Term 2 - 2020 - Newsletter

Hi, COVID-19 certainly put a crimp in our style when it came to scouting this term, but the "Scouting from Home" plan worked and we still managed to have a good term. Certainly there were some very different highlights and lowlights. Term 2 roundup Scouting from Home For 6 weeks of this term, plus the two weeks of the School Holidays we kept this up.  The scouts particiapting in everything we suggested (to varying levels), a definite highlight was the Kahoot! quiz at the end of the evening. The mainstay of our Scouting from Home was the Teddy's that were placed in the windows of homes.  Intended originally as a distraction when people were out walking in their bubbles, they found new and wonderful ways to be entertaining throughout the neighbourhoods, helped (I hope) by some of our scouting ideas. These included: Rope Ladders Swings Flying Foxes Boating and as Bank Robbers/Pirates Another highlight of scouting online were the food challenges.  We have some VERY talented scouts in this area! Pizzas - extremely fun and eaten very quickly after they had been made Cake decorating - Some VERY creative scouts out there who had some very good ideas Links to the pictures we collected each week below: Week 1 (Bivouacs) https://photos.app.goo.gl/yT6EJcUDgxeZaNM9A Week 2 (Teddy Challenges) https://photos.app.goo.gl/KW9ofDNZkn13XrJN6 Week 3 (Flying Foxes) https://photos.app.goo.gl/ou1hvbNot9ZkoJ3R6 Week 4 (Catapults) https://photos.app.goo.gl/umoehD5kKpVepwJw7 Week 5 (Rope Ladders) https://photos.app.goo.gl/fTg3MtQSUqv6NEFy6 Week 6 (Roundabouts) https://photos.app.goo.gl/YLVnAmnuVetG6JVd6 Week 7 (Boating) https://photos.app.goo.gl/xoCVMEikf61KxQWi9 Week 9 (Bank Robbers) https://photos.app.goo.gl/LX5bAL5rbke1fNLe8 #StandingAtDawn A definite important moment for us as leaders was seeing the number of scouts, up at dawn to listen to the Dawn Service on Anzac Day.  Esteem and respect must go to these scouts for the big effort required to acknowledge the great sacrifice made by others. Some of the pictures that were sent in to us afterwards shown below: Forest Lakes Woolshed Camp Highlight of the term though has got to be the Forest Lakes Woolshed Camp.  Warren the warden, is fantastic, teaching the kids the art of Coracle building this year.  They got off to a slow start, with little enthusiasm until the scouts started seeing them take shape and become what they were intended, little boats!  Certainly the feedback I have had is that it was a very memorable experience. The setting next to Forest Lakes was idyllic and very peaceful.  We did not have to stray anywhere to have a brilliant time.  The scouts put up their own tents, did their own cooking, and had a campfire (with some great skits), and clean it all up and packed up on Sunday.  All the time the friendly chatter and banter went unchecked. https://ngatitoaseascouts.blogspot.com/2020/06/forest-lakes-camp-2020.html Link to more pictures are here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Sqy8h2SzmJ2X84vcA Individual achievements Invested Several of our new scouts were invested on the last night of term this year and are now fully fledged members of the troop.  They are: Connor Sheffield Caden Whitehouse Quinn Krishnan Isaac Bott  James Willets  Emma Bruwer Welcome to the troop and we wish you loads of scouting fun. Bronze Silver and Gold Awards Only one award was handed out this term.  Congratulations to  Ciara McCarrison - Silver Looking ahead Programme Evenings Lots has been planned for next term, with the Watch Leaders taking an active role in running some of the scouting evenings going forward.  3 of the suggestions for programme evenings came from the Watch Leaders Council. As Summer is approaching we will also be doing parts of the Boatman badge and heading to Porirua Pool to do (and redo in some cases) our Swimming badges.  If we get a good night we will also try and do a night row to Plimmerton for Fish & Chips. Winter Camp - 17th to 19th July This is a two day camp being held at Battle Hill.  This camp will focus on bushcraft and camping skills. LNI Sandford Course - 24th to 26th July An invitees only course that trains our older scouts in leadership skills Turere Tramp - 22nd to 23rd August This is an easy tramp specifically geared to getting our younger members into the excitement and fun that is tramping. Group Camp - 27 to 29th September This years theme is yet to be decided, but it will be held at Brookfield again.  This is a fantastic camp and everyones favourite, from the littlest keas to the oldest leaders, so make sure you plan to come along. We are aware that sports fixtures and other events may clash with this camp, so it is OK to attend all or just some of it. Contact us If you have any questions or queries, feel free to contact us. Yours in scouting Derrick, Vanessa, Neil, Rachel, Grant, Kym, Kate, Nick, Robin, Cath & Angus