2nd Aunnual Women's Challenge

By Audrey Fergel

                Ladies, are you up for a unique winter vacation?  Helen Corlew, the owner of Prairie Isle Dog Trekking, LLC, is holding the 2^nd Annual Women’s Challenge at the Red Willow Bible Camp near Binford, ND. While sitting in her kitchen, with a few friendly Samoyed dogs allowed in the house, Corlew explained why she started the Women’s Challenge.  Corlew said, “Because other women I had spoken with wanted to learn how to dog sled or had a few dogs of their own and wanted help and were willing to pay me to help, so I decided lets create something and put it out there to the whole public and not to just these couple people.” She went on to say, “Basically what it is there are a lot of challenges we all have in life, I don’t care if you a male or female, but women, I can relate to women because I’m a women, that if you can work together and see you can overcome something you feel better about yourself.”  She elaborated that she has had many obstacles that she had to overcome in her own life and the dogs helped her with that, so she wanted to share that with other women The winter vacation is directed toward helping women enjoy winter and challenging them to get outside their comfort zone by meeting them on their terms and then give them that little push.  Corlew stated that she not only welcomes women but children and teens to participate in the event.  

Corlew tries to make a schedule of activities that will include all of the women participating.  The first lesson that she teaches the women participating about driving the sled is NEVER LET GO! She emphasized that safety of all parties (including her dogs) was a major concern for her.  The lesson she wants the women to get is not only do you not let go of your team and sled for the safety of the dogs and yourself, but her hopes are that you can apply that to your life. Corlew states in her flyer “Never let go, hang on even through the bumps and curves life throws at you.”  Other activities for the weekend are snowshoeing, and cross country skiing, as well as, orienteering, which is learning how to use an old fashioned compass.  Corlew explained, “My husband teaches the women to a use regular compass not a GPS to find the coordinates of an object.”   She went on to tell me that because she has a contract with the RWBC they are also able to utilize the facilities lodging, which include the kitchen, rooms, snowshoes, cross country skies, fire pit, and sauna.  She allows the women to decide what event they would like to partake in or just relax for awhile if they are worn out, but encourages them to participate as much as possible.  The underlying theme of the vacation is to learn as much as possible from the experience and apply it to your own life.  

                The Women’s Challenge 1 will be held Jan. 13-16, 2011 and Women’s Challenge 2 will be held Feb. 24- 27, 2011. If you are interested in participating look up Corlew’s website which is www.prairieisledogtrekking.com where she has many pictures of what kind of adventures you can experience.  Corlew also takes people mushing by appointment.  

                 
Corlew and her team mushing. Photo used by permission.

Corlew on her farm near Petersburg, ND with two of her dogs. Photo taken by Audrey Fergel