GALA partners with Libby Museum for 5-day wilderness course

WOLFEBORO — Global Awareness Local Action (GALA) and the Libby Museum are partnering to offer a five-day Wilderness Skills Intensive for Youth on June 24-28.

Wilderness Skills instructor Adam Lougee will lead the course, which runs 10 a.m.-3 p.m. each day at the Libby Museum.

Day 1 will cover knife use, care and safety, with participants trying stick and pot-hanger carving. Conclude the day with a plant-pressing introduction.

Day 2: Fire starting, use, safety and extinguishing. Outdoor cooking basics, participants try making Bannock. End with Drinking Water Safety and more plant pressing.

Day 3: Shelter Building, participants try different designs including tri-pod, quad-pod, and raised beds. Predator and prey exercises, animal tracks. Introduction to “All Senses Tree ID”, forest walking, path blazing, and more plant pressing.

Day 4: Container making; participants try making small reed baskets and birch bark bowls. Sit spot exercise. More on fire making and firewood prep including feather stick carving and batoning. End the day with spoon carving.

Day 5: The final day culminates with show and tell to friends and families.

The curriculum is designed roughly for youths ages 11-14 years, but there is no hard age cutoff. The cost to participate is $100 for all five days, $80 for local youths who will miss the first day due to school on June 24 to make up for snow days. Limited scholarship and financial aid are available upon request. Write to Libby Museum director by June 15 at director@thelibbymuseum.org.

Limited space requires pre-registration through GALA’s website, www.galacommunity.org, or by calling 603-569-1500.