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Volume 2 April / May 06
Rovering To Excess
Is a bi-monthly E-Zine by
Rovers, for Rovers, about
Rovers.
Editor-In-Chief:
Kat Nielsen
Production Manager
Kevin Dunn
Contributing Writers
Jerry Crawford
Jorday Stanley
Katherine Nielsen
Smoke Blacklock
Kevin Croft
Rovering to Excess is always
looking for submissions from
Rovers, Rover Advisors or
past Rovers.
Submissions should be sent
to the following addresses:
Documents should be in MS
Word format.
Pictures should bein JPEG
format and be no larger then
640 x 480 at 300DPI. If we
need a larger copy we will
contact you.
Submission Deadlines are the
1st of March, May, July,
September, November and
Janurary.
Subscribe online bt emailing
This E-Zine is for you.
Please support it as much as
you can.
Want to have an exciting and challenging career as
a police officer, fire fighter or paramedic?
One way to accomplish your goal is to join a
Vocational Rover Crew that is involved with emer-
gency services. In some U.S. states they call them
junior paramedics.
Vocational Rovering, as an aspect of Scouting, has
been around a long time. Only in the last few years
has it gained prominence with the introduction of
EMS, Fire and Police sponsored Crews.
As a Scouter and member of Toronto EMS and a
former paramedic, I must admit that the ultimate
intent of our sponsorship is to recruit potential para-
medics and dispatchers. This is because we consid-
er youth with a Scouting background to be honest,
intelligent and the best candidates for our profes-
sion. The Police and Fire staff agree whole hearted-
ly on this as well.
We also desire to have youth in our community
who have a good general knowledge of municipal
emergency services and who can serve as peers to
others their own age and provide badly needed serv-
ice to their fellow citizens. Since volunteering is a
huge aspect of Scouting, it is a trait, which our
industry values, in its potential candidates.
You can be sure that if you apply to an emergency
service for a job and your resume states that you
have Scouting service and vocational experience in
our industry, your application will be given priority
in the selection process.
In September, Toronto EMS will celebrate its fifth
anniversary of sponsoring the Medical Venturers
and Rovers of 1st Downsview and 1st Scarborough
Groups in the Greater Toronto Council. We are also
extremely proud to have had a part in the formation
of Medical Venturers/Rovers in York Region,
Ottawa Region, Durham Region, Peel Region,
Essex Windsor Region and many others in Ontario
and across Canada.
The Medical Venturer/Rover curriculum, which is
now often been referred to by the youthful members
as “MedVents and “MedRovers” is an idea created
by Richmond, British Columbia Advanced Care
Paramedic and long time Scouter, Jeff Watts. We
owe a huge debt of gratitude to Jeff for his vision of
youth empowerment in his community. Medical
Venturers and Rovers are still going strong in BC
and we met some of them who assisted our medical
staff in Toronto at World Youth Day in 2002.
We are also proud to have assisted the Toronto
Police Service and Toronto Fire Services in forming
a Police Rover crew and Fire Venturer Company.
Well, enough of patting ourselves on the back.
What you really want to know is what Emergency
Services Venturing and Rovering are all about.
It's about Training and Service. As a Medical
Rover, you will be given three different levels of
first aid training - standard first aid/CPR, wilderness
first aid and survival techniques and emergency first
responder training (St John ambulance or Red Cross
equivalent).
EMS paramedic instructors provide all this train-
ing. You will benefit from their personal work expe-
riences as they demonstrate how they actually have
used the skills they are teaching you.
The paramedics and other EMS staff will also pro-
vide orientation and hands-on demonstrations of
EMS equipment and procedures. We also bring in
Police and Fire staff on a reciprocal basis so that
youth get first hand knowledge of the other servic-
Emergency Services Vocational Rovers
Toronto. York & Windsor Crews
Photo Provided by Jerry Crawford
es as well.
When you have certified in standard first aid/CPR, you are ready
for the Service aspect. Medical Rovers, because of their extensive
training are highly valued by municipal and Scouting groups to
provide medical service at public events. You will work in teams
of two or three, often paired with a paramedic or member of St.
John Ambulance Brigade or Red Cross and you will either man a
first aid post/base station or patrol the crowd with a two-way radio
and first aid kit. In order to attain the Advanced level of the cur-
riculum, a member must accumulate 128 hours of medical service
and 40 hours of community service (which is also considered for
their high school graduation requirement).
Some of the events that our members have serviced are the annu-
al Gilwell Reunion at Blue Springs Scout Camp, CJam2005 in
Quebec, Toronto City Hall New Years Celebrations, Toronto
Winter Celebrations 2005, GTC Willow Valley Area Pack
Winterfest, Toronto St. Patrick's Day parade, CNE2004, Toronto
Indy Race and many others.
As a Rover (age 18 and over), you will participate in at least two
“RIDEOUTS” on an ambulance with a paramedic crew.
Depending on the skill level you have demonstrated, you often
will be requested to assist paramedics in patient care.
Many of our Medical Rovers have utilised their skills at such
traumatic incidents they have come upon as motor vehicle acci-
dents and collapses in public places. They have received Scout
and EMS citations for their heroic actions.
Another exciting aspect of the Vocational Rovering program is
HSERT (High School Emergency Response Teams). A high
school forms a “First aid club” and its members join the EMS
sponsored vocational crew as i.e. B Crew. They elect an executive,
produce by-laws and then undergo EMS supplied first aid training
and orientation. Through fundraising efforts and school subsidies,
they equip their crew with FRS two-way radios and uniforms.
Usually the Vice-Principal or assigned teacher registers as a
Venturer advisor and works with an EMS paramedic to co-ordi-
nate the crew.
The youth, in assigned teams, respond to medical emergencies
both during school hours and at extra-curricular events such as
football, basketball games and dances etc.
Our present Deputy Scouts Canada Provincial Commissioner,
Kim Derry (who is also Deputy Chief, Toronto Police Service)
promotes an initiative called ESP (Empowering Student
Participation). The HSERT is an excellent example of how five
Toronto high schools are responding to Commissioner Derry's ini-
tiative.
Of great interest to those students who will be graduating from
high school and wish to enter a community college or university
paramedic program is the fact that many of the colleges now
recognise the expertise and qualifications that Medical Rovers
have acquired.
The youth who are presently in the college programs have indi-
cated that their first year was often much easier because of the
knowledge and experience they had gained. Durham Region EMS
has even gone as far as having their Base Hospital Paramedic
Education Staff out of Durham College provide the training for
their Medical Rovers & Venturers. They also will provide the nec-
essary references for those who enter the community college pro-
gram.
One of our Rover curriculum graduates, Blair Bigham who was
featured in an article on page 30 August/September 2005
LEADER magazine has formed a Rover Crew (1st Scarborough B
Crew) emergency response team at University of Toronto
Scarborough Campus. Blair is in the Paramedic degree program at
UTSc and belongs to ACERT (the Association of College
Emergency Response Teams). He has 40 members signed up and
in September they will assist campus police in providing emer-
gency medical care to fellow students and staff.
So you can see that Vocational Scouting is one of the fastest
growing and interesting aspects of Scouting in the nation today. If
a group exists in your neighbourhood, check it out. If one doesn't
exist, ask your Scouter to contact the EMS, Fire and Police
Services to get a program going.
