HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2004-04-29, Page 19Making music
The Grade 6 recorder class at Sacred Heart School in Wingham, practised for their
competition held last Friday in Stratford at the Kiwanis Music Festival. They received a mark
of 85 and placed third in what was their first competition. (Photo submitted)
Scouting future in jeopardy
Breakfast is served
Morning hours are never too early when a delicious
breakfast is being prepared and many area residents
agreed as they gathered at Blyth Memorial Hall for a
Sunday morning pancake breakfast on April 25, hosted by
the Blyth Legion and the Blyth Ladies Auxiliary. Proceeds
of the breakfast wii! go towards improving the community.
Roy and Michelle Aitcheson enjoy their sweet pancakes
covered in yummy syrup. (Elyse DeBruyn photo)
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 29, 2004. PAGE 19.
By Elyse DeBruyn
Citizen staff
Unless some fun, active and
responsible adults come forward and
take on the role of a leader, the First
Blyth Cubs will no longer exist.
Barb Knox, chairperson for the
First Blyth Scouting group
committee, said in her 15 years of
involvement, this is the first time
they're experienced such a lack of
interest from the public.
"We've always been able to find
someone who wanted to be a leader.
It has always been an issue, but not
as dramatic as it is this year," said
Knox.
She said all of this year's Cub
leaders are planning on retiring
meaning the first Blyth Cubs will
need at least four new ones.
"They (the adult Scouters) said
last year that it was time to move on
and they appealed to parents to join
this year and last, but no one came
forward," said Knox.
She said the leaders for Beavers
and Scouts won't be leaders forever
and they too are always encouraging
new volunteers to join.
Knox has been involved with
Scouting in the group committee
level, the district level and regional
level and although she has enjoyed
working with Scouting, she • feels
like her time has.come to move on as
well.
"I really enjoyed delivering the
program and how much it helps the
kids. We're looking for someone to
fill my place as the chairperson for
the First Blyth Scouting."
She thinks the lack of interest
shown is because Blyth runs such an
excellent Scouting program that
"people feel that we are going to be
here forever to run_Scouting."
"I wish I kneW why no one was
interested, I really do."
Knox said parents haye been great
for coming in and helping when
needed, but no one wants to make
the commitment of a leadership role.
Continued from page 2
The Saturday afternoon euchre
had 14 tables at play. First-place
winners were Kay McCreery and
Linda Stevens with 74 points.
Second place was Jim and Mac
Smith with 71 points and right
behind with 70 points were Stuart
and Lois Chamney for third place.
The cards were unkind to Bush
Whittard and Olave Papple who
earned only 48 points. The lone hand
winners were Neil Hatt and Irlma
Edgar.
Euchre is every two weeks at the
Branch.
The Brussels Cadet Corps 2967
"If no one comes forward then
Cubs will no longer exist and there
will be a lot of very disappointed
children," she said.
The Scouting programs begins in
September and runs through to the
end of May.
She said an interested volunteer
must be over the age of 18 to be an
adult Scouter and 21 or older to be a
contact leader (the head leader.)
She said a Cub volunteer leader
doesn't have to be familiar with the
Scouting program at this time, but
training will be provided and paid
for by the group committee.
The leadership positions are for
people who enjoy working with
kids, camping, hiking and being
outdoors.
Each group (Beavers, Cubs and
Scouts) has a specific training
course for the leaders, which teaches
them how to run a meeting.
Knox said there are three specific
requirements that must be followed
through before becoming a Scouting
leader.
First is an interview, then a police
background check. These are
completed before there is- any
involvement with the children.
A three-month probation period is
completed before the volunteer is
qualified as a full leader.
Knox said the training is done
during the probation to give some
insight into what the program
involves.
The responsibilities that a leader
or adult Scouter will have include
following the guidelines of the
Scouting manual- and preparing
activities as well as preparing work
requirements that the children need
to complete before getting their
badges.
They will plan three to four
weekend camping trips a year and
special nights out including bowling
trips, nature walks or a skating day.
Badge requirements might include
trips to a municipal council meeting,
the police station or local industries.
joined with the Clinton corps for a
weekend of camping near Auburn.
There were 18 cadets from Brussels
driven over by three volunteer
parents on Friday evening. They
returned home on Stinday afternoon.
The group spent time in the bush,
learning camp routine and the
appropriate lessons given in actual
field environment.
Other activities included field
signals and formations, camouflage
and concealment, identifying
bivouac sites and participating in
night exercises.
They had a great day on Saturday
but Sunday was a little damp.
"The program teaches leadership,
life skills and provides outdoor
activities and education. There is
also the opportunity for adult
Scouters to join their group at the
Canadian Jamboree, which Blyth
has been to before."
