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 Ten students accompanied by four YMCA staffers and a couple of dads
gathered at the edge of the wood to start a day filled with fresh
air, sunshine, a little wind and a lot of fun.
At the beginning of the event the kids talked about basic safety
rules, such as "never load an arrow into the bow until you're ready
to shoot," and "never, ever point a loaded bow at a person."
Next they lined up and each one took a turn with archery instructor
Dave Duvall. As they demonstrated their skills, firing at a practice
bag, he praised those who did well and offered encouragement and
guidance to those who needed just a little more help.
Once practice was complete, they headed into the timber to seek out
their targets. The kids would take turns shooting at practice
targets of a variety of animals, including coyote, bear, wild turkey
and deer, and be scored on their shots.
At the end of the day, they enjoyed a wiener roast at the Miller
Farm picnic site, and parents were invited to come out and join in
that fun.
Krista Miller of the Y said, "What we want to do here is get the
kids outside, away from the TV and video games." She went on to say
that the day would also allow some of them to decide for themselves
whether or not they are interested in hunting.
Archery classes are open to all kids age third grade and up. The Y
does provide the equipment needed for lessons, but Duvall noted that
some of the kids who took the class last year had acquired their own
bows.
He said that obviously the second-year students had improved skills
over the beginners, but that all of the kids had done well and will
hopefully continue in archery when classes take up again next year
in March. [By NILA SMITH]
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