Released on August 17, 2012
Saskatchewanderer Jeff Stock wrapped up his summer of wandering the province by jumping out of a plane.
"Skydiving was incredible," Stock said. "Right before I jumped, I was terrified, but it was awesome. It was an amazing experience and it capped off a fantastic summer of discovering Saskatchewan."
Stock was hired by the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport to travel around Saskatchewan and blog about everything that makes the province special. He then shared all of his experiences through Facebook and Twitter, gaining about 1,000 followers throughout the summer and receiving dozens of comments on his photos and posts.
One of Stock's photos - of the only lighthouse in Saskatchewan, built in 1988 and located at the Resort Village of Cochin received national attention. The photo was shared on Facebook by the Canadian Tourism Commission, and within days 42 people had shared the photo and more than 100 ‘liked' it.
"Part of our ministry's mandate is to celebrate and build pride in Saskatchewan," Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Kevin Doherty said. "The Saskatchewanderer project is a unique way to do that. Jeff has been a great ambassador for our province - he's up for anything, from extreme sports, to visiting local museums and he is genuinely appreciative of every experience."
This summer, Stock tried kiteboarding near Regina, scuba diving in a pool, and whitewater canoeing on the Churchill River. He visited communities and parks around the province including Estevan, Weyburn, Prince Albert, Moose Mountain Provincial Park, Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, Watrous, Ogema, Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, La Ronge and Stanley Mission.
Stock is now travelling to Richmond, BC, to study graphic design and marketing at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in September.
"This job has been an incredible experience," Stock said. "I've travelled all over the world, but I had never explored my home province until now. It is beautiful, the people are so friendly, and there is more to do and experience than I knew."
This is the second year of the Saskatchewanderer project. You can check out Stock's adventures at www.saskatchewanderer.ca, and if you missed it, you can still read and watch the 2011 Saskatchewanderer's adventures there as well.
The Saskatchewanderer project is supported by two sponsors - Bennett Dunlop Ford and CAA Saskatchewan. Bennett Dunlop Ford provided a vehicle for the summer, while CAA Saskatchewan provided a membership as well as gas cards.
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For more information, contact:
Jennifer Johnson
Parks, Culture and Sport
Regina
Phone: 306-787-0619
Email: jennifer.johnson@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-529-5805