1st Albion Park NSW Australia
1st Albion Park has again participated in the JOTT for its 4th year. This time we decided to take on the Kiama Coastal Walk – the trail follows the coast from Kiama to Gerringong with spectacular scenery north and south. For May the weather was quite warm and again a brilliant sunny day. Our group consisted of a Joey, Cubs and Scouts plus Leaders and parents for a total of 16 participants. We stopped at the Dreaming Poles placed on the trail to learn about their meaning and importance to the traditional owners of this land the Wodi-Wodi and Dharawal people. ¾’s of the way through we had a stop to allow our little Joey scout to catch up (which he did sitting atop the shoulders of his father) and others to take a well earned break – the heat was taking its toll. As we reached the end it was a relief to take our shoes off and walk across the lagoon to enjoy our traditional BBQ sausage sandwich lunch. Now to think of where our next JOTT will take us.
Cheers Troy “Wedgie” Bates – 1st Albion Park Scouts
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Winnipeg, Manitoba will be hosting a JOTT walk but with a twist! We’ve been planning since end of January and the big day is almost upon us! We expect 400 to 500 youths to join as it won’t just be Scouts Canada members. We decided from the first meeting that it would be a JOINT WALK with each other’s National Scout Organisation. So, we’ll be sharing and swapping thoughts, jokes, fun, stories, training, and programming tips between each other throughout the 16 km hike on the TransCanada Trail that meanders through the City of Winnipeg.
The media has already picked on the fact that this is a historical walk as well as being one with a purpose: We’ll be picking up spring debris along the way. Starting with the Venturers and Rovers of Scouts Canada joining the Routiers of Association des Scouts du Canada in the heart of St-Boniface, the group will grow in numbers as they ‘pick-up’ sections along the way, first the Scouts/Écalireurs at Whittier Park (historical St-Boniface), second Cubs/Louveteaux at Westminster United Church, then Beavers/Castors at Omand’s Park, and finally arrive at Assiniboine Park’s Lyric Theatre Field for a special ceremony. A fellow Scouter of ‘les Scouts’ will receive the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Award from the hands of Mrs. Shelly Glover, member of Parliament for St-Boniface. Another member will be inducted into Manitoba’s ‘Les Scouts’ Court of Honor, which accepts only 15 year veterans of scouting who have given exceptional service as an adult. Then we’ll all share a Campfire!
Of course, we’ll post photos and stories on Twitter along the way as well as back on the Jott website.
—Claire Bérubé
Executive Director, Scouts franco-manitobains
Co-Chair, JOTT/JSLS -Winnipeg 2013 Committee
Commissioner, District de l’Ouest, Association des Scouts du Canada