Bracebridge Scouts began in 1909, Guides in 1943

BRACEBRIDGE — Scouters, Guiders, and youth from Bracebridge Scouting and Guiding, joined Bracebridge Mayor Graydon Smith in raising the Scouts Canada Flag at the Bracebridge town hall.

February is a special month for Scouts and Girl Guides worldwide.

This is a time of celebration for Scouts Canada and Girl Guides of Canada – a time when two world‐wide youth movements honour their heritage and a time to recognize the good work both Movements do for the community.

Each year, both movements celebrate Feb. 22, the birthday of Scouts founder, Lord Robert Baden-Powell and his wife, the World Chief Guide, Lady Olave Baden-Powell.

For the past four decades in Canada Scout-Guide Week has been recognized.

This year Scout-Guide Week is February 17 – 24. Across Canada celebrations include camps, expeditions and mall displays, special banquets and parades.

Smith thanked the many volunteers in both scouting and guiding who give up so

much of their time to create the fun and rewarding programming for the town’s youth. He encouraged the youth to have tons of fun in the winter, spring, summer, and fall because “that’s what scouting and guiding is all about, making lots of friends and learning cool stuff.”

He added: “every little bit everybody does gives back to this community.”

Youth can register in scouting or guiding throughout the year. To register your child in

scouting, contact Diana MacDonald at 705-645-2171 (First Bracebridge) or Liz McIsaac

at 705-646-0474 (Third Bracebridge).

To register your child in cuiding, contact Audrey Forth at 705-645-8331.

You can also surf over to www.scouts.ca or www.girlguides.ca to find a group near to you.

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Bracebridge Mayor Graydon Smith, centre, welcomed some Guides and Scouts and their volunteer leaders to the town hall to hoist their flag for their special week.

BACKGROUND:

Kids in Scouts have fun adventures, discovering new things and experiences they

wouldn’t discover elsewhere. Along the way, they develop into capable, confident and

well-rounded individuals, better prepared for success in the world.

For tens of thousands of children and youth across Canada, Scouts is the start of something great. ScoutsCanada is the country’s leading co-ed youth organization, offering programs for children and youth aged 5-26 in multiple languages, reflecting Canada’s multicultural landscape and communities. For healthy, active living, leadership skills, and caring for the environment: it starts with Scouts. For more information, visit Scouts.ca.

Or contact: Shawn Forth, deputy area commissioner: Membership and PR Scouts Canada, Whispering Pines Area, 3rd Bracebridge Colony Scouter 705-706-2500 (cell) or [email protected]

  • LOCAL HISTORY:

In Bracebridge, scouting started in 1909, with meetings being held in the Town

Hall

  • In 1937 it was revived in Bracebridge by Thomas W. Pierce with the Rotary Club

as the sponsor.

  • In 1978 the 3rd Bracebridge Sea Scouting group was started by John Purchase

with the United Church as the sponsor.

Guiding in Bracebridge:

  • Guiding started in Bracebridge in 1943 by Dr. Ellis and his wife Dymple. They

persuaded May McCracken to start the Guide Company.

  • This year (2019) marks 30 years of the Sparks program in Canada, for girls ages

5 and 6.

History of Scout‐Guide Week

The First Scout‐Guide Week happened in 1926 and it continued up until the 1940s.

However, in 1949, Scout‐Guide Week was dropped because it was felt that it was being

lost among so many other special “weeks.”

For more than four decades, Scouts and Guides have celebrated Scout‐Guide Week nationwide. This year it is Feb. 17-24.

Occasionally, some groups and Districts continued Boy Scout Week, and with them

some Girl Guide Companies. In the early 1950s, Boy Scouts of Canada officially

recognized the week as Boy Scout Week. During the late ‘60s, there were increased

combined Scout‐Guide services and events. This, and the belief that Guiding and

Scouting had much to gain by pooling resources, led to meetings and discussions

between national public relations personnel of both organizations.

Scout‐Guide Week or Guide‐Scout Week was introduced in 1970, and centered around

February 22, the birthdays of both Scouting’s founder, Lord Robert Baden‐Powell and

his wife and World Chief Guide, Lady Olave Baden‐Powell.

In 1970, Scout‐Guide Week

began as a pilot project, approved for a three‐year period. But as early as 1971, a

second three‐year term was approved and in 1974, with so much success behind it, it

was agreed Scout‐Guide Week would continue indefinitely, subject to one year’s notice

of discontinuance by either Movement. In 1974, both organizations agreed to have the

title interchangeable (i.e. “Guide‐Scout” or “Scout‐Guide” Week).