Colony Lodges, 31/12/11

Each Beaver Scout Colony is divided into a number of Lodges. The Beaver in charge of a Lodge is known as a 'Lodge Leader', who is assisted by a 'Lodge Assistant'.

We have four lodges - the names are inspired by local rivers:
River: SEVERN     Colour: YELLOW
River: WYE     Colour: RED
River: AVON     Colour: BLUE
River: TRENT     Colour: GREEN
There are usually six Beavers in each lodge and the Beavers are given a Woggle of the appropriate colour once they are invested.

Reminder, Beavers back on 6th January

Reminder to all parents and guardians, Beavers is back on:
Friday 6th January 2012 at 5.45pm.

District Beavers Christmas Party, 11/12/11

Snow Machine

Over 100 Beavers attended the Rea Valley District Christmas Party at St Peters, Harborne.

2.00pm - Freestyle Dancing (Macarena and Cha Cha Slide)
2.15pm - Musical Bumps (Vengabus)
2.40pm - Leaders Forfeit (Dancing Queen ABBA Tribute)
2.50pm - Hunt the Coloured Cards (hidden around the hall, lollipop prize)
2.55pm - Dance Competition (lollipops awarded for style)
3.00pm - Food and drink (chocolate biscuit, crisps and drink)
3.20pm - Coloured hoops elimination game
3.35pm - Meet Father Christmas and collect a present
3.55pm - District Conga Line (Ole! Ole! I'm feeling hot hot hot)

4.00pm - Thank you to retiring leaders

4.05pm - Snow machine and home time

Xmas Decorations, 09/12/11

Through the legs
Beavers stand in a circle with their legs wide apart and feet touching the feet of the Beaver either side of them
They knock the ball from one to another trying to score a goal by getting the ball through the legs of another Beaver
If the ball goes through their legs they have to run once around the circle and back to their place
They can only defend by using their hands or bending their knees, but they are not allowed to move their feet

Catch me if you can
Every Beaver has a coloured velcro tag on their upper arm, at the signal, Beavers have to collect as many tags from opposition players as possible, winning team is the team with the most tags at the end.

Christmas Decorations created for Scout Hut Christmas Tree
This involved LOTS of **glitter**

Tunnel Relay
Each of the teams stand in a line one behind the other with their legs apart to form a tunnel and their hands on the shoulders of the Beaver in front
The Beaver at the back crawls through all the legs to the front, then stands up shouting 'up' or 'here' to signal to the next Beaver at the back it's their turn
The relay continues until team reaches the pre-determined point and they all sit down

Dates for your diary, 2011/12

Dates for your diary, 2011/12

Sunday 11th December

District Christmas Party – (details have already gone out and places booked).

Friday 16th December 2011 – Final meeting before Christmas

23rd & 30th December 2011 – Christmas break, NO MEETINGS

Friday 6th January 2012, 5.45pm – First meeting of New Year

Sunday 15th January, 3.30pm to 7.00pm

Beavers and Cubs New Year Party, at Ariel Scout Hut

This promises to be an enjoyable event, with party games and activities, giving Beavers the opportunity to meet and socialise with the Ariel Cub Scouts.

The party is free of charge but donations of food and drink are most welcome.

Saturday 4th to Sunday 5th February

Theatre Trip (Old Rep) & Sleepover (Ariel Scout Hut)

The Beaver Scouts are invited to see Georges Marvellous Medicine at the Old Rep, and then we will go back to the scout hut for a themed Sleepover. Collection will be on Sunday morning, around 11.00am. Full details will be available in January.

Cost: £11.00 (includes cost of theatre ticket, food etc)

Participation in this activity will allow the Beavers to gain their first ‘Nights Away’ badge.

Saturday 11th February (afternoon)

District Indoor Football Competition

Details are still to be confirmed but we will try to enter two teams (six a side).

New Games Night, 02/12/11

Tonight we tried out several games which haven't been played before.

Skung tag (balancing on one foot holding your nose)
Find Your Shoes (in the dark)
Wink Murder
Diagonal Space Hopper and Frisbee Relay Race

Trust Building, 25/11/11

Six new Beaver Scouts invested this evening with 18 members of assorted family and friends in attendance.
Beavers joined hands and got into a tangle, then had to co-operate and get back into a normal circle.

We played the Bean Game - different types of bean called out and beavers had to act the part.

Trust building exercise, beavers had to fall backwards with another beaver standing behind to catch them.

