OUTDOORS &
ADVENTURE
Scouting is about being outdoors. It gets kids
away from the screen and immerses them in
nature where they can explore with their friends.
Let’s see what they got up to this past year.
WILDERNESS RENDEZVOUS
HIKING CHALLENGE
This summer, over 500 Scouts, Scouters and their families hiked over 12,500 km as part of the Wilderness Rendezvous (WR) Hiking Challenge. This total represents the distance from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Victoria, British Columbia and almost back again! The WR Hiking Challenge was created when the Saskatchewan Council’s WR Scout Camp staff decided to cancel their annual camp due to COVID-19.
Instead, Scouter Paul Ellerman proposed, “If we can’t hike in the hills of Cypress Hills Provincial Park, then our youth and their families could hike and explore wherever they live.”
The idea quickly evolved into the WR Hiking Challenge in which Scouts — from Beavers to Rovers, Scouters and their families — were challenged to hike 25 km over the summer. The hikes took place across Canada, in urban and rural settings on beaches, forests, grasslands, badlands, and mountains.
Thanks to the efforts of Scouters Paul Ellerman, Garry Brown, Rob Ewert, and Penelope Ulmer, many Scouts and their families explored new places and spent time together as a family.
500
Scouts, Scouters
& their families
12,500 KM
hiked as part of the
Wilderness Rendezvous
Hiking Challenge
GRYPHON LEGION
The Gryphon Legion Venturers leveled up their journey this year by embarking on a cave experience. After hiking 10 km, they braved the underground and chilly fall weather for an unbelievable spelunking adventure.
ICE CLIMBING
Rovers and Venturers from Northern Lights and Chinook Council took part in an epic ice climbing adventure in Nordegg, Alberta. 13 youth went hiking and scaled three different levels of ice walls. The weather was perfect — a balmy -10˚C and sunshine! Everyone had an amazing time, learned new skills, and made new friends.
A NEW VISION FOR CAMPS
Scouts Canada has embarked on an exciting project to create a new vision for our camps across Canada. The initiative launched in May and generated a lot of buzz in the Scouting community — which is great!
Throughout Scouts Canada’s history, properties have played a crucial role in supporting Scouts’ adventures, providing access to pristine wilderness and program infrastructure that wouldn’t have been available otherwise — and we want to ensure that remains the case for Canadian youth in the 21st century.
Currently, Scouts Canada’s property portfolio is not sustainable. To meet member and parent expectations, our portfolio is in need of drastic updates to its infrastructure to follow modern safety requirements and provide members with clean, functional facilities.
Scouts Canada has the opportunity to think big, without constraints or limitations, and to define a collective vision for our camps that sets a new standard for dynamic outdoor adventures and experiences.
Members, parents and other stakeholders were invited to participate in a survey to provide their initial thoughts on Scouts Canada’s camps, and how they could be improved. Close to 5,000 stakeholders responded to the survey and provided great insight into what Sections are looking for in a camping adventure.
To keep everyone up to date on the project, its associated resources and engagement results, a webpage has been created.
The Vision for SC Camps project will continue through 2021, engaging members and other stakeholders through focus groups and surveys, gaining a better understanding of each Section’s unique needs.
Although we were unable to explore the wonders of the wilderness at
Scouts Canada’s properties this summer, children in communities
across the country joined in online for adventure and fun.
With
weekly themes ranging from “A Scouts Space Odyssey” to “Survivor”
and “Camp Goes Disney+” to “Exploring Earth”, every camper learned
new skills and created memories this summer. They had a lot of fun
along the
way. In fact, 96% of parents reported their child enjoyed
the program.
“I am very grateful for this programming. We’re still sticking to home, and plan to continue doing so even though local attractions are starting to open to some degree. The programming you are offering gives my kids a much needed opportunity to connect with other people and to do something different.”
“My daughter looks forward to participating in more of these online activities. She truly enjoyed every aspect, was fully engaged, and had a great learning experience. Thank you!”
“Another winner! He was smiling and actually having a conversation every time I went past.”
