For Immediate Release:      

August 2006      

For More Information Contact:
Michael Larison at (845) 985-2291, ext 275
mlarison@frostvalley.org

Family Outdoor Sporting Weekend Sept. 15-17 at Frost Valley YMCA

CLARYVILLE, NY -A Family Outdoor Sporting Weekend will be held from Friday-Sunday, Sept. 15-17 at Frost Valley YMCA in Claryville, NY.

This fun-filled weekend offers a unique family experience that combines adventure and outdoor education. Topics to be explored include: hiking, camping, nature, wildlife, natural resources, hunting, fishing, camping and outdoor sporting activities.

Participants can also get their license by taking either the NYS Hunter Safety Certification Course or the NYS Bow Hunting Certification Course. There is no charge for taking this training, but only one course can be completed during the weekend.

Family members who are not involved in the Hunter Safety Course have the option of participating in the following programs: Basic Camping & Survival Skills, Deer Hunting Strategies, Life of the White Tail Deer, Global Positioning and Orienteering, Lost In The Woods!, Getting Started in Archery, The Catskill Black Bear, Fishing Basics, The Art of Fly Fishing, Fall Turkey Tactics and Maple Sugaring.

The weekend will also feature a 3-D Archery Tournament and Barbecue on Saturday, Sept. 16 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. This event will include 28 life-size and life-like archery targets in real field situations and is suitable for beginner to advanced archers. Participants should bring their own bows and arrows.

Representatives from Gander Mountain sporting goods will be on hand Saturday and Sunday with instructors. The instructors will have generic bows available for visitors who do not have their own equipment, but who are interested in learning more about archery or shooting the course.

There will also be an authentic "Mountain Man Village" set up on Friday evening and all day Saturday so that participants can learn firsthand what life was like for these rugged individuals in the 1800s.
A full weekend package for the Family Outdoor Sporting Weekend, is available for $100 per person and includes lodging, five meals and a choice of programs. For those who wish to only take part in the 3-D Archery Tournament and Barbecue, advance registration is $10, entry at the gate is $13 and registration for those ages 14 and under is $6. Children six years and under can participate in the competition for free.

The Family Outdoor Sporting Weekend is being held in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Established in 1901 as one of the nation's first summer camps, Frost Valley YMCA is located in the heart of the Catskill Mountains and provides four seasons of outdoor, experiential and educational opportunities. Frost Valley YMCA is a 6,000-acre facility offering summer camping for children, environmental education, year-round activities for families and conference and retreat facilities for groups and businesses.

Additional information and reservations for the Family Outdoor Sporting Weekend, may be made by calling (845) 985-2291, ext. 205.

For more information, please contact: Michael Larison at (845) 985-2291, ext. 275, e-mail at mlarison@frostvalley.org or visit: www.frostvalley.org