Chain reaction: beavers in three teams, first beaver had to run around the cone, then collect the second team member, they both had to run and collect the third etc. Then they had to crawl rather than run!

Very quiet musical statues was the final game of the night.

Beavers were given their new coloured woggles to represent the colours of their new lodges.

Quote of the month, November 2011

'Trusted to make life better.'

Enriching lives

Scouting is about making life better – our Members are healthier, happier and more confident.

Snowball Fight, 18/11/11

Sorted the Beavers into new Lodges - names written on coloured (red, yellow, blue, green) folded slips of paper in the centre of the room - the Beavers then travelled by space hopper into the centre and found their name. They then rearranged themselves to stand with people of the same coloured paper (their new lodges).
In their lodges the Beavers players balls in bucket (on space hoppers).

Beavers then drew their winter themed stories about snowmen, then acted them out.

We finished with a snowball fight - the beavers created the snowballs out of newspaper, then stood at opposite ends of the room and had a SNOWBALL FIGHT!!!!

Shoeboxes, 11/11/11

Game: Head or catch in a circle, then spent the evening wrapping and filling the Christmas Shoeboxes for our appeal!

Beaver & Cub New Year Party, 15/01/12

Beaver/Cub New Year Party

Sunday 15th January 2012, 3.30pm – 7.00pm

Parents / Guardians,

The traditional joint Beaver and Cub New Year Party is taking place on Sunday 15th January 2012, between 3.30pm and 7.00pm.

This promises to be an enjoyable event, giving the Beavers the opportunity to meet and socialise with the Cub Scouts.

The party is free of charge but donations of food and drink are most welcome.

Date: Sunday 15th January 2012

Time: 3.30pm start, 7.00pm finish

Location: Scout Hut

Cost: FREE

All Beavers should attend in uniform (blue jumper and neckerchief if you have one).

We look forward to your company.

Yours in scouting,

Beaver & Cub Leaders

Bonfire Night, 04/11/11

Games: Bean game (runner, jumping etc) and "dead beavers"

Guest Speaker launched the Christmas Shoebox Appeal

Ate hot dogs (with ketchup and onions) then went outside and had sparklers!

Shoebox Appeal Launch Night Letter, 04/11/11

Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal

www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk

Dear Parent / Guardian,

Friday 4th November – Christmas Shoebox Appeal Launch Night, 5.45pm start

You may have already received a leaflet with details about the Samaritans Purse Christmas Shoebox Appeal (Operation Christmas Child).

We will be holding a launch evening on Friday 4th November 2011 at 5.45pm where a guest speaker will give a talk about the work of the charity and explain the appeal in more detail.

You will be given a leaflet with a full list of everything you need to collect.

All parents / guardians should attend this talk – it will only last 15 / 20 minutes.

Refreshments will be provided after the meeting for the parents / guardians.

If you have any questions regarding the above please contact me.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Yours in scouting,

Beaver Scout Leader

1st Ariel 113th Birmingham

Rea Valley District

Email: hawkeye@113asg.org

Friday 11th November – Making the Christmas Shoeboxes

We will be making the shoeboxes during the Beaver meeting.

Please can you place all items in a carrier bag and clearly label it with your child’s name.

Participation in this appeal by your child is completes a requirement of the Friendship Challenge Badge.

Halloween Party, 28/10/11

Musical statues, Zombie game, scary Halloween masks and then party food

Upcoming Events October - December 2011

Friday 28th October – Halloween Party
We are having a Halloween Party on Friday 28th October with party games and snacks.
Beaver Scouts are encouraged to come in a Halloween costume. Uniform is not required.
Donations of food and drink from parents are welcome.

Friday 4th November – Bonfire Night & Christmas Shoebox Appeal Launch
We are having sparklers followed by hot dogs and drinks (vegetarian option is provided). 
All Beaver Scouts should bring their coat and gloves.

We are also launching our Christmas Shoebox Appeal at 5.50pm. Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend this 15 minute talk by a guest speaker.

Saturday 12th November – County Remembrance Service, Cannon Hill Park
Location: Scout War Memorial in Cannon Hill Park, B5 7RL (rear of the Nature Centre)
Arrive at 10.30am for a prompt 10.45am start, finish time is approximately 11.30am.
What to bring: Please wear a coat, your blue Beaver jumper and neckerchief if you have one.

Parents are welcome to stay during the 45 minute service; car parking is available in the MAC Car Park or in the Nature Centre.

