Teddy Bear Picnic 2009 program

In the lead up to the 2009 Teddy Bear picnic the Unit had included the following:

• Making bear out of balloons
• Inviting ther CFA to the Hazelwood South Hall
• had made origami animals.
• Coloured in pictures of bears.
• Taking ID photo's of the Teddy Bears attending.
• making a fundraising "best Teddy Bear " vote.
• Planned the menu.
• Practiced BBQing.
• Made no bake biscuits to take along.
  
• Read, then made up their own Bear Stories.
• Learned Teddy Bear songs to sing while on the Rac Wac.
  
• Included the event as part of the Rac Wac 2009.
• Sewn Teddy Bear Puppets.
• made cloths peg Teddys for the fridge.
• Created invitations for the day - these went home pegged to the clothes peg Teddy.
  
• Tried to organise the transport.
• had worked on first aid (just in case)
  

Creating a Teddy Bear through a balloon medium

Teddy Bears are easily created through using a balloon.There are several tricks that are important that are trade secrets.

The main one is to lightly dust your hands with either talcum powder (baby ones are really good fine powders to use) or a corn flower dusting. These powers inhibit the static electricty so easily transfered to the balloons through weather, electric cables or clothing.

The second hint is to not 'fill' the balloon so that they are hard to touch. The balloon is rubber. Too much tension on the rubber equals a rupture. Therefore you have a bang about to happen. The balloon holder will be upset. Upset children are bad for business!!! So the child gets a second ballon, then a third. By this time there is a retetive pattern set.

if you are to draw on the balloon use clearly identifyable non toxic pens.

How did this activity begin

Towards the end of 1999 the moe Old Gipps town would host a Saturday where the young children would take there teddy bear to a Teddy Bears Picnic. Most of the Guides in Churchill did not have transport to attend. Public transport finished through Churchill by 1pm on a Saturday afternoon. So if the Leaders could get the Guides there there was not transport back.

Rather than not be included the Guides were encouraged to think of ways to be included. The older Guides helping in the younger units suggested holding their own Teddy Bear Picnic at the Hazelwood South Hall during the meeting time. Some of these older guides had attended the Teddy Bear overnight stay at the hall a few years before.

Weeks before the chosen meeting time 'things' were created to include the others to participate. The activty usually netted some interest from girls outside the Unit. Guides that had moved from this Unit wanted to be included too. The meeting was opened to the sisters of the younger Guides. Over the years they brought friends --usually from the otlder unit!

The day then became a Saturday activity. Open to all Guides, family and friends.
Then the leaders became so externally busy that the weekends for the Teddy Bears Picnic evaporated. By the end of 2008 the Units had planned to have a Teddy Bears Picnic included in with the Rac Wac in first term 2009. The fires that are now named 'Black Saturday' threw all planning out of the window.

So by the end of 2009 fouth term the planning for 2010 teddy bears picnic had already begun.. Several changes have occured. people have offered to assist. These same people are interested in getting the Guides active, with more people knowing just what Guides actually is involved with. Now the Hazelwood and Churchill Guide District team are now organising the event. A Gipp's Guide is overseeing the Teddy Bears Picnic. As part of Clean up Australia the Teddy Bears will be assisting in Cleaning up the Glendonald Park. Since Clean Up Australia in Glendonald Park is a family and friend event everyone is invited. Activities and games will be included.as part of the 'entertainment factors' for the youngest children. Games in the Park will be aimed at the older ones. The District catering team is resonsible for the BBQ.

Flag pole learning basics.

Using teaching aids to learn how to erect a flag pole assists with back ground visual knowledge. We use various teaching aids often when showing the Guides how to erect a flag pole. Like all things the picture might be worth a thousand words but to actually get the flag flying there is more than just hastly shoving up a pole with a few roles and rocks. It's having the background information and lots of practice.

Firstly there are the knots that need practising. Then the measurements that ensure the poles manageability are worked out. From the ground end to 1/3 of the way up is the focus point for tying the clove hitch. Leaving 2/3rds the height of the pole above this clove hitch. The clove hitch area is important as the ropes from one peg to the other run straight out (at a 180 deg ) either side to the pegs are then tied off with rolling hitches. The ropes to the peg are called guy ropes. The two guy ropes used for the four pegs cross over at the clove hitch point.

