Instructors to share survival tips, demonstrations at Benedictine

Imagine being stranded in the harsh wilderness, miles from food and shelter. It’s getting cold and dark, and you don’t have cellphone reception.

 Would you know what to do?

Learn how to protect yourself and better prepare for an outdoor emergency at a special presentation, “What 2 Know B4 You Go,” hosted by Benedictine University’s Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum, located on the second floor of the Birck Hall of Science, from 1:00-4:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 1.

Instructors Ron Nosek and Tim Cronin from Nature Education Programs Ltd. will share several stories of emergency situations – both real and hypothetical – and provide participants with hands-on demonstrations and tutorials, such as how to make a personal survival kit, build a shelter and use a flint and steel to start a fire.

The content applies to just about any endeavor that can take you into the natural world whether it’s hiking, biking, canoeing, snowshoeing, skiing or simply driving through a remote area.

“Part of our mission is to inspire people to seek a deeper understanding and appreciation for the world’s natural diversity,” said Karly Tumminello, curator for the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum at Benedictine. “We promote awareness of the environment, and a key part of enjoying nature is to respect and understand it.

“The skills presented in this program facilitate the safe, respectful reconnection with nature and its non-human inhabitants, and we feel it provides essential information for everyone who enjoys outdoor activities,” she added.

The program is designed specifically for families with youngsters (ages 10 and older) and individuals with limited experience in the outdoors, but even the experienced will learn valuable, life-saving information.

The program is free, but space is limited. Participants must register by Tuesday, May 28 by contacting JuricaSuchyMuseum@ben.edu. Children ages 10-16 must be accompanied by an adult.

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Benedictine University is an independent Roman Catholic institution located in Lisle, Illinois just 25 miles west of Chicago, and has branch campuses in Springfield, Illinois and Mesa, Arizona. Founded in 1887, Benedictine provides 55 undergraduate majors and 14 graduate and four doctoral programs. Benedictine University is ranked No. 1 among the country’s fastest-growing campuses between 2000-2010 in The Chronicle of Higher Education’s list of private nonprofit research institutions, and Forbes magazine named Benedictine among “America’s Top Colleges” for the second consecutive year in 2012. Benedictine University’s Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) program is listed by Crain’s Chicago Business as the fifth largest in the Chicago area in 2012.