Protecting Our Common World

 

Are you looking for resources or field trips to encourage our youth in exploring ways to “protect our common world”? I have some thoughts and ideas for you. While most of the facilities I will mention are in Edmonton, Alberta and area, many communities have similar local organizations that you can access.

We all know the “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra that has been a part of our society for quite some time now. What may be more challenging is helping our members find ways to apply that in real life, and through our programs. As I write this, the Program Platform is down for its September re-start, but Girl Guides of Canada’s Pinterest site is available and has a whole board called “Protect the Planet”. This is a great place to start to generate ideas.

Themed meetings are always a fun way to explore a given topic, and this is no exception. For example, one meeting could be devoted to home care and such, creating environmentally friendly cleaning products, repurposing items to make a hydroponic herb garden or a ready to plant seed starter. There are a lot of pins and ideas around Climate Change too, and that could easily fill a meeting.

But how about taking things further? The City of Edmonton ReUse Centre offers all sorts of FREE materials to repurpose, reuse or upcycle. Their mandate is to keep things out of the landfill, and they will weigh whatever you take, to keep a record of what has been achieved to that end. The ReUse Centre also offers DIY Thursdays, free workshops featuring local experts that focus on building skills to help you reduce waste! Past DIY Thursdays have included: Bike repair workshops, gardening workshops and sewing. They also have a workshop space available free of charge to any group that supports waste reduction and reuse education. This opens the possibility of a Unit holding their meeting there and exploring the possibilities of upcycling on the spot! 

Hodge Podge Lodge, in Sherwood Park, is a similar though smaller facility. Again, your finds are weighed before you leave. As well as offering free items to reuse or repurpose, Hodge Podge Lodge may offer opportunities for our youth to engage in volunteering and gaining some service hours. Youth must be at least 13 years old to apply. A parent is required to volunteer alongside 13- and 14-year-olds (Pathfinders), but those over 15 (Rangers) can volunteer by themselves.

Habitat for Humanity ReStores offer another way to thrift or reuse. Habitat ReStore is a social enterprise retailer that accepts and resells donations of new and used furniture, appliances, décor, and home improvement building materials. All profits from their operations fund Habitat for Humanity. Want an outing to price out the cost of outfitting and decorating a dorm room or apartment? This would be an excellent field trip for Pathfinders and Rangers armed with notebooks and calculators. Besides the big ticket items, ReStore shoppers can often find small treasures such as cookbooks, jewelry, craft or school supplies at reasonable prices. It’s like a big treasure hunt!

A different sort of opportunity is presented by Blenderz Garment Recyclers. The primary focus here addresses the huge problem of discarded clothing into landfills. Every year billions of pounds of clothing and textiles end up in landfills here and more often, overseas. What a great discussion to have, particularly with our teen members, to whom clothes can be a significant interest. Blenderz’ mission is to reclaim and recycle excess clothing, fabrics and textiles from the public, charities and businesses. They do this by disrupting the linear model that the textile industry is operating under and instead moving toward a closed loop system. They resell, repair, remake and reteach! They believe that we are capable of dealing with our textile waste problem right here in Alberta. Textile “waste” can be a useful resource in the right hands. Their vision is to recycle, reclaim and upcycle textiles locally to help alleviate the huge negative impact that textile waste has on millions of people. As well as offering second hand clothing and all sorts of textiles for sale by the pound, Blenderz also has a “boutique” of upcycled one-of-a-kind items created by local makers, kits for you to make your own items like duffle bags, rugs, etc. They also offer classes and workshops for all sorts of things from basic “how to sew” to making one-of-a-kind garments to weaving from recycled materials. These have a cost associated with them. I recently spoke with the owner (who is a former Guide/Pathfinder!) and she was delighted with the idea of Guiding groups touring the facility, offering age-and-cost appropriate workshops for Units, and providing volunteer opportunities for our older members who may be looking for service projects and volunteer hours.  

Other opportunities for upcycling, recycling and thrifting abound. Years ago, the Guide Law included “A Guide is thrifty.” But it was discontinued, and Guiders were told this was because the Guides didn’t know the word anymore. “Thrift” has come back into vogue, whether as a word or a lifestyle choice, and it is certainly worth exploring with our Units in creative and practical ways. I hope you will check out your local resources and take advantage of the low cost and free opportunities that abound!

