Skip to main content

Scheduled Maintenance: Scouts.ca will be unavailable temporarily due to planned maintenance. The maintenance will begin at 6:00 pm ET on April 1st, 2024, and it should last no longer than three hours. Thank you for your patience and we apologize for any inconvenience.

Winter is Back!

It's The Woggle: Winter 2022!

Winter is back, and youth across the country are excited to get back to cold-weather adventure! For youth and Scouters alike, Scouting is a great opportunity to get outside and share merry adventures to make the most of the snowy season.

In this issue of the Woggle, we are looking at “predictable being preventable” to keep youth safe. Great tips to keep warm in the great outdoors, like dressing in layers or enjoying Scout Coffee. And we are profiling an inspirational youth charting their own journey into equity and inclusion.

Bundle up! grab a bowl of Scout Popcorn and read below.

This is The Woggle: Winter 2022.

(And in case you missed the last edition of The Woggle, you can find it here. You'll find even more songs, skits, games, camping hacks, articles, and recipes…)

Safety

Youth are back to Scouting, and Groups have been enjoying adventures in full — there’s a steady stream of incident reports. While getting hurt is never a part of Scouting, and zero injuries must be our goal, we’re learning from every incident and recognizing trends. Here are the top three activities where injuries are sustained in winter: 

 

Activity Injuries Commonly Sustained Most Common Apparent Cause of Injury Most Common Direct Cause How to Lower the Risk
Tobogganing Fractured bones, concussions, soft tissue injuries Youth collides with a stationary object.  A site inspection prior to the activity didn’t identify hazards on the hill.  Site Inspections - identify hazards at the location of the activity.

Toolbox Talk – have a Safety Moment and ask youth what hazards they see and how they can keep safe.
Gym Games (indoors or outdoors) Strains, sprains, soft tissue injuries, dental injuries, and fractured bones Youth falls Improper footwear (socks, for example), or the site of the activity isn’t appropriate (a game of tag in a forest in the dark has lots of hazards)  
Section Activities Strains, sprains, soft tissue injuries, and fractured bones Slip, trip, or fall Snowy/icy ground, inadequate lighting, tripping hazards on the ground

 

If we can predict it, we can prevent it. Enjoy fun Scouting adventures safely and ensure that hazards that can cause injury are identified and that your Section or Group mitigates and lowers each risk. If the hazard cannot be lowered to a reasonable level, have confidence in being a champion of safety and changing the plan to make it safer.

Winter Safety Week is coming December 5-9, featuring the 2nd Russell Scout Group, fun safety-oriented activities, and an interactive Ask Me Anything session with the experts! 

Getting the Right Gear, Sun Safety, and Dressing for Success

Be Sun-Safe 

  • The sun can be dangerous, even in winter, and it can be easy to forget about when you do not feel its heat.
  • Take breaks in the shade to get out of the sun – the sun reflecting off the snow can be even more damaging than direct sunlight.
  • Wear sunglasses and sunscreen when spending time outside in the winter – your eyes and skin will thank you! 

 

Getting the Gear 

  • Getting the right gear might be a barrier for some families, but this does not mean that you cannot do winter activities.
  • Hosting a gear swap can be a great way to help people get the gear they need – have people bring in old gear that no longer fits or they no longer need: coats, boots, snow pants, etc. and have people swap items or small amounts of money for the items they need. 
  • If your Group has the space, consider collecting and storing extra essential gear – as youth grow out of winter gear and families no longer need it, add it to the collection. As youth need gear, try to match youth with gear that fits them and fills their needs – depending on the scenario, this could be a permanent loan or just something temporary for a camp or adventure. 
  • You do not have to run out and buy all new gear – encourage families to look through what they already own. Fleecy PJ pants are great pants for winter adventures. Second-hand stores often have large collections of clothing made of wool and natural fibres; they may not be fashionable, but under a winter coat, they will be exceptionally functional.

Dress for Success: 

