THE ARCHERY INSTRUCTOR chapter 106

The following year we moved our district camp to the Fort Qu’Appelle area northeast of Regina, Saskatchewan. This was a more convenient to many of our churches and far less bugs. However, two years later I did have the occasion to return to Jeannette Lake with Christian Service Brigade (CSB).

The greater Saskatoon CSB group rented the same camp we had used each summer. Our church had always been part of the large and enthusiastic area wide organization and a great number of our guys went to camp there. It was only a matter of time before I was talked into joining them. I kept putting it off because of the bugs. I was assured it wasn’t as bad as the year of teen camp, but I had my doubts. Besides, Harrison did not go to that camp and I was sure he would be needed.

Believe it or not I did that quite often, before I retired from Archery

My third summer in Saskatoon, I agreed to go, but no one went just as just a counselor. Everyone also had to teach a skill or craft. Yuck! What on earth was this city boy gong to teach at an outdoor type “guys” camp? “Well, we need an archery instructor,” I was told. The closest I had ever come to touching a bow and arrow was playing cowboys and Indians when a kid. The CSB leaders brought bales of hay, targets and bow and arrows to my house for me to practice. I was about to become the archery instructor. Good luck. “Wait a minute, there are only two bales here.” “If you can’t at least hit those two bails all the time, we won’t need you.” “But I have neighbors across the alley.” “Don’t hit them.” I wasn’t planning to shoot a neighbor, but had no idea what I might do.

I needed the entire length of my yard to get the distance required to earn awards. The bales looked large, but — I still wasn’t sure. No one showed me anything, because they didn’t know anything. I was given an instruction book and told to practice. I did. Every night when I got home if even for a few minutes. Job one was stringing the bow. These were simple wooden bows with strings already looped. Loop it on one end of the bow and bend the bow to loop it on the other. That was the easy part.

Being left-handed I wasn’t exactly sure how I was going to hold the bow. I do most sports right handed. I tried both and realized I would shoot right handed. I said a prayer (for my neighbors) pulled the bow back and hit the target. Wow! Maybe I can do this! I missed the target a few times, but never the vales. By the time camp came around I was always hitting the target. All I wanted was to stay ahead of the boys. I was going to earn my awards and pins right along with them.

My only problem was on a very hot Saturday I sat in the chaise lounge to take a break and a couple hours later Della came out to see what had happened to me and woke her newly lobster colored husband from a deep sleep. I had lain down in shorts and could already feel the pain from the sunburn; it was going to be tough at church the next day. I hoped it would be mostly gone when I left for camp in another week. I was red on one side and white on the other.

I don’t remember all the skills being taught. The most popular ones were horseback riding and water skiing. There was also a rifle range and a dozen or more other things that led to CSB badges and awards. I would my way up to advanced over my three years as the archery instructor.

One year I made a cartoon of each of the leaders. Nothing more than stick figures actually but each had a distinguishing item or feature that identified who they were. The camp director was a terrific guy but he often talked about humility. He was my main character and so I titled the drawings, “How I Keep Myself Humble” by Moon Doggy, This was just a quick little thing that I saw as completely disposable, but everyone wanted a copy of all the cartoons. Since this was the days before copiers, I redrew each cartoon on a mimeograph master and made copies that were then distributed through the churches. That was a lot of work.

As it turns out, the year I left Saskatoon, CSB bought property on Jeannette Lake. “In 1970 The Jeannette Lake Camping Association Inc. formed in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan with the vision of establishing a camp board. The Board wished to oversee the creation of a permanent camp site for the benefit of organizations like the Christian Service Brigade (CSB), Pioneer Girls and other Christian groups who felt the need for a site for single short camps and retreats.” The area is a beautiful location if there are no bugs. There held their first camp a stayed in tenets in 173

I may have exaggerated the impact and quantity of mosquito’s my first year at Jeannette Lake with our teen camp, but not by much. The sky was slightly grey, but when CSB was there, it wasn’t bad. You still needed protection, but it was tolerable. Personally I think we have Harrison Weaver to thank for asking God to clear the air so we (and all who followed) would have successful camps.

PS: I apologize to any readers I may have from those CSB days. The name of the booklet is right, the camp directors name and camp name have totally escaped me. If anyone remembers, I would like to be corrected.