My oldest is in her last year of Pathfinders which is a branch of Guirl Guides of Canada. This summer we will be traveling to Smithers, BC for a week long camp to attend SOAR 2017. That's right you read right...I volunteered to be the second leader to a group of eight teen girls (I'm not sure how you did it for all those years Patti). My youngest just started the youngest group in girl Guides this year called Sparks. We leave tomorrow night on her very first camping overnight adventure with her unit and yes, I'm going along. In my guiding leaders shirt sent to me by my amazing sister in law ( who was also raised in guiding), I will brave the elements with girls ages 4-7 this first weekend of spring break with this very crazy weather that we have been experiencing. I was raised in guiding. My mom was a guide leader and my dad was a scout leader on our small coastal island. It seemed that everyone's parents were leaders at some point. Most of the youth on the island got to enjoy camping and outdoor activities by participating in Guiding and Scouting. It was a way to connect and be active. Growing up rural is different then growing up in the city. The people that volunteer to be connected to these kids are truly amazing. I have so many fond memories of camping and roughing it. Of making spit pits, building fires and latrines. There were no such things as cabins and running water. There was no such things as those fancy pop up tents either, these were old school with two poles and a whole lot of rope. It was outhouses all the way if there were even those around. We learned to cook over the fire or how to light the camp stove with propane. We could build our own shelters and identify edible plants ( and eat them). We sang songs, hiked trails, swam in lakes, but most of all we stayed out of trouble. Weekends in the rain or the rare occasional weekend in the sun. There were no electronics, no distractions, just nature and people. Thank you to all of those who spent countless hours listening and caring for us. For telling it like it is and connecting to us.
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