  • Dressing in layers allows you to remove layers as you get too hot. If you are doing a high-exertion activity (building shelters, hiking, etc.), you will get warm! 
  • As you get warm, take off layers and add layers as you get cold. Store any layers that you have removed somewhere dry and close by, like a backpack. Depending on the conditions, you might want to remove a layer under your coat and then put your coat back on – your coat will keep you drier than a sweater if it’s snowing. 
  • Cotton is Rotten; ensure that non-cotton layers are closest to your skin (base layer) – this could be long underwear, non-cotton pants, etc. Cotton will collect moisture from your body and will hold it. We all know how long it takes a load of laundry full of jeans and sweaters to dry! Polyester, poly-blend, wool, and other non-cotton materials will wick away the moisture from your skin and will keep you warmer as a result, even after you’ve sweat. 
  • This does not mean that families should be running out to buy a whole new wardrobe for their youth! For the most part, families should be able to make do with what they have. Need a t-shirt? A soccer jersey can be a good alternative – and fleecy pajama pants can be great under snow pants!
  • This video from REI Co-op offers a bit more information about layering and the kinds of materials that you should consider – it’s not a winter video, but the principles remain the same throughout the year. 
  • In winter, gloves vs. mitts is a long-standing debate, but true winter people know that gloves AND mitts are the real secret. If you have a thin pair of gloves (those light, stretchy gloves that are very inexpensive, or even thin gloves meant for winter running or cross-country skiing), put those on under a pair of mitts. Then, when you need to use your hands for something and must take off your mitts, your hands will still be nice and warm.
  • It can be tempting to add lots of layers to your feet but be careful. If you cannot wiggle your toes inside your boots, you may start to cut off circulation to your feet, which will make you colder. Before heading out for a day of adventure, make sure you try out the boots and socks you plan on wearing that day. Make sure you have some wiggle room.

# ScoutsDoStuff

Congratulations Scouts! Celebration is in store—we have defeated the Dragon!

The Dragon’s roar was no match for the power Scouts across the country wielded. No hiss of fire, snap of tail, flap of wings nor thrashing claws could withstand the Forces of Nature and triumphs of our Scouts!.

With the Dragon lulled back into slumber, we have completed the Dragon Trail Quest! … for now. 


Uplifting Thriving Voices

Equitable and Inclusive Examples Among Us

With Tessa LeBrun — Council Youth Commissioner, Battlefields

To me, equitable and inclusive Scouting means being an organization that is willing to accommodate everyone, regardless of their ability. It means that even if we aren't quite sure how to work with individual youth, we put the effort in to learn how to work with them because all people are worth that effort and deserving of it.  

It means that we have Scouters who are committed to creating an inclusive and open-minded environment within their community, and it means that Scouting is a safe place where any youth can go and feel like they're part of the Scouting family. Scouting is a place where everyone should feel like they belong, a place where they are welcome just as they are. 

I grew up in, and am still a part of, a Group that is known for doing incredibly well with youth who have special needs. At one point, we had about 12 kids in our Sea Scout Company, nine of whom were on the autism spectrum, and two of whom attended meetings with a 1-1 worker. In the last few years, the Venturer/Rover Company/Crew of four people consisted of a Rover Scout with down syndrome, a Rover with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, a Venturer with autism, and me (a physically disabled and neurodivergent Venturer). Individually, we never would have been able to accomplish half the things we did, but when we all worked together, we were able to do some pretty awesome things. Being surrounded by people who don't fit into society's idea of "normal" is the Scouting experience I’ve always known, and I wouldn't change it for anything. 

Being able to provide a space where youth feel wanted and like they're a part of a team is the best feeling in the world. I remember this one youth who hadn't come to Scout meetings in a while because he had been having some behavioural issues at home. His mom was worried that he had missed too many meetings to be able to come back, but my Scouters reassured her that he was welcome to come back whenever he was ready. When he did finally come back, all of our youth happened to be outside having a movement break, and when they saw him get out of the car they all yelled his name and ran over to greet him with big hugs. They immediately invited him to come and join in the game they were playing, and his mom cried as she spoke with our Scouters because she had never seen her kid be wanted so much by someone else, let alone a group of children. 

That is what inclusive Scouting means to me.

Do you have a story to share? 

We want to hear it!

Around the Campfire

Cooking in Winter can be a Challenge

Fire starters are good to have on hand as it may take you longer than expected to light a fire in the cold.

Firewood may be wet if there is snow or ice, try to find wood that hasn’t been buried in snow and isn’t too wet; sometimes, wood can be gathered from under an overhanging tree that may not have been out in the elements for too long. Wood that has been buried in snow will contain ice crystals that will not burn.

When cooking, camp stoves are better than a fire. Liquid fuel stoves (Naphtha) are the best stove to use when the weather is cold, as Propane stoves may not light in low temperatures.

Remember, don’t use these stoves in tents or winter shelters, as there is a greater risk of carbon monoxide poisoning or burns from spills. Keep them outside.

In the winter, we need a lot more calories than we do in summer. Those calories are needed to keep us warm. Dependent on activities, each person may need up to 5000 calories a day. Stick to high-fat, protein meals to give you the calorie intake you need.

Freezing your food is a challenge so if you are bringing fresh fruit and vegetables, make sure that they are eaten early in your adventure, so they don’t freeze, leaving them mushy when they defrost.

Most winter campers will eat boil-in-the-bag meals as they are easy to freeze at home, and they only need a pot of hot water to cook them. These are nutritious, lightweight ways to have healthy meals while camping. Omelets are one of the easiest breakfasts to make.

Let’s get out there and conquer those elements!

