Andrea Miller
Troop Scouter
Scouts Canada-1st Napanee Valley
Napanee and area youth put the ‘out’ in Scouting July 15 where 18 youth ranging in ages eight to 14 gathered at Beaver Lake Beach with their Scouters for an afternoon of adventures.
On the jam-packed agenda they had grilled hotdogs, swimming; synchronized belly flops off the dock; crafting shell/rock compass wall art; raft versus canoe water fight; canoe rescues, and the suspense filled watermelon explosion experiment. The beach was flooded with Cubs and Scouts whose laughter and giggles could be heard across the lake as they worked, or ‘played,’ towards achieving the next level of their Aquatic, Paddling, and Scoutcraft Outdoor Activity Skills. OAS badges are worn on the youth’s dress uniforms left forearm so that they may be proud of how far they have come on their personal skill development with Scouting. With nine levels to achieve the Outdoor Adventure Skills program is an invitation for Scouts to try something new—to be outside more, testing themselves with progressive challenges while remaining within their capabilities to stay safe. In short, it is about having life-changing experiences.

Troop Master Ed Loghrin facilitating the survival skill of paddling a submerged canoe with two Cub Scouts. Submitted photo.
As a group, Scouts Canada-1st Napanee Valley is going into the fall season with three healthy Scouting sections. Venturer Scouts (Grade 10-12); Scouts (Grade 6-9); and our Cub Scouts (Grade 3-5). Scouts Canada youth groups are run on volunteers – each of these sections happen because mom, dad, aunt, uncle, or an older adult sibling see the value in the program and volunteer to be a role model for our youth. Unfortunately, that also means that there are years when they run into a ‘Scouter’ drought and one of their sections is unable to function shutting down that opportunity for our Napanee and area youth. This year it has been the Beaver Scout Colony which requires a minimum of two Scouters to operate. Napanee area youth in senior Kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2 would normally be able to register for 2025 with their local Beaver Colony starting Sept. 15 when the 2025 Scouting registration opens for new to scouting youth, but until they can recruit new volunteers, they must travel to neighbouring towns to participate in Scouting.
Those interested can register to become a Scouts Canada Volunteer on the www.scouts.ca website. The
process to become a Scouter includes having a clear vulnerable sector check, character references, an interview, and online training prior to being cleared to dawn a red Scouter shirt and count towards ratio in Scouting. If at least two volunteers join by the fall the Beaver Scout Colony will be up and running for the 2025 Scouting year no problem. Even sooner depending on their level of hyper focus.