Patrol Leader - More Than Just a Title

B-P wrote in ‘Scouting for Boys’: “The main object of the Patrol System is to give real responsibility to as many boys as possible. It leads each boy to see that he has some individual responsibility for the good of his Patrol. It leads each Patrol to see that it has definite responsibility for the good of the Troop. Through the Patrol System the Scouts learn that they have considerable say in what the Troop does.”

I just posted the following on the “Guiders of Canada Unofficial “ Facebook page:
“Patrol system: I was a unit Guider for a couple of decades, then took some time away from units, being just a Trefoil Guild member. I have been back as a unit Guider for a few years now, and have mostly adjusted to the changes that have happened in the intervening years. But some things are still unclear to me.... Does anyone still use the Patrol System? I don't mean do you have Patrols, I mean, do you give your PLs responsibility to communicate with their members outside of the meeting, do you engage PLs and Seconds to teach Promise and Law to their new members, do you spend time with just PLs to help them learn and hone leadership skills? I haven't seen nor heard evidence of this around me, so wanted to ask a wider audience........”
The responses were very interesting to me, varying from “No but we should”, to “I’d like to learn more about it”, to “yes we did this with great success”. The job description for being a Patrol Leader (or a Circle Leader in Brownies) is very nebulous, it seems. Most PLs seem to collect the dues in their patrol, and walk in the front of the line when going into Horseshoe or Brownie Ring. Some collect materials or pass on instructions for an activity to their Patrol or circle, but that is it. Someone commented, rightly, that giving the PLs responsibility encourages and teaches them better leadership skills to take forward to the decision-making of Pathfinders, Rangers, and on into their adult lives. The comments I saw, and what I have been able to observe around me has inspired me to offer a picture of my past experience and methods for engaging and encouraging active, enthused and involved Patrol and Circle Leaders (and Seconds!).

When I was a Girl Guide, getting to be the Patrol Leader was a very big and somewhat prestigious deal. I loved my PL, and was a little in awe of her, too. Whether they were elected or appointed (that is a whole other discussion!), there was a little ceremony to install them officially and give them their stripes. PLs were held to a higher standard. They were role models to look up to, and were respected as leaders. They were given responsibility to not only take attendance of their Patrol and to record dues, but to help teach the new (Tenderfoot) Guides what they needed to know before enrollment, to help and encourage their Patrol to be prepared for Inspection (that’s a topic for another time!), to collect the Patrol’s opinions and ideas for group decisions or for upcoming projects or events, and to speak for the Patrol, reporting those opinions and ideas to the entire Unit later. Girls who were going to be absent from a meeting telephoned the PL to inform her. If there was important information or a reminder to be given before a meeting, the Guiders called the PLs, and the PLs called their members, relaying things like, “we are going outside this week – bring warm outerwear” or “don’t forget to bring your permission slip for our hike – this week is the deadline”. Every girl had phone numbers for their own Patrol, just so they COULD contact each other. Did Guiders still talk to parents? Yes, about things that needed parental input or permission, etc., but not for those reminders etc. – those became the girls’ responsibilities.

In my Unit, we tried to have a sleepover/Patrol Leader & Second training early in the year. We would
explore things like dealing with conflict in the Patrol, how to be courteous and tactful with Patrol members, what the responsibilities of the PL were, how she could involve the Second, and what the Second should know how to do if the PL had to be absent. We played team-building games, and gave the PLs resources to do similar things with their Patrols. We helped them put together Patrol Kits for their Corner, filled with the things they might need at Patrol Time – scissors, tape, glue, pencils, markers, paper, etc., but also knotting cord, knot cards, Promise and Law cards, and other resource materials. Songbooks too, were in the box, and were the responsibility of the Patrol to look after and return. Patrol Leaders and Seconds returned to Unit meetings after this sleepover with a clear understanding of their roles, responsibilities, and privileges. They knew that being a PL or Second was an honour, not a right, and that not showing up or not trying their best to fulfill their responsibilities might mean they would be asked to step down and someone else would take the job.

