Calling all Northern adventure-seekers and community explorers.
The Nipigon, Red Rock, and Dorion Public Libraries have announced the seventh iteration of ‘A Superior Adventure,’ inviting residents in Dorion/Hurkett, Red Rock, Nipigon, and Lake Helen First Nation to participate in a diverse list of challenges.
All but one challenge – a step-count challenge taking place over the month of June – are now open to entries from anyone in the aforementioned communities.
Speaking to Dougall Media, Sumiye Sugawara, chief executive officer and librarian at the Nipigon Public Library, said the adventure began in 2017 – just a couple of years before the COVID pandemic.
“We partnered originally with the dietitian from the Nipigon District Family Health Team. We kind of ran it out of there, trying to promote people getting a little healthier,” she said.
“We had a little bit of a change-up during COVID, naturally.”
And, as Sugawara noted, A Superior Adventure has definitely evolved since its inception.
“Originally, what we did is we hiked out and put things up that you had to find and take your picture with. Not everybody is thrilled with hiking out . . . and then some people were taking things so other people couldn’t get their pictures. We had to change it up a little bit. We found there were a few issues with that methodology which we hadn’t planned on,” she said.
Sugawara said that she, Nancy Carrier, CEO/head librarian in Red Rock, and Simone Marchand, CEO/head librarian in Dorion, decided a change was needed along with more of an emphasis on ecology and the environment.
Accessibility was also key for all involved.
“All of our challenges can be done whether you’re in a wheelchair or you’re fit as a fiddle and doing marathons. They all have an aspect to them that allows anyone to participate,” Sugawara said.
According to Sugawara, there were over 638 participants in A Superior Adventure in 2022 – the same year all three libraries were honoured with the Angus Mowat Award of Excellence in the Small Libraries Category during the Ontario Public Library Service Awards.
Besides the step-count challenge, others include taking a picture of:
- Yourself doing something to make a difference in your community (e.g. picking up garbage, planting in a local garden, assisting the elderly or small children, etc.)
- Yourself doing something gutsy (e.g. cliff-jumping, kayaking on Lake Superior, rock climbing, camping with small children, etc.)
- Nature as Art (i.e. using nature and natural elements outside to compose an image)
All entries can be emailed to [email protected] anytime between May 1 and August 31.
You are asked to include your name, phone number, and the location where you took your photo.
Only one entry per person is allowed.
Participants will be entered into a random prize draw with winners to be announced on September 25.
The community with the most participants will also be tallied and announced in September.
The step-count challenge runs every week in June and submissions are due the Monday of each following week – June 10, 17, 24, and July 1.
All weekly winners for the step-count challenge will be announced in July.
