Innisfail Scouts have returned from the recent weeklong Scouts Canada Jamboree in Sylvan Lake and participants have new insight into the cherished motto of “Be Prepared.”
Most of all, they had a great time, says Gary Patrick, group commissioner for the 1st Innisfail Scouts.
“There were so many things for them to do,” said Patrick, adding that the local group represented six Scouts and two leaders at the jamboree. “There was a climbing wall, canoeing, scuba diving, card trading, fellowship and learning to cook over a campfire.
“The boys were responsible for their own meals,” he added. “The material was supplied but they had to prepare their own meals. That is just part of camping.”
And tonight at 6 p.m. Innisfail Scouts and officials will again be prepared at Centennial Park for the group's annual recruitment drive.
“It is not a structured meeting as such. It is more to pass out information to people who are not involved in Scouts,” said Patrick, who has led 1st Innisfail Scouts since last fall and has been involved with the Scouts movement for more than 10 years. “Some of the Scouts now will be moving up the ladder, and we hope to recruit new members.
“We would like their kids to look at it as opposed to some of the other recreation that is around,” he added. “Of course I am biased. I think Scouts is the best.”
The Scouts movement has five youth groups for parents and kids, both boys and girls, to look at. There is the Beavers for kids between the ages of five and seven; Cubs for youngsters between the ages of eight and 10; Scouts for kids between the ages of 11 and 14, Venturer Scouts for teens 14 to 17 and Rover Scouts for those between the ages of 18 and 26. After the age of 26, Scouts have the opportunity to become leaders for the program's younger members.
The Innisfail Scouts program now has just under 20 participants, with most in the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts programs. There is one Innisfail Venturer but he is with the Red Deer program.
Patrick would like to build up the programs for older Scouts, but said it isn't as necessary as maintaining the strength for the ones for younger Scouts.
“I would like to see the program strong because I come from Calgary where we had a Scout troop of about 30, but we can't populate that from our population base,” said Patrick, adding he believes the Innisfail program is in good shape. “It could be bigger because we do have enough leaders to manage what we have and probably a few more in some of the groups. If we get too many more Scouts we will need more leaders to maintain the ratio.”
The annual cost of the program is $180 for each youth. There are also family rates if there are more than three kids. If parents register their children early there is a $20 discount.
For further information call Patrick at 403-227-6768.
