There were some great winter and summer events when looking back at west central scouting activity in 2020, but it’s hard not to notice the complete lack of 2021 content when looking at the Rosetown clubs Facebook page. One of their counterparts in the 1st Outlook Scouts seemed busy in comparison, and increased numbers for the Rosetown crew could bring them back to a normal year of scouting in 2022.
The 1st Rosetown Scouts are hoping to be able to start back up, with registration tomorrow, and their top priority right now is acquiring new volunteers so that they can provide programming in the community.
“We need more volunteers, and we’ll see the interest from kids again,” said group commissioner for Rosetown Scouts Harold Litzenberger, “We haven’t had anything for a year and a half with everything going on, and we are short some volunteers.”
Some of the turnover in members has to do with people moving on and out of scouts. The people are what make the program run, and regulations with Scouts Canada require a certain amount of adults for each group level. There is a fair bit that goes into the process, as Litzenberger continued.
“We have a registrar, and a treasurer, so it does take a few people to get this running,” he said, before describing what a new volunteer counsellor might be asked to do, “There are always options for other things to, but it would be mostly helping teach youth the fundamentals of scouting. From doing camping and outdoor work, to inside crafts with the younger kids and teaching other skills. We do theme nights and theme months sometimes.”
He reaffirmed how there can never be too many volunteers, especially for an activity like scouting that can be busy with anything, at any given time.
“Its primarily counsellor spots right now. Like anything else, you never turn away volunteers that can help.”
Litzenberger is happy to be able to provide these hands on opportunities to kids from around the area. He’s belonged to the program for 20 years now, and is a big proponent of all the big scouting events across Canada such as the Canadian Jamboree.
Litzenberger loves the inclusivity that scouting can bring, but in this day and age with health and safety mandates playing a big role, their pool of new candidates is certainly affected.
“Unfortunately everyone 12 and up has to be double vaccinated to belong to it at this time,” said Litzenberger.
Despite that fact, the crowd under the age of 12 is still more than welcome to try scouting as it can be an equally rewarding experience for all ages. However, the opportunity may not come with the same cookies, as many will think of “guides” along with the term “scouts”. Litzenberger helped explain the connection.
“Girl Guides is a different organization, but the founders of Scouts and Girl Guides, were husband and wife.”
It’s not a surprise as the different campers often carry the same values. The things learned through scouting can be very important life lessons according to Litzenberger, as he has seen first hand how some kids can evolve through the years. He is also involved with a separate hiking camp out of Cypress Hills, and is certainly one to keep banging on the drum of the outdoors providing positives for youth.
“It’s so different from when I grew up, we didn’t have the electronics when I was really young,” he said, “It’s obviously not for everybody, but we try to make it all inclusive. We have to try and fit our program to the youth, because it’s changed from even 15 years ago. The youth don’t do what they did then, so we try and accommodate their strengths too somewhat.”
The 1st Rosetown Scouts registration night is set for tomorrow at the Rosetown Scout Hut, with more information available on the poster below:
via 1st Rosetown Scouts on Facebook
Thu, Apr 25, 9:30 AM