Starting at the top of the pole a grommet is tied onto the pole. The string that ties the grommet into position run twice around the pole. Then a reef knot [squareknot] ties the grommet into poistion. When the grommet is hand made there should be enourh string left to tie this onto place securely. When the grommet is made it is made small and tight.

The Halyard rope, which hoists the flag into position, runs through this Grommet. As a guess the halyard should be just shot of being one measure from the top of the pole to the cleat and back plus about another 1/4 meter for securing up the halyard.

The cleat is square lashed on at about elbow height of the Colour Bearer. The halyards are 'figure of 8' tied off at the cleat.

Set up a flag pole well.

Knowing how to set up a camp flag pole so that there is no danger of it falling down, or being in the wrong spot is something that can easily be learned by watching, trying and doing.....then doing again another time. On a slightly breezy day having time to watch you flag flap in the breeze is a good feeling. Knowing that that same breeze will not sent the pole sideways is even better!

One real trick to this is learning how to erect the flag pole and having a good grasp of background knowledge and experience. this will include knowing how to choose the right pole, the site, the size of the flag, the weather conditions, having the knots just the right tautness, tied in the correct spot, and of course having the appropriate knot tied for the job.

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table settings reflect the day

When you choose to have table napkins then you need something to hold them together. The use of glasses was really appreciated when we heeded off to the Italian Australian Club one year. The Guides felt that all their efforts were worth everything they had put into the day.

Other times the guides have either used a ready made napkin holder or they made their napkin holders, name cards and servietters.

different table setting to create for meals

At times we have created ourselves, or sat at professionally done table settings for different events.

These events have been at :

• late night suppers,

• buffet meals,
• formal table settings,
• Japanese table settings,
• finger food
• smorgess board
• hostessing by the plate and requesting refreshment types.
• picnics formal or impromtue,
• around campfires
• sitting on the ground at camp

There are basic Guide traditions and ettiquete that we have shown all the Guides over time. As the Guides learn one thing another is shown. From making the table settings to suit the occasion, to how to eat, pass food, cut meat, handle knives and forks, use fingers, wash hands, communicate, basic table manners, to hosting, serving and doing the dishes.

Teddy reaching out for decoration

This was a terrific picture to use. We had been talking about what goals were. And reaching out for your goals. one of the older Guides had seen this in a coloring book.So the picture was copied and coloured by all the next wee. In discussion the Guides happily informed this iolder guide what they had tried to do over the week One had ridden her bigger bike without the trainer wheels for the first time.

Things to do for formal meal

• Will the formal meal occur?
  
• Decide Date
• Decide where and time.
• What is the theme to be?
• Who to invite?
  
• Plan menu.
• Decorations - where.
• table settings.
• Etiquette
  
• Activities and games.
• Who is doing what job?
• What are the Jobs?
  

Whats Chosen for Formal Meal 2009
This is the basic menu to work on.
Menu Chosen
Main Course
	Chicken	Roasted
	Beef	Roasted
	Salad
	Potates	Roasted
	Veges
Desert
	Chocolate Cake
	Merrianges
Afters
	Scones and Cream
	Guide Biscuits
Refreshments
	Fizzy drink
	Tea
	Coffee
	Cordial
	Milk

Together
Now we pool our likes and dislikes
Foods we like	Foods we don’t like
Beetroot
Birthday cake
Cheese
Chips
Chocolate
Cup cakes
Ice Cream
Jelly
Lasagna	Broccoli
Lasagna	Chicken
Mums Cooking	Garlic
Mushrooms	Homemade bread
Nuts	Peas
Popcorn	Quiche
Rice	Spagetti
Rice Bubbles
Roast Potaoes
Slaswinga
Soft cheese
Steak
Tiny teddies
Veges

Learning to have a voice

Individual
Choose three things you like and one you do not like. Draw a picture or write their names down
Like	Not Like
Jelly
Roast Potaoes	Homemade bread
Birthday cake
Lasagna
Popcorn	Quiche
Cup cakes
Ice Cream
Veges	Spagetti
Slaswinga
Mums Cooking
Lasagna	Chicken
Ice cream
Steak
Tiny teddies	Peas
Chips
Chocolate
Rice Bubbles	Broccoli
Rice
Beetroot
Mushrooms	Garlic
Cheese
Soft cheese
Nuts	Meat
Chocolate

2010 State Sleep Over

A letter from the State Commissioner was sent out to the Hazelwood District team. There will be a State Sleep over in August or September 2010.

