Ryde Scouts go bowling

Last Friday night cubs, scouts and leaders from Ryde Scout Group along with parents and their younger children enjoyed an evening of bowling at North Strathfield. Cubs played against cubs, scouts against scouts and leaders versus parents. During the evening one scout, Matthew, was invested into the troop and three scouts were farewelled as they are going up to Venturers at 1st East Ryde. Everyone had lots of fun and it was a great evening for parents and leaders to relax together in a social atmosphere.

East Ryde Scouts 50 Green & Gold Years

1st East Ryde Group celebrated 50 years with a special celebration party at the ‘Gumbarie’ Scout Hall Sunday May 17 with activities and barbecue followed by cutting of the birthday cake.

Special guests cutting the cake were the Group’s first Queen’s Scout and Troop Leader John Armstrong and Group founder John F Booth AM together with the mayor of Ryde Clr Vic Tagg, Bennelong MP Maxine McKew, District Leader and former Group Leader Paul “Chippy” McIntyre and Group Leader Philip “One Tonner” Ward. TWT on-the-spot PHOTOS.

Scouts Good Turn for Salvos

Meadowbank Scout families were out in force last Sunday collecting for the Salvos at Ryde Hospital.

Meadowbank group takes part in such a great activity for a number of reasons. The youth use this activity as part of the community service activities for badge work; it also shows that scouting is still part of the community after 101 years in Australia, proudly collecting wearing their uniform.

Collecting as a family is a better reason, having a Sunday morning walk in the sun as a family, exercising and talking to the community about the Salvos and collecting money for people who are in greater need in our community. GO THE SALVOS.

Meadowbank scouts also fed the hungry collectors with the traditional Aussie Sausage Sizzle. North Ryde Scouts also cooked a Sausage Sizzle and collected money in the adjoining North Ryde area.

Scouting has vacancies in several groups in the Ryde/Eastwood area for boys and girls 6 - 18 years. Interested call Ken Paton on 0411 154 296

Scouts Live it up!

Over 900 scouts and 300 leaders spent two chilly nights in Balanglo State Forest last weekend. Sydney North Region Scouts annually have a competition hike in one of the State forests in the Southern Highlands. Scouts as young as 11 hike through the forest testing their scouting skills at over 30 activity bases set up by leaders. This year’s theme was Heroes, with bases named after real, mythical and TV heroes such as Nancy Bird, Dr Victor Chang, Everest, MASH and Get Smart.
Each night Leaders and Scouts settle down at sleep points on cleared areas of the forest for sleeping and eating. The scouts carry all their gear for the weekend including tents, food and sleeping gear.

Leaders camp with a little more luxury with meals catered for on-site, eating in gas heated dining tent or around an open camp fire. Nibbles are always a special time where leaders can relax with a table of food that would make any restaurant look special. Even though this is a competition weekend the main idea is to have fun. Vacancies exist for both youth members from 6 to 18 years and leaders, in most groups in the area. Contact Ken Paton for details on 9874 3752.

Epping Scouts Group’s Open Day & AGM

Epping Scout Group celebrated winning the Sirius Cup for sailing and water activities at last week’s Group Open Day and Annual General Meeting at the Ray Lawrence Boatshed on the Parramatta River next to Meadowbank wharf.

Over 1,000 Scouts competed at the annual Sirius Cup Regatta at Balmoral which Epping last won in 1978. Previously they had won in 1951 and 1972.

Ryde Mayor Clr Vic Tagg presented the Cup to competitors Jack Bewsher and Chris Mitchell with Epping Boat Activities Leader Merv Turner.

Epping Rovers are on the ten-seater bike which Putney Rovers built and rode to Melbourne some years ago to enter the Guinness Book of Records.

Officers elected at the AGM are chairman Drew Bewsher, Secretary Diane Hockridge, Treasurer Will Norris, Property Convenor Peter Fordham, Community Relations Carol Hoh, Membership Convenor Belinda Cachia. Group Leader is Peter Buckley 0404 136 350. Information www.epping-scouts.com.au
TWT on-the-spot PHOTO

Cassandra, a leader from Eastwood/Marsfield Scout group, recently shaved her head for the World’s Greatest Shave to raise money for the Leukaemia Foundation. She helped raise $1000 for the cause.

Father & son act at 1st Boronia

Scott and George Morgan were recently welcomed into the 1st Boronia Scout Group as the first members of a soon to be reformed Cub Pack.

Both have been attending 1st East Ryde Cubs as preparations are underway to restart Cubs at 1st Boronia in second term.

Attending the ceremony from 1st Boronia were Carl Spinks and Phil Davidson with Phil Ward, Karen Brown and Paul Travis from 1st East Ryde.

George who attends Boronia Park Public School is very excited about being in Cubs and is looking forward to many of his school friends joining him at 1st Boronia next term. Cubs is for boys and girls aged 7.5 - 10.5 and activities include games, camping, bushwalking and learning about the outdoors.

1st Boronia Cubs will meet on Monday evening from May 4.