Check out our website: http://www.city.toronto.on.ca/ems/spe-
cial_programs/medvent.htm
Vocational Emergency Services Scouting can not only lead to
very rewarding and challenging employment, but can provide
excellent life skills that will assist you in any profession you may
undertake.
Jerry Crawford
Group Commissioner
Toronto EMS 1st Downsview
Willow Valley Area
Greater Toronto Council
Train Rescue
Photo Provided by Jerry Crawford
By: Jordan Stanley
How to move across the country by U-Haul
I know it has been a while since I have written. I do have some
great excuses, but this article is not the place for them. This arti-
cle instead, is more of an allusion to why I haven't written in a long
time. I decided to move away from the outdoors and backpack-
ing/camping themes to focus on a subject that I know will eventu-
ally come up for every Rover out there: moving! I know most
Rovers are not going to be moving across Canada as I did.
However, I think that this topic will be useful regardless if you are
just moving across town or across the province. There are quite a
few movies out there that can show the wonders of a great move.
One that I would recommend would be Premier Juillet. A lovely
look at the wonderfulness and absolute clockwork precision of
moving.
I have decided to establish this article in a step-by-step approach.
Step One:
Decided that you are moving.
Ok, I know this seems quite straight-forward and simple, but it is
the most important step. You need to decided that you are moving
and to where. I'm not going to get in to the whole intricacies of
finding a new apartment/house/cardboard box to live in, I am just
going to focus on the whole packed up, destination in mind pack-
ing up the truck and moving part.
Step Two:
Securing a method of moving your junk, I mean, stuff
This is probably the area where you have the most options when
it comes to moving. If you chose to have someone else move your
stuff, you don't have to worry about packing your stuff into the
truck or reversing at the other end of the move. If you, like I did,
chose to move yourself, then you have a variety of options with
which company you chose to rent a truck from. Depending on the
city that you live in, there may be many different companies in
which to choose from, or they may only be one. In my case, there
were two that allowed cross-country moving. Many different fac-
tors need to be weighed when choosing which company to go
with. For me, I ended up going with the cheaper of the two and
went with U-Haul. I wish I hadn't.
Step Three:
Picking up your truck
Ok, you have all your stuff neatly packed into many different lit-
tle cardboard boxed and now it is time to go pick-up your truck.
Now, U-Haul uses an amazing method in choosing which truck
you get to use. It is a highly advanced methodology that I can only
dream of understanding. As far as I can tell, what they do is take
all the trucks in your area (by area I mean in a 300km radius) and
pick the furthest one away from you and assign that truck to you.
In my case, I was living in Kamloops BC, and my truck was
assigned to me from the U-Haul location in Salmon Arm BC. I
short one hour drive, in a car, which I did not have.
Ok, so now you have managed to argue with the U-Haul people on
the phone for over an hour, unable to persuade them to allow you
to pick up a truck from, say the U-Haul location two blocks from
your current apartment. You bum a ride from a really, really good
friend. As you are leaving the dealership, you notice that there is
only enough fuel in the tank to get you out of the driveway before
you stall. Conveniently, the dealership is also a gas station!
Step Four:
Loading Up your Truck
This is the most delicate section to deal with. This is the part that
separates the amateurs from the casual truck packers. If this was
an Olympic sport, I know many people who could challenge for
the gold. I on the other hand, would not. After spending most of
the day driving back from the U-Haul dealership in the next
province over, you are extremely exhausted. Unable to spend yet
another day to pack the truck, as your landlord expects you out of
the apartment three hours ago, you rush to get all of your earthly
belongings into the truck. It will be the worse packing job you
have ever done! No Olympic gold for this packing job. No mat-
ter how organized, nor how much of a neat-freak you are, the back
of the truck will be a disaster area.
In the rush to pack everything up, all the items that you wanted to
pack right at the back for easy access are tossed in somewhere
deep in the bowels of the truck. But we will get to that in the next
issue.
Step Five:
Moving!
There are many factors that you need to consider to make a move
enjoyable, or at least survivable. For starters, if you are driving a
long distance, you need to pick a good route. You want one that
is direct, yet a bit enjoyable to drive (i.e., good scenery and not
much traffic). Secondly, you want to have a driving partner that
you can get along with. There is nothing worse then driving a long
distance not talking to the person sitting beside you because both
of you are steamed about something that was said five days ago at
a gas station regarding who gets the last chocolate bar and who has
to settle for the granola bar, not that this has happened to me.
Let us take a bit of an aside here to have a glimpse of the truck in
which you will be moving in. Our lovely U-Haul truck will con-
sist of nothing more then an old beat-up truck with a large cube on
the back. The cab of the truck, if you are lucky, will have one
bench that has some springs sticking out, well worn bum-groves
in the drivers' seat, and of course the wonderful automatic trans-
mission that has a reverse and a forward gear. If you are extreme-
ly lucky, you will have both an AM and an FM radio, but most
likely it will only be an AM radio that does not pick anything up
except radio signals that have been lost in space since 1984. Look
out; WHAM is back on the air waves!
Now, while we are on the topic of music, there are a few things
that need to be recognized when moving and these have to do with
the choice of songs to play. Now, if you are lucky enough to rent
a truck that has a working stereo with a cassette deck, then you can
pick your own music to bring. If, like me, you are lucky enough
to get the stereo that only has AM, you can expect to hear the same
Wombat Wanderings
songs over, and over again. These songs include, but are not lim-
ited to: the Aerosmith Trilogy from 1993 (Crying, Amazing and
Crazy), then throw in some recent hit song, add a few really old
songs from the 1980's, and the odd lip-syncing song (i.e. Blame it
on the rain) and you have yourself a great collection. Don't forget
about the CBC!
Now, in the whole move there will be the need to stop and spend
the night somewhere. In my move, the decision was made to try
to move economically (i.e. I am cheap and didn't want to waste
any money on a motel room). There are various places that you
can pull over and spend the night. Campgrounds abound in
Canada and are not hard to find. To make the most of your stay, I
suggest that you arrive at a camp ground around midnight, and
leave before six in the morning. There is also the possibility to
spend the night at one of the various rest stops that dot our high-
way system. These are well appointed with a washroom and safe-
ty lighting at night. I do have to warn you, some of the rest stops
are patrolled by security and they have a tendency to wake sleep-
ing people up to make them vacate their spots. The third spot, and
this one I found most useful in the past, was down side roads. I
am going to say it now so that I don't get into trouble later, always
obey local laws and before you settle for the night, ask yourself if
you feel safe. Of course, there is also the method of couch surf-
ing. This is simply down by getting in contact with friends,
friends of friends, or relatives across the distance that you are
moving though.
Now, I am going to dispel an ugly rumor that the cab of the U-
Haul is a wonderful place to sleep. It may seem tempting to you
and your traveling partner to just curl up on the seat and sleep.
This has two major downfalls: 1) the truck cab is exactly 8 inch-
es too small for you to ever get comfortable in, and 2) there is not
possible way to fit two people on one truck bench after a long days
drive (trust me, no matter how close you are, there is no possible
way to do it for either of you to be comfortable)!
So now it is night and you have decided to stay in a campground,
or side of the road. Not to worry, you think, I have my tent and
gear in the back to sleep in. You pull over and shine your head-
light (because in a u-haul only one ever works) on the spot that
you intend to set-up your tent, and head to the back of the truck.
