Numbers Up At South Bay Youth Conference

Numbers Up At South Bay Youth Conference

Wednesday, August 16, 2006 at 13:27

The 13th Annual Youth Outdoor Wellness Conference in South Bay has been deemed a success by its organizers.

Brennan Merasty says the number of youth in attendance at this year’s event was higher than ones held the previous three years.

Merasty notes this year’s conference attracted 237 youth — up from just over 170 last year. This is also the third straight year attendance has gone up. However, Merasty notes this event once drew over 400 youth, and he has set an attendance goal of 300 for next year.

He is also pleased this year’s event drew youth from communities all over the North, including Cumberland House, Ile-a-la-Crosse and La Loche.

Merasty notes the youth really took to the elders’ camps. In fact, the organizing committee began having problems keeping the youth interested in other activities because they wanted to spend all their time with the elders.

He also says the organizing committee is considering bringing in showers for those youth that are not too keen on bathing in the lake for a week, and hopes that change will result in a further boost in number.

Next year’s conference is scheduled to run from August 6th to the 11th.