Hi Mr J.....just wondering if the notebooks/sketchbooks that the kids are to bring are to be lined for writing, or blank for sketching?? Thanks for your help!

I got very few surveys back so it is going to be difficult to pick a weekend when the majority of students can attend. One date that has been suggested is the weekend of April 26.

We'd drive down to Langley on Friday night and stay in a hotel.
Saturday at 10am we'd go for a canoe excursion on the Frasier river and then take part in the educational programme in the Fort. This is a 4 hour activity ending at 2pm.

At 3pm we'd go to the campsite and meet the Teepee guy. Here we have the choice of helping put up the teepee's. Our guide also offers botanical walks through the forest, canoe trips, and the kids will play traditional bone games and lacrosse (of the original native variety--apparently very different). We will then be treated to a evening feast of native fare around the campfire, consisting of roast buffalo (of course!!), squash, corn, etc and also a native breakfast in the morning.

Then we'd drive home.

Programme at the fort is $40 per person
Teepee cost is 125 per child, 135 per adult
plus the motel costs

Could be looking at $200 per person. I believe the school may be able to cover up to 50% of the grade five child's fees, but other children and parents would be separate.

Is it something we should still pursue?

Wow .. the program looks fantastic and of good value. Maddy is very keen to go.

        I finally checked out this message board and thought maybe I should post this email so that everyone could read about it!
 In follow-up to our discussion re: the Fort trip the other day, I finally called up Mukwa teepees and spoke with Gloria. What an amazing program they have!! Tony (traditionally raised native) has actually held teepee campovers at the Fort Langley campground before. Friday nights are no problem for them, and they would have the teepees ready for us at the campground...yay! No pick up required!! The program could be worked around our schedule, but they suggested a 3:30pm start where we have the choice of helping put up the teepee's. Tony also offers botanical walks through the forest, canoe trips, and the kids will play traditional bone games and lacrosse (of the original native variety--apparently very different). We will then be treated to a evening feast of native fare around the campfire, consisting of roast buffalo (of course!!), squash, corn, etc and also a native breakfast in the morning.....bannock, I assume! The evening will consist of circle story telling, drumming and singing and she really made a point of letting me know that they will include anything into the program that interests us and fits in to what the kids are learning in class (and more!) --I bet you won't be having to correct this Tony guy on his facts! There will be a sunrise ceremony in the morning, and the programs and break-up of camp will happen after that, and we can be involved in that as well. All their staff are native and are well versed, so will be able to answer any questions the children (and parents!) may have. Their teepees range from 10 ft to 45 ft in diameter, but she suggested having maybe 3 18 ft tents for our size of group. The program (food included) is $125 per student and $135 for adults, and she promises it will be a truly unforgettable experience! She's in the process of emailing us Tony's biography (apparently quite interesting) and some additional pictures so we know what kind of amazing things to expect. Boy, I sure didn't expect all of this when I first called....they've got quite a program here. Hope this helps and we'll talk soon. Have a great day, Lisa Ranger.

I just got word from Fort Langley. They will offer the voyageur programme on a weekend!
I'd like to camp one night with the students, even if it is cold. I think it would be a good experience for them to go through the process of packing all of the necessary materials to survive a cold night like the fur traders would have had to. I also think sitting around a campfire at night will be a lot more memorable than sitting in a hotel room.

However, we could stay in a hotel on the Friday night, and then at the campground on Saturday night.

All of May is good for us at the moment, other then a mothers day lunch on May 7th with Mrs Ducharme's class. Skye and I had a great time last week we both learned great things about the fur trade and the gold rush. Thanks

I know Maddy would love to go on a field trip to Fort Langley. May2-3 could work for us (we are away) therefore couldn't help chaperone. The rest of May looks wide open for us with the exception of the last weekend. Maddy absolutely loved the trip to Kelowna last week.

I will be involved with the grade 7-8-9 Duke of Ed trip (date to be determined), and the grade 8 Vancouver trip (April 4,5,6), so it is important to try and sort out a date soon. May 9/10 also do not work because I have grade six activities in the works for those days.

Thursday May 1 and Friday May 2 might work. We could come home on Saturday possibly.

Alternatively, we could travel down to Fort Langley on Victoria Day (May 19- no school that day) and try to take in some activities at the Fort in the morning and afternoon before heading back to the Okanagan.

I've been told that the school programmes only run from Monday to Friday.

The trick is trying to minimize the number of days that I miss from my other classes...

I am trying to put together a trip to Fort Langley for the grade five students. I'll post updates here.