We held a Patrol Leader “Court of Honour” every six weeks or so. That is another term I never see or hear any more, but was a traditional council meeting for PLs and Guiders and sometimes Seconds. It was agreed upon that “what’s said at CoH stays at CoH”, so that PLs could ask for help with problems or concerns regarding their members, knowing it would be treated confidentially and not gossiped about. They brought ideas and concerns from their Patrols, and helped decide what activities or events to discuss with their Patrols to get the whole Unit’s input. The Court of Honour also allowed the Guiders the opportunity to speak to any issues they had noticed, or to offer more leadership training. Usually one or two Guiders met with the PLs while other Guiders were busy with the rest of the Unit.

While Guiding’s early years saw Patrol Leaders being 14 or 15 years old, the age for Girl Guides dropped when Pathfinders were inserted in the structure of Canadian Guiding in 1979. That meant that PLs were now around 11 years old, instead of 15. It was a big shift, but the system held true and the girls learned and carried out their roles with great success. Even Brownie Sixers (or Circle Leaders as they were later called) could understand and take on some responsibility, thus preparing them for the greater responsibilities of being a Girl Guide. Their Guide experience in the Patrol System prepared them for the still greater decision-making responsibilities of being a Pathfinder, and so on. I did not find age to be a barrier.

There is, of course, a lot more to this topic, and I would be happy to chat about it all day. In my stacks of Guiding resources I have a GGC booklet, long outdated, but still containing pertinent points, entitled “Training the Patrol Leader” and I did garner a lot of ideas from that in the activities I offered in my Unit. In my opinion, the Patrol System works, but only if we work it. With the new “Girls First” program looming on the horizon, with its promise of girl-driven, girl-led programming, the Patrol System seems like an ideal vehicle to take our Units, regardless of age level, on a successful

trip through the possibilities of all that Guiding has to offer.

Your comments are welcome!

I'm having difficulties placing photos in this post but will put a few at the bottom. Till next time...

North Owl

Dolly & Me -- a successful sleepover template

We just had a very successful Spark and Brownie sleepover, with a “Dolly & Me” theme. The girls were encouraged to bring an 18” doll friend along to participate in this “camp-in”. I thought you might enjoy seeing our plans – and then maybe adapting them to make them your own, for your unit to enjoy! I am not including pictures, as Blogger doesn't seem to like my using so much space! ;-) But you can find pictures of my inspirations in the links.

Note that we were fortunate enough to have a large, modern single level church at our disposal, with several small class rooms, a spacious board room, a large open foyer, and a sanctuary/fellowship hall with moveable chairs, as well as a full kitchen.

We realized that this was not the most economical nor environmentally friendly event we have ever done (like using disposable dishes and cutlery) but we had a lot accumulated from past events and decided to use it up and free up our time to do activities with the girls.  We Guiders had some scheduling difficulties (life gets in the  way sometimes!), so juggled and maintained our ratio at all times, but had some Guiders coming and going, so streamlining things like meal time was important to us.

As with all plans, while we had time slots for each activity, these were fluid and were adjusted as needed at the time. For example we ran out of time to decorate frames once they were painted, and didn’t have campfire as planned. Instead we decorated the frames after our skits the next morning, as there was ample time then – sat around the electric campfire and sang a few songs then too. But all in all, we started on time, went to bed on time, and ended on time, and didn’t omit anything in the end, so considered the scheduling to be a success!

The girls seemed to enjoy the activities immensely, and were able to articulate what they had learned about camping too. The skits proved entertaining and were a good gauge of what the girls had retained from information given. I would definitely resurrect this theme again in a couple of years!

Here is the plan we used:

