SSS
SSS was held at BP Park from the 3rd to the 6th of July. This year the weather was kind to us and it stayed dry with a clear sky for the whole weekend. Flip side of the coin was that it was also cold but an extra layer or two easily fixed that up.
115 Patrols, 152 Leaders and 14 Venturer Scouters turned up at Park on Friday the 3rd to spoil the tranquility the advance party was enjoying. The traffic management plan and advance notice of move in times again proved its worth as this went very smoothly. In just two hours the park was awash with activity as Scouts and Leaders were setting up their separate campsites.
Sub-camp Leaders established their camp sites centrally within the two main camping areas to keep a watchful eye over the Scouts. The sub-camp Leaders are the first port of call for Scouts requiring any help and they a vital role in keeping things flowing smoothly for the weekend. Thank you to Lachlan Whitta, Scott Orchard, Norm Holliman and Rob Pitt for taking on this role and living amongst the Scouts for the duration.
Saturday saw the activities start bright and early with two major activity sessions that day and one plus the Gang Show on the following day. Our theme this year was ANZAC and our activities followed along that theme. Activities included Crossing the Alps, Life in the Trenches, Mud Lark, Arrow Squadron, Behind Enemy Lines, Army Engineers, Through the Dardanelles, Red Cross, Boot Camp, Prison Break.
On Saturday morning we were joined by around 30 Cubs who had come along for CCC (Cubs Can Come). They got to enjoy a ramble around the site and activities with their Leaders, participate in a few activities and then meet up with their home Patrols to enjoy lunch in the Patrol campsites. All had a great time and I hope we’ll see them at SSS next year as Scouts
On Saturday night Patrols invited a Leader they didn’t know to join them for a 3 course meal based around a German theme. From all reports there were some really great meals served up and first aid had an easy night of it. The Scouts went to a great deal of effort to provide food and hospitality to someone they didn’t know which I think is a great credit to them.
The trip to the Gang Show was a highlight and was thoroughly enjoyed by all the Scouts. Hopefully the phrase “Smelly Scout Sunday” has been dispelled this year as we again brought in a shower block to supplement the facilities at BP Park. This plan was almost foiled as we exhausted the water supply buffer at BP Park on Sunday night thanks to a breakage in Samford and my optimistic side is saying a contributing factor was all the showers the Scouts were having? Again it was another great show and the Scouts thoroughly enjoyed it and actively participated in a responsible manner. At the show I attended there was a great interaction between the Scouts and the cast at the end of the show and the audience gave the cast a very loud and enthusiastic BRAVO.
Sunday night saw market night which involves Patrols bringing their own activities to run for each other. The idea must have really jelled this year because the market place had such a great vibe and energy it was amazing to see. Sunday saw The world’s toughest Scout operate again. Each Patrol had to choose various activities that put their Scouting Skills to the test. The more difficult the skill the more points they could earn. The down side for going for the easier skills was that there was a queue so they couldn’t get through as many activities in the time allotted. Points awarded counted towards the shield and it was interesting to see some places change amongst the top contenders as it differentiated between those that had just focused on the camp site and those that a more general spread of skills.
The winners for 2016 are:
SSS Shield – Awarded for overall performance and participation
First: The Gap Scorpion
Second: Narangba Hawk
Third: Wahminda Park Falcon
Rikki Shield – Awarded for best gateway
Oakleigh Lyrebird
Smokey Award – Awarded for exceptional service to SSS by a Leader
Michelle and Dane Miedecke
Thanks to all of the Leaders and Scouts who all contributed to another fantastic SSS.
Pioneering
After recent national workshops there were a number of recommendations made to bring pioneering, P& R and the Scout Record Book into harmony. A few changes to the record book have been approved. They are:
- Change name of the “Construction” target to “Pioneering” target in Pioneer, Explorer and Adventurer Levels
- Reduce 3m to “up to 2m” in Explorer and Adventurer Levels (page 51, 4d and page 78, 4d)
- Remove 7m length/1m height for Monkey Bridge in Explorer and Adventurer Levels (page 51, 4b and page 78, 4b)
- Work is currently progressing on QBSI topics in relation to Pioneering and the development of a specialist pioneering course to supplement what is delivered in the usual training program.
In the meantime why don’t you give this project a try?
Scouter Skills Day
The next Scouters Skills day will be 20 September 2015 and It will be held at Petrie Den, Beeville Road Petrie is open to Scout Section Leaders from any Region wanting to attend. This will be your chance to come along for the day and share your skills and gain some new ones. On the programme at the moment is navigation, pioneering and lightweight cooking with a fourth element being open to the requests of those attending.
If there something that you need or think would be of benefit to others then please drop me an email as I’m happy to tailor the program to suit the needs of those coming. Over lunch there will be an open forum so that you can fire off those curly questions and have them answered or at least passionately discussed.
The cost of the day will be $5. Registration will be from 0830 with Parade at 0900. Closing Parade will be 1500.
Dress will be camp dress with hat and scarf. BYO snacks, lunch, water etc.
RSVP Peter Pulbrook Branch Adviser – Scouts at bascouts@icloud.com by August 7 2015
AJ2016
With a significant number of last minute applications our numbers have now swelled and we will be taking 29 Jamboree Troops to Cataract Park in 2016. With a number of applications partially completed this could add another 2 Troops to the mix. Applications are now closed to new applications and we are currently putting together Troops and Leaders. We are now at the business end of several years of planning and there will be a lot happening in the coming months.
“You can only get discipline in the mass by discipline in the individual.”
Sir Robert Baden-Powell