You carefully open the back door, hoping that nothing comes out
and flattens you. It is about this time that you realize that every-
thing you wanted to keep by the back door is in fact buried some-
where in there between the mattresses and the boxes of non-per-
ishable food. This will be your first night. This will also be about
the time that you consider sleeping in the cab (see the paragraph
above). Muttering under your breath, you will climb in on top of
all your stuff, gently using that box that says “fragile” as a stool to
reach the top of the pile. After digging though, you manage to find
your tent (no poles) and your sleeping bags (again, no sleeping
pads). Oh well, next time you will remember to leave these items
at the back of the truck, no matter what. And you know what, if
you are moving with your partner or friends, you will never forget
about this moment. Ever!
Step Six:
Finishing
Ok, you have now moved, and for sake of saying so, unpacked
(just to speed things up). Now that you have dug through all the
packed boxes and found out that you have not broken anything
major (lucky you), you have to return your truck. When you
picked up your U-haul (i.e. your nightmare on wheels), you were
given a drop off spot. Again, this spot is conveniently located as
far away from where you are as possible. For me, I had moved to
downtown Halifax, and my drop off spot was somewhere near
Montreal (ok, it was just across the province in Yarmouth, but still
a long, long way away). The temptation is there to just drive down
a side road and light the truck on fire (hey, I thought about that
many times on the drive across Canada. Many, many times).
There is another way, one that does not involve accidents, fire or
theft (all of which sound so great after a week with this truck).
That way is to just drop it off to the first dealer that you see when
you are driving around. The best part is they will take it back no
questions asked.
Now that you have dropped off the truck, you are back in your
new place you can relax. But not too much, that nice table you are
using to eat your pizza off of I think contains all your clothes, and
where did you put your phone? Nice place by the way.
About the author:
Jordan has recently thrown out all his moving boxes in an
attempt to stay living in one place for more then a year. He is
currently living in Nanaimo, BC after surviving a year in
Halifax. Next year, he may be somewhere else. He will never
use U-haul again.
A Hindu Prayer
May all be happy;
May all be free from disease;
May all realize what is good;
May nobody be subject to sorrow;
May the wicked become virtuous;
May the virtuous attain peace;
May the peaceful be free;
May the free make others free.
GOD STUFF
RSVPYOU ARE INVITED TO THE 3RD ANNUAL RSVP CAMP!
Hosted by the Voyageur Rover Round Table
on May 5-7, 2006 at Camp Opemikon, near Perth
Ontario
Outdoor fun and excitement for Senior Scouts,
Venturers, Rovers and Girl Guide’s Pathfinders and
Senior Branches.
Proposed activities include:
Participants are to come fully self-contained. Offers of
service are to come self-contained with the exception of
food, which will be provided (but DO bring dishes).
Registration forms will be available at www.vrrrt.org by
December 20th, 2005
For more information, please contact Shane Dolan at
(613) 726-1180 or [email protected]
Offers of Service please contact Nolan Smith at (613)
834-3228 or [email protected]
High ropes climbing
challenge
Archery
Canoeing games
Dance
Campfire
Chocolate fondue
Service Projects
Scouts/Guides own
…and more
2006
Voyageur RoverVoyageur RoverRound TableRound Table
Voyageur RoverRound Table
WHO: Any member of Scouting or Guiding, 14 years and older
WHAT: Camping, relaxing, moot games and more! Hosting ofthe May CCRRT Meeting
WHERE: Arundel Natural Science Center, near Arundel about125km NW of Montreal
WHEN: May 19 - 22, 2006
(see website for directions)
COST: 35$ - Early Registration40$ - Late Registration20$ Deposit Required for reservations,early registration date is April 17, 2006
Activities:- Crazy Moot Games
- Friday Movie- Sunday Night Social- CCRRT Meeting- ALL FOOD INCLUDED- Indoor Accommodations- And Much Much More
Contact Info:
e-mail: [email protected]: http://moot.spiralex.netPhone #1: Mario - (450) 632-6388Phone #2: Mike - (514) 895-1989
The Moot of Brian
Answers to Rover TriviaCongratulations to Wrongway (Wright Chappell) from BC who got all eight right!
1. The first Canadian Scout Handbook was published in 1918.
2. The first World Jamboree was held in ‘Olympia’ London, England in 1920.
3. In 1927 Canadian Scouts found and decorated the graves of The Fathers of Confederation.
4. Apple Day first started in 1930 and continues on today.
5. Sir Baden Powell, the Father of Scouting, visited Canada only twice in 1912 and 1935.
6. Sir Baden Powell died in Kenya in 1941.
7. Canada held it’s first jamboree near Ottawa in 1949.
8. The 8th World Jamboree was held in Canada at Niagara-on-the-lake, Ontario. In attendance were some 8,000 Canadians with an
equal amount of representatives.
© Designed by the Mangoliers Patrol,
Gilwell Training, Quebec 2003
JOB DESCRIPTIONS
PRESIDENT / MATE:
1.Acts as the chief administrator of the rover crew.
2.Should be versed in the duties and responsibilities of all other
executive positions.
3.Works to enhance the overall function, operation and dynamics
of the Rover Crew.
4.Is concerned with the image and vision of the crew and how
decisions and actions can affect these values.
5.Directs the budget process.
6.Helps define the overall goals of the rover crew.
7.Trains, prepares, and mentors potential members and new exec-
utive members.
8.Reviews procedures, clarifies the role of the members, and
directs the over workings of the crew.
9.Represents the crew to the greater community and networks
with others to enhance the crew’s position in the community.
10.Work with the Advisor.
Presidential / Mate Duties
1.Determine the agenda and preside at all meetings of the crew,
both general and executive.
2.Fulfill the respective duties as outlined in the By-Laws
3.Appoint committee heads to standing committees and other
membership delegations that has not been otherwise provided for.
4.Represent the crew at all functions.
5.Decide questions of order
6.Enforce the Constitution and By-Laws
VICE PRESIDENT/MATE
The Vice President/Mate shall undertake the responsibilities
and duties outlined above in the absence of the president/mate.
The Mate can delegate duties to the Vice-Mate.
SECRETARY/SCRIBE
The secretary keeps an accurate record of meetings. Only what
is decided on, not said is recorded, e.g. the motion and the vote are
recorded, but not who said what during the discussion prior to the
vote.
The secretary may also assist the Chair in handling correspon-
dence, notifying members of meetings, preparing and distributing
agenda.
Duties:
1.keeping minutes of all business and Executive meetings.
2.maintaining a brief log of all publicity
3.communicating by letter, telephone or e-mail
4.maintaining a record of attendance
5.keeping an updated list of equipment (in concert with the QM)
6.circulating minutes in written form from the previous meeting
The minutes are an official record of business and activities of
the Crew. Minutes should include:
1.time and place of the meeting
2.names of members present and regrets
3.verification of Quorum
4.adoption of Agenda (with any additions)
5.approval of the minutes from previous meeting (with any correc-
tions)
6.the exact wording of motions (unless withdrawn) including the
name of the mover
7.record of votes
8.decisions made by consensus
9.items tabled
10.time of adjournment
11.time and location of next meeting
TREASURER/KEEPER OF THE PURSE
The treasurer or Keeper of the Purse, for crews using the
knighthood theme, is the member who is responsible for the
crew’s/company’s finances. The treasurer’s roles and responsibil-
ities are as follows:
1.Maintain an up-to-date financial record for the crew
2.Ensure all crew financial transactions are “transparent” and fol-
low all applicable group committee requirements
3.Maintain a crew account at a financial institution (if applicable)
4.Present a report of crew finances at meetings
5.Prepare necessary reports for the group committee for re-char-
tering purposes
6.Prepares (or oversees) budgets for activities
7.Controls the flow of monies for the crew
8.Prepares books for an annual audit (if required)
9.There should be at least two (2) signing authorities and Scouts
Canada should be in the name of the account
The skill set required for the treasurer position:
1.Ability to maintain a basic financial log
2.Ability to create budgets
QUARTERMASTER
“The person to blame when lack of toilet paper at the den
is discovered.”