Brownie/Spark Sleepover                           Date

Dolly Camp-In

Time	Description	Leader
4:00	Guiders arrive
5:00	Girls arrive – stow gear along wall. If air matts have to be blown up, ask parents to do so and leave leaning on wall.
5:15	Opening and Welcome, rules and reminders
5:30	Opening Activity – Name Tag Craft – make nametag for self and for doll. Put Girl’s name on back of Doll nametag.  FOYER
5:45	Grace & Supper – alphaghetti, mini meatballs, appetizer size “pigs in a blanket”, mini carrots, mini cuke sticks, grape tomatoes, ice cream in dixie cups with mini spoons. FOYER
6:30	Round Robin Activity #1 – Decorate wooden picture frames and have “Dolly & Me” photo taken - collect the frames – get the photos developed and put into the frames and give to girls at the next meeting.  BROWNIE ROOM
6:50	Round Robin Activity #2 - Make doll  sleeping bags- fringed fleece tied together SPARK ROOM
7:10	Round Robin Activity #3  – Check out Daisy’s Camping Kit – is she bringing the right things?? What is she missing? What should she leave behind? A/V ROOM
7:35	Game – hide & seek (Guiders hide dolls in board room, girls seek in dark with flashlights) AND Norwegian Number Game – girls go to hide & seek in small groups, while rest continue with the singing game.  BOARD ROOM & FOYER
7:55	Set up and decorate cardboard box “tents” ---- and a bit of play time in them. Set up beds.  SANCTUARY (Guides will go to Board Room)
8:30	Campfire (with electric fire)  BOARDROOM
9:00	Mug Up – “Vanilla Lattes” -  warm milk with cinnamon and vanilla, Nilla wafers.  FOYER
9:15	Teeth brushing and into bed  SANCTUARY
9:30	Story time – a camping story SANCTUARY
10:00	Lights Out
7:30	Guiders up
7:45	Girls– dress, pack up, etc.
8:15	Grace – Breakfast – cleanup (mini apple strudels cut in half, mini yogurts, grapes, mini cheese cubes, mini “donuts” {cheerios}, Twizzler straws with strawberry milk, apple and orange juice also availaible) Breakfast cleanup – everyone clean their own mess (mostly paper plates/napkins, right) Wipe tables, etc. FOYER
9:00	Split into small groups – each group plan a skit for their dolls to perform, about some aspect of camping life (give pre planned scenarios) BACK ROOMS AS FOR ROUND ROBIN
9:30	Show time – dolls perform skits  BOARD ROOM
10:30	Closing – Group Photo -- then finish packing and cleaning – girls help! FOYER
11:00	Girls picked up  FOYER
11:30	Leaders go home

Use disposable plates, napkins. Have participants bring own water bottle and juice/coffee cup.

The girls will make sleeping bags for their dolls. Cut out fleece in 24 by 30, fold in half to be 15 by 24, then put 3 or 4 inch slits on the open side and bottom. The girls tie the fringes together. This is easy, and even the Sparks will mostly be able to complete it independently.

Inexpensive blankets were purchased from Dollarama  in bright colours. Each blanket made 4 sleeping bags.

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http://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/967135/diy-collapsible-cardboard-playhouse

This is a collapsible playhouse that would make a good “tent” for each Brownie or Spark to decorate for her own. They fold flat for storage, and with lead time we have, we can start collecting boxes and making them well in advance.  Won’t they have fun?? We can even choose to cut side windows in them if we wish…. Then we send them home with the girls…

As we could not find 15 same sized, clean boxes in time to do this on the cheap, we purchased 15 new moving boxes from U-Haul. The design of them was not the same as in the photos, so we made them a little differently, but the result was basically the same, except they didn’t fold flat. The girls decorated with streamers, stickers, old gift wrap, waxed crayon, and magazine pictures. We can tell you it took a lot of duct tape, and that the name brand stuff was far superior to the dollar store variety!

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To add to the fun, we could provide bandannas and duct tape and make Doll Seats at the tables beside the girls, so their dolls have a place to sit at meal time??  We would fold the bandanna into a triangle, tape the two ends to the top of the table, and the middle point to the bottom of the table. Doll’s legs go around that middle point part so she doesn’t slip out.

Because we were concerned about duct tape leaving sticky residue on the tables, it was decided to set up a small dolly table and use small chairs, with bandana seat belts. We will have small dishes for them, and fake (paper?) food. In the end the result was very favourable and probably much better than having the dolls actually at the girls’ tables!

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Picture frames – could use wood shapes to glue on, could paint them, could use (if we feel brave) a wood burner to put in designs …..

Note, limit the colour choices – I have seen too many “mud” coloured results!

We purchased them Walmart, sized to fit a 4x6” photo. Frames were embellished using craft supplies from our storage cupboard. The completed frames were left in our storage cupboard. Photos of each girl and doll were taken at the sleepover, then printed, put in the frame and handed out at next regular meeting.