Teddy bear frittata

We used this recipes ingredients but changed the directions for putting on the “teddy bear faces”.

Actually the recipe was filling for the smaller stomachs.

Tea cup biscuits

Since teddies need a 'cuppa of tea' for refreshment and they do not want to get wet these little cups were made for all. The Guides actually had their drink bottles too.

Teddy in car biscuits

The ingredients where simple, the Guides had fun. The older Guides enjoyed themselves emensilly as they 'showed' the younger ones how to create and orgastrae the teddies into their cars. Somehow I think there were less actual cars than planned.

Vanilla french toast

 A good treat to begin the morning.  The Guides learn to have a certain quickness when turning the toast over the cooking heat.  Also learned is hhow to turn something plain into something of a friendly surprise.

Preparation: 10 minutes

Cooking: 10 minutes  

3 eggs

1/s cup milk

1 tablespoon caster sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

40g Butter

4 x 2cm-thick slices day old bread

Topping

Fresh strawberries, to serve

1/3 cup maple-flavoured syrup, to serve

Whipped cream, to serve

1) Using a fork, whisk eggs, milk, sugar and essence in a large shallow dish.

2) Melt half butter in a large frying pan.

3)Dip 2 slices of bread into egg mixture, turning to coat both sides. Let excess egg drain. Cook over moderate heat for 2 minutes each side or until golden brown.

4) Transfer to a warm plate, cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining butter, bread and egg mixture. 
5) Serve at once with strawberries, syrup and cream

Choc Peppermint Creams

this is a good recipe for taking to a unit meeting pre-made and cold. Allows for the youngest members to concentrate on cooky cutting, decorating and cooking. Then setting the eating area and hostessing.

You can freeze unfilled biscuits. Although the recipe makes approximately 16 we have found that it's a good idea to double the recipe as this allows for the eating of the mixture that the little Guides always get away with.

Preparation: 30 minutes + cooling time
Cooking: 12 minutes

1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
125g butter, chopped
1/4 cup milk

Peppermint Cream to serve

This recipe will makes 1 cup of peppermint cream.
Preparation: 10 minutes
50g butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup icing sugar
1/4-1/2 teaspoon peppermint essence, to taste

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in a small bowl until light and creamy. Add essence, a little at a time, to taste. Beat until well combined.


The Biscuit mix.

1) Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper or use a spray on tray.

2) Combine the flour, sugar and cocoa powder. Add the butter.

3) Mix until mixture resembles fine crumbs.

4) Add almost all milk; mix together until dough comes together in small clumps (pinch a little in your fingers then, if dry, add remaining milk).

5) Turn dough onto a clean work surface; press into a ball.

6) Divide dough into 2 portions. Roll out 1 portion, between sheets of baking paper, to 5mm thick.

7)Using a 6cm round biscuit cutter, cut dough into rounds.

8)Re-roll dough then cut out more rounds (they should total about 16).

9)Place rounds on prepared trays.

10)Repeat with remaining dough.

11)Using a 2cm heart-shaped biscuit cutter, cut centre from each round.

12) Place rounds on tray. Chill for 15 minutes.

13) Bake biscuits for 12 minutes.

14)Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely.

15) Make Peppermint Cream as recipe directs. When the biscuits are cool sandwich biscuits with cream.

Pumpkin, Rocket & Fetta Risotto

Thank you to the family hat printed this recipe for us to use. Often there are people who dislike pumpkin. Making things to tempt their taste buds is often a challenge. How ever we were successful with this recipe. The trick was to use a medium type rice.

We also found that this is a good recipe to show the safe way and patience needed with the adding a liquid to something that is cooking.

Serves 4
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 50 minutes


2 tablespoons olive or rice bran oil
500g pumpkin, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
4 bacon rashers, rind removed, chopped
1.5 litres (6 cups) chicken stock
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups rice
20g butter
10Og baby rocket leaves
120g fetta, crumbled
3/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese


1) Heat half the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over moderate heat. Cook and stir pumpkin and bacon for 6-8 minutes or until pumpkin is tender. Transfer to a plate. Meanwhile, place stock in a medium saucepan over moderate heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat; hold at a gentle simmer.
2) Add remaining oil to pan. Cook and stir onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes or until onion softens. Stir in rice until well coated in oil and grains are glossy. Reduce heat.
3) Gradually add a ladle ful (about 1/2 cup/125ml) of the simmering stock to rice; stir constantly until all liquid is absorbed. Continue to add stock, 1 ladleful at a time, stirring constantly and allowing all liquid to absorb before adding more. This will take about 35 minutes. Rice should be tender but firm to the bite. Remove from heat.
4) Add pumpkin, bacon, butter, rocket, fetta and half the parmesan to rice. Season to taste with salt. Spoon into shallow serving bowls; top with remaining parmesan.

