A chance to indulge your taste for adventure

Press, 27 April 1987, Page 16

A chance to indulge your taste for adventure

Making it happen

Have you ever taken your children, or grandchildren to an adventure playground and wished you were young enough to join in the fun? Well, perhaps it’s not too late after all. How about an adults only adventure camp — well away from the sniggers of acrobatic youngsters? Arthur Sutherland is head of the outdoor education department at Kaiapoi High School, a trust member of the Boyle River Outdoor Education Centre at Lewis Pass and the foundation chairman of the Canterbury Outdoor Education Teachers’ Association. Recently, he spent 10 months in the United States on a Rotary International scholarship studying leisure and recreation. Until now, Arthur’s adventure camps have been for youngsters. But recently, some parents approached him and said: “Why is it always the kids who are having fun? We feel we’re missing out.” The result is the Go For It Camp, a week-end packed with adventures, -from ropes courses, walking, rafting, and rock scrambling to campfire cooking and environmental awareness. The first weekend will be held on May 9 and 10 at the Boyle River centre, and is open to adults of anyage. Says Arthur: “A spirit of adventure and wanting to enjoy yourself are more important than fitness. We’re not going to be sending people off on long tramping trips, or anything like that. What we’re trying to do is introduce adults to new pursuits.” The social aspect is important too, he says. “We’re going to be working on the group thing — people co-operating and finding solutions to problems together. One of the tasks, for instance, is to build a bridge from timber and. rope and get everyone in the group across a stream dry.” Participants on the course will need to find their own way to either Kaiapoi High School or Rangiora High School on Friday evening, May 8, or at other pick-up points by arrangement. They will be driven to the camp and returned again on the Sunday evening. People need to bring a sleeping bag and pillow, gyrtwir similar shoes and

boots, warm clothes, rainwear, swimwear, and emergency kit, eating utensils and a notebook and pencil. Full details will be given on enrolment. Fee for the week-end is $5O, which covers transport, food accommodation and hire of gear. Enrolments, with a fee of $ll, should be made to Kaiapoi High School, Ohoka Rd, as soon as possible. For further information telephone Robyn Sutherland at Kaiapoi 6129 (work) or Woodend 27054 (home). Niew women's - course A new course flailed Women’s Lives is weing

offered at Christchurch Polytech next term. The 13-week part-time course is an introduction to women’s studies by way of discussion, reading, speakers and research. Participants will be taught basic researching skills, and in groups will explore aspects of women’s lives, gathering information which will be valuable reference material. Topics covered will be women’s history, or herstory — which is often omitted from our history books — what feminism is all about, issues of the ’Bos, women as artists, and pornography and women. At the end of the

course, women will present their findings to the rest of the group and help plan a women-sharing-of-knowledge week-end, which will be open to the public. This will be on August 14 and 15. Cost of the Monday-mornings-only course is $44. To enrol telephone the Polytech Information Centre at 798-150, ext. 8091. Women and Health and Women and Money are two shorter courses being run at Polytech next term. Women and Health is a six-session course will look at aspects of women’s physical, emotional and psychological health, as well as the health system. This begins on Wednesday, June 3, from 9.30 a.m. until noon. Cost is $22. Women and Money, sub-titled Dollars and Sense, is also a six-session course and is for women who want to know more about budgeting, banking, tax and insurance. This begins on Thursday, May 28, from 9.30 a.m. until noon, and also costs $22. The Polytech has an excellent creche, but bookings are essential. Enquiries about this to 798-150 ext. 8102. Agoraphobic support The next meeting of the Agoraphobic Support Group will be held tonight at the Health ‘Planning and Research Centre, 888 Colombo St, starting at 7.30 p.m. Anyone interested is invited to the meeting, which will take the form

of a discussion evening. There will be no guest speaker. Agoraphobic Support is currently setting up another support group in the Bishopdale .and Papanui area. Anyone interested can telephone Pam at 528-744. For any other information telephone either Maxine at 237-024 or Lyn at 384-605. Self-defence classes Sue Lytollis self-defence classes for women starting soon are at: Christchurch Women’s Hospital, in the afternoons, from Monday, May 11 (contact Sheilagh O’Sullivan at 790-890); Templeton Hospital gym, in the evenings, from Monday May 11 (contact Daphne Wilkes at 497199) and Y.M.C.A. in the city, from Tuesday, May 12, in the evenings (contact Pam Frew at 63-063. Items for this column should reach Glenys Walker, Making It Happen, Home and People Page The Press,' Private Bag, Christchurch, at least one week before publica L tion date.