Peter Kirchmeier, The Rover Dictionary
Crew Executive Training Exercise
An elected member of the crew executive, the Quartermaster is
responsible for:
1.The purchasing of equipment upon crew approval
2.The maintenance and replacement of crew equipment
3.Properly storing the crew’s equipment
4.Making the equipment available to the crew in a timely fashion
5.Keeping inventory lists of the crew’s equipment
6.Keeping a sign-in and sign-out log of equipment which are up-
to-date
7.Ensuring that the crew has the necessary equipment at/for events
Note: The Quartermaster is sometimes also called a “Man at
Arms”. In a smaller crew, the responsibilities of the Quartermaster
can be divided among other executive members. For example, the
Treasurer can be responsible for the purchasing of new equipment
and the Scribe can maintain the equipment log.
What kinds of details could be included in the equipment log?
1.Details of item: color? Serial numbers? Identifying marks?
2.Date of purchase
3.Has any repair work be done? If so, when?
4.Condition when signed out
5.Who signed it out, and when
6.When it is to be returned, and by whom
7.Acknowledgement of returned equipment
8.Was there any change in condition (outside normal wear and
tear)?
ACTIVITY CHAIRPERSON
An activity chairperson serves on the Executive for the dura-
tion of the activity for which he/she has been assigned responsibil-
ity. This will include the inception, planning and evaluation stages
of an activity.
For a given activity the responsibilities of an activity chairper-
son include:
1.Communication with the crew/advisor on all aspects of the cho-
sen activity
2.Preparation of a written description of the activity including
dates, location, and expected cost, for distribution to each crew
member, advisor and group
3.Preparation of a detailed plan for the activity in concert with
other crew members; where appropriate this plan should include:
any training required for the crew before the activity can be under-
taken the availability and cost of such training a timetable for the
activity applications for permits required from Scouts Canada or
local councils knowledge of Scouts Canada policies and proce-
dures governing the activity and their integration into the plan
an estimate of the number of drivers required, cost of gas, dis-
tances involved, insurance coverage of drivers, condition of their
vehicles whether any special transportation is required i.e. canoe
trailer a description of the location to be visited, rules and regula-
tions (i.e. special permits, campsite limits, time of arrival/depar-
ture), cost of camping, contact people, necessity of reservations,
contact numbers to leave with Group a map of how to get to the
chosen location and the proposed route of a backcountry trip
investigation of potential local risk factors i.e. bears, weather con-
ditions listing of both crew and personal equipment needed for the
activity listing of specialized equipment needed i.e. canoe repair
kits assessment of first aid qualifications needed; ensuring ade-
quate first aid equipment is brought finding out the location of the
nearest medical facility/assistance and contact numbers develop-
ment of an evacuation plan preparing a list of participants and
contact numbers to leave with Group checking on insurance cov-
erage of all participants collection of current medical forms for all
participants conducting a risk management assessment of the plan
with all crew members and the advisor
4.Moderating a post-trip discussion on the success of the activity
WEEKEND EXECUTIVE TRAINING AGENDA
To be most effective, an Executive Training Weekend should
be an inter- rather than intra-Crew event. By including members
of several crew executives different viewpoints and experiences
may be drawn upon. In addition, break-off sessions constituting
position-specific training and role-playing can be implemented.
Saturday AM
How to listen.
People skills & how to use them.
Group dynamics.
Confidence building in yourself as well as others.
Problem solving
Delegation
Motivation
Conflict resolution
Saturday PM
Executive duties & functions of all positions
By-laws
Planning short & long term
Sunday AM
Role playing exercises for all positions
Sunday PM
Feedback
Questions & Answers
An overview of a training weekend is tabled above. As the
Executive, and in particular the President/Mate, has to be well-
versed in people skills, the first session would comprise an
overview of such skills interspersed with case study discussions as
to how these skills might be applied. The second session would
start with a general forum on the functional aspects of the
Executive: an overview of the duties of each position, the drawing
up and administration of by-laws and include a section on long-
and short-term planning. After the first of these topics there would
be a break-out session where representatives of each position
would meet to clarify their roles and share experiences. After the
by-law and planning sessions, a mixed “Executive” arbitrarily
assigned from representative crews, would draw up a series of by-
laws, plan a month’s activities and draw up an overview of a typ-
ical Rover year. The Scribe of each of these executives would keep
a record of this so that after transcription, each Crew would have
a sample of by-laws and a Crew program. Having gone through
such an exercise the Crew will then be able to more effectively
implement its own by-laws and program with the added advantage
of having had the ideas and experience of other Crews to draw
upon.
In the evening the short and long-term planning exercise would
be discussed in plenary session. At this time also, Crews who have
done any special activities will be asked to make a presentation to
the group. This could include international development projects,
high adventure expeditions, anything a little out of the ordinary
that might serve as an inspiration for their peers.
The next morning would comprise role-playing or problem-
solving exercises for each of the positions, position-specific
groups being formed. In the case of the Presidents/Mates, each
would take a turn role-playing that position in a series of “situa-
tions” requiring some of the people skills taught the previous day.
The Secretary/Scribe group would do a similar exercise, with one
of their number keeping an accurate and unbiased record of the
discussion. They could also be asked to compose letters for specif-
ic situations and discuss the most efficient communication meth-
ods for situations requiring rapid feedback from a
Crew/Executive. For the Treasurer/Keeper of the Purse group, an
exercise involving an “executive” drawing up a budget could be
run, then some case studies of various situations in which finan-
cial accountability is important could be worked through.
Examples of this would be a long-term trip, participation in an
international event, or a major fundraising initiative.
The training activity for the QM’s would use random pieces of
equipment to have them each design their own equipment logs.
This equipment should include several items that are nearly iden-
tical. Once the logs are completed, the QM’s would go around and
“borrow” items from each other quickly for a pre-determined time
period before returning to their seats and try to verify who has
what. A discussion would then follow covering to include the fol-
lowing questions: If something is lost, why? What happened?
Should different item details be used in the equipment log in order
to more easily account for items?
Activity Chairs should be given a couple of planning exercis-
es, one for a day-trip or visit and the other for a three-day back-
country trip and be asked to go through the process as outlined in
their duties and responsibilities. Access to the internet for
researching information would be ideal, but otherwise a series of
booklets, maps and other resources could be provided for refer-
ence. Copies of B.P. & P. and the Outdoor Planning Guide should
be available.
The final session would be a feedback and evaluation of the
weekend, allowing time for questions.
Why Go To The Belleville
Scout/Guide Museum?
Because its full of Rover stuff!
© Katherine Nielsen 2004
When I met with Paul, the Curator of the Museum, in 2003, he
mentioned to me that Rovers make some of the largest and most
interesting donations to the museum than any other group of peo-
ple. There can be no doubt, therefore, that the museum is FULL of
Rover memorabilia.
