Mentoring
I had a great morning when I went down to the pier to meet a young man who wanted to learn to use his camera. Nicho and his dad showed up on time with camera gear in tow. We sat on the pier and went over a few basic functions with his Nikon D-60. Nico was interested and knew his camera very well. As many young people he was not intimidated by the menu or the various functions that his camera was capable of. He just needed a bit of help with the actual terminology and how each function would affect the photo. In no time he was playing with the buttons, unafraid to experiment, delete and try another setting. I think his dad got as much out of this outing as he did and I was richly rewarded by the glow on Nico’s face as he shot a very nice photo of emerging Crocus’s at the planter box.
The newspapers are full of horror stories about teenagers and vandalism, drugs and booze problems. Just a couple hours of mentoring and working with kids to expand their interests, I believe would help us all make a better community to live in. There are plenty of examples to look at as we look around Campbell River. Sports coaches in schools, after hours and on weekends are probably most visible. Dance classes, choirs, music teachers and bands. Did you see the young people participating in the Remembrance Day parade? I often see Grandpas and Dads taking kids out fishing and hunting, great pastimes to keep people in touch with nature and wilderness. So often I have heard kids say “There’s nothing to do!” Sometimes all it takes is to go for a walk in Beaverlodge Lands with your leashed dog and a pair of binoculars. You can observe Mother Nature hard at work providing habitat for all kinds of plants and critters. The Quinsam, Puntledge and Oyster River all have a great fish hatcheries where we can volunteer or just observe one of the world’s greatest events; the salmon migration and story. Another great free event coming up next weekend is the spring bird count taking place in BC. Volunteers are needed to go out and count and identify the birds in your own neighborhood, the forests and along the ocean. These activities all help ourselves and our kids get off the couch, get out to get some exercise and fresh air and to observe the impact we are having on our environment. Much of this entertainment is cheap or free to do, especially once you have some basic equipment. Exercise is good for our bodies, learning is good to keep our brain active and clear while volunteering is good for our community.
I would like to thank Nico and Patrick for coming out, reawakening a passion I have always had and forget about once in a while. I look forward to seeing you in a couple weeks again.
Tags: bird count, camers lessons, mentoring, sports, things for kids to do, Volunteers
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