Survival class

When you're lost in the wilderness, Tom Laskowski's voice is the one you want in your head. As the director of the Midwest Native Skills Institute in Seven Hills, he teaches courses ($370-$780) in basic survival techniques, such as how to build shelter, find water and make fire, as well as weeklong classes that solve more complex problems including ways to navigate without a map or compass. "The main reason people get in trouble is they know they're lost, and they know they have to do something," says Laskowski. "They have to take care of themselves, but they don't know what to do." His most advanced course, Survival 4, pits erstwhile adventurers against an unforgiving environment - past spots have included the Great Smoky Mountains - armed with just a blanket and a knife. "By taking a survival class, even the weekend one, you have a plan," he says. 440-526-3672, survivalschool.com