We started 2019 off with a weekend of winter camp at Camp Teka in Paris, Ontario. This year, we were joined by the 1st Tillsonburg Pathfinders which meant we had almost equal numbers of Guides and Pathfinders! Our theme was Survival Skills and Winter Outdoors, with the majority of our program based on two activities from the Girls First Platform - "Emergency Strikes-Trapped Indoors" and "Emergency Strikes-Lost Outdoors".
On Friday, we started out by dividing everyone up into mixed-age Patrols and did some getting-to-know you activities to get everyone talking. Our first program activity was making personal first aid kits. We used small square containers and filled them with gauze pads, bandages, tape and gloves.
We then began "Emergency Strikes - Trapped Indoors" using the scripts and instructions on the platform. To start out, each Patrol had a list of supplies to divide up into those that should definitely be in an emergency preparedness kit and those that might be in one. They then had to choose 5 items from the maybe list to leave out of their kit. Each Patrol was then provided with an emergency kit, less any of the items they had decided to leave out. We did not provide every item on the list, just those that would be used during the scenarios. (Bottle of water, can opener, first aid kit, tea lights in cans, matches, toilet paper, knife, garbage bags, food for snack). Interestingly, 3 out of 4 Patrols decided that they didn't need a can opener in their kit...
The scenario uses an extreme weather emergency and all activities were done by flashlight (simulated power outage) as we worked through the following activities:
- Preparing the Shelter - Learn how to set up a safe space to weather the storm.
- Staying Calm - Practice techniques for staying calm during an emergency.
- Food Preparation - Girls had to prepare and eat a snack of cheese, crackers and canned fruit salad using only the supplies they had in their kit. (Those Patrols without can openers were allowed to sing a song as a group to receive this important item!)
- First Aid Skills - Find out how to bandage a cut and how to put on an arm sling and then practice on each other.
- Contacting EMS - Find out ways to alert EMS that you need help when phone lines and cell reception is not available.
- Relieving Boredom - Come up with, and practice, activities you can do in a small space with no equipment to keep your group positive and entertained.
After finishing the scenario, we cleaned up and then set up the mattresses for bed. Some time for quiet activities was planned, followed by lights out and sleep - for most of us!
Saturday morning started a bit later than expected, but we still enjoyed a breakfast of waffles, fruit, bacon and tater tots. After cleaning up and putting the mattresses and sleeping gear away, we headed outside for our second scenario - "Emergency Strikes - Lost Outdoors". Each Patrol was provided with a survival kit and a set of activity cards to work through. Their survival kits contained a bottle of water, duct tape, matches, fire starters, garbage bags, toilet paper, whistle, twine, tarp, rope, newspaper, compass, snack (granola bars), first aid kit, tin can and a magnifying glass.
- Survival Kit List - Rank a list of items in order of importance in a first aid kit - Patrol members needed to agree on rankings.
- Shelter Building - Build a shelter using tarp, rope and natural materials that your entire Patrol can fit inside.
- Preparing for a Storm - Review survival priorities and what you can do to prepare.
- Fire Building - Light a fire and boil water in a can.
- Staying Calm - Practice techniques for staying calm during an emergency.
- First Aid Skills - Find out how to treat a burn and how to bandage and splint a wrist and then practice on each other.
- Breaking Camp - Pack up all of your supplies and return natural items to the bush.
After finishing these activities, we used some outdoor cooking skills to make lunch - grilled cheese on buddy burners, soup in large can on the fire, and box oven cupcakes. We ran into some challenges getting the burners lit, but everyone eventually was fed. After cleaning up, we went inside for some free time. Later, the Pathfinders set up tents and did a first aid scavenger hunt.
For dinner we had taco salad made with doritoes, along with veggies and dip. Desert was the cupcakes from lunch, with frosting and sprinkles.
Our evening program included make a hat craft - a girl in a sleeping bag, followed by a campfire. We then made and sampled the contents of an MRE - Cheese Tortellini in Marinara Sauce, with lemonade, oatmeal cookies, crackers, trail mix and candy. After cleaning up, we set up the mattresses for bed and the girls sleeping out in tents got ready to head outside.
Sunday morning breakfast was left overs and toast, and nearly everything was eaten! After packing, cleaning up and doing a short camp evaluation, it was time to go home.
Links:
Although
they haven't featured much this year, we do have an active
Pathfinder/Ranger Unit of 4 girls! Our Unit is unique in that their
meetings are held without a Guider in constant attendance. The girls
head off to a separate room from the Guides and run their own meetings
with a Guider popping in occasionally to see that there are no problems.
