Smith: Ojibwa event helps introduce youth to outdoors

• Ojibwa Bowhunters Youth Day draws 225 kids
• Free event features archery and other outdoor activities

New Berlin - Adrianna Sequeria, 7, of Milwaukee reared back with a spincast outfit and lobbed a fishing plug at a target.

Logan Schmidt, 11, of Whitefish Bay tried his hand at making turkey music with a wooden box call.

And Emily Wang, 12, of Waukesha used a rubber stamp and paint to apply animal tracks to a T-shirt.

That's when they weren't on a nature walk, shooting archery, hunting big game with a laser simulator or learning about conservation issues.

For the three youngsters and many more, the activities were all part of 2016 Youth Day at Ojibwa Bowhunters of Milwaukee, Inc.

"A full, fun day," said Wang, who attended the event with her brother, parents and grandmother.

Her assessment was music to the ears of Ojibwa members. The club, which was formed in 1945, has youth development as part of its constitution.

But Youth Day is a relative infant in the club's long history.

The event came about after Dennis Drewicz Sr., 63, and his son, Dennis Jr., 34, both Ojibwa members from Milwaukee, read a December 2013 column in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about a Wisconsin archery club that helped provide hope and community to a grieving mother and son.

Dorothy McElroy and her son Wyatt had lost their husband and father Dennis Kauth to a brain aneurysm. Adrift after the sudden death, the pair found comfort and direction through archery and the support of club members at Kenosha Bowmen.

Their new inspiration began by attending a public shoot at the private Kenosha club.

"Dad, what can our club do?" asked Dennis Jr.

The pair talked about possibilities and settled on one: A day of youth activities at Ojibwa, open to the public, and free.

Dennis Sr., a member since 1995 and past president of the club, took the idea to the Ojibwa board of directors.

"They embraced it right away," Dennis Sr. said.

The Drewicz's and other club members set about planning the first event, scheduled for 2014.

Situated on about 40 acres of woods and grass fields in New Berlin, Ojibwa is well-suited to host such an event. It includes a clubhouse, outdoor pavilion, and multiple archery ranges, including on trails through the forest.

Since Ojibwa is primarily an archery and hunting club, there was no question bows and arrows would be involved in the youth event. Besides, Dennis Sr. had led a youth program at Whiffen Archery in Milwaukee for 25 years.

But the planners wanted to offer other activities, too. They worked their contacts of sponsors and educators. They reached out to other clubs in the area as well as the Department of Natural Resources.

After just months of planning, Ojibwa pulled off its first Youth Day in the summer of 2014. A bustling crowd of 156 kids attended.

In 2015, it grew to 185. This year, under chamber of commerce weather on the last Saturday in July, 225 youth graced the Ojibwa grounds.

At least 100 parents and chaperones were on hand, too.

About 80% of the young attendees were non-members, Dennis Sr. said.

"Our goal is to reach kids who otherwise wouldn't have these types of opportunities," Dennis Sr. said. "We want to get them to love the outdoors."

It's not about gaining new members, either. Ojibwa caps its membership at 125 (which includes families); it currently has 120.

Ojibwa member Ben Laskowski of Pewaukee was chairman of this year's event.

"Seeing this level of participation makes us feel very good," Laskowski said. "It's not just us, it's a whole lot of sponsors and supporters, too, who help bring this off."

Forty-two club members volunteered for the day.

The event included stations for archery, fishing, a craft center, a video shooting gallery, a learning center and nature walks.

As participants completed each, they received an “x” on their activity card. Those who finished all six were entered into a prize drawing.

The Milwaukee Dog Training Club put on exhibitions, and the National Wild Turkey Federation and DNR Hunter Education program had interactive displays.

At 3 p.m., Laskowski began drawing tickets for the prizes. Each youth went home with at least one new item, ranging from bows to fishing rods to tents.

"I've been at lots of youth events, and this has to be the best one I've seen," said Howard Wohlgefardt of Union Grove, representing the National Wild Turkey Federation.

Although it's relatively new, Ojibwa Youth Day has already become a tradition for 7-year-old Sequeria of Milwaukee.

"This is my third time here," Sequeria said. "I was really excited to come back."

Sequeria visited all the stations. At the archery range, she looked like a veteran as she drew an arrow with three fingers on the string and anchored at the corner of her mouth before releasing.

Sequeria was driven to the event by her grandparents, Neil and Kathy Sequeria of Muskego, who also brought another granddaughter and her friend to Ojibwa.

"It's great what they do for the kids," Neil Sequeria said. "This is the future right here."