkowsky, 13, is no stranger to spending time outside on the water but he says he learned some new valuable kayak skills that will make his time on the pond safer.

"We did a couple of rescues," said Zilkowsky who added he had "too much fun" kayaking with his friends for a week in the camp.

The first week of the camp was spent learning climbing and orienteering skills, while the second week was spent on mountain bikes to teach mechanical and technical skills.

The camp wrapped up last week with a week of kayaking in Massey Drive on Tippings Pond.

On Friday, the kids had to put their new kayaking skills to the test and pass a course that gave them nationally recognized basic kayaking skills accredited by Paddle Canada.

Important skills

Element Outdoor Education was started by school teacher Shannon Sweetland, who chose to spend the first month of his holidays outdoors teaching adventure skills to kids because it's not something that's readily available in the area.

"I think it's really important to get out there and get the youth use to the water. And, also getting the message out about water safety," said Sweetland, who added he's extremely pleased with the turnout for the first year of the camp.

Sweetland hopes to build on the success of this year's camp and offer it again next summer.