Last Friday, several members of the 2nd Kingsville Scouting Troop, along with their parents, were busy cleaning up a Main Street residential property as part of their fundraising activities.
Lending a helping hand and guiding the Scouts in the art of weeding and tidying up flower beds, the parents in attendance included Dave and Esther Campbell, Jamie Larsen, Todd Lukan and Greg Schmitt.
This fundraising activity was one of many organized by the Scouts to raise money for their upcoming trip to the Pacific Jamboree taking place July 6 to 13 at Camp Barnard in Sooke, British Columbia.
In total 20 youth and nine Scout leaders, including Dave and Todd, will be travelling to this event.
Three of the 20 are Venture Youth — Jack, Ariana, and Kayden. They have volunteered to help run programs, coordinate security and look after some of the many moving parts that need to be in place to make this Jamboree a success.
Two of these youth were in Scouts and loved the Jamboree experience of 2019. The Scout Leaders are very proud of their dedication and the time they have given to deliver needed training and assist with fundraising activities which have spanned the last 18 months.
In addition to Friday’s yard work, other fundraising activities have included car washes, bottle drives and an online auction. The Scouts have also held numerous barbeques at town events such as the Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary Wildlife Weekend and the Town of Kingsville Eclipse Event.
The youth have also sold Butch’s Best Barbeque Sauce, Pretzel Central Pretzel Bites, and Woodland Trails Maple Syrup. For Christmas, they crafted and sold festive decor as well as handmade woolen mittens.
When asked about the skills and values that the Scouts have learned through fundraising Bev Snyder, Troop Scouter and Group Commissioner for 2nd Kingsville Scouting, had a long list to share.
She said the Scouts who have been participating in fundraising have gained many skills related to marketing, sales and customer service. They have also learned the responsibility of handling cash and making change for customers.
Fundraising activities have also help them with improved social skills including the importance of being respectful of others. Ultimately, they have learned what it means to put in hard work to achieve the goal of being able to take this trip of a lifetime with fellow Scouts.
Bev will be participating in this year’s Jamboree with her granddaughter Allie. Recalling her first Jamboree at Camp Tamaracota, Quebec in 2007 with her son Cody, she said that she is both proud and excited to be able to share this experience with her granddaughter.
The Scouts will depart from Windsor Airport very early in the morning on July 4 and will travel to Calgary and then on to Vancouver. They will spend two days visiting the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium and will even take a trip on the SkyTrain. Nights will be spent at the Marpole Scout Hall in Vancouver.
On July 6, the group will take the BC Ferry service to Vancouver Island where they will make their way to Sooke and Camp Barnard for the week. Scouts will enjoy a number of activities including kayaking, hiking, swimming, riflery, mountain biking and even some tree climbing!
After the Jamboree, the Scouts will spend two days sightseeing in Victoria including a whale-watching tour on Zodiacs!
This great adventure will wrap up on July 14 when the group leaves on an overnight flight to Calgary and on to Windsor, arriving early the next morning.
According to Bev, this trip will help the Scouts learn and grow in so many ways. They will learn practical skills like the importance of being on time and following directions. They will forge new friendships and enjoy the excitement of badge trading. They will be expected to follow the daily schedule, help to prepare meals, and help with cleaning.
In addition to the fun of sleeping in tents, Bev says the Scouts should be prepared for some very sore feet from all of the walking they will do.
How exciting for these Scouts, aged 11-15, to be going on this amazing adventure!
The 2nd Kingsville Scouts want to send their thanks to our community, family and friends for their support. They would also like to let the public know about these current and upcoming fundraising events:
Current Fundraisers:
- Simply Delicious Chocolate Bars
- Gift Card Raffle Ticket Sales
- SCOUT Hike A Thon
- 3D Printing Workshop at Kingsville Library
Upcoming Fundraisers:
- May 11 – Carwash BBQ & Bottle Drive at Kingsville Home Hardware
- May 25 – Yardsale, BBQ & Bottle Drive at Kingsville Home Hardware
For Yard Work, contact:
- 2ndkingsvillescouts@gmail.com
- Angela Larsen ange.larsen@gmail.com
- Bev Snyder 519-790-8457
Photos by Kingsville Times