Meetings are planned by Guiders and girls, but are run by the girls
themselves. Our Rangers make sure things go smoothly and takes on key
leadership roles, while helping the Pathfinders to develop their own leadership skills. Although this arrangement was born of necessity due to a
lack of Guiders, turning things over to the girls has been mostly
successful!
September
Tuesday, September 11th - Welcome to Girls First!
For
our first meeting of the year, everyone took part in sample activities for the new Girls First program. Afterwards, the Pathfinders and Rangers worked on planning and
identifying activities that they would like to do this year. Read all about our meeting here - Welcome to Girls First!
Tuesday, September 18th - Program Planning
The Pathfinders and Rangers headed off armed with the Unit's Program Area Cards, the Idea Cards from last week and lots of planning materials to work on coming up with a plan for what they would like to do this year.
Thursday, September 20th - WE Day Toronto 2018
WE
Day was AWESOME! This was the second time we attended, and though we
were small in numbers we had a great time. Read all about the event here
- WE Day Toronto 2018
Tuesday, September 25th - Program Planning
Program planning continued and a plan for October to December arranged.
October
Tuesday, October 2nd - Community Scavenger Hunt
This
year's annual scavenger hunt was "The Community Scavenger
Hunt". The girls are sent out around town to find - and photograph - as
many of the items on the list as they can, including their team members!
Tuesday, October 9th - Hamilton City Hall Campfire 2018
One Pathfinder joined the Guides for a Campfire and completed the Sing Ontario Sing 2018 Challenge! Read about the event here - Hamilton City Hall Campfire 2018
Tuesday, October 16th - International Day of the Girl
For
the International Day of the Girl we worked on the WAGGGS #TeamGirl
2018 Challenge. This year, we learned about diversity, gender equality, gender power and being our own superheroes! Read all about our meeting here - International Day of the Girl 2018
Tuesday, October 23rd - Promise, Law & Planning
The Pathfinders joined the Guides for some Promise and Law activities, voting on options for the new uniform, finalizing the details of their Hallowe'en party and discussing The Shoebox Project for Shelters as a possible project for this fall. Read about this meeting here - Promise, Law & Planning.
Tuesday, October 30th - Hallowe'en Party
Hallowe'en was celebrated by dressing up in costumes, eating candy and watching a movie.
November
Tuesday, November 6th - Social Time
This week we took a break and had a social session and clarified the details of some up-coming meetings as the Pathfinders and Rangers will be leading outdoor games for the Guides and having an arts meeting this month.
Tuesday, November 13th - Leading Outdoor Games with Guides
Tonight we didn't have access to our regular meeting space, so we all headed off to the park and the Pathfinders and Rangers led a series of outdoor games and activities for the Guides. Read about our meeting here - Outdoor Games Night
Tuesday, November 21st - Art-Tastic
Tonight was all about creativity. The planned project was to melt crayons onto canvases, but instead the girls raided the cupboard and used up some of our excess craft supplies. They made floral headbands, decorative items, and some Christmas ornaments instead.
Tuesday, November 27th - Baking Brownies
We tried our first Build Skills activity tonight by baking brownies. We have done quite a bit of baking in the past, but this particular group of girls hasn't done as much and has run into problems following recipes in the past. They were also responsible for cleaning up the kitchen - something that is sometimes neglected, but was very well done this time. Tonight's recipe was a great success and the brownies were delicious!
December
Tuesday, December 4th - Food Bank Visit
As part of the Take Action program area, we visited the local Food Bank and learned about the services they offer and how they operated. We also assisted with two jobs - packing toiletry bags for the Christmas hampers and repackaging dry pet food into smaller bags. Read about our meeting here - Food Bank Visit.
Tuesday, December 11th - Chocolatiers
We all ended the hear with the Chocolatiers Instant Meeting from the Girls First Platform. Creating, designing, envisioning and tasting of chocolate were all involved. Read about our meeting here - Chocolatiers!
Tuesday, December 18th - Holiday Party
Tonight
was our final activity of 2018. We ate enjoyed appetizers and desert, along with a gift game. Appetizers included pineapple-chicken-bacon skewers, garlic Parmesan rolls, spring rolls and plum sauce, honey garlic sausage bites, and mini mozzarella pizzas. Desert was personal apple pieces (apple, brown sugar and cinnamon in crescent rolls) with vanilla ice cream. Instead of a gift exchange, we played the 'parcel game'. Small treats and gifts are wrapped in many layers and newspaper liberally held in place with packing tape. Girls take turns rolling large dice and when they rolled a 7, they got to work on unpackaging as much as they could until someone else rolled a 7 and then the package was passed to the new person. Everyone received chocolate, crests, pins and pencils. It was quite a challenge to get into the parcel and it was funny to watch each other working on it!