Sunday 11th December – District Beaver Christmas Party
All Beaver Scouts from Rea Valley District are invited to the Christmas Party. The afternoon will include fun Christmas games and activities, and food and drink will be provided.
This promises to be an enjoyable event, with the opportunity to meet and socialise with other Beaver Scouts from around the District.
Location: St Peters Church Hall, Old Church Road, Harborne, Birmingham, B17 0BB
Arrive by 2.00pm, collection is at 4.00pm
Cost: £3.00 (covers hall hire, Christmas gift, food and refreshments)

Term dates
Final meeting before Christmas - Friday 16th December 2011
Christmas break – no meetings - 23rd & 30th December 2011
First meeting of New Year - Friday 6th January 2012

Flying Saucers, 21/10/11

Practiced opening ceremony, played Chinese handball and created flying saucers then tested out their flying capabilities.

Badge requirements achieved:

Fitness - part in co-operative games (Chinese Handball)

Imagination - Draw or paint a picture imagining what life might be like in the future

Quote of the month, October 2011

'Look forward to putting something back.'

Enriching lives

Scouting is about making life better – our Members are healthier, happier and more confident.

Sandwiches, 14/10/11

Played: benchball and "dead" beavers and then made two different sandwiches to complete the healthy eating badge

Badge requirements achieved:

Fitness - Take part in a team game; take part in co-operative game (benchball)

Healthy Eating - Make two different sandwiches

Giant Models, 07/10/11

Invested a new Beaver Scout, played north, south, east, west then created giant models for the imagination badge - Hogwarts Castle, Robots and a Fighter Jet

Badge requirements achieved:

Imagination - Build a model using a variety of objects

Promise Challenge - Take part in an Investiture ceremony (Beaver Scout Promise)

Sponsored Walk (Woodgate Valley Country Park), 02/10/11

Badge requirements achieved:

Friendship Challenge – Raise funds for a good cause (caring for others), Join in activities with another Colony (meeting other people)

Fitness Challenge - Go for an accompanied walk (adventure)

Fitness Challenge, 30/09/11

Game: Icicles (freeze when touched), then two teams against each other playing skittles

Fitness Challenge: (step ups, ball bounces, sprints, hurdles). Measured heart rate before and after excercise.

Orange squash provided for thirsty Beavers

Badge requirements achieved:
Fitness Challenge - Take part in a team game (skittles), Take part in agility activities, Take part in a Keep Fit session, Monitor heartbeat after different activity and understand the reasons for change
Health & Fitness - Learn about the value of keeping fit

‘Mad Hatters’ Tea Party, 25/09/11

Parents / Guardians,

There is a District Beaver Scout event taking place on Sunday 25th September at
Blackwell Court, Bromsgrove. This is in the form of a “Mad Hatters Tea Party”. The afternoon will include fun and games, food and refreshments will be provided.

Date: Sunday 25th September 2011
Time: 2.00 – 4.00pm
Venue: Roundhill Meadow, Blackwell Court, Agmore Road, Blackwell, Bromsgrove B60 1PX
Cost: £1.50 per child

In the event of wet weather – an indoor dry shelter has been booked.

This promises to be an enjoyable event, with the opportunity to meet and socialise with other Beaver Scouts from around the District.

Please can you let me know by text or email on or before Sunday 18th September if your child will be attending.

If you have any questions, then please contact me.

Yours in scouting,

Beaver Scout Leader

Loyalty

Don considered himself a musician. He played the tambourine in junior high school, but he wasn’t very good. He also thought of himself as a singer, but he couldn’t have carried a tune in a bucket. Years passed, and when all of his school friends were going to college and pursuing careers, Don nurtured his dream of becoming a singer–songwriter by moving to Nashville, Tennessee.

Once there, Don made the most of his limited resources. He bought a used car and slept in it. He took a job working nights so he could visit record companies during the day. He learned to play the guitar. As years passed, he kept writing songs, practicing, and knocking on doors.

After many years, Don finally got a song on the radio and it made the country hit charts. More time passed and Kenny Rogers recorded one of his songs. “The

Gambler” was the title song for one of the best-selling country-music albums of that time. Since then, Don Schlitz has had 23 number one songs on the charts. As a result of his focused determination, the teenage dreamer had become a success. Don had done five things essential to success, without even knowing it. They are the following:

1. Define your goals. Set a goal and picture yourself accomplishing that goal.

2. Seek out those who know more than you do. Model your efforts on theirs, adjusting and improving as you go.

3. Pursue your vision with determination. Successful people don’t quit. The biggest difference between those who are successful and those who aren’t is usually not talent, but persistence.

