Times Advocate, 1989-06-14, Page 81
Page 8 Times -Advocate, June 14, 1989
. Scout Master pays fond farewell to troop
1
By Yvonne Reynolds
EXETER - Dennis Hockey has
one last big event on his schedule
before handing the Exeter Scout
Troop over to another Scout Mas.
ter. He will accompany nine Exet-
er Scouts, plus two from Lucan, to
the Canadian Jamboree in Prince
Edward Island from July 15 to 23,
Hockey is saying "Adieu - till we
meet again" rather than a firm
"Goodbye" to the organization that
has been such an important part of
his life for more than 10 years.
Hockey will take away many
happy memories of the volunteer
job he was first talked into by a
very persuasive Dorothy Chapman,
who had perceived his leadership
capabilities. He started at the top,
as sole leader of a troop of 12.
"I looked forward eagerly to the
day there would be 20. When
membership grew to 18, I looked
back fondly to the time there were
only 12", Hockey confessed with a
smile in a recent interview.
As'the father of an only child, a
daughter, Hockey had been out of
touch with scouting since his time
as a Rover under leader Bruce
Shaw. For the first year he drew
on that experience, plus imple-
menting his own ideas, until he
could ascertain what was needed.
When he checked, he found he had
closely followed what the official
manual recommended.
Soon after Hockey took over, the
Scouting movement decided to re-
move camping from the program,
and thus enable youngsters from
the city to participate equally. The
restructuring did not work. Camp-
ing
has always been an integral
part of Scouting. It was soon back
on the agenda.
Hockey has never forgotten his
first camp as Scoutmaster. The
boys had just finished pitching
their tents in Pinery Park; one lad
tripped over a rope, fell on a tent
peg, and almost severed the fourth
finger on one hand. Jay Campbell,
who washelping that weekend,
took the boy to the doctor's. The
finger was stitched up, the camper
returned for the remainder of the
weekend, and went on to become a
junior leader.
Hockey remembers another night
a few years later, having his own
sense of wonder rekindled as a
Scout spotted "a whole raft of eyes"
and bright points of light glowing
in the darkness. The boy was see-
ing his first raccoons and his first
fireflies. Hockey terms his enjoy-
ment of these special occasions
"reflected interest".
Another source of satisfaction for
the retiring Scoutmaster is knowing
he has had a part instilling a sense
of self-confidence in his young
charges. He recalls two specific
instances: In. each case, the troop
_vas on the way to the Pinery for
Graduate - Kenneth W.
Deichert, son of Edward .and --
Elaine Deichert of Wingham,
graduated June 2, 1989 from
the University of Western Onta-
rio with a degree in Medicine.
He will be interning in Doctors'
Hospital in Toronto starting
June 12, 1989. Ken is the
grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Rus-
sell Grainger and the late Mr.
and Mrs. Victor Deichert of Zu-
ra . uates - : onnie ' eys re-
ceived her Doctor of Chirnr--c-
tic Diploma (with honours, r,
Canadian Memorial Chiropractic
College, Toronto on
1989. Prior to attc,,L,,ng
C.M.C.C., she obtained her
Honours B. Sc. in Human Kinet-
ics from the University of
'Guelph. Bonnie will be asso-
ciating with Dr. M.A. Grape,
Stone Rd. Mall, Guelph, Ont.
Bonnie .is the youngest daugh-
ter of Mw -ray and Joan Keys,
RR3,
4
"bike camp", a popular activity
which originated with one of the
Exeter Scouts.
In the first instance, one Scut
had reached the half -way point, only
to hit loose gravel and fall off his
bike. A stop at a nearby farmhouse
and some wet cloths showed the
source of all that blood was a small
forehead wo rid.
Back on the road again, the in-
jured Scout stood expectantly, cer-
tain that Scouter 'Dennis would
pack bike and boy into his car, and
proceed to the Pinery. Instead,
Hockey reminded him the rules
specified that a camper had to get to
the camp by bicycle. Anyone who
didn't make the destination was
brought home.
Hockey put him on his bike and
sent him on his way. The boy
gave his leader one withering glare
before his feet started to move on
the pedals. However, the wounded.
hero biked proudly into the Pinery
some time later.
(Hockey explained that he was
travelling on fop wheels, because
the trailer containing all the camp-
ing gear and supplies had to be
towed to the camp site, and some-
one had to make the ultimate sacri-
fice.)
Another time, with Hockey again
in the martyr role for another bike
camp, he came upon one of his
4
troop lying exhausted and crying in
the long grass two miles from his
goal. Hockey stopped and encour-
aged the boy by reminding him he
could stop and rest for 10 minutes
or two hours; the important thing
was to keep on going. Within
minutes, the boy was back on his
bike, headed for the campsite.
"I would like to think that 1 con-
tributed a little something that
changed something", Hockey said
modestly.
He is very aware that Scouts learn
by doing, and that leaders -are impor-
tant role models at this very vul-
nerable time in a boy's life.
"They see everything you do, and
they see you with amazing clarity",
he noted.
More than once, Scouts now
grown up into young men have told
him how much they appreciated
him as their Scoutmaster. Many
still address him respectfully as
"Scouter Dennis".
Hockey has two pieces of advice
for his successor, Mount Carmel
Separate School principal Laurie
Kraftcheck: You_ can't become one
of the boys, and you can't protect
them.
"Scouting has been good for me",
Hockey said. "The more enthu-
siasm and commitment you put in,
the more you get back."
Scouting has taught him other
valuable lessons. One is that you
don't have to "go far and wide"
seeking "big and wonderful" experi-
ences; many worthwhile and excit-
ing ventures are close at hand. Add-
ed to that is the knowledge you can
have a good time without spending
a lot of money.
And Hockey has .discovered he
does have those leadership qualities
spotted by Chapman. '
Ho1key is taking a break from,
Scouting to pursue some other per-
sonal interests. After all these years
of devoting many hours and count-
less weekends to Scouting, he
would like to learn about comput-
ers, and take some management
course, and spend more time with
wife Carol, who has always sup-
ported his involvement with
Scouting, and even accompanied ,
him on camping trips if another as-
sistant was not available.
"I feel i little selfish, but I said
three years ago I was retiring. I
want to leave happily. Scouting
has been good for me", Hockey
said.
He is not gone forever. He is al -
.ready "ear -marked as a future Ven-
turer adviser.
"I hope to get back in soon
enough to see some of my Scouts.
in Venturers. I have a great fond-
ness for Scouting, and for our
youth", Hockey concluded.
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Scout leader retires - Dennis Hockey will be retiring from 10
years in Scouting after accompanying a group of Exeter Scouts to
a jamboree in Prince Edward islaid this summer. His name has
been added to the plaque held bj Nancy Morlock.
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