Serve at once. 4

Junior Birdsmen

Chant:
Oh my goodness, oh my soul, here comes the junior j bird patrol!
Sing: Up in the air, junior birdsmen,
(Make thumb and forefinger goggles over eyes,)
Up in the air, upside down
(bend head low)
Up in the air, junior birdsmen,
With your noses to the ground.
When you hear the grand announcement,
(Hands cupped over ears,)
That your wings are made of tin,
(Flap wings)
Then you'll know you're a Junior birdsman,
(Goggle eyes)
So send your box tops in.
You need five boxtops,
(Five fingers up
Four bottle bottoms,
Four fingers up
Three labels,
Three fingers up
Two wrappers,
Two fingers up
One thin dime.
One linger up
Zooooommmm!
Flyaway)


(Traditional, North America Summer Camp)

Patrol fires

You will need open space where many small fires can be lit. Give each P.L. a box of matches and a time at which every member of her patrol must have a fire burning. Every guide has a chance of making a fire, and the P.L. must organise as she thinks best — light them all together

Knot queues X X X

"Nominate one or two Guides as catch­ers. Guides run about but when caught are taken to the Leader. They must tie the knot nominated by the count of five. If correct then they are free to run again. If not then go to the back of the queue and try again.

Tracking Tic-tac-toc

Using stones and twigs, arrange 9 tracking signs in a grid. Allow guides to look at it for 1 minute and then ask them to duplicate it exactly. Without looking at the orginal. Guides may work together in pairs, patrols or by self.

Campcraft acting

The Guides are numbered in their patrols. All no. 1's come to the leader who tells them a camp activity. They return to their patrols and mime it. The first patrol to guess correctly wins. Then no.2's go up for a different activity.

Examples — blowing the fire, knocking in a tent peg, making your bed, getting into bed, hoisting colours, campfire, breaking colours, washing up

.

A GAME FOR CAMP

Give the Patrol.Leader's sealed orders. At a given signal, each one opens her envelopes.

FIRST CHALLENGE: Go with your patrol and collect 12 sticks 20 cms long and six sticks 10 cms long. Do not break them off trees. First patrol back with all sticks collects the next envelope.

SECOND CHALLENGE: Collect 12 small stones all the same size. Take to leader for next envelope.

THIRD CHALLENGE: Lay a trail with sticks and stones from your patrol tent to leader (or any given point). First patrol to finish with all signs correct gets points. (Could be checked by having the patrol second from another patrol follow the trail).

Basket ball in the park

At the end of first term 2009 when the Guides were planning out their program a few wanted ball activities.  Others wanted to have a BBQ, while others wanted just to be outside later than normal.


We ended up going to the Glendonald park ion Churchill.  Here there is a net ball and basket ball court.  Well half the court is net ball, the other half is basket ball.

After all the glass was swept away we were able to go on with trying to get a leader to throw the basket ball  into the hoop.  After a while she actually did it.  Much to her surprise.  But the Guides won the count.  Even Debbies 2 year old grandchild helped.  We put her on our shoulders then helped her throw the ball into the hoop.  We stood under the hoop.  She did better than the leaders.

The leaders might need practice gettintg the ball into the hoop but they can still pass the ball with force behind it!

 

Learning to march

Learning to march sounds boring. Done the right way is fun. We had fun. Even when you are asked to go back and do it again. And again.

First you start with remembering what one is your left foot! Once it is pointed out that Guide Salute with their Right and shake with their left things are easier. The left foot is the lead foot. we often mucked up.

To correct that there's the skip step. The one where you do a half step and repeat it a few steps later. That way the marching is all back in rhythm again.

Then when your finally moving when do you know when to stop. besides the person in front running stopping and you running right into them. That's where listening to the commands come into it. And doing the commands helps too.

Marching involves swinging the arms. The other arm to the foot that is moving. Or you may end up out of balance and falling into someone else.....the ground hurt's when there is no one to stop you falling.

The hand does not go further than the knee. If you swing the hand too far the steps get out of rhythm.

