Adam Prudhomme
Beaver Staff
Belated birthday celebrations took place in Greater Napanee council chambers last Tuesday as members of the Napanee Valley Scouts and Girl Guides paid tribute to their founders Lady Olave Baden-Powell and Robert Baden Powell.
Representatives from each group attended the council meeting as part of World Thinking Day celebrations, which had taken place a week prior. The day is held Feb. 22, the birthdates of the group’s founders, each year across the globe.
Napanee’s council meeting was opened with a rendition of Oh Canada, sung by a handful of Scouts and Guides who were in attendance.
“For more than four decades Scouts and Guides have celebrated Scout/Guide Week nation wide,” said Andrea Miller, group commissioner for the Napanee Valley Scouting Group. “Scout/Guide week took place Feb. 17-23 and we are thrilled to continue the celebrations tonight. We celebrate this week to honour the birthday of Lord Robert Baden-Powell, who in 1907 started the Scouting movement on a camp on Brownsea Island in England. We also celebrate the birthday of his wife, Lady Olave Baden-Powell. Both share a birthday on Feb. 22. This is a time of celebration for Scouts Canada and Girl Guides Canada. A time when two world wide youth movements honour this heritage and a time to recognize the good work both movements do for the community.”
Mayor Marg Isbester, who noted that she took part in Girl Guides in her youth, said the town would be interested in flying the flag of both groups during their celebrations in 2020.
“The Scouts and Guide programs are volunteer run,” said Miller. “Scouting volunteers have provided generations of Canadian youths with a first opportunity to sleep in a tent. To experience leadership and build self reliance and self confidence.”
She noted that volunteers often comment that they get just as much out of the experience as the kids taking part do.
Council voted to accept the deputation and expressed interest in making a proclamation during next year’s celebrations.