Pictured above: Get Happy Summer Day Camp participants in Sanikiluaq sending their thanks

Over 2,000 youth from 16 communities across Nunavut joined this year’s annual Get Happy Summer Day Camps organized by the Recreation & Parks Association of Nunavut (RPAN), coming together for a 4-6 week long program filled with fun and excitement.

Started in 2015, the Get Happy Summer Day Camps began as a program where teens and young adults aged 15-21 would join a five-day training forum dedicated towards developing their leadership and organizational skills. They would be given the tools and certification needed to implement comprehensive summer camp programs, under the guidance of a supervisor from the RPAN, in each of their communities.

Normally, the youth leaders would be flown in from their communities to participate in the forum, but with the pandemic prohibiting travel across many parts of Nunavut, the RPAN found an online alternative to its in-person training program. This year, the training program was delivered through Zoom, where nearly 100 youth leaders rose to the responsibility of making an unforgettable summer for their younger community members.

Pictured above: A camper from Whale Cove sports artwork created at a mask-making workshop. A camper from Pond Inlet trying on an RCMP vest during a tour of the community’s RCMP office.

All across Nunavut, these youth leaders worked tirelessly in their respective communities to create workshops, games and exercises for children aged 5-12 to stay active and happy during the summer. From dances, ball games, hikes, arts and crafts and everything in between, there was no shortage of avenues for these children to experiment and explore their talents in a fun and safe setting.

“The Summer Day Camps are an amazing opportunity for the children of our community,” says Laila Onalik, Recreation Coordinator, from Kimmirut, NU.

“We think we made a really good impact on our children,” adds Jennifer Corcoran, Summer Day Camp Leader, also from Kimmirut. “Some kids said that they wish the Summer Day Camp could go on all year long.”

In this seventh year of holding the camps, RPAN also introduced its first Nunavut-wide colouring contest, along with the return of its third Annual Summer Day Camp Challenge – where all of the participating communities would go head-to-head with one another in a series of activities to compete for banners and cash prizes.

Northern was proud to support RPAN with this year’s camps by donating gift cards throughout its participating communities.

“The ongoing partnership with North West Company enables RPAN to better support the summer day camp program in Nunavut communities,” says Dawn Currie, Executive Director of Recreation & Parks Association of Nunavut. “Our youth, who were provided training, and who then delivered the program are to be applauded...they made a difference this summer to more than 2,000 children!”