It took us a really fun time to get this marching stuff under control. then we got new people and we had to show them how it was done. That was really funny cause we realized how funny we looked when we begun to 'March'.

We learned to March so that we could be on parade and escort the colors when the Second World War Board of Honor was brought back to the Hazelwood South Hall. Then we did Australia Days, and Anzac Days. Everytime there was something that we wanted to march in there was new things to learn too.

We were working on our Explore: guiding, Our World and Friendship badges, others doing sections of our Create: Feet, hands, Ears badges. Some of us were doing more to their Junior BP and BP badges,

Rice pudding with caramelised Apples

Serves 4

Ingrediants

1 ¼ cups medium grain rice.
3 cups milk
1 ½ cups water
1 stick cinnamon
Pinch Nutmeg
¼ cup maple Syrup
2 Johnathon Apples, cored and cut into rings.
60g butter
¾ cup caster sugar
2 ½ tbsp water

Method:
Place rice, 1 ½ cups water, cinnamon and nutmeg into a saucepan.
Cook over low heat.
Stir regularly for 25 – 30 minutes or until rice is tender.
Remove the cinnamon stick and stir in maple syrup.

Whilst the rice is cooking heat a deep frying pan over low heat.
Melt butter.
Add Sugar and water and stir til sugar has turned golden brown.
Add the apple rings and cook for 5 to 10 minutes.
Turn the rings occasionally until the desired softness of apple is reached.

Serve on top of Rice pudding with a drizzling of the caramel from the pan.

Old Fashioned Games 2007

World Thinking Day was celebrated with old fashioned games at the Hazelwood South Reserve and Hall. (Churchill, Victoria, Australia)

Often games are played or similar activities are done through out the world. One game may have developed one way, another branched out some other and the original changed beyond recognition. Usually because games and activities spread as people spread, played in may different countries, across class and culture and with anything that is on hand.

The Churchill Guide Unit has up to 6 different primary schools making up the membership. Being a flexiable Guide Unit, with an age range of five to seventeen at different times a simple game or activity needs very clear rules. So now advacacy and self government help in keeping the rules clear to all. These rules are remade several different times over the years.

At different times various camp rules , games [ kick ball, skipping, sack races, craft activities, clean up duties] all come under scrutiny. Discussion is keped cool as the process of determining the rules is decided.

Do we all have an equal input around the discussion circle, in the patrols, patrol leaders meeting, at a committee meeting.

Accusions of Cheating

Learning to play by the rules of any game is difficult. add to this a splash of variance of the accusion of cheating often comes to the forefront.

The game then becomes a matter of behavior modification and tolerance / forbearance. Dealing with issues and volatile emotions rising their head and messing up a perfectly good game or activity.

Kick Ball : Churchill Guide Style

1) No head butting the ball.
2) No fighting over the ball.
3) Kick ball to the goals to gain points.
4) Put the goals on the ends of the field.
5) If tagged 3 times from opposite team member, the ball is to go to the other team.
6) Be a good sports person.
7) No cheating.
8) No swearing at the elders.
9) No rematches when you’re out.

Keep it up

Orginally this game came from Communicating September 2002 P 8. Over time several changes have been made.

Keep it Up!** players are in a scattered formation and try to keep a beach ball in the air as long as they can by hit­ting it before it touches the floor. Each time a player hits the ball, she says something relating to the theme selected. Examples include items in a first aid kit, sporting events, healthy snacks, what to take on a hike, safety hazards etc..

Silver lining

People have different gifts and talents. People look at other people from their understanding of life. Therefore using this chart has helped when trying to sort out what different affect people in various ways. Turning negative thoughts into positive thoughts and paving the way for a more creatively positive attitude and environment is a terrific thing to do. Used often with reflection and evaluations this chart becomes instinctive in it's use. Able to be recalled often .

When the Guides are trying to work out where there relatives are that live in Australia this is one of the maps we have used

Activities using playdough

Just making the playdough in it self is a very creative activity for the Guides of all ages.


Guides and adults have used it when organising activities.
Junior Leaders sometimes use it as a teaching aid (part of their Leadership three).


