Award winners at our annual BP week banquet.banquet, February 2008. Back row, left to right: Robert Chittick, certificate of commendation, Peter (Walter) Bull, Queen's Venturer Award, Randy Smith, Chief Scout Award, Ivan Rafuse, Bar to the Medal of Merit, Terry Clarke, certificate of commendation, 20 year service award, Rhonda Sawler, 20 year long service award. Middle Row: Vicki Oickle, Medal of Good Service, Bradley Sanford, Chief Scout Award, top popcorn seller, Samantha MacCallum, top popcorn seller. Front Row, Nicole Palmer, Queen's Venturer Award, Rhea Sanford, Top popcorn seller. Missing: Daniel Bull, 5 years service, Queen's Venturer, Theresa Rafuse, 15 years long service, Ross Skinner, 5 years service.



2nd Berwick Group Annual Report
September 1, 2006 - August 31, 2007

Scouting in Berwick had a good year in 2006 - 07. Our membership remained fairly stable, at 33 youth and 16 adults and once again we offered an active Scouting program, from Beavers to Venturers, and participated fully in area events, several provincial events and even a national event. It is probably the quality of the program last year, as well as some increased advertising, that has led to a 33 % increase in youth membership in the current Scouting year (2007-08).
The Scouting program is based on the idea of learning by doing, particularly in the outdoors. We held or attended at least 16 camps in 2006-07. These included three Cub camps, winter and summer, plus Mini-Alert, eight Scout camps, including Kings Camporee, provincial Alert and Pre-Jam camps, New Brunswick’s Star Trek camp, and Canadian Jamboree, and at least seven Venturer camps, including camporee, Alert, RAVE, Kings Venturer Winter Camp (run by our leader Jim Jotcham), PJ and CJ. We also had several hikes and other outings, including canoe outings. We also participated in regional and area Kub Kar races and area 18 Wheeler Races.
Other outings our groups went on include trips to the Valley Waste Management Centre, the local fire hall, swimming at the youth centre, bowling, the Oaklawn Farm Zoo, the Discovery Centre in Halifax, an inter company Venturer challenge in Halifax, curling and a sleepover at Roos for the Venturers, besides trips to local beaches and woodlands. Our group was also active and visible in the community, attending the Remembrance Day parade, the Santa Claus parade, and church parade during Scout/ Guide week, besides doing many, many fundraisers. These included our traditional ones of apple day, popcorn and Scoutrees, plus the Gala Days booth and Apple Blossom Festival booth, and many hotdog sales, bottle drives and car washes.
The highlight of the year for 8 Scouts, 2 Venturers and 4 leaders was undoubtedly our attendance at the Canadian Jamboree outside Montreal, a most rewarding experience and one we will remember for a lifetime. Participants had the opportunity to try many new things and to hone their camping skills, besides meeting people from all over Canada and around the world.
Service to the community is an integral part of the Scouting movement and 2006-07 was no exception to this. Our Cubs made up shoe boxes for Samaritan’s Purse and helped at the food bank. Scouts did a school yard clean up and canvassed for the Red Cross. Together with Venturers they helped with the Town of Berwick’s haunted house and did the highway clean up for the Women’s Institute. Venturers also provided a check point at the provincial search and rescue training, did a beach sweep and served at the Lieutenant Governor’s garden party. And of course, individual members, both youth and leaders, did a wide variety of volunteer work in the community.
We strongly believe in ensuring that our leaders and youth are properly trained. All the 2nd Berwick leaders have done the wood badge I training for Scouting and a good proportion of them have done wood badge II as well. All our leaders have at least St. John Ambulance standard first aid training, as do all the Venturers and second and third year Scouts. Some of our leaders are trainers and help with area and provincial training events, including one first aid trainer. We also help to lead the annual sixer/second, patrol leader/assistant patrol leader, and Venturer executive training courses and encourage our youth leaders to attend.
We are happy to report that many of our leaders are active at an area level and even beyond, in putting on Scouting events of various types.
Some of our members were honoured in 2006-07. Two of our Scouts earned their Chief Scout Awards. We also awarded our leaders a 15 year pin, 3 certificates of commendation, and 3 Centennial medals.