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Daisy’s Camp Gear station:

I brought my Our Generation Doll with appropriate and inappropriate gear and clothing and lead a discussion with each group about what Daisy should bring or not bring and why.  We really wanted  this sleepover to be the start of good camping habits. This allowed for the girls to get a good visual representation of the benefits of a “bucket hat” vs a ball cap, pyjamas vs a nightgown or “onesie”, etc. They really “got it”! We also used a piece of foam and an airfilled ziplock bag to illustrate the warmth factor of one versus the other. (Touch the cool table, feel the foam; touch the cool table, feel the “air mattress” – foam felt much warmer to the touch.) This led to many good discussions.

I hope you find this information useful - please feel free to add your own thoughts anfd inspiration in the comments! 

Till next time....

North Owl

Girls First, Girl Led

In light of our upcoming new program, “Girls First”, here in Canada, I was interested in the perspective offered by a long-time Girl Scout leader, Carol Lee Spages, who founded GreenBlood News in 2006. She has kindly given me permission to reprint her post here, in its entirety.

WHAT IS GIRL-LED? MY PERSPECTIVE - Carol Lee Spages, GreenBlood News

For over 20 years I had either been a troop leader of levels from GS Brownies through Ambassadors. There was never a time when I did not have a girl-led troop...even before "girl-led" was the buzz word. If GS adults are sensitive to their position in the troop, they should always be using girl-led as the defining way to manage the program. Many many years ago before "girl-led", GSUSA published a little book about leading a troop. One of the pictures that always stuck with me was one of an adult pulling a chain of girls holding hands. The leader was straining to pull them along and the girls looked unhappy. The caption was "leading". Another picture showed an adult standing to the side of a group of girls walking along all together. Everyone had smiles on their faces. The caption was "guiding". Those pictures became my guiding images of what a leader should look like.

If you are not familiar with Edith Macy, it is the GSUSA conference center in Briarcliff Manor, NY. It is where many national and council staff people go to receive training. I have been there over 20 times both as a volunteer and council staff person (I was the adult development director and special programs manager for 24 years). One of the sessions was on a new program where "girl-led" was introduced as the "new" way to manage a troop.

The participants had a big discussion on what "girl-led" meant. Turns out it simply means what I had always done with the troops I led. Listen to the girls...really listen. Help them set their own goals. What are their interests? Do they want to do a lot or do less? I always tell people if the girls leave with a smile and come back the next meeting, you are doing a good job. It does not matter how many awards are earned, how full the backs of their uniforms are with patches, how many trips they have been on... What matters is that they have learned to embrace the principles of the Girl Scout Promise and Law. They have learned to seek new challenges, explore their world as they have never done before, and found their own voice.

GS Daisies are girl-led very differently than GS Ambassadors. The littlest ones need lots of oversight. By the time the girls are Ambassadors, they should be running the troop, seeking their own resources, facilitating for their own program elements, managing the finances, and the adults are simply making sure the policies, standards, and guidelines of the organization are being followed.

Girl-led has ALWAYS been the way a troop should be led. From the inception of the program to today. A good leader should always listen to the girls. The troop does not "belong" to the adults. It "belongs" to the girls. It always has been that way.

Unfortunately, I have seen troops in my own town where the adults were IN CHARGE. There was a lot of stress on how many awards earned, how far did they travel, how many fun patches can be crammed on a uniform, how many pictures can they get in the newspaper. Competition for the "best troop" in town got heated. Really, all these things do not matter. What matters is what the girls want. That is "girl-led". Adults oversee with a gentle hand that moves further and further back as the girls mature into their roles as girls leading.

Thank you, Carol Lee. My feelings are similar, and I think it is one of the biggest struggles Guiders face – how to give control and decision making to the girls. It will be fascinating to see how GGC rolls this out. If anyone has ever read “Scouting for Boys”, or any history books about our movement, they will see that it primarily started out with the KIDS getting together, wanting to play the jolly game of Scouting, and inviting a trusted adult to be their mentor and sponsor. Hard to think of today’s youth in that light, eh? Have we “programmed” that skill and initiative out of our kids? Interesting thought – and I look forward to reading YOUR perspective in the comments! Thanks again, Carol Lee. (GreenBlood News has a Facebook page as well as a Yahoo group.)

Till next time,

North Owl

Classic Meeting Templates and How to Use Them

What a boring title! Sorry -- just couldn't think of how to title this post.

