The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
James Gilbert and Roegun Dietz engage in a short race from one end of the rink to the other.
Alyvia Rios pushes Ashaya Andersonon a chair, which new skaters use to stabilize themselves.
Emilia Barnett takes a break from her first day on skates.
An exuberant James Gilbert hurls himself into snowbank alongside the rink. A fellow skater pointed out that him that "You may be faster but you're definitely more reckless!"
The Lincoln Outdoor Club finally got a start on its winter activities following the recent snow storms that brought a more than a foot of snow to the area.
About 15 kids strapped on skates to hit the ice on the small 30-foot by 60-foot 'EZ Ice' rink that club organizer Sue Lattin set up on the Lincoln High school football field a few weeks ago.
Lattins' fellow organizer Karyn Good, said they hadn't been able to do anything until now, due to the weather conditions.
"It's finally frozen enough and its nice and smooth," Good said. "The other thing is if you get lots of wind or anything it gets a little choppy and its not near as much fun."
The skating rink also benefitted from work to replace the water pump and water lines at the school last summers, which included the installation of a high-volume hydrant near the football field. Lattin said it's usually used to water the field, but it also allowed her to flood the rink in a matter of minutes, rather than waiting for a much smaller hose to do the job.
In addition to skating Good said they are looking forward to getting the kids out to do some cross-country skiing, an activity that received a boost this year thanks to a recent, and mostly unexpected, grant.
"The Wilderness Society got ... $1000 for us, so we bought six new sets of skis," Good said.
Although they could have used the money for a bigger ice rink by buying an expansion 'EZ Ice' sets, they opted to focus it on skiing this year. "Some of that funding will go toward field trips we'll do toward the end of winter," she said.
Good explained that Jordan Reeves with the Wilderness Society asked her if they needed anything for the club. She told him they are constantly in need of equipment, since the Outdoor Club continues to grow and has several kindergarteners, first, second and third graders this year.
Reeves told the BVD in an e-mail that he's been impressed by the local energy and support for the club, and it was an easy fit for the Wilderness Society to award them a grant.
"The Outdoor Club and the parents, teachers, and volunteers who make these outings happen are helping local kids experience and appreciate the natural treasures that make Lincoln such a special place, and we are excited to support their efforts," he said.
"That was awesome," Good said. "A thousand bucks for a little club like this goes a long way."
Good said they went to Seeley Lake last year to check out the ski trails there, and they hope to explore the trails near Ovando this year,
Getting back up to Seeley is also part of a larger plan Good has to honor a Lincoln teacher.
"I'd like to add another field trip and go back to Seeley because George Pierce is retiring this year. I thought it would be fun to get some of the older kids – we've got plenty of skis for big people, not just little people – to come out with us and bring George along and go to Seeley."
Good said Pierce doesn't want a retirement party, but when she mentioned the idea of ski trip that included his current high school students, he said he would do that.
Pierce started the original Outdoor Club with fellow teacher Gary Roberson more than 20 years ago, and though that version didn't last, it provided a foundation that Good and Lattin were able to use to re-launch it, in partnership with the POUNCE afterschool program, in late 2017.
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