Teddy Bears Picnic

Playdough reciepes

We have used several different recipes for playdough. Everyone it seems brings with them an updated version. So we've started a list of them


What You Need:

1 cup flour, 1/2 cup cooking salt, 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon of cream of tartar, 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, food colouring
Activity:

Mix the flour, water, salt and cream of tartar in a saucepan over medium heat until thick. Allow the mixture to cool and then add the oil and knead well over a floured cutting board or similar. Divide this blob evenly into as many colours as you'd like to make. Add food colouring to each ball until it is just the colour your child is looking for. That's it! Allow the children to let their imaginations take them away.

Using Play Dough for teddies friends.

The Guides love using playdough to make teddy's friends. Even better if they can be convinced that using real dough and cooking then eating it won't hurt their Teddies friendship . Can be quite an enlightening time for the adults.

During the Black Saturday aftermarth these brave Teddies

During the 2009 Black Saturday Fire aftermath these brave teddies came out to play. The Guide unit had planned a Teddy Bears picnic to be occuring during the Fire time. No one could make it there on the day.

We photographed the bears coming, planned the food, sorted out the activites, worked out a root to take the teddy bears on and all this fell in a heap as others things were sorted out.

But the good news is that not one teddy was lost to the Fires.

STAND EASY

STAND EASY:

Command - Unit, stand EASY

The feet remain in the same position as stand-at-ease, but the hands and body may be moved. This position is used when a group are in position and waiting for the arrival of a VIP as in a guard of honour. To bring the group to attention, give the command: Unit, atten-SHUN. On the word 'unit' the group will come to the stand-at-ease position and on the final order come smartly to attention.



Practiced using the Ceremonial made Easy pamphlet.

STAND AT EASE

STAND AT EASE: Command - Unit, stand at EASE


The left foot is moved about 30cm from the right, weight is placed evenly on both feet; hands are held behind the back and the right hand clasped in the left. This is a more relaxed position and can be maintained for a longer time.





Practiced from Ceremonial Made Easy pamphlet

ATTENTION:

ATTENTION:
Command - Unit (or camp,
patrol etc), atten-SHUN

This position should not be maintained too long. The body is held erect, head and eyes facing front, hands by the side, fingers lightly clenched at the rear of the skirt or slack seam, knees and feet together.


From Ceremonial made easy pamphlet.

Giving orders

If the leader moves smartly and well, her example will be followed.  The leader is the pivital point of any 'command center'.  What people see and hear is how they too will react.


If orders are given smartly - they will be carried out smartly.  This is really important when dealing with many people in a crowded area.  In order to get the commands over to others the leader should have practiced using her voice so that when calling commands it is done clearly and therefore well.   Before the actual comands are given the voice box should have had a 'warm' up practice session.


During the commands the accent is always to be on the end of the word eg 'Atten-SHUN' or on the last word in the command, 'Quick MARCH'. Girls should be taught that they do not move until the whole command has been given.

Promise Ceremonies are Different too

The Promise Ceremony may be different for every Guide who makes her Promise.

Making your 'own' Promise  is different from the iniatial listening to others make their Promise.  When you choose for it to actually be your turn the time is special.  There after every time you renew, or someone renews or makes their Promise your memory may transport you back to when and where you initially made yours.  Even years later your memory will flash this on your mind.


So the Promise Ceremony is a special time. The creative setting made, the people invited, as well as those who stand up their with you are specially remembered too.

The Value of Ceremonies

Ceremonies give a sense of belonging and of achievement. Be the traditional or ceremonies that the Guides have created and carried out themselves.


In order to create a ceremony the Guides first witness and learn about different ceremonies.  The Promise, Flag Protacol involving unfurling of the Flag, Flag Flying, protecting the Flag,  receiving awards are a few repeatitive ceremonies that are carried out within Guiding.

A little about ceremonies?

Throughout the world Ceremonies and ceremonial form part of every heritiage. Guiding is world wide.  As such the Ceremonies practiced in Australia is similar to these through out the world. As a nation Australia is making her way to being multi-cultural whilst developing an Australian Culture, it's own Ceremonies and Traditions that are able to be shared and celebrated by all.  


Special occasions and a combined heritage are marked by the Nationally recognised Ceremonies.Australia Day, the Opening of Parliament House and Anzac Day are among ceremonies carried out each year by individual Guide Units or the comming together of many Guiding people.  Right down to the Guides within a Patrol celebrating the Promise Ceremony of a new Guide.. 


All the cereminies are important.  Having a regognised methodology as to how things are run, commands called, and actions expected or taken makes the running of such an easier job.  When a Guide moves on within her Guiding, from one age range to another, more depth to the commpands is given and expected in return.

