100 Years of Guiding in Powell River

BY THE SECOND POWELL RIVER PATHFINDERS

Girl Guides of Canada is celebrating 100 years of guiding in Powell River! PC Wade, wife of the Anglican minister, started Powell River’s first Girl Guide company at St. Paul’s church. Although membership has changed through a century, the spirit of guiding in Powell River lives on.

Bev Falconer (adult, left) with her Brownies unit, 1964

Our Pathfinders interviewed two retired members for this project. Through Zoom and email, these women shared fond memories of events from when they were girls and leaders in Powell River.

Patrol leaders camp at the Crowther property on Okeover Inlet, circa 1947 Brenda (Cooper) Cameron, Chub (Vincent) Anderson, Bev (Falconer) Carrick and Janet (Moore) Hawk.

Beverly Falconer joined Girl Guides of Canada in 1942. There were no cookies at this time. Beverly went on to become a leader in our community. As Brown Owl, she once took her Brownies unit to Pihl’s farm, near Lund, to see horses. Unfortunately, there were no horses, but there was a pig!

Church parade, representing St. John’s United Church, 1967

The Pihl boys at the farm showed the Brownies how the pig could be a “splendid bucking bronco.” Naturally, the girls wanted to try what the boys had done and, on that day, one Brownie named Wendy became “the pig riding queen.”

The Sixth Powell River Guides, 2018.

The First Guides of Powell River, 1923.

Lynn McCann was also a Girl Guides leader in Powell River. As a girl, she joined Brownies in 1957 and later was a Guide in Beverly Falconer’s unit. At this time, a box of cookies cost fifty cents.

Guide leaders in a parade. The float says “Be Prepared,” the Guides’ motto

Lynn’s fondest childhood memory is from taking a swimming test in Brownies. Lynn and her friend, Karin, told the other 18 girls about fish with huge teeth and big, buggy eyes. Unsurprisingly, only Lynn and Karin jumped in the water. Karin so scared herself with her own stories that Lynn was the only Brownie to earn her swimming badge that day.

Guide camp at Maude Bay, 1962.

When their Brown Owl found out what had happened, Lynn and Karin were in huge trouble!

WITH A PACK ON OUR BACKS AND A SONG IN OUR HEARTS: Guides through the years. Photos courtesy of the Second Powell River Pathfinders.