By Derek Cornet

Fish 4 Life

‘Enjoying the moment’: Fish 4 Life Hunter Bay fly-in trip making lifelong memories

Feb 19, 2019 | 12:44 PM

It was an experience like no other for Grade 6 students at Gordon Denny Community School as they had the honour of participating in this year’s Fish 4 Life fly-in trip to Hunter Bay.

The first group of students flew out for the day at about 9 a.m. on a Twin Otter from the La Ronge Airport. With a plane fitted with skis, it took only 10 minutes to fly across Lac La Ronge and land on the snow-covered bay near a small island. When the kids arrived, a warm up shack, three fishing tents and a campfire were already there waiting for them.

“It’s an accumulating trip for them and their career at the school,” Principal Scott Hepworth said. “It’s an activity that’s culturally significant … living in the North. It’s something you can do that’s part of a healthy lifestyle. It’s something to do to pass these long cold months. It also gives them some exposure to eating sustainably and eating healthy food.”

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While other students at the school travel by bus to other locations in the Fish 4 Life program like Otter Lake, the Hunter Bay trip has been part of it since 2016. The experience is made possible by a special partnership with Transwest Air, which gives the program a deal on the flight minimum and provides two pilots for the day. In addition, Norsask Aviation and La Ronge Petroleum donate 675 liters of jet fuel to cover three return flights.

Elder Tom Charles and educational assistant Terry Roberts also played pivotal roles during the Hunter Bay trip. Charles has a cabin nearby and took students to pull a net for fish, as well as taught them how the fish should be cleaned and properly filleted. Roberts, meanwhile, is in charge of keeping the students fed and does so with her special fried bannock recipe of cinnamon and blueberries. She also fried the fish after Charles finished his demonstration.

Elder Tom Charles teaches students how to clean and fillet a variety of fish species. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Terry Roberts (right) was in charge of keeping the kids fed during the trip. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

“Over the years we’ve been doing this, a lot of parents will take the day and come out with the kids too, just to enjoy their time,” Hepworth said. “It’s a good way for us to forge relationships with parents and have parental engagement in the school.”

Roberts, who cooks at all of the Fish 4 Life events throughout the winter, said the program is one of the best opportunities about being a student at Gordon Denny. She noted it’s enjoyable for her to attend such trips as it tends to bring back memories of her childhood. Roberts also has fun cooking for the students as she’s been frying bannock and fish since she was a child.

Community School Coordinator Jordan Bird assists a student with a fishing rod. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Volunteer Robbie Pacy and Principal Scott Hepworth wait for the fish to bite. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

Roberts said she is thankful for all the work that goes into making the Fish 4 Life program a success, adding it will make a positive impact on the lives of the participants. For many of the Grade 6 students who travelled to Hunter Bay, it was their first time on a plane, she stated, or outside the regular boundaries of home and school life.

“This is an eye-opener for them and, at the same time, they’re having a lot of fun and enjoying the moment,” Roberts said. “As they get older, maybe in Grade 12 or university, I’m sure this trip will come to their mind. It has to.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno