Summer Fun for Everyone!

Summer hours are so much longer when the sun never sets.  Greg and I have been out in the wee hours of the night on ambulance runs and we'll see kids and others out at every hour.  The activities are endless during the summer, yet so many people struggle with boredom.  At Boys and Girls Club, we made it our mission to keep kids active and involved this summer to help keep them engaged in healthier lifestyle choices.  Some of the weekly activities we led were fishing, beach shenanigans, and field trips.  Beach shenanigans included a bonfire on the beach, a walk along the shore, collecting sea glass, and climbing around on the port seawall.  The kids also took advantage of getting soaking wet by jumping into the ocean (why anyone would jump in to ice cold water is besides me!).  Friday Field Trips were different every week.  We went on a hike to Dorothy Falls and Anvil Mountain, had a beach BBQ with games, went to Salmon Lake to explore, paddle boarded, picked berries, went fishing for pink salmon, and more!  In addition to our regular activities, I also took kids rock climbing at our recreation center, led a variety of rainy day crafts, and played games.  It has been a lot of fun being able to get out of the building more often and to be able to explore the beautiful surroundings.  It has been a refreshing change of pace from the school year and cold, winter days.

Three weeks out of the summer, Greg and I took part in leading Camp CRAVE out at Council, which many of the B&G kids were a part of.  Camp CRAVE is organized by Nome Community Center and funded and supported by many organizations.  The focus is on healthy living with topics covering tobacco prevention, nutrition, Inupiaq values, and more.  Council is a beautiful area located at the end of the Council Road, 72 miles from Nome.  The camp we stayed at was about a mile boat ride from the end of the road.  Crystal clear rivers, pine trees, fresh clean air, towering mountains, and blue skies (and mosquitos) welcomed us.  During camp, we played games, sang silly campfire songs, swam in the COLD clear water, fished for salmon,  taught about healthy living styles, hiked, and camped out in God's amazing creation.  Even though it was challenging and stressful at times, it was a highlight to my summer.

Other than work, Greg and I spent our summer enjoying the outdoors as much as we could.  We went on several hikes, picked berries, went on a few four wheeling trips, camped, explored more areas of Nome, and more!  We also enjoyed getting to know more people in town and being involved in community events.