Endangered Species: Palmerston Scouting
In 1907 the worldwide movement known as Scouting made its way to Canada. By 1927, Palmerston had its first Scout Troop and they took up residence in the basement of the library, a space affectionately known since that time, as the Scout Hall. Over the decades Palmerston Scouts made that space their home. They installed shelving units, put in a floor, painted a mural on the wall, and made memories. Hundreds of youth have spent time in the Scout Hall learning how to tie knots, do crafts, play games, sing songs, and relate to the world around them. Future community leaders and volunteers were trained there.
The 1st of April, 2015, however, marked a bittersweet day for Scouting in Palmerston. Our final meeting in the Scout Hall was held on March 31st. Due to the renovations of the library, the Scouts have had to leave the hall. Our craft supplies and camping supplies can be taken with us. As of right now, we aren’t sure where we are taking them. We will always carry our memories in our hearts.
The plans for the new library do not include a space suitable for Scouting to use. For the first time in the almost ninety year history of Scouting in Palmerston, we are without a place to call our own. Since April 1st we have been meeting at the Legion, and we thank them profusely for sharing their space with us. After the summer, as we get ready to begin regular meetings in September, we don’t know where we will be. For now, the majority of our supplies are packed away in a storage container and the rest are transferred back and forth each week from leaders’ homes.
While we are currently without a physical space, over the past few years we have begun to lose something even more important to Palmerston Scouting – adult volunteers. Currently we have Scouters who are leading more than one section, stretched too thinly, and starting to burn out. We need more volunteers. Being a Scouter is a rewarding experience – being a leader in Scouting allows you an opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of youth in our community. Camping and outdoor activities are at the core of our program but exploration of many other areas, such as science and technology, community service and involvement, the arts, health and nutrition, and cultural awareness, are woven into our activities regularly. As often as Scouters teach the youth, they also learn from them.
There are no specialized skills required to be a leader – other than a desire to help change the lives of young people. Leaders need to be 18 years old or older, though there are some positions available for teenagers (14-17 year olds) as well. All volunteers need to comply with Scouts Canada Screening policies. Training and support will be provided.
Many hands make light work and to that end we are seeking new people to add to our leadership team. Please contact Dan Belair, 519-343-2469, please leave a message, or e-mail dpbelair@gmail.com for more information or to volunteer. There is no better time to volunteer than today!
Dan Belair