Camp Samac – Awards from Summer 2022

Camp Samac Wins an Award for Best Summer Camp

This year, our Camp Samac, located in Oshawa/Whitby (Ont.), won three (3) Readers' Choice Awards (3) for the three nominations it received:

  • Best Kids Camp & Best Summer Camp (Diamond / 1st place)
  • Best Kids Activity (Gold / 3rd place)

These awards are given out by region across Ontario. Nominations for these awards open annually for the public to show their appreciation and vote for the businesses, people, and service providers, who make the community great.

Last summer, the camp welcomed 1136 Day Campers & 112 Senior Programs participants over the course of nine weeks in July/August 2022 – helping more youth to safely discover the outdoors, make friends and develop character and confidence.

Kudos to all the hard-working crew at Camp Samac for providing such an incredible Scouting experience to all the families this summer.

Fundraising Support

Great Adventure is supported by great Fundraising. As our mornings get colder, add some warmth to your morning routine with a fresh cup of Scout Coffee. Or perhaps the longer, darker nights have you looking for an indoor adventure. Bring Scout Popcorn to your next family game night.

 

Giving Tuesday

November 29th is Giving Tuesday. 

Scouts Canada believes youth are capable of ANYTHING!

We say YES … when others say NO. Kids need YES…

…Kids need supporters that intrinsically believe in them and help them discover their passion and what they are capable of. Scouting is Where kids Discover their Thing!

This Giving Tuesday, we are asking our supporters to Say Yes! and donate to Scouts Canada. 

We hope all our youth, volunteers, and their families will participate. We know Scouts have great empathy and help their community. Here is a great way to show the world and raise money to give back.

Take a ‘selfless selfie’ an “ #UnSelfie “and post it to your social media using the hastag #UNSelfie. show your network why in Scouts we Say Yes! to youth because they are capable of anything.

Say Yes!

Chilly Moose and Scouts Canada teaming up for our planet

We might not be able to change the world on our own, but we can certainly make a positive difference when we work together.

Over the last few months, our friends at Chilly Moose have been supporting Scouting Groups in incorporating the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) into their weekly programming with a very special initiative

Scouting Groups submitted their SDG-related activities to enter a chance to win amazing Chilly Moose gear for their youth and Scouters! We were very impressed with all the submissions received and amazed to see how our youth are teaming up to create a better world. Check out the first round of winners on our Take Action page and keep an eye out for the announcement of the Grand Prize Winners in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks to all the youth and Scouters who shared their activities with us on the interactive map – and keep sharing your wonderful activities on our Take Action page. Together let’s team up for the planet and keep up the good work! 

 

The 36th Halifax Beaver Scouts working together towards the SDG Goal #1 No poverty 

The Strathmore Scouting Group help save the bat population

The 38th Brantford Cub Scouts took part in an Urban Forest Discovery and Clean-Up Activity

Program Partners

Scouts Canada partners with numerous like-minded organizations, including those highlighted below.   

 

Parachute

Parachute, founded in 2012 through the amalgamation of four charities in the injury prevention field, has become Canada’s leader in injury prevention focused on three key areas where people are unintentionally injured: in the home, at play, and on the move. They educate and advocate for preventing serious injury in our homes, in sports and recreation and on our roads.

Want a great listen on your next road trip?

Check out their new podcast Popping the Bubble Wrap, which can be found anywhere you listen to podcasts, such as Apple or Spotify. new episodes are released every second Thursday. 

Makers Making Change

Neil Squires is an organization that use technology, knowledge and passion to empower Canadians with disabilities. They have built a great activity for the finder called “Makers Making Change”. It can be found in the Activity Finder. The activity is building assistive devices for peoples with disabilities. This can be a fun activity especially when building toys.

Check out their website at https://www.neilsquire.ca 

Calendar Icon

Introducing the new Scouts Canada branded Merino toques, only at ScoutShop.ca

Get yours today. Limited quantities available.

 The ScoutShop.ca Team is proud to offer two new Merino blend wool toques. Made in Canada, these toques are exceptionally soft, breathable, warm, and moisture-wicking

Scouts Canada Cuffed Merino Toque

Scouts Canada Cuffed Merino Toque for Scouters and youth in older Sections. A trendy unisex Merino blend wool rib knit, double-layer toque with a fold-up cuff that can be worn cuffed or slouched. 

$23.99 

Scouts Canada Merino Toque

Scouts Canada Merino Toque is recommended for younger Sections in Scouting. A unisex Merino blend wool rib knit double-layer toque with no cuff that is lightweight and close-fitting. 

$21.99

Get yours today. Makes a great gift, too. 

Limited quantities available. Only at ScoutShop.ca.


Ideas? Questions? Comments?

* required fields

Did you enjoy this edition of the Woggle?