On a fundamental level, the museum provides memorabilia for
both the Scout and Guide movements including uniforms, books,
insignia, mugs, pins, jackets, and even personal belongings of the
Chief Scout and Guide. A history of Belleville Scouting and
Guiding can also be found there. Badge collectors will drool over
the extensive local, national, international, and special event
badges!
The museum hosts an extensive library with books related to all
the sections of Scouting and Guiding and most magazines and
yearbooks published by the Scouting/Guiding movements in
Canada. They have most, if not all, of the Rover handbooks, all of
Rovering magazine, and other smaller Rover books such as "The
Crew Scouter's Handbook," "Ideas for Rover Scouts," etc. If you
are looking for Rovering history, you will find it here!
While at the museum, you must visit St. George's Rover Chapel,
complete with a Rover altar, ready and waiting for its first knight-
ing. The first official Rover event hosted in the chapel was held by
the CCRRT in the spring of 2004. The stained glass windows of a
knight and a boy scout stand vigil on either side of the entrance to
the chapel, and the altar is crowned by a beautiful stained glass
window of St. George slaying the dragon.
The museum can also provide meeting rooms and tours on
demand. If you have a chance, please go and see this wonderful
testament to the Scouting Spirit!
Staff Members Are
Required To Work On
Rovering To Excess!
Positions Available Immediately:
Advertising Coordinator
Photographers
Journalists
Columnists
Provincial Correspondents (from each
province)
Any other position that may improve the qual-
ity of our magazine
Requirements: Enthusiasm in the Rover
Program and access to the Internet
Perks: Helping to create a network of Rovers
across the country sharing ideas and staying
connected
Apply to: Kat Nielsen, Editor-in-Chief
Appel pour des
collaborant(e)s
Nous avons besoin des travailleurs pour la
revue Rovering to Excess!
Nous avons les positions suivantes disponibles
au moment même:
Co-ordonnateur/trice de publicité
Photographes
Journalistes
Rapporteurs/euses particulier(e)s de chaque
province
Et toute autre position que vous pouvez sug-
gérer qui peut faire avantage à notre revue.
Préalables: nous ne demandons que de l'ent-
housiasme pour le mouvement Routier et de
l'accès Internet.
Avantages: nous aider a créer un réseau
national des Routiers qui partagent des idées
et veulent rester connexes.
S'adresser à: Kat Nielsen, Rédactrice
Do you want to know when the new Issue of
Rovering To Excess is published?
Please join our mailing list! This list will send an email when new editions are out and also periodic emails
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To join please email [email protected] with the word Subscribe in the subject line. Include your
name, crew (if applicable), and email address.
Through The Rapids
BY SMOKE BLACKLOCK
Letter # 6 Ashes to Ashes
Facing Death…..
Death is going to happen to you.
This bald statement is probably a shock to most young adults
who have not yet faced up to their own mortality. Not only will
it happen to you directly but you have or will be exposed many
times, during your lifetime, to coping with the death of a friend
or loved one. In addition to your own feelings it is necessary for
some one to make arrangements for the deceased, and for the
survivors. There are legal, religious, and financial commitments
to consider and all at a time when you are especially vulnerable.
When death strikes, the shock and pain strikes you personally
and it is normal to feel a first concern for yourself. Usually this
is quickly followed by a concern for the immediate survivors and
once more a concern as to what to say to them, what to do, how
to do it. This too is normal. In my lifetime of fumbling for
ways to handle this I have found that a hug is often better than
words, and that help with the paperwork, driving or diapers is
often worth more than all the flowers.
As young adults, you can expect to lose friends suddenly
through suicide or accident. These are the biggest causes of
death in your age group and are probably going to be your first
experience of facing a loss as adults. Recognize the need to
mourn as individuals and in groups. Your friend’s family would
appreciate your condolences but as often as not yourself and
other friends will need mutual support to accept the loss.
Sometimes a special memorial service for your group where you
are can share special memories and the private feelings shared
with your friend. Do not glorify the person or try to make them
something they were not. Neither suicide or accidental death is
glorious and you could be sending really bad signals to younger
people by making it appear as something glamorous.
Parents, brothers, sisters and boy or girlfriends of a person who
has died are not diseased. They will appreciate a short visit, a
hug or some shared sorrow. Don’t isolate them or treat them as
aliens because you don’t know what to say. Maybe there is
some way that you can help. Usually a relative, friend or minis-
ter will be helping them and could use someone to meet a plane
or pick up some cleaning or just to help with arrangements.
Washing the car or caring for pets may be needed. If your help
is not needed your offer will still be appreciated. If it is used to
be prepared for no recognition. The family may not be fully
aware of that is happening around them, but will appreciate quiet
assistance.
Someone in your group may have been especially close and
may need the support of the Crew. The Crew is a special family
to some of the members and their bereavement may need to be
dealt with on a special basis within the Crew. Maybe a quiet
hour with a campfire or on a mountainside to mourn your friend.
Don’t be ashamed of tears of sorrow, nor should you be ashamed
of a song or a laugh. These, like death, are a part of life and may
be the finest memorial your friend can have.
For many of you the early years of your adult life will be a time
when you experience the loss of grandparent or parent. This
may be sudden, or long foreseen, and will affect you in many
ways. You may see older members of your family aging in
many ways, wrinkles, silver hair, infirmity and slowing down
may all occur in their natural time. Do not fear them for they are
natural developments as were your baby teeth, body develop-
ment, and growth. Value your older friends and relatives for
they have seen many paths and may guide you around the quick-
sands of life. Share some of your time and perhaps learn from
them. Share a laugh, a song, or s story and you will often come
away richer. The special needs created by senility or disease
may create less pleasant situations, but again need to be met. An
adult may be placed once more in a position like a young child
in need of care. Unlike a child who can run from unpleasant
things, you as adults will need to help where required, share
when possible, and be mature enough to face whatever life
brings.
Friends of ours, whose mother was declared “terminal”, had a
terrible time deciding how to treat her. Either they avoided her
or else treated her life fragile china. The weeks before they were
able to accept the finality were painful for all of them and cheat-
ed them, and her, of opportunities to share their love. This is a
time when the mutual support of the family can bring great joy.
Arrangements…..
Making arrangements after the death of a loved on is often an
exercise in overspending. While the majority of funeral directors
are offering a needed service at a cost the family can afford,
there are some who should be referred to as salesmen rather than
anything else. A good funeral director can be chosen in advance,
as can all aspects of a funeral. It is often a sad comment on val-
ues that the quality of a casket seems more important than the
quality of life for the survivors. Impressive monuments should
not be allowed to rob a survivor of a coat or an education.
The vast majority of funeral directors are ethical businessmen
offering a necessary service, but there are a small number who
are sharks preying on the bereaved. Decide what is wanted,
what can be afforded, and what is necessary and then shop for it.
Even an ethical funeral director is a businessman who might not
feel an obligation to reduce a sale because it is going to be too
expensive. Explore the options, such as cremation, before mak-
ing a financial commitment.
Where There’s A Will…..
Wills are things people do not talk about. Someday you will
die and ignoring this fact will not make it go away. That day me
be many years away, or just a few minutes, but it is coming. If
you have never written a Will, or written down your desires for
your funeral or memorial, then you are putting your loved ones
in a position of making decisions by guess work at a time they
are under stress. A Will can be a simple declaration on a form
from the stationary or a document carefully written by a battery
of Lawyers with enough five-dollar words to fill a gravel truck.