A fairly new Guide Guider recently complained to me that she wished there was still a Guider handbook, pertinent to Guides, like the ones for Sparks and Brownies. This made me reflect on the old “Guider Handbook” that GGC used to publish, filled with practically everything you needed to know to lead any age group in the organization. It was filled with tips, samples, how-tos, routines, resources and background material. I always found it a fascinating read, and not only got each one that came out, but read them cover to cover, regardless of the branch I was currently Guiding. I think this gave me a good picture of the whole movement, inspired and boosted my enthusiasm, and helped me plan activities that were not only pertinent to “my” current branch, but that would be stepping stones to the next branch. I was rewarded with full units, and girls who continued on through the branches with skills that stood them well. I am sure there was a very good reason GGC decided to discontinue the all-round Guider Handbook, but I do believe it left a hole. Enough time has passed now that current Guiders may not even realize there IS a hole. Is that good or bad? Just progress? I don’t know, but my young friend’s complaint has inspired me to offer some “classic” Guiding tips and tools. Take what you want and ignore the rest!

Unit Meeting Templates

I am a fan of not reinventing the wheel each week and so I use templates to plan meetings, fill in the pertinent activities, and flex the plan as needed, on the fly.  Here are a few of the templates I use:

• Spark weekly meeting template
• Brownie weekly meeting template
• Guide weekly meeting template
• Pathfinder weekly meeting template

There is no Ranger weekly meeting template here, simply because I have never had a Ranger Unit that met weekly, nor that held meetings with a pattern. By this age, the Rangers plan their own meetings and activities, and I have been a resource and adviser only.

Please keep in mind that templates are tools – starting places for plans, subject to change as needed and wanted. It is often easier to plan with a framework to put things into, to inspire, and to build on, than to start with a blank piece of paper! In today’s world where people are busier than ever, it is hard to find the time to have productive planning meetings, so templates via email, facebook, etc. become even more valuable tools to start the planning conversation. Take them, use them, change them and made them your own, working FOR you. Your programs will be richer and your workload lighter!

North Owl

The Night Hike Muse Struck!

A while ago I got an SOS message from my “Prince George Partner in Fun & Nonsense”, saying she needed a plan for a District night event. We chatted for a bit about venues and numbers and such, and I felt that cartoon light bulb begin to glow over my head. “Give me an hour and I’ll get back to you”, said I, and let the muse take over my keyboard…. I pulled ideas from my own experiences and found some inspiration on the web, and the whole thing seemed to pour out. Don't you love when that happens?

The result, with a few tweaks, was acceptable to my PGPF&N and was successfully implemented in her District. Perhaps it will be useful to someone else – so here you go! J  Here is the list of supplies and equipment, too! Enjoy......

North Owl

BIG Camp, BIG Comfort!

***** I started writing this post in 2014. What happened to the last three years??? Lots, including Guiding Mosaic in Sylvan Lake, AB in 2016 and SOAR 2017 in Smithers, BC.  Most of what I had already written is still pertinent and may be helpful to someone, so I will pass it along now! J *****

******************************* August 2014 *********************************

I am just recently back from a wonderful, exhausting Guiding adventure.  I spent 12 days living in camp, as Core Staff for B.C.’s “Spirit Of Adventure Rendezvous” (SOAR), a large international camp held every 3 years.  The last SOAR I attended was the very first one, held at Camp Hughes in Prince George in 1995.  Nineteen years ago!  Sheesh!  That time, I attended as a patrol Guider, bringing eight Mackenzie Guides and Pathfinders, and my penpal from Iowa, Joyce, was my co-leader.  It was the first SOAR ever held, as I said, and my first truly big camp, so I had no idea what to expect or how to prepare.  This was pre-internet and Facebook too, so there was little communication between participants before the event!

This time I traveled to Enderby, BC, along with 2615 other girls and women, and participated as Core Staff – a totally different experience!  My preparations to attend were made much easier by drawing on my past experience, of course, and also by all the tips, tricks, and advice offered on the SOAR Facebook group.  That was a game changer!

Going as Core Staff instead of as a Patrol Guider was a different experience of course, and while some things were still the same (uniform needed, some equipment, etc.), others were not.  Either way, I want to offer a look at what I took, what I didn’t take, and what I wish I’d taken!  That, hopefully, will prevent some “wheel-reinvention” for upcoming large events.

