Scouting information night this Thursday for potential members, leaders

The Fifth Weyburn Scouting Group Will be hosting an information night this Thursday in the basement of Grace United Church from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. 

"We actually cover a larger area while taking kids from the Estevan, Weyburn, Radville, Fillmore, and all of the surrounding areas," said Scout Leader Lise Soles. "We meet usually in Weyburn, and we cover ages five all the way through to adult."

She said anybody who has uniforms that they've grown out of, or if they've moved up into a new section so they no longer need their uniforms, can bring them for an exchange or purchase. 

"We'll have an information package there for individual sections, so that would be our Beavers, ages five to seven, Cubs, ages eight to 10, Scouts, ages 11 to 13, and Ventures, 14 and up, with Rovers acting in the adult role as well," she stated. "We'll also have our leadership team there to explain what we do if there's somebody who wants to join up as a leader in the process."

Soles encourages more leaders to step up, noting the process to becoming a leader does require a background check and references to ensure the safety of the youth.

"I have had some of the best experiences of my life in becoming a leader and doing the program all the way through with my children doing it, and staying on even after my children have gone through the program, and if anyone remembers going through Girl Guides, or through Scouts growing up, we'd love to have you and we'd love to have you bring that back into your families. Or, if you're new and you've never done these things."

"Our job is not to have kids do what they're already good at. Our job is to help explore with children, 'what do you not know? Let's find out. Let's see what you can do. Let's build these skills.' Come at whatever level you're at, and let's see where we can go from there. So I don't want anyone to be afraid, thinking, well, I don't have outdoor skills, so this wouldn't be for me. That's not the case at all." 

Since Scouting is such a widely varied group, they will take whatever you know and incorporate it into what they do.

"We do outdoor activities, we do crafts, we do all of the STEM products. The kids love it when we're doing slime, when we're making things kind of blow up, or change colors, we do archery, canoeing, knots and lashes, of course, fire lighting, outdoor survival skills, and first aid. We do a lot of varied things. Each week is something different, so whatever skills that an adult has, we'll use that and build upon it, and what you don't know, will help you learn to do yourself so that you can then carry it on to the youth that you'll be with," she shared. 

"With the kids, too, all of that is exactly what the kids are going to get as well. We go on camps, canoeing, kayaking, and hikes, we have dress-up days, and we do service projects out in the community. It's a really varied program."

She said the Scouts' promise and the law and motto for each section it builds upon the previous ones.

"At the age of five we're working on sharing and doing your best and moving that in through the Cubs to do your best to becoming more independent with their scouting, to always be prepared," she explained. "But there's always that idea of giving back. For example, when we go on a camp, our rule is to do 'no trace camping'. In whatever place we go to, we need to leave it in as good a shape or better as we found it, and the kids learn so many skills, right from cooking their own food, personal safety, challenging themselves, and bringing up the rest of their group in doing so for themselves as well. It's a fantastic program."

Packages will be available Thursday night for those parents who may be wondering if this is a good fit for their child.

"If a parent is coming down and says, 'my youth is eight years old, what am I looking at? What days are you going to be there? Who's the leadership team?' We'll be there to hand out that stuff and answer general questions, and then if a family says, 'Yes, this is for us', they need to do the registration online." 

Registration is online at scouts.ca.

If finances are an issue, she said there are a number of ways to help ensure membership is covered, such as through KidSport or JumpStart, or 'No Scouter Left Behind'. 

"You can privately talk to us after the information night or you can get a hold of her at 306-861-3467 and we can help you arrange with that," said Soles.

She added they do offer a couple of opportunities to try out Scouting before making a commitment.

"We're pretty flexible and want to let families see what we're all about, and, of course, we're all-inclusive. So if English is a second language, we make accommodations for that. We've had children with many different disabilities, and we make accommodations for that as well, and parent involvement as much as they want is greatly encouraged."

Find the Fifth Weyburn Scouting Group on Facebook HERE.  

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