I believe that a Will is a sure sign of an adult, and the best wed-
ding gift a man and wife can share. Every province has laws
which govern the disposal of the Estate of someone who died
without a Will (intestate). These laws may designate that your
loves ones must be cared for in a certain way and may work
against them doing what they and you would have wanted. The
Public Trustee may be responsible for your children and restrict
them as to where they live, go to school, or what they may do on
vacation. While many of the Trustees are dedicated individuals,
they have rules to follow and sometimes their decisions are stu-
pid. If you want what is best for your family leave a Will saying
what your desires are. An example of a very simple will fol-
lows.
The surviving spouse may be left in a bad situation
because there was no Will, but in the modern world the surviving
non-spouse is worse. While the children of your common-law
spouse may be your children; it is the responsibility of the sur-
vivors to prove that the relationship existed and the children are
part of it. A Will, clearly written, will help. The advice of par-
ents, family, clergymen, Advisors, and older friends, will help to
sort out the necessary paperwork, and I have always found that
most public service staff, particularly those in Vital Statistics
Departments or Health and Welfare are super-helpful in assisting
with certificates, Canada Pension Survivor Applications and
other “Red Tape”.
Living Monuments…..
During a Rover’s lifetime they make a commitment of service to
others. I believe this commitment should not only be a way of
life, but also a fact of death. If you believe in organ donation,
then you should do something about it now. Something can hap-
pen before you are ready, and again your loved ones are left
wondering about what you would have wished. Most provinces
have a form on the drivers license or Health Care card to express
a wish in this regard. Leave a sign for your loved ones to know
what you want. It is a gift of peace of mind.
The Chief Scout, left a dying message for Scouts, writ-
ten long before his death. He felt that he might not have time at
the end and so arranged things beforehand. His greatest memori-
al is a youth movement throughout the world and not a thing of
marble. If each of us can leave a memorial of love and fond
memories then we are indeed immortal.
When we go backpacking, or canoeing, we plan our
trip, leave no garbage behind us, and as much as possible clean
up after others, so as to leave pleasure for those who follow. In
our lives we can do the same. I will die, you will die, and all of
our loved ones will die. As young adults you need to face this
fact, leave a trail clean behind you, and go in your turn without
fear.
Last Will and Testament
This is the Last Will and Testament of me, ______________________ of the _________ of ______________
in the Province of _____________ made the ______ day of _______ 2006.
1. I revoke all former Wills, Codicils, and Testamentary Dispositions previously made by me.
2. I appoint my spouse __________________ and ______________ of ___________ in the Province of ______________,
or the survivor thereof, to be the Executors of this my last Will and Testament.
3. I direct all my just debts, funeral and testamentary expenses, all succession duties, inheritance and death taxes, and all expenses
necessarily incidental thereto, to be paid and satisfied by my Executors as soon as conveniently may be after my death.
4. I give the following legacies:
In witness whereof I have set my hand the day and year first above written.
________________________________
This page was signed by the Testator as and for His Last Will and Testament in the Presence of us both present together at the same
time who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses:
________________________________ ________________________________
Name and Signature Name and Signature
________________________________ ________________________________
Address Address
________________________________ ________________________________
Occupation Occupation
Norman Wells
August 5th, 2005
Norman Wells - oil centre of the Mackenzie River. We enjoyed a
lovely night in this community. We found a very interesting muse-
um in town with displays on the Canol Trail, and life in the North.
The town was full of interesting things to look at including the
street signs made of beautiful Raven silhouettes, and a giant drift-
wood bridge. On our trip out of town while navigating some giant
oil wells that protruded from the river a small tugboat yelled us
some encouragement over a mega-phone which basically made
our day.
Kent at the Driftwood Bridge in Norman Wells
Oil Pump on the Outskirts of Norman Wells
Stop Sign in Norman Wells
Fort Good Hope
August 9th, 2005
Our arrival in Fort Good Hope was swift and came immediately
after our trip through the Ramparts, the narrowest section of the
Mackenzie characterized by striking 200ft limestone cliffs.
Having been warned ahead of time that we should stay right
through the Ramparts we were on our toes, however we assumed
that the swift water would be in the narrow section of the river,
between the cliffs. As we neared the impressive walls we were
dead in the middle of the river when someone pointed out that per-
haps this would be the best place to go right as we began to see
some canoe swallowing white water in front of us………… We
made it over with time to spare for some photos. Paddling through
this section of river was amazing, we stopped at one spot where
we were able to climb atop the cliff and were rewarded with a
beautiful view of the Mackenzie.
We spent a brief afternoon in the community of Fort Good Hope
and were given a tour of the most beautiful church many of us had
ever seen. Begun in 1865 by Father Emile Petitot, the Church fea-
tured the brightest blue ceiling we had ever seen and every inch of
the interior was beautifully hand painted, much of it by the man
himself.
St George's Day
By Kat Nielsen, 2006
Baden-Powell chose Saint George as the patron saint of Rovering
because he found George's actions inspiring. Here are his
thoughts on the importance of Saint George for Rovers:
“[He] is a man on a horse, tackling an ugly-looking dragon. St.
George is his name.
I have got a lot of drawings, both ancient and modern, of him.
There is one I like better than the rest, not because it is a better pic-
ture, for it isn't: but because in it St. George is shown with a devil
of a grin on - he is tackling the dragon with a smile, cheerily, and
he means to win. And that is the way to tackle any difficulty how-
ever ugly it may look.
So don't be content merely to defend yourself and to ward off the
wrist of what you may be facing, but go at it with determination to
defeat it and get advantage out of it some old how.” (p. 26,
“Rovering To Success”, 1922)
For Rovers, the sword of Saint George is a symbol of chivalry and
unselfish service. The blade within the scabbard signifies the soul
or spiritual part of the Rover. The scabbard signifies material
makeup; and the blade and handle, which together are an emblem
of the cross of Christ, represents faith. The pommel signifies the
humility which is necessary to use faith to the best advantage. The
point of the sword symbolizes obedience and the two-edged blade
reminds Rovers of their two-fold duty toward their god and neigh-
bour. The whole sword represents a spiritual power the Rovers
require in their quest for service to themselves and others.
So get out there,
face down any
challenge with a
song in your
heart, and have
fun!
St George's Day
is April 23rd.
Brooke and Candace wandering the Ramparts The Catholic Church in Fort Good Hope
A Healthy Smile in Fort Good Hope
How to Name Your Rover Crew
© Katherine Nielsen 2004
http://www.teambedlam.tv/roverreflections.html
Every crew has a name dictated to it by its group and/or sponsor, such as “32nd Spruce Grove”. This name can be derived from the
group, district, or area. This name is not, however, unique to the individual crew and it does not reflect the character of the individual
crew. As a result, Rovers have a tradition of choosing crew names which better suits their personality, dynamics, and interests.
One of the requirements many crews used to have as a condition of membership was learning, while a squire, what the meaning of the
crew’s name is and why it is significant.
The names crews choose can be influenced by special interests, such as vocation, themes, locations, in memory or in honour of both
famous people or of fallen crew members. These names can have spiritual influences, or even have double meanings.
Choosing a crew name can seem difficult, if not daunting for new crews. It is important that the members not feel pressured by other
crews, and develop their own name, their own identity. Some regions have traditions for naming crews, such as most Crews in Alberta
start with “Knights of” (many crews outside of Alberta also name their crews with this format), but this is not required, and not some-
thing that has always been. Rover traditions change over time.
