By Charlene Tebbutt

River Runners ready for 2018 trek

Jul 17, 2018 | 12:00 PM

Local youths and law enforcement teamed up once again for their annual River Runners canoe trip on the North Saskatchewan River.

Ten youths and several police chaperones set off on the three-day trek Tuesday morning. The group will head to Fort Carlton, where they will launch their canoes before paddling back to Prince Albert and camping along the way. While the trip teaches local teens about nature and the outdoors, Prince Albert Police Sgt. Brandon Mudry said the event is more about working as a team and building leadership skills.

“There’s a lot of work that has to be done here in the next couple days. It’s about a 100-kilometer paddle,” Mudry said. “It’s always an adventure.”

The youths selected for the trip learned CPR and first aid before leaving Tuesday, and they participated in team-building activities as well. 

The annual event, which has been running for more than a decade, gets support from the Prince Albert Police Association along with the High Noon Optimist Club. Police Association Board President Darryl Hickie says there’s no shortage of applicants. The police association provides funds for food and fuel, Hickie said.

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“We feel that a lot of these youth that go on this trip are future leaders,” Hickie said. “It gives them a chance to mentor with police officers and see us in a different light, which is really positive as well.”

For 14-year-old Carter Altstadt, the trip is an exciting opportunity and he was eager to get started Tuesday.

“I’ve been waiting such a long time,” he told paNOW. 

The River Runners are expected to reach Prince Albert by canoe Thursday afternoon. A second group of youths will also take the trip later this summer. 

Charlene.tebbutt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @CharleneTebbut