Any interest in radio communication?

Hi all,

Thanks to Susan for the invitation to join the blog - my first blogging effort!

The Eastern Zone Amateur Radio Club meets at the Hazelwood South Hall on the first Thursday of each month, except January.

We can run training courses leading to people gaining their Foundation amateur radio licence. We will be running a course on Saturday 12 December, with the assessment being done on Sunday morning 13 December. This is probably too close for anyone that is interested but has not yet started studying.

You can find out more about the Foundation licence from the WIA website:
Discover amateur radio
Foundation licence

If any of the Guides are interested, let me or Susan know. We can arrange a talk about what is amateur radio as a starting point. If there is interest, we can start some training sessions if needed.

If you have your own licence, you can communicate via amateur radio with others at any time. At a JOTA event, you can use the radio without supervision (within the terms of your licence).

Some may have some experience with CB radio - amateur radio has some similarities but is very different.

Cheers,

Peter

Butterly

We know what we are calling Rebecca ...it is Butterfly.

Choosing governace

Governance is about having the choice to choose, then knowing what to do with this choice.  All levels of Guiding are shown different processes for the same thing. 

  The 7 to 9's are called Dolphin Patrol.  We already have the Koala Patrol for the 10 to 13's.

We played Hop-Scotch. And we did some more of the Columbia badge. 

Some more Guide revieved their sashes and some badges.

There were
Special Badges - 100 year celebration, Jota/Joti,  2 round badges called Build a better World, Discover your Potential.

Some Guides got their Explore: Freiendship badges.

We are nearly finished some others too. They are

Explore: Our World, Life Skills,Guiding, Outdoors, Arts

Some have started their Explore: Faith Awareness and their Explore: Health and Fitness and Science and technology badges.

And we have also begun the :
Challenge Badges: Girls, Rope, Food, Fire, Hands, The Arts.

Theres one called the Bridges over to Argetina and we have started that too.

Unit Scarves near door.

From now on when we go into Guides we get the bag of scarves and put them near the door. Then we put one on for the night. After the meeting we leave them behind near the door...but not in the bag. That way the ones worn will be washed and made ready for nest week.

Our next job is to get the Unit flag stand ready to erect the flag. The Flag pole goes in the North side of the Building. That is where the roof is highest near the office door. A compass can be used to check this out.

After Guide and before the Color Party people put their scarves away they must put the Flag and its pole and the stand away.

Recieving that first badge.

When Youth members receive their first Sash it is important to them.  Then when they receive the first badges there is a positve wow factor.  Everyone present feels like they too are getting their first badges all over again.

In Novemebr  2009 two members received their sashes.  Also the badges that had been achieved to that date.  Besides the Patrol Badge some were special badges, while others were Explore and Challenge badges.

These badges were awarded today:
Patrol Badge: Koala

Special Badges: 100 years of Guiding badge.
     
Explore: Friendship, Guiding, Outdoors, Science and Technology, The Arts, Guiding. There are skill more to come by the end of the year.

Challenge: Food.

These youth members are so close to finishing other badges that they will be surprised early next year when they realise how close they were to receiving them.

 

For now though the challenge is to have these ones sewn on before we return next year[ January 20th 2010]. Now they are learning how to sew them on. Then they have finished the challenges towards their Create Hands Badge!!  I am sure that they will share and commiserate with learning to  hand sew with other people. Glad the badges are safety pinned in place.

Groundsheet

Next you will need a ground sheet made of any sort of waterproof material. You can buy ground sheets from a camping store, use heavy weight plastic or builder's plastic or an old shower curtain. Your ground sheet will need to be about 2 metres x 1 metre, a little longer and wider than your sleeping bag when it is rolled out.

I found that having the builders plastic really makes crinkles and russling sounds at night. Also the builders plastic is 'slippery'. The ground sheets that appear to be made of the matted plastic wear down slowly but you do not slip down wards so many times. As things should have at least two uses on camp have you considered how the ground sheet itself would be protected from ripping if you had to use it for an emergency shelter?

When you are sleeping, your ground sheet protects your sleeping bag and sleeping mat or air mattress from moisture and protect you from the cold. The warmth of your body draws the dampness up out of the ground and the underneath of the ground sheet will be quite wet in the morning even if the ground appeared dry when you laid the ground sheet down.

During the day your ground sheet will form the waterproof outer layer of your bedroll.