It has been a tough couple of months what with the second wave of COVID hitting the country over Christmas. Even with all these issues, our cubs and scouts have been active as has the group. We are better prepared this year for COVID resurgence and so even if everything isn’t normal – a scout smiles and whistles under all difficulties!
In this edition we look back over the last three months and see that we have been active, even if it not necessarily the type of activity that we want.
Importantly, we took a great step forward when we established our delayed Meerkat unit. We are one of the very first groups to do so and it is testament to the enthusiasm of our hard working scouters that the Merkats managed to start up in the middle of the pandemic. They started off on Zoom but shortly after that managed to meet in Keurboom Park. To Judith, the Meerkat Scouter, and all the Meerkats and their parents we say welcome to 1st Claremont.
Our cubs have been busy making conservation stoves online but then moved to face to face meetings where they helped clean up the Liesbeek River, made mini-first aid kits and donated packets of love to the less fortunate. They were also busy doing advancements and working towards Leaping Wolf.
The scouts ended 2020 not with the usual camp but with a 3 day expedition in small groups, finishing just before the second wave caused all scouting activities to be halted. The expedition consisted of different activities such as hiking, exploring parts of Cape Town on foot and making camping shelters.
Scouts didn’t start the year online but used the patrol system to meet in small groups. The first few weekends they went on a hike and in subsequent weekends built a seesaw and a swing bridge in their patrols.
The Committee has been busy in the first few months of the year with major maintenance work on the hall and dealing with the associated issues caused by lockdown. These issues are exacerbated by the neglect of the land next to our land.
Finally, there are Reflections on Scouting.
We hope you enjoy this edition of Smoke Signals.