Cohen is one of seven amazing members on the Fox Creek crew for 2025!
Tell us a bit about yourself!
My name is Cohen, and I am with the Fox Creek JFR crew this year. In my hometown, St. Albert, I play volleyball for my high school team, as well as club volleyball. I have spent my time in the outdoors by camping ever since I was a couple months old. As a hobby, I enjoy playing musical instruments such as the guitar, and a little bit of piano.
What has been your favorite project or activity you’ve done with JFR so far?
So far, my favourite project this summer has been dealing with trail maintenance and building throughout the different lakes and forests. It has helped me practice with tools, and it gives me a sense of satisfaction when the hard work is completed by the end of the day. I am excited to potentially take part in a Wildfire mop up, as it introduces me to wildland firefighting with a safe and knowledgeable background for the specific job.
Please describe your JFR leaders with a pop culture/musical reference / meme and explain why.
My crew leaders remind me of the song, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin because it is a hard song to hate, and personally, whenever I listen to it, I feel more calm and happier. There may be times when somebody is not feeling 100% that day, but all three leaders take action into it and find ways to make it enjoyable for them. They have also made sure that everybody here is experiencing a fun time, by introducing a diverse group of careers such as being a Fish and Wildlife officer and firefighting, and certifications such as canoeing and our P.A.L.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about applying to the program?
I would extremely recommend it. I was nervous to experience something like this job as I would be away from home, and I thought I would be not as experienced as everybody else. However, everybody receives an amazing opportunity no matter the amount of knowledge you have going into this job. On my crew, everybody displays amazing leadership and lifts everybody up with them, leaving an amazing and fun experience with this job. We have all strengthened our skills while creating memories along the way.
If your whole crew were an animal, what animal would you be and why?
If my whole crew were to be an animal, they would be elephants. A little fact about elephants is that when they are in groups, they talk through gestures that include movements and noises to make sure what they are doing is safe, and the direction of where they are going. Just like our crew, we can communicate to ensure safety and accountability, which has improved everybody’s leadership skills so far this summer.