Gilmanton club provides a taste of the outdoors for students
by Dana Serum
Having recently wrapped up a third year of the Gilmanton Outdoor Club, Gilmanton Schools athletic director Todd Pozarski said the club was set up for anyone in grades 5-12 to join, whether they are in athletics or not.
“There are no prerequisites to joining such as grades or behavior,” Pozarski said. “The intent of this club was to provide another school based opportunity for students to gather as a group and experience the unique and beautiful outdoors of Buffalo County.”
As a passionate outdoorsman, Pozarski said he started the club voluntarily to get students involved in the outdoors, exercise and work as a team.
“I love the hills, streams and fields of Buffalo County,” he said. “I was surprised to find out how many students never had the opportunity to get out and enjoy the outdoors.”
Pozarski said the Outdoor Club gives students a different opportunity to be a part of the school, their surrounding community and the great outdoors.
“Life is all about being active,” Pozarski said. “This is just another way of doing that.”
Some of the activities the club has accomplished include climbing to the top of Mount Tom in Gilmanton, morel mushroom hunting and fishing. In May the club set a record as 23 students climbed to the top of Mount Tom.
“We’re always looking for new activities to do so that was can embrace the outdoors, remain active and work together as a team,” Pozarski said.
Fifth-grader Lydia Evans, 11, said she decided to join the club because of the fact she had never been to the top of Mount Tom; she thought it would be exciting to climb it with friends.
“We got to carve our names in the huge rocks on the very top where other people carved theirs for many years before us,” Evans said. “It was hard climbing but I got to see a lot of very tall trees and flowers. It was an amazing view and I would love to see it again.”
According to Pozarski, the number of club members varies as his intent was to keep the club an easy, informal group.
“Things get busy and students have work, homework, sporting events and more to do,” he said, noting all students can come to one or all of the outings.
Pozarski said currently, spring is the only season in which the club participates, but they are looking at possible activities for the fall and winter seasons.
“Wisconsin provides us with many ways to be active outdoors,” Pozarski stated. “We’re always looking for more ways to get outdoors.”