We Make a Difference

It was just about midweek during our annual canoe trip. Just as dinner was being served, an argument erupted between two of the older Scouts. After separating them and counselling with each of them, I went down to the lake for a little solitude. Somehow the group just wasn’t coming together. I sat on a log with my feet propped up on two rocks resting in the water, trying to think of what I could do to make a difference. Just about when I’d decided that the trouble was all due to some failing on my part, I looked up and noticed some huge thunderheads that had formed. How beautiful they were. Then something caught my eye across the lake. It looked as if diamonds were dancing toward me on the water! Closer and closer they came until they finally reached me. Hail! The hail started coming down harder and harder until I had to put my head down. Still, the hail came down even harder. I pulled my jacket up over my head, but the hail was unrelenting in its force. There I was with my head between my legs, my eyes squeezed shut against the pain of the pounding hailstones, my nose only inches from the surface of the water, thinking, “Why me, God? Why me?” And the hail came down even harder. Finally, I opened my eyes and looked down below the surface of the lake. There, under the protection of my jacket, the underwater life continued as normal, while beyond the influence of my coat the lake churned with the fury of the hailstorm. It was only then that I realized what God was trying to tell me—I did make a difference. We all make a difference to a Scout in life’s storms. Just by being who we are, someone to come to with a problem, someone who can understand the differences of opinions, someone who stands for right and provides a good example. Just remember, we do make a difference.

Pearls of Wisdom—Quotes from Baden-Powell

“The Scoutmaster must be alert to check badge hunting as compared to badge earning.”

Whose Job Is It?

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it.

Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it. But Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job.

Everybody thought Anybody could do it but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn’t do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

Pearls of Wisdom—Quotes from Baden-Powell

“The Scout Oath and Law are our binding disciplinary force.”

St Christopher, 25/07/08

Chat about St Christopher Patron Saint of Travellers

Transport

Let the Beavers design some forms of unusual transport

Game: Helping over the water

Equipment: rope for each lodge

Mark out an area on the floor that is to be the river

One Beavers from each lodge should be on one side of the river, with the rest of the lodge on the other side

The lone Beavers should throw the rope to first the Beavers on the other side - who should catch it and then allow himself to be pulled over the river. First lodge across the water wins.

Craft Base -Travelling

Using a large sheet of paper make a roadway of streets and roads around your area. Add markings such as yellow lines, crossings. Mark where the traffic lights and road signs go.

Let the Beavers make the traffic lights, road signs out of card and lolly sticks.

Let the Beavers make cars out of plasticine or card

Then let them make a model of themselves and talk about travel and crossing the road.

Game: Helping each other (Balloon Duo)

In pairs, give each pair a balloon to blow up and tie.

Mark start and finish lines about 30 feet apart.

Partners stand side by side at the start line, linking their inside arms and holding the balloon in their free hands. When the leader says GO the partners work together hitting the balloon to keep it in the air and making their way down the hall to the finish line.

If a balloon lands on the floor the partners may stop to pick it up, but may not unlink arms.

Set of the Sail

It’s likely that several of you guys have done some sailing and found it to be a lot of fun. The amazing thing about sailing is that two sailboats in the same breeze can be going in different directions! I’m sure you’ve noticed that.

The same thing can be true of Scouts. Let me read you a very short play to show what I mean.

Act 1: Curtain! Two boys enter to join a Scout troop.

The curtain closes. Time passes.

Act 2: The curtain opens again to show the same troop two or three years later. Where are those guys who joined in Act 1? Wait, there’s one! Hey, he’s a Patrol Leader now. And there’s the other one! But look, he’s wearing only an Assistant Patrol Leader badge. Why?

Both had the same chances. One Scout sailed ahead, one limped along. Why? Must be the set of their sails!

As Ella Wheeler Wilcox said:

One ship drives east and another drives west

With the selfsame winds that blow.

’Tis the set of the sails and not the gales

Which tells us the way to go.

St Swithin,15/07/08

Chat about St Swithin - Patron Saint of Weather - then let the Beavers change into the old clothes that they have brought with them

1.Outside Game: Water Relay

Beavers in teams. Place a small amount of water into a paper cup. See which team can carry the water on their heads and empty into a bucket without spilling.

2.Outside Game: Water Rounders

Use water balloons instead of balls. Usual rules apply!

3.Outside Game: Sponge Battle

Similar rules to volley ball but with wet sponges.

Make a ‘net’ with 2 poles and rope. Beavers (in 2 teams) line up on either side of net armed with pieces of wet sponge. Have a bucket of water ready to ‘refresh’ the sponges. See who can get the most sponges into the other teams ½ after (say) 2 minutes.

Come in, and get dry. Have a (wet) drink!

Pearls of Wisdom—Quotes from Baden-Powell

“A week of camp life is worth six months of theoretical teaching in the meeting room.”

St Peter, 29/06/08

Chat about St Peter - Story of St Peter Patron Saint of Fishermen

Game: Crab Football

Make goals at each end of the room. The Beavers get into crab position hands and feet on the floor with their backs to the floor - and then play football. Remember crabs run sideways.

Craft bases:

1.Flapping fish - Cut out paper fish from paper and then decorate - then see later game

2.Gone fishing game - Magnetic fishing. Let the Beavers make small fish (as template or let them design their own) and add a paper clip to their nose. Put a small magnet on a piece of string attached to a garden cane - then go fishing

3.Olly Octopus - Let the Beavers colour and cut out the octopus shape. Cut a kitchen roll inner into 5-cm lengths and stick the paper shape to it

Game: Swimming fish

Give each Beavers a rolled up newspaper to ‘flap at’ their fish with. See whose fish swims the fastest.

I Wish I Was Like That Brother

Upon graduation from college a few years back, a young man received a gift from his older brother. It was a shiny brand-new car, the car of his dreams! One morning as he approached the car, he saw a boy of about 12 peering through the windows into the car. The young man recognized him as the boy his parents paid to mow their lawn and shovel their sidewalk. Obviously enthralled with the car, the boy hadn’t heard the young man approaching.

“Is this your car?” the boy asked when he finally noticed the man.

“Yes, it is,” the man responded proudly.

“Wow! This is a nice car!” remarked the boy. “How much did it cost?”

“I don’t know,” the man answered.

“It’s your car, but you don’t know how much it cost?”

“No,” admitted the man. “You see, my brother bought it for me.”

“I wish . . . I wish . . . I wish . . . ,” stuttered the boy.

The man thought, He’s going to say, I wish I had a car like this. “I wish I was like that brother!” finished the boy.

Amazed at the boy’s response, the young man offered to drive him around the block. The boy hopped in the car and soon asked if the man would drive him home. Thinking that the boy wanted to show off to his friends that he was riding in a new car, and since the boy and his own parents were such good friends, the man agreed. They drove more than a few blocks to where the boy lived and as he turned onto the street the man noticed that it wasn’t the best-kept neighbourhood. The houses were dirty and run down. He pulled up in front of the boy’s house. “Please wait!” the boy yelled as he ran into the house. Oh, he’s probably going to get his family so he can show off the new car, the man thought. The front door opened and out came the boy. In his arms he carried a smaller boy, his younger brother who had been crippled since birth. The older boy brought his brother out to the car, and exclaimed as he hugged him tightly, “See, just like I told you! It’s a brand-new car! And someday, I’m going to buy you one just like it!”

How unselfish this boy was, to be the kind of brother who looked after the other one first. What kind of Scout are you? Are you like the older brother?