4. Make an emotional commitment. You will sometimes want to quit after too many losses, but you have to pull yourself together with enthusiasm and commitment.

5. Review and renew your goals. As you reach your goals, set new ones. Go to the next level.

Fruit Kebabs, 23/09/11

Games

North, South, East, West with 8 points of the compass progression

Four teams ball in bucket relay

Made fruit kebabs with melon, strawberries, grapes, bananas, satsumas and chocolate sauce.

Badge requirements achieved:
Fitness Challenge - Take part in a team game (bucket ball)Health & Fitness - Learn about foods that are good for you, Plan a healthy meal, Learn about personal hygiene
Healthy Eating - Make a fruit salad, Make a healthy snack, List some unhealthy foods

Quote of the month, September 2011

'Confident about making life better.'

Confident

People like being part of an organisation that’s confident about its aims.

Model Making, 16/09/11

Five new Beaver Scouts invested

Model making using newspapers, cereal boxes, plastic bottles, kitchen rolls, egg boxes. Lots of robots created

Games: Captains Coming, Clap and Catch

Badge requirements achieved:

Imagination - Build a model using a variety of objects

Promise Challenge - Take part in an Investiture ceremony (Beaver Scout Promise)

Imagination, 09/09/11

Game: Benchball

Drew pictures of any object from our imagination, created a story which included the pictures, and acted it out in front of the group

Badge requirements achieved:

Creative - Act or mime a simple scene

Fitness - Take part in a team game; take part in co-operative game (benchball)

Imagination - Write, tell or act a short story, poem or play

Introduction to Ariel Beavers, September 2011

Term dates
Final meeting before Christmas - Friday 16th December 2011
Christmas break – no meetings - 23rd & 30th December 2011
First meeting of New Year - Friday 6th January 2012
Easter Holiday – no meetings - 6th & 13th April 2012
Final Meeting before summer break - Friday 20th July 2012
First meeting of new Autumn term - Friday 7th September 2012 

Meeting Times   Friday evenings – arrive at 5.45pm, collection time is 7.00pm.

Uniform
When your child has been coming to Beavers for two or three weeks they may wear the turquoise Beaver Scout uniform sweatshirt which can be bought online (www.scoutshops.com) or from certain school uniform shops.

We will present the group neckerchief to your child once they have completed their training for the Beaver Scout Membership Badge and are ready to be invested as a member of the Scout Association.

Please ensure all uniform is clearly labelled with your child’s name.

Monthly subscriptions
Payment of subs is standardised across all sections (Beavers, Cubs, and Scouts).
Subscriptions are £10.00 per month, collected on the first Friday of every month. This covers all Friday evening activities, hall hire and maintenance, refreshments, and any badges awarded.

Due to the closure for two weeks over Christmas please pay £2.50 for every meeting attended during December 2011.

New Members
Boys and girls can join from 5 ¾ years to 8 years old:
- Anyone younger then 5 ¾ years will be placed on a waiting list until they reach the appropriate age.
- Boys and girls aged 8 to 10 ½ years old may join our Cub Scout section on Tuesday evenings.

Swimming Up to Cub Scouts, 31/08/11

Parents / Guardians,

Once your child turns eight years old, they are old enough to move up to the Ariel Cub Section. The Cub Scouts meet on Tuesday evenings between 6.30 and 8.00pm.

In order to prepare your child for moving up to Cub Scouts, your child is invited to attend Cub Pack meetings as well as Beaver Colony meetings for the next few weeks, starting from next Tuesday. They should wear their blue Beaver uniform and group neckerchief.

This provides your child an opportunity to adjust to a different style of meeting, meet their new Leaders and the other Cub Scouts. Many of the current Cub Scouts were also Beaver Scouts at Ariel.

There will be no increase in monthly subscriptions whilst your child attends Beaver and Cub meetings, the monthly cost will continue to be £10.00 per month.

The Cub Scout Leader (Akela) will be available after every Cub Pack meeting from 8.00pm to give you the opportunity to answer any queries you may have.

If you have questions, then please speak to one of the leaders.

Yours in scouting,

Beaver Scout Leader
Cub Scout Leader

Imagination Badge Letter, 30/08/11

Dear Parents / Guardians

This term the Beaver Scouts are going to be working towards their Imagination Badge.

A requirement is that they will have to build a model using a variety of objects. For this activity the Beavers will need to bring in some materials
such as:
Paper and cardboard of different textures & colours, Old magazines, Scrap material and fabric, Plastic bottles, Cereal packets, Shells and pebbles, Margarine tubs, Matchboxes, Cardboard tubes, Egg boxes, Wool scraps, Shoe boxes, Washing-up liquid containers, Yogurt and cream cartons, Soft drink cans.