Further inquiries Phil Davidson 9817 1972 or Scott Morgan 0425 363 665.

Ryde Scouts Bike Ride

Ryde scouts and cubs recently took part in a sponsored bike ride organised by the group to raise funds for the Australian Scout Jamboree.

Current scouts will be going to the next Jamboree in January 2010 while the cubs have the opportunity to go to one when they’re older.

Ryde Scout Group is sponsoring a scout from Vanuatu to attend the Jamboree and will host two Vanuatan scouts and a leader. Twenty per cent of all funds raised this year will be allocated towards the sponsorship. Ryde scouts will be running a Mothers’ Day raffle on Saturday May 9 at Midway and at Gladesville shops.

The bike-a-thon held at Bicentennial Park was followed by the group’s AGM and a BBQ provided by the Group Committee.

Scouts & Guides Gang Shows

Two local Gang Shows are now in full rehearsal for performances during the July school holidays.

Hornsby Gang Show opens Friday July 10 for eight fun packed performances at Asquith Boys High School auditorium while Cumberland Gang Show celebrates 40 years opening Friday July 17 to July 25 at Parramatta Riverside Theatre. Hornsby Show call Ross Donald on 9801 8808 and Cumberland show ticket hotline 9636 2731.

Eastwood Marsfield Scouts meetings

Eastwood Marsfield Scout Group has moved Scouts meeting night to Thursdays 7-9pm at 72 Agincourt Road Marsfield. New members between 11 to 15 years are welcome.

Our Cub Pack meets on Mondays at 6.45 – 8.15pm. We have vacancies for both girls and boys in both. For more information please call Charles on 0412 490 823.

We are always in need of more Leaders to help our group expand.
The Group has received a Volunteer Grant to buy a lawn mower, edger and other equipment.

Scouts & Guides Museum open at Addington

Scouts, Guides and Guilds Museum at historic “Addington” 813 Victoria Road Ryde will be open this Saturday 10am to 3pm as part of Heritage Week Festival.

Museum was launched last September by Wendy Baden-Powell granddaughter of the founder of Scouting and Guiding Lord Robert Baden-Powell and is organised by the St George’s Guilds of former scouts and guides.

Billy Tea and Damper will be served by Guild members in Australia’s oldest working kitchen. Inquiries Rusty Russell OAM 9878 2289 or Neita Matthews OAM 9889 4906.

Chris, a Meadowbank Cub achieved the highest challenge that a cub can achieve in badge work - the Grey Wolf Badge. It was presented by Regional Cub leader Maurine Twin at the district Cub Rally at Boronia Park . Chris is the first cub at Meadowbank to receive the new badge and the first in the Moocaboolah district.

Scouting around in caves

As the ‘Year Of The Scout’ drew to a close, 1st Hunters Hill Scouts took to the bush to celebrate with its end of year camp.

The troop chose Camp Coutts at Waterfall south of Sydney as its base for two nights.

Camp Coutts is one of the oldest Scout camps in Australia, established in the 1920s in pristine bushland close to the Heathcote National Park and Warra-gamba catchment areas.

The camp has an abundance of activities for the Scouts, however since the camp was a celebration most of the troop’s activities involved fun, and that’s what happened.

After experiencing nature’s best thunderstorm on Friday night, the troop awoke to a fine day and set out on a short hike to Kingfisher Pool in Heathcote National Park.

An hour later the boys and girls of 1st Hunters Hill were swimming in the natural pool after jumping from the surrounding towering cliffs.

Back at camp they also swam at the camp’s own rock pool, whilst others schemed on how to catch yabbies from the freshwater pools found throughout the camp.

The next day the troop took a short bushwalk to explore local caves and the flora.

The walk involved the troop following overgrown trails and traversing crevices to find an overgrown waterfall.

Ist Hunters Hill Scouts meet every Thursday evenings at 7pm during school terms.

You can join in, too, as Scouts are open to boys and girls aged 10.5 years to 15 years.

Members of 1st Hunters Hill Scouts explore caves near Camp Coutts at Waterfall.

Young Libby earns Grey Wolf award

There was excitement recently at 1st Brush Park Cub pack with the presentation of the ‘Grey Wolf’ award to Libby Johnstone.

Libby has been working hard to complete all the badgework and activities and was thrilled to be presented with her Certificate of Achievement and plaque at the last cub pack meeting of 2008.

The Grey Wolf award is the highest award for cubs and Libby is the first girl in the history of Brush Park Scouts to reach this stage.

Libby has now started at Scouts and has her sights set on attending the next Scout Jamboree in 2010.

Bennelong MP Maxine McKew congratulated some local Scouts and Rovers last week - including Peter Favelle, Lauren Tubby and Scott Osborne - on receiving more than four thousand dollars from the Australian Government’s 2008 Volunteer Grants Program.

“Scouts and Rovers do so much work in our local community. This funding will enable volunteers working with the Scouts and Rovers to do even more to help those in need,” she said. 21-year-old Rover Volunteer Favelle said the funding from would pay for useful equipment like a marquee, tents, heaters, IT equipment, and gardening equipment.

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