Sometimes crews just know what they want to be called, or use outside influences. For many, however, it seems like you are starting
from scratch. A good exercise to do with your crew is while at a meeting, or some other gathering where everyone in the crew is in
attendance, have each person write down ten (10) ideas they have for crew names, anonymously. Some will be serious and some will
be not, this is fine. As a group, go through the suggestions the members made, and begin to see which names mean more to your mem-
bers, or which ones they like. Sometimes the names will be serious, others will be humorous. As you move through the suggestions and
discuss what they mean to you as a crew, you get closer and closer to your crew’s name. It is interesting to note that you can learn a lot
about your crew, your crew’s dynamics, and your individual members by doing this exercise. This is not something you will be able to
narrow down in one day, but keep talking about it, and exchanging ideas. At the end, you will have a crew name!
The list below is of Canadian Crew names, past and present, and is by no means exhaustive. They are listed here to show you the vari-
ety of possibilities and to remind you that although there may be several “1st Rover Crews”, with your crew name, you are unique.
Knights of King Edward Kings Head Rovers Imperial Dragons Pendragon Rovers
Knights of the WestWind Knights of the Ridge Platipii of the Fish Creek Abyss Knights of the Rockies
Knights of Excalibur Knights Templar Rover Crew Paladin Knights Rover Crew Knights of Sicarius Dracorum
Knights of Logres Knights of the Lake Knights of the Three Woods Muskateers
Crusaders Merlin’s Mages Knights of the Limestone Table Knights of Artemis
Knights of Dionysus Knights of Cerberus Granny Grunt Rovers Chilickthan Rover Crew
Norsemen Rovers Knights of Avalon Knights of Camelot Knights of the Aurora Phoenix
Falcon Rover Crew Nomad Rover Crew Polaris Rovers TNT Rovers
Barbarians Rover Crew Mad Trappers Rover Crew Coureur de Bois Rovers Weekend Warriors Rovers
Pegasus Rover Crew Knights of Arrakis St George’s Rover Crew Holy Family Rovers
Les Montagnards Maple City Rover Crew Opemikon Rover Sir James Lougheed RoverCrew
Richard the Lionheart Rover Crew Sir Gareth of Orkney Rover Crew Knights of King Edward Sir Isaac Brook Rover Crew
Tecumseh Rovers Knights of the Peace Griesbaden Knights Beachcomer Rover Crew
Knights of the Unknown Challengers Knights of Atrebla Stirling Dragons
Knights of Amikeco Diamond Willow Rover Crew Mystaya Flying Jaguars Knights of the Silver Tip
Moose Iroquois Apache Cougars Knights of the Crimson Cross Knights of the Wilderness
Medic Rover Crew MacPherson Rover Crew Pendragons Chameleons
Voyageurs Fallen Angels Rover Crew Crusaders Knights of the Order of Saint Peter
Rover Songbook
Scouting Life (Tune: Battle Hymn of the Republic)
My mother took me out one day to join a Colony
By sharing, sharing, sharing a Beaver I will be
I promised to love my God, and of the world take care
Life is ever so much fun, if we only learn to share.
Chorus:
I have memorial of Scouting, happy memories of Scouting
Many friends that I have liked, many trials that I have hiked
It’s a Scouting life for me
One day I met Akela who took me to the Pack
In Wolf Cubs we do our best, we’re always on the track
A Tender pad, then earn some stars, and learn some Jungle Lore
The crafts and games are so much fun I’m always back for more.
Chorus
Kin came one day to talk to me and told me about Scouts
Of their laughter and their singing and their cheers and their shouts
Of the games they play, the hikes they take, and many, many
camps
Keep working toward your Chief’s Award, you’ll really be a
champ.
Chorus
At 14 years, I went into a Venturer Company
We planned our own program by true democracy
Some boys and girls together, the challenges we tried
And when we got Queen’s Venturer, we wore it with great pride.
Chorus
A Rover Sponsor said to me, “Come be a Rover Squire”
To wear that cherished Red Beret, can se your heart afire
Young women and young men, who serve without reward
Your Vigil and then at last, you’ve earned your shoulder boards.
Chorus
Now that I am older, I look back in memory
Of friends I met in Scouting, what their friendship means to me
Of trails and camps and rivers, and Scouting life so free
Of Scouting’s aims and principles, and the Gilwell family.
The Quest of Kindness to Animals
The sixth clause of the Scout Law is “A Scout is a friend to ani-
mals.”
As a Rover, we should strive to befriend animals because they
are our comrades in service. Freeing them, so far as we possibly
can, from pain and fear, giving them their full share of love, hap-
piness, and protection is our responsibility. We must develop
courage to fight against cruelty in order to overcome it.
By studying nature we come to learn more about who we are and
what we are doing here. The wonders of wilderness are shrink-
ing annually and we must help in any way we can to protect
wildlife for future generations. Organizations such as World
Wildlife Fund work everyday to help improve conditions for ani-
mals, and prevent the extinction of entire species each day.
Practical Application
Learn how to keep animals safely and ensure that they can have
the best life possible.
Learn about the natural history of your area, the role of local
wildlife, and how you can help preserve and protect them.
Learn basic first aid for animals from a veterinarian to help those
animals suffering from accidents and illness which you
encounter.
Volunteer for your local Humane Society or with local wildlife
initiatives in your area.
Spread the view that animals have a right to freedom from pain
and fear, and also to happiness, so far as it is in our power to give
it.
Nova Scotia Venturer and Rover Update
By Kevin Croft
Service Visits: March - May 2006
Need someone to give your group or service team a new perspec-
tive on your group program or area Support? Any service team
member, Venturer Company or Rover Crew can contact Kevin to
arrange for a meeting in March, April or may. To arrange for a
visit contact Kevin Croft at 450-0192 or 476-3847
Olympic Rover Moot: March 31 - April 2, 2006
Calling all past and present rovers, come and meet new and old
friends at the Nova Scotia Rover Reunion Moot. From 31 March
to 2 April 2006 at Camp Harris. Events include the scavenger
hunt from hell, mini Olympics, campfire, Rover Reunion and
other events yet to be planned. There will be a Rover Forum on
Sunday for all Rovers to voice their opinion on the state of the
Nova Scotia Rovers.
Cost : $5 per person at registration. Pre-register by contacting
Laura with numbers attending by 16 March 2006.
Contact: Laura Ripley- Duchess Knights of the Crimson Cross
Rover Crew at [email protected] 883-8409 or Don
Dorey - Chancellor [email protected] 449-7664
Halifax Area Venturer and Rover Executive Workshop:
April 7-9, 2006
Does your group need some training? We have set up a
Executive weekend to assist the youth in filling the roles in their
group.
The Executive weekend will be held April 7-9 at the Glenn
Haven Community Centre. All persons attending must be self suf-
ficient for meals (cooking out doors) as there are no kitchen facil-
ities. The cost will be $10.00 Per Person for the weekend. There
will ne lots of activities and sessions. To book contact Jim
Williams by email [email protected] or 435-1968 after
5pm weekdays. There will be sessions on Saturday and part of
Sunday for the Youth on Executive roles, meetings and planning.
Lots of fun as well!
