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26 - The Oakville Beaver, Friday March 9, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Students experience winter fun on trip to Muskoka By Veronica Fedorich GRADE 7, EASTVIEW SCHOOL Who said that fun had to stop at winter? At Muskoka Woods it's fun all year long! On Jan. 21, 140 Grade 7 students from Eastview departed for three days at Muskoka Woods Sports Camp located on Lake Rosseau. A three-hour bus drive from Oakville, Muskoka Woods is a sports camp that offers activities such as broomball, rock (wall) climbing, cross country skiing, floor hockey, snowshoeing, snow tubing, skateboarding/Roller-blading, orienteering and tons more. From the time you get up, to the time you go to sleep, you are provided many opportunities to challenge your abilities. While walking in the great Canadian outdoors through snow up to your knees we didn't even miss our electronic devices. We just enjoyed the beautiful scenery and the quiet surroundings as we got quite the workout! Our days began at 8:15 a.m. when we sat down in the main hall to enjoy breakfast. Breakfast was usually light and included cereal, fruit juice, muffins and more. After buckling up in our winter clothes (snow pants, long underwear, hats, mitts, scarves, etc.) we headed out to the first of our two morning activities. Each activity was approximately 90 minutes in length and there were eight in all. The activity groups were made up of 20 girls and boys from both the English and Immersion programs. The groups gave us an opportunity to work with others we don't normally see during the course of the day so many of us made new friends. Walking up the big hill to get to some of the activities was certainly a challenge for most. After some moaning and groaning, we finally reached our activities. The activities challenged us both physically and mentally. After a morning of fun with our leaders and activity groups, we headed in to the dining hall for lunch. The fun didn't stop there. After we were full, we headed out for the last two activities of the day. By the end of the trip all students would have rotated through all eight of the activities. Everyone had their favourites, but personally I really enjoyed the skateboarding. Skateboarding was something new to me, but after a few stumbles and falls, I found it to be really fun. I also enjoyed snow tubing but walking up the hills was tiring. After a long day we all looked forward to sitting down in the big hall for a buffet dinner and sharing our experiences. During the three days we had little time to ourselves, but when we did we stayed in large cabins. They accommodated 10-14 students. They are bunk-bed style in the main room, electrically heated, and a full washroom/shower located in the other room of the cabin. After dinner, we had the choice of a Muskoka Woods' dance, or some fun games. Most students went to the dance. After two hours of partying and amusement, everyone headed back to the dining hall for a "good-night treat". After achieving new goals and trying new things, we didn't want to leave. But we reluctantly packed up our bags and placed our luggage on the bus for the trip back home to Oakville. We now have memories we will cherish for a lifetime.