Please bring these in during September and October.

Many thanks, and yours in scouting,

Beaver Leaders

Bravery

Actor and martial arts expert Chuck Norris knows that might does not always mean right. He explains: Not long ago, after a day of filming my television series, I went alone to a small Texas cafe. As I sat in a corner booth, a large man towered over me and said with an edge to his voice that I was sitting in his booth. I didn’t like his tone or his implicit threat, but I said nothing and moved to another booth. A few minutes later, though, the big fellow was headed back in my direction. Here he comes, I thought, a local tough out to make a name for himself by taking on Chuck Norris in a fight. When he arrived at my new booth, he looked directly at me. “You’re Chuck Norris,” he said. I nodded. “You could have whipped me good back there a few minutes ago,” he said. “Why didn’t you?” “What would it have proved?” I asked. He thought that over for a moment and then offered me his hand. “No hard feelings?” he said. “None,” I said, and shook his hand. I had avoided a confrontation and made a friend.

I had won by losing.

Quote of the month, August 2011

'Rejoin the adventure.'

Adventure

We offer outdoor activities and adventure for everyone at every level.

Scouting Values, August 2011

Challenging: We don’t just climb mountains, we move them.

Impactful: Scouting changes lives. That’s a fact.

Positive: Help someone learn how to smile again.

Optimistic: If they can do it, you can do it.

Committed: You can’t change the world in a day. But together we can.

Informal: Got a few seconds? It might just change your life.

Humorous: Where did all that mud come from?

Friendly: Up to much on Thursday? Fancy 28 million new friends?

Surprising: Eleven of the twelve people to walk on the moon were Scouts. Surprised?

Striving: Let’s give young people a chance – one by one.

Inspiring: Two things matter in life: Follow your dreams and look after your friends (Bear Grylls).

A Scout Is Clean

(You will need one clean, opaque cup filled with very dirty water and one opaque cup, dirty on the outside and filled with clean water. The soiling of the outside

of the dirty cup and the murkiness of the water in the clean cup must be exaggerated.)

(Hold up both cups so that the Scouts can see the outsides clearly but not what is inside.) Which of these cups of water do you think I should drink from? You probably think that I should drink from the clean cup. But, you see, the cup that appears clean really contains very dirty water. (Walk around the room and show the dirty water to the Scouts.) It’s the other cup, the one that looks dirty on the outside, which is really clean. (Show the clean water.)

It doesn’t really matter if Scouts play hard and get dirty doing the many fun activities we do in our troop. We can always take a shower and get clean again. But, it is a little harder to keep our insides clean. When the Scout Law says “A Scout is clean,” it is also referring to our inside selves. A Scout has clean language, clean manners, and clean thinking.

The Future, 22/07/11

Games: indoor parachute, obstacle course (giant feet, cones, frisbee, ladders)

Drawing the future

Badge requirements achieved:

Fitness - part in co-operative games (parachute games), Take part in a team game (obstacle course)

Imagination - Draw or paint a picture imagining what life might be like in the future

Quote of the month, July 2011

'Get to know your kids better. Send them away.'

Fun and friendship

These are the reasons people join Scouting – without it they leave.

Pirate Camp, Blackwell Court, 16/07/11

Joint camp with the Cub Scouts

Camp activities included orienteering, night line, water fight, rounders, grass sledging, backwoods cooking and two treasure hunts! It even included inflatable palm trees!

Badge requirements achieved:

Adventure - Treasure hunt, Grass sledging

Fitness - Take part in a team game (rounders, water fight), take part in co-operative game (nightline)

Nights Away - one night away as part of a recognised Scouting activity (in tents)

Outdoor - Visit a Cub Scout Pack camp, Help put up a tent, Follow a laid out trail, Take part in an outdoor activity (grass sledging, treasure hunt)

Pirate T-Shirts, 08/07/11

Games: played "Pirates" footsteps, head or catch, dodgeball

Designed pirate t-shirts

Pirate Flags, 01/07/11

Games: Pirate balloons - last one to burst won! Memory & jigsaw game

Then we designed pirate flags to put on our tents for Pirate Camp at Blackwell Court

Pirate Party, 28/06/11

Joint event with the Cub Scouts

Games: Rounders in the park, pass the parcel and musical statues. Sweets handed out as prizes

Badge requirements achieved:

Fitness - Take part in a team game (rounders)

Tents, 24/06/11

Three teams racing against each other and the clock to erect tents inside the scout hut.