Top most valuable thing I took:  my cot and its mattress!  Yes, while I have never been a cot-camper, I knew that surviving 12 days in my tent would require more than a thermarest!  Oh my, best money spent!  My cot – Cabela’s  XL Outfitter – was almost as comfy as my bed at home, and I got up no more stiff or sore than I would have at home.  In addition, hubby surprised me with the hanging pockets accessory, so I had built in places to put my glasses (a padded slot!) and my cell phone/alarm clock (a pop out “tray”).  As well, all my clothes and gear fit under my bed, making for a very spacious situation in my 9x9 tent!

The thing that my friends and neighbours most appreciated me bringing:  my garden wagon.  It wasn’t pretty - all banged and chipped and a bit rusty, but its 500lb capacity meant it was called into service all camp, to haul gear, water, supplies, etc.  Because it has rubber tires, not plastic, it was quiet on the paved and graveled areas, and rolled smoothly over any surface.  It also made a good seat in a pinch.  Several patrols brought wagons as well, many of them collapsible ones that I have read about but never used.  I took mine without its sides, and didn’t regret that, as almost any size load could be piled on it.

********************************* September 2017 *********************************

Now I am coming back to this post with the experience of two more large camps under my belt. I would stand by my previous statements as to the value of my excellent cot and my large garden wagon. Unfortunately I have not always been able to afford the space to bring my garden wagon, so have invested in a folding version that, while it is not as heavy duty nor versatile as my big one, has still been invaluable in hauling gear and chairs around camp, and generally saving my back. I bought Walmart’s $80 wagon and it has been pretty good. I recently had the opportunity to camp with Costco’s similarly priced wagon, and given the choice, would pick it over the Walmart one. A) It folds flat, instead of columnar, making it easier to slide into small spaces. B) It has a “D” handle instead of a “T”, so a strap or belt can be added to lengthen the reach (important to tall people!). C) The handle “magnets” to the frame when you stop, instead of into the rubbery bracket that the Walmart one has, making it much easier to deal with one-handed. By the way, these items seem to be available very seasonally, so plan ahead if you want to purchase one for an upcoming event!

I will finish this post off by adding the list of tips I wrote in the Fine Arts newsletters for SOAR 2017. I hope you find them useful on your next adventure!

§ I loved my locking, waterproof footlocker. It gave me a place to secure valuables when away from my tent, kept my belongings dry, and doubled as a bedside table or a footstool!

§ I got tired of wearing my nametag around my neck. Sometimes I wore it diagonally instead.

§ Humour diffuses and lightens almost any situation. I am so glad I brought my sense of humour!

§ I was glad I brought some little “creature comfort” things—individually wrapped wipes, little packets of foot soak., some wrapped mints. I could give them away as thank you gifts or pick me ups, and brighten my Guiding sisters’ time at camp too!

§ Lip balm! More than one. With SPF. Nuff said.

§ I loved having my solar lights clipped to my tent—so easy to find it in the sea of them. Also glow sticks on sticking out guy lines saved a lot of tripping!

§ A full sized foot basin made my feet sooo happy at night.  And a bucket with a lid to bring water to it, and carry the dirty water away!

§ While drinking water is provided, sometimes it wasn’t as pleasant tasting as I am used to. I was very grateful for my Brita water bottle that filtered out some of the tastes & for a bottle of “Mio/Dasani” type flavour drops to use in my other bottles to disguise tastes & help me stay hydrated!

§ I wish I had brought rubber boots. I thought my gortex shoes were enough, but the boots would have been better.

§ I’m glad I brought blister treatments with me! Even though my shoes weren’t new, the combination of sweat and constant walking got me at GM. There are blister prevention balms, in containers like mini deodorant sticks that may stop the rub that causes blistering…..

§ You, of course, know that changing your socks and even your shoes part way through the day can be a marvelous relief for tired feet. I didn’t know that Avon Foot Wipes are apparently a wonderful thing, easy to pack along, and refresh one’s feet before slipping on those clean socks!

§ Still on the topic of feet, do test the soles of the shoes you plan to wear to ensure that if you are walking on gravel they will not cause you to feel every single pebble!

There you have it. I hope you have an adventure in mind for the future, and that these tips will help you have a more comfortable and enjoyable time! Go for it! (See you at SOAR in 2020??)

North Owl