Operation MOOSE 2006: May 20-21, 2006
Operation Moose contains several fun activities and an extreme
wide game that has several challenges for the participants. This is
a three-day adventurous experience for all! Activities that are
planned are a traditional all night wide game, outdoor skills chal-
lenges, and lots more!
Groups are to come self contained for the weekend. This event
is open to all Scouting youth aged 14-17. This is an excellent
opportunity to have Venturer Companies do some linking with
their Scout Troop and for Venturers to meet with Rovers..
The theme this year is Archaeology Mayhem and will include a
wide game that you will have never played before guaranteed! As
well as a new theme, the event is now hosted/ ran by 1st New
Scotland Rover Crew. All questions are to be directed to the crew.
Cost is $20 per person for Saturday game and over night stay and
$1 extra if you plan to stay for Sunday night. More information
will follow in the next newsletters
For more info contact 1st New Scotland Rover Crew at newscot-
2006 Scottish Camp and Highland Games:
August 18-20, 2006
The 1st Gretna Green Venturer Company, Miramichi are hosting
this camp at the Miramichi Agricultural Exhibition Grounds from
August 18-20, 2006. There is a maximum of 100 participants, and
the fee is $65. per person (youth or adult). A complete information
package is available at the Nova Scotia Scout office, or you can
contact Dewey Gillespie at [email protected] for more
information. Fees must be paid by May 15 - no refunds.
RAVE 2006: October 13-15, 2006
RAVE this will be going under a bit of a change with its program
and layout. More information will be available in the spring about
program and activities. If you have any questions, comments or
suggestions for program or activities please contact Kevin Croft
450-0192 / 476-3847 [email protected]
CJ '07 Offers of Service Needed
Are you interested in participating in the next Canadian Scout Jamboree, CJ '07 (July
25th to August 1, 2006) as an Offer of Service (OOS)?
No previous jamboree experience? No problem! All we require is your commitment
to work, as a member of a program activity team to plan and execute a fun, but chal-
lenging, three-hour program for Scout and Venturer age youth. Your team's program
will be repeated twice a day for the duration of the jamboree.
Gone Home
Craig Kunze of 1st Riverton Rover Crew passed away in his sleep
last night (Wed 14th March).
The Western Australian Rovering Community offers our deepest
condolences to Craig's family and friends. Craig was a 1st
Riverton Rover and friend to many.
In Craig's own words:
I was born in 1980 in a town called Wickham up the north end of
Western Australia. We stayed up there for my first three years. Of
that three years, I don't remember much, only what i've seen in
pictures and stories my parents told me, such as i first learned to
walk because i had a dirty nappy so mum put me on the lawn and
started washing me off with a hose. I stood up a walked. A joyous
occassion for my mum but what she didn't know is that she sat me
in a pile of prickles and i was trying to get away.
When i was three, we headed down to Perth to live in a suburb
called Riverton, and i have lived here ever since.When i was about
four, my sister started going to primary school. I was lonely so one
day i dissappeared from home and ended up at the primary school,
knocking on the class room door and asking the teacher if my sis-
ter could come out to play. One year later, i started at the same
school. My mum took me to pre-primary school. The only thing i
remember about that was telling my mum to leave so i could play
and nearly every other kid crying coz their parents were leaving.
Let's see. In the years from year one to year seven, I played crick-
et, football, and started scouts. I only played cricket for a year coz
i thought it was boring. I played football for as long as there was
a riverton team for my age group, about 5 or 6 years, and i started
cub scouts at age 8 and I am still in as a Rover. Oh, I also played
tennis on Sundays (I've just started taking that up again recently).
In year seven, i remember winning a medal for being best dancer
at the graduation ball/disco. All through the year we learnt how to
ballroom dance and the ball was what we were practising for.
I attended Rossmoyne High School. In year 8 through to 10 i did
alright, and also took up the trumpet. I was one of the best and was
always in the top class and also the top bands. I had to stop that in
year 11 though coz if i was to continue, i would have had to do it
as a main subject and I didn't want to do that. In year 11 and 12 I
was slack. I really wasn't enjoying school. I got enough to get a
passing grade and graduated. After my school years, i started
working with my dad in our family owned bakery. I have been
there for nearly 8 years now. It has helped me buy 3 brand new
cars, well, the third one wasn't planned. On my way home from
work one morning, I was travelling down High Rd, going 70km/h
and a girl crossed the road in front of me. I slammed straight
into the side of her car, stopping my car dead. It was a write-off.
So i 'had' to buy a new car. I've always owned the same model, a
Volkswagen Golf. My friends nicknamed it "Van Wilder". I liked
it so i named it that too.
Skills 2/3 Weekend At the end of last year (2005), I recieved a
Certificate III in Frontline Management. My first official qualifi-
cation, since i didn't go to University or Tafe. If I do a first aid
course this year (2006), I can also recieve a Certificate III in
Leadership. This year is the last year I am able to remain a youth
member of the Scouting movement which will end an 18 year
journey :( nah, it's ok, hehe.
That is a quick look at some of my life, well, i wrote it in 20 min-
utes so....
Source: http://cjkunze.net/me.php
Looney Tunes Moot
When: April 28-30, 2006
Where: Blue Springs Scout
Reserve in Acton
More Info:
http://www.geocities.com/loone
ymoot/
RSVP
Where: Perth, Ontario
When: May 5-7, 2006
Mystery Moot
When: May 12th - 14th 2006
Where: Hebor Downs
Conservation Area, Whitby
More Info:
http://www.mysterymoot.com
Central Canada
Rover Round Table
&
THE MOOT OF BRIAN
Where: Arundel, Quebec
When: May 19th -22nd, 2006
More Info:
http://moot.spiralex.net
Million Dollar Mania
When: June 23-25, 2006
Where: Goodyear Memorial
Scout Reserve in Orangeville
More Info:
http://www.milliondollarmania.com
Rover Only Moot
When: July 21st - 23rd 2006
Where: Camp Mohawk,
Kitchner
More Info:
http://home.cogeco.ca/~roversonly-
moot/
Ancient Moot
When: Aug 4th - 7thth 2006
Where: Camp Impeesa,
Brantford Area
More Info: Coming Soon
CNE Service Corp
When: Aug 18th - Sept 4th
Where: CNE Toronto
More Info:
Moot Moot
When: Sept 22nd - 24th 2006
Where: Snake Island, Toronto
More Info:
http://www.mootmoot.ca
Jailbreak Moot
When: October 2006
Where: Niagara Falls, Ontario
More Info:
Camp Skeeter
When: May 19th - 22nd 2006
Where: Camp Callett, Nanaimo, BC
More Info: http://www.skeeter.ca
Mardi Gras
When: Sept 22nd - 24th 2006
Where: Camp Bynmg, BC
More Info: http://come.to/mardi-gras
Expression of Interest
For A
Rover Reunion Gathering
Any Nova Scotia Rovers or
Rover Crews that are inter-
ested in planning and coordi-
nating an event like this
please contact
Kevin Croft -
Operation Moose
When: May 20th-21st, 2006
More Info:
2006 Scottish Camp and
Highland Games:
When: August 18-20, 2006
Where: Miramichi
Agricultural Exhibition
Grounds
More Info:
RAVE 2006
When: October 13-15, 2006
More Info:
We need your event listings.
Please send event info to
Nordjam 06
When: Aug 8-13 2006
Where: Iceland
More Info: www.scout.is/nordjamb
Roverway '06
When: Aug 6-14 2006
Where: Italy
More Info: www.roverway.it