First Drayton Guides are gearing up for a new season of Guiding to begin at the end of September.
There are a few special ceremonies the group celebrates each year. Near the beginning of the year, an enrollment ceremony is held. Each girl recites their promise as a Spark, Brownie or Guide and receives a pin or badge to mark the special occasion.
Guiders are always honoured to participate in Drayton’s Remembrance Day ceremony and parade and join with others to remember those who fought for our freedom, organizers note.
Guiders celebrate the birthdays of Girl Guide founders Lord Robert and Lady Olive Baden-Powell, who share the same birthday, in February. This special occasion is called Thinking Day. Our final ceremony is Advancement, during which the girls move up to the next level of Guiding.
“It is always a pleasure to see how each girl has grown throughout the year,” local officials state.
Some of the group’s weekly meetings include trips around town and the surrounding community. The Drayton Veterinary Clinic hosted the unit one evening. The girls had fun learning how to take care of their pets. The Mapleton Fire Department taught the girls about safety. Also, the girls spent an evening at Studio Factor creating art. Once each year a larger out-of-town excursion is planned. Guiders have been to Ontario Place, the Butterfly Conservatory, the Children’s Museum and the Ontario Science Centre.
The theme throughout each year is to help others through service projects. The focus is to teach that giving to others can be very rewarding. Many service projects double as outings. At Christmas, the group visits residents at the Crest and have a great time singing, eating treats, and making crafts for the residents. The girls also volunteer at the craft show at Christmas and the Drayton Farm Show in the spring.
Other projects include collecting items for the food bank or tree planting with Trees for Mapleton.
The fun also includes camps and sleepovers. The local unit has been to Camp Wyoka near Clifford and Camp Conestogo near Dorking. Members always have a great time being together outdoors, playing games, preparing and eating meals, making crafts, sharing stories, and making memories that will last a lifetime, officials say.
In the fall members sell mint cookies and each spring classic chocolate and vanilla cookies which help in funding activities.
“Please consider joining our unit for the upcoming year as a girl or as a leader. We are in need of Guiders for the coming season. We are excited to begin a brand new adventure in Guiding with your girls,” local officials state.