She said the programs adapt to the
interest of the children and when the
leaders make the agendas, these
interests are taken into
consideration.
The meetings are scheduled once a
week for one hour for Beavers, one
and a half for Cubs and two hours
for Scouts.
At least one leader or adult
Scouter is required to attend the
group meetings which are held once
a month.
Knox said the purpose of the
group meetings is to discuss current
issues in scouting, fundraising ideas
and the leaders are expected to
report on activities planned in each
section (Beavers, Cubs or Scouts.)
"Scouting is a team effort. The
jobs are shared among the leaders,
not just one person takes on the
responsibilities for everything," said
Knox.
She explained that the ratio is one
adult to six Cubs and Blyth has
about 20 kids participating this year.
She said because other areas don't
offer the Scouting program
anymore, kids are coming from
Auburn, Londesborough, Belgrave
and Brussels as well.
"Blyth has done so well for so
long. The quality of leadership and
commitment is excellent. I'd like to
see that continue."
For more information on
becoming a leader or adult Scouter,
contact Knox at 523-4290.
Franken
joins artists
for Festival
celebration
Jerry Franken, one of Blyth's
most-loved artists has joined the
star-studded cast of special guests
appearing with Michael Ondaatje at
the 30th anniversary season launch
this weekend. .
Seen last season in Leaving Home
and Having Hope at Home, Jerry
has most recently been seen at
Canadian Stage and the National
Theatre Centre in Written on Water
and at Tarragon Theatre performing
in Remnants.
Jerry lives in South Easthope
Twp. with his three children,
Miranda, Eli and Katetyn.
Call the Blyth Festival Box
Office at 523-9300 or 1-877-862-
5984 for tickets.
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen°
Trustees of the Huron-Perth
Catholic District School Board
granted special approval for top
administrative staff to move ahead
without further consultation on
beginning construction of a new
elementary school in Listowel. That
paves the way for work to begin
before the board's next regular
meeting on May 31.
However, as of the board's most
recent meeting, Monday, April 26,
no work could be done even with
trustee consultation. That's because
the official closure of the board's
deal to purchase the land, in the
former Elma Ward on the outskirts
of Listowel, doesn't occur until
April 30.
And a 20-day appeal period
following the Town of North Perth's
tentative approval of an official plan
and zoning bylaw amendment
wasn't set to expire until yesterday
(Tuesday, April 27).
Still, at the April 26 board
meeting, trustees did all they could
to enable staff to move ahead once
all formalities are out of the way,
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen
A few weeks ago, at the very time
the Huron-Perth Catholic District
School Board was in the midst of
renovating and expanding its school
library facilities throughout Huron
and Perth Counties, an act almost
certainly undertaken due to religious
intolerance destroyed much of a
school library at the United Talmud
Torahs, a Jewish school in Montreal.
Now, an expression of sympathy
and solidarity has been sent by the
Huron-Perth board to the Jewish
school.
At a regular meeting Monday,
April 26, there was immediate
approval from trustees as director of
education Larry Langan distributed
copies of a newly-written letter
That included approving a tendering
bid from Versteeg Contracting in
Elmira for a value Of $2,902,910, as
well as passing a motion
"authoriz(ing) the director of
education and the chair to enter into
a Site Plan or Development
Agreement with the Town of North
Perth."
According to business
superintendent Gerry "Thuss, the
second motion "allows us to move
forward and, as soon as we're able,
to have shovels into the ground —
even if we don't have an intervening
board meeting."
A report, delivered by Thuss to
trustees at the April 26 meeting,
states, "the architect and engineers
have worked closely with building
officials so we do not anticipate any
major item that has not already been
discussed with the town."
Thuss could give no exact date
when construction might begin, but
he agreed it's fair to say board
officials would like to get things
under way before the end of May.
The new school will replace the
aging St. Mary's elementary school
in Hesson, and will retain the St.
Mary's name.
addressed to the United Talmud
Torahs director general.
The letter will now be signed by
Langan and board chair Ron Marcy
and sent to the Montreal school,
which suffered the destruction of
much of its library due to what has
been described as a "fire-bombing."
"On behalf of our board of
trustees, staff and students, we wish
to express our thoughts and prayers
for your community during these
difficult times," the letter states.
"We are appalled by the bigotry
and intolerance that you have
recently experienced. We feel it is
imperative to speak out on such a
serious matter and to reaffirm oar
belief in- the religious , and cultural
diversity of this great country. All
students have a right to be safe in
their place of learning."
HPCDSB trustees
approve project
Cadet Corps goes camping
Bd. writes United Talmud Torahs