Learnt about tent etiquette

Games: Beavers & water-rats, pirate keys

Badge requirements achieved:

Outdoor - Help put up a tent

Trim Your Sail

One merit badge that I really enjoyed earning as a Scout was Small-Boat Sailing. And the thing that most impressed me was learning how to tack. In a sailboat, you can’t get upwind by steering straight into the wind. You have to move into it at an angle, with the mainsail close-hauled, and the centreboard down. By putting together a series of tacks, which looks like a big zigzag pattern as you go through the water, you can actually get yourself upwind of your starting point.

Sailors have a saying for this: They’ll tell you to “trim your sail so as to gain an advantage, even in an adverse wind.” A good sailor knows how to take the very wind that is trying to blow him backward from his intended course, and use it instead to move his boat forward. His forward progress might not be fast with all those tacks, but it’s steady.

There’ll be times in your life—there’ll be times in your Scouting career—when you’ll encounter an “adverse wind.” Everything seems to be moving against your intended course. Well, maybe you can’t steer straight into the opposing “wind,” but by trying a different “tack,” you can find a way to move forward. That’s one of the secrets of success in Small-Boat Sailing, and it works in real life, too.

Quote of the month, June 2011

'Take the first step into the future.'

Fun and friendship

These are the reasons people join Scouting – without it they leave.

Snibston Discovery Museum, 18/06/11

Saw interactive and moving exhibits and fascinating displays about fashion, design, technology, science and industry at Snibston Discovery Museum, Leicestershire with Beaver Scouts from all groups within Rea Valley District

Badge requirements achieved:

Adventure - Adventure walk around a park

Creative - Learn what a magnet does

Fitness - Go for an accompanied walk

Friendship - Join in activities with another Colony

Outdoor - Visit to a place of interest

Animals, 17/06/11

Games: Blanket game, Dragons tail - rope and bean bag

Colouring in pictures of reptiles and birds of prey to make a collage.

Animal Man, 14/06/11

Joint event with the Cub Scouts; we saw cockroaches, millipedes, bearded dragons, lizards, snakes and a tarantula!

Football, 10/06/11

Fitness warm up - race to tree and back

Football & penalty shoot out over the park.

Pirate camp treasure maps & animal man letters handed out.

Badge requirements achieved:

Fitness - Take part in a team game (football in park)

Pizza, 03/06/11

Made mini pizzas in the oven, choosing from various toppings

Pizza themed game in circle (tomato, pepper, mushroom – PIZZA!)

Water fight in the park

Badge requirements achieved:

Fitness - Take part in a team game (water fight)

Healthy Eating - Make a healthy snack (mini pizza)

Park Games, 27/05/11

Games: Multi coloured parachute, Kwik cricket

Badges handed out to celebrate 25 years of beavers.

Badge requirements achieved:

Fitness - Take part in co-operative games (parachute), Take part in a team game (cricket)

Happiness

Here’s a quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin:

“Happiness is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day.”

I know some adults who are wasting away their lives, and their money, waiting for the day when they’ll “hit it big” in the state lottery. All they think they need is to win a million bucks, and then they’ll be happy. The problem is, of course, that day is highly unlikely ever to happen for them.

Ben Franklin suggests a much surer thing: Grab onto those little advantages that come your way every day. Perhaps it’s your patrol leader offering to teach you some knots you’ll need for pioneering; on the surface it’s not a big thing, but take advantage of the offer—it’ll make you a little bit better Scout than you were before.

By steadily improving your Scout craft skills, by working toward the next rank, one requirement at a time, you’ll gradually work yourself into a position in which you’re prepared to go for some of the big things in Scouting—like Philmont or a high-adventure trek.

Pirates, 20/05/11

Games: Captains Coming, Pirates Keys (Blindfolded in circle)

Pirate hats, colouring in, and eye-patches

Quote of the month, May 2011

'You don't need to travel to the other side of the world to make a difference'.

Enriching lives

Scouting is about making life better – our Members are healthier, happier and more confident.

Fitness Challenge, 13/05/11

Fitness Challenge Badge; which included timed step ups on a bench, squat thrusts, ladders, sprints.

Created Healthy Eating posters created & took part in a keep fit session

Recruitment letters handed out

Badge requirements achieved:

Fitness - Take part in a Keep Fit session, Design a poster which promotes healthy eating