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Waverly Community House hosting fundraiser

Out-of-Town Births

<p>BENTON &#8212; They sniffed the carroty aroma of Queen Anne&#8217;s Lace, tasted blueberries they&#8217;d just picked and kicked up leaves on a path.</p><p>Even if they couldn&#8217;t see well, or at all, there was so much to feel &#8212; animal pelts and feathers, bones and rocks, a hemlock branch, white pine needles and the shell of a snapping turtle.</p><p>&#8220;This has a little point; be careful,&#8221; said environmental education specialist Judy Adamic as she passed a porcupine quill around to the teen-age participants in Camp Sight.</p><p>The program is run by the Greater Wilkes-Barre Association for the Blind to give blind and visually-impaired youth a chance to enjoy traditional camp experiences, and on Wednesday morning they visited Ricketts Glen State Park for a nature lesson that started in the visitors center.</p><p>&#8220;Ooh, ooh, ooh, that&#8217;s fuzzy,&#8221; 13-year-old Bianca Buchanan, of Nanticoke, said as she stroked the top of a cat-tail.</p><p>&#8220;Is it still alive?&#8221; she asked.</p><p>Yes, Adamic said, the plant was still alive, but it was drying out because it had been picked.</p><p>Native Americans would eat the roots of cat-tails and weave the stems into a mat or basket, Adamic said. As for those fuzzy tops, they&#8217;d dip them into grease and burn them as a torch.</p><p>&#8220;They wasted nothing,&#8221; the educator said, explaining animal bones could be used as cooking tools, a porcupine quill could become a sewing needle and a feather standing up tall in a head-dress could actually attract annoying gnats away from a person&#8217;s face.</p><p>&#8220;When the Native Americans wanted to make clothes, where do you think they turned?&#8221; Adamic said.</p><p>Sixteen-year-old Elizabeth Jones, of Dickson City, had the answer: &#8220;Animals.&#8221;</p><p>Soon Adamic was passing around pelts of beaver, coyote, fox, opossum and more.</p><p>The fox seemed to be the softest, said 13-year-old Breann Kowalski, of Hazleton, who set aside her white cane to feel the fur with both hands.</p><p>Most people who stop by the visitors center at Ricketts Glen State Park are expected to obey a sign that instructs them not to touch a stuffed and mounted black bear but for the Camp Sight campers, Adamic made a special exception.</p><p>&#8220;How big is it?&#8221; one boy wanted to know as he stroked the shiny black coat.</p><p>&#8220;It would be about a foot taller than you if it stood up,&#8221; a helper told him.</p><p>After they&#8217;d thoroughly explored the visitors center, the campers took a hike.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re walking into the woods,&#8221; 15-year-old Kayla McDonough, of Carbondale, told Kowalski as the younger girl held her arm for guidance.</p><p>&#8220;You don&#8217;t get to do this when you&#8217;re walking on a sidewalk,&#8221; Adamic said. &#8220;Kick up the leaves and feel them crunch.&#8221;</p><p>A few of the youngsters touched the holes a yellow-bellied sapsucker had pecked into a tree, and then they all had a chance to pick blueberries.</p><p>Earlier in the week, some of them said, they&#8217;d enjoyed a climbing wall during a visit to the YMCA&#8217;s Camp Kresge. &#8220;I made it all the way to the top,&#8221; said 15-year-old Kamrein Havrilla, of Luzerne.</p><p>&#8220;I made it about half-way up,&#8221; said Raina Long, 15, of Wilkes-Barre.</p><p>Organizers had planned the week to be filled with confidence-building activities, Blind Association president Sara Paperno said, noting Camp Sight is supported by donations and there is no charge to the campers&#8217; families.</p><p>After the nature hike, the campers said, they anticipated an indoor ice-skating excursion.</p><p>It could be difficult, Havrilla said.</p><p>But that would be OK, said 12-year-old Richard Thomas, of Kingston. &#8220;I like a challenge.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Judy Adamic, an environmental education specialist at Ricketts Glen State Park, talks to Camp Sight participants about animals and plants. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_Camp-sight-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Judy Adamic, an environmental education specialist at Ricketts Glen State Park, talks to Camp Sight participants about animals and plants. </caption0><photoCredit0>Amanda Hrycyna|For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_camp-sight2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Bianca Buchanan, 13, of Nanticoke, and Daniel Evans, 13, of Kingston, stroke turkey feathers during the environmental education program. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_camp-sight2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Bianca Buchanan, 13, of Nanticoke, and Daniel Evans, 13, of Kingston, stroke turkey feathers during the environmental education program. </caption1><photoCredit1>Amanda Hrycyna|For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_campo-sight-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Judy Adamic, an environmental education specialist at Ricketts Glen State Park, leads youngsters from Camp Sight on a short hike. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_campo-sight-3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Judy Adamic, an environmental education specialist at Ricketts Glen State Park, leads youngsters from Camp Sight on a short hike. </caption2><photoCredit2>Amanda Hrycyna|For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_camp-sight-6.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Brandon McPhillips, 13 of Scranton, examines a small animal skull. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_camp-sight-6.jpg</photo3><caption3>Brandon McPhillips, 13 of Scranton, examines a small animal skull. </caption3><photoCredit3>Amanda Hrycyna|For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_campsight7.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Elizabeth Jones, 16, of Dickson City, and Richard Thomas, 12, of Kingston, sample blueberries fresh from the bush. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_campsight7.jpg</photo4><caption4>Elizabeth Jones, 16, of Dickson City, and Richard Thomas, 12, of Kingston, sample blueberries fresh from the bush. </caption4><photoCredit4>Amanda Hrycyna|For Times Leader </photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_camp-sight.3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Carmen Evans helps Justin Olenginski, 16, of Dallas learn how a rodent skull feels. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/web1_camp-sight.3.jpg</photo5><caption5>Carmen Evans helps Justin Olenginski, 16, of Dallas learn how a rodent skull feels. </caption5><photoCredit5>Amanda Hrycyna|For Times Leader </photoCredit5></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p><strong>By Mary Therese Biebel</strong></p><p>mbiebel@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>MORE INFO</strong></p><p>For more information on Greater Wilkes-Barre Association for the Blind programs, call 570-693-3555 or email info@wilkesbarreblind.com</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Mary Therese Biebel at 570-991-6109 or on Twitter @BiebelMT</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Touching, tasting and smelling: Camp Sight offers nature experience