April and May 2007
The last two months, the kids really enjoyed being outdoors without heavy winter clothing.
In Plainview, we worked with the Southeast MN Water Resources Board intern through Winona State University to begin monitoring the Whitewater River. The kids learned how to collect a water sample and monitor the clarity of the water using a turbidity tube. Their favorite part was using the small ice cream pail to collect the water samples from the small stream.
We had fun doing alot of team building activities this spring. We used blindfolds to have the kids work together in new capacities. We also played a fun game where the kids were blindfolded and given a musical instrument and then turned loose in the crowd to find their “mate” with the same musical instrument. That was very interesting to observe!
We particpated in the Winona Earth Day event by setting up a Project GO booth. The kids worked together with some older teens from the Joining Hands youth group of St. Charles to promote the Project GO program.
As the bluebells and other spring wildflowers bloomed, we took a hike through the forest at Carely State Park to check out the spring beauties. The kids really enjoyed tasting the wild leeks growing throughout the park.
A small group of Project GO kids from St. Charles had the rare opportunity to observe a prescribed burn on a small prairie patch near Whitewater State Park. The kids got to try out the burn equipment and see the dramatic changes to the landscape before, during and after a burn.
Also, the participants in the St. Charles program planted a garden and have enjoyed the daily task of watering the plants and pulling small weeds.
It was a season full of fun activities and we topped it all off with the Second Annual Plainview Outdoors Fair. Even though it was a chilly and windy day, we had alot of fun and local families who attended the event had a great time!
