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Like many organizations, the 1st Redcliff Scouts had challenges planning events due the COVID-19 pandemic, but have had optimism recently of going back to normal activities in 2022 and beyond.
“We’ve been pretty much able to go the whole time at some point,” said Rob Ewert, 1st Redcliff Scouts group commissioner
“We have had to take some breaks where we have been in virtual meetings and that, which has been a little tougher. Our group has always been very outdoor and in person. Speaking from my own (experience), I prefer to see the kids, rather than meet with them online. But it hasn’t slowed us down too much.
Ewert said they’ve had to modify their programs.
The Scouts programming goes from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31.
“We’re trying to basically pick up and bring in more scouters and more youth and continue our program,” said Ewert.
The hope is to get them back to as much normal as they can.
“Which is getting out camping, hiking—outdoor stuff—as much as we can and as it warms up, we’ll see what else they want to do,” he said.
“We’ve had some interest into canoeing and kayaking, definitely summer camps coming up and seeing who is available and when to do that.”
Members are taught axe safety, knife safety, fire lighting, some first aid and cooking meals in the outdoors.
The 1st Scouts have mid to long-term goals including a 10-day adventure for some of the older kids at Wilderness Rendezvous Scout Camp in the Cypress Hills, where they will learn about hiking and safety in the woods
Plans are in the works for other local camps.
The organization will participate in their annual highway clean-up fundraiser on May 7 and is where Volker Stevin gives the Scouts a certain amount of money per kilometre to clean.
With virtually all public health restrictions being lifted as of March 1, Ewert says it’s basically down to bringing kids on board.
“So it’s really at the family level to decide if they want to attend or not,” he said.
The Kub Kar races will return on April 30 beginning at 9 a.m. at Redcliff’ Baden Powell Centre in Redcliff.
There will be Beaver Buggies where the group will be painting and assembling a car, Cubs will have a block of wood, axles and wheels to work with to build a car that doesn’t exceed 40 grams.
“They are six (to) seven inches long and about two inches wide,” he said.
The Scouts will have trucks that are a typical style 18 to 20-inch large rigs and will have a weight limitation of one kilogram.
Families of participants will only be able to attend.
“This is returning to normal is what we’re doing basically,” he said.
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