Issue 121 Issue 1212017 December December 2017
From the Courtyard
From the Courtyard SAC SCOUTS NEWSLETTER
GSL’S NOTE In this issue Cubs.. - End of Year Cheer
Our GSL tells us what’s been happening! Scout Association Annual General Meeting
Scouts.. - Onwards and Upwards
Ventures.. - Venture Adventure
On December 2nd, the Scout Association held its Annual General Meeting. It was a very well attended event and in fact was not concluded due to the number of motions put forward and debated on the day. These pending issues will be discussed in the next AGM probably next March. The salient point of interest to our Group was the headgear issue. Our Group put forward a motion in favour of letting Groups decide which type of headgear they would like to use. Our motion passed with a good majority and hence from now on we shall all be wearing headgear. Our leaders council
Rovers..
met on December 27th 2017 and decided that all members 18 years and over shall wear the BP hat
- Monthly Activity - Lend and Arm
whereas those 17 years and under will wear the baseball cap which shall be issued by the Association in the coming weeks hopefully. New Uniform Our section leaders have sent all members and parents a circular instructing them to buy the new uniform. Please try and do so by January 26th as we have the Group's AGM on that day. The uniform can be purchased from In Design Ltd in H'Attard. From here you will find the shirt, combat trousers,
Coming up
belt and buckle. You may also buy the zip up fleecy gillet which is not obligatory but advisable for cold
26 January—AGM
weather. Badges and epaulettes can be bought from our HQ as we are stocking up so you do not need to go to the scout shop in Floriana. We shall inform you when the baseball cap is available. Badges re available as from Wednesday 10th January. AGM The Group shall be holding its annual AGM and investiture for new scouts and cubs on January 26th at 18:30 at College. All members are expected to attend and parents too. It is a good opportunity for us to get to know each other and for parents to learn more about our last year and future plans. Members please attend in uniform. Black shoes should be worn with the uniform.
From the Courtyard
GSL’S NOTE
Issue 121 December 2017
Christmas Parties A number of Christmas parties were held during December. The Troop held its party on December 22nd at our HQ whereas the pack held joint Christmas party with the Hamrun Scout Group and other Central District groups at the Hamrun HQ on December 27th. The Group leaders and rovers held their Christmas party as usual on December 23rd. It was held at the Balzan football club and it was a great opportunity for all to wind down and reminisce about all we've been through during 2017. Wedding Celebrations On December 16th one of our Rovers, Edward Apap Bologna married his sweetheart Nicole. The whole Rover Crew was invited to the wedding and we all had a great time wishng the newly weds a happy future together.
GSL’S NOTE
Resignation One of our cub leaders, Ms Ilaria Zammit resigned from the Group as from 1st January 2018. We would like to thank her for her contribution in the past years and wish her well in the future with her new Scout Group. Kitchenette The Group needs to install a new small kitchenette, namely a sink, a sink holder, a new tap and some shelving/cabinets. If anyone can help us source these items preferably new ones, as they need to withstand lots of wear and tear over the coming years, we would appreciate any ideas or contributions. Sectional Programmes All Sections have prepared their annual programme. The programmes will be forwarded to members by the end of Janaury. Some dates still need to be confirmed. Summer camp this year will be different for the Group. Scouts and Ventures will be taking in the international Med-Jam at Ghajn Tuffieha during the first week of August. The pack will hold its own 3 day camp seperately probably during the first week of September but dates are not confirmed so far. We are doing it this way as Venture and Troop leaders cannot afford to take two weeks off from work in August and then in September.
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From the Courtyard
END OF YEAR CHEER
Issue 121 December 2017
The SAC Pack closed off another successful year with some fun and some Community Work Another year has passed and we can look back with pride at a number of successful activities and initiatives! Most recently in December the SAC Pack took part in two main activities which included a Joint Christmas party with other cubs from scout groups within the Central District. This was a well attended event held at Hamrun Scout Group Headquarters in which our cubs got to meet Cubs from other packs and take part in a number of games with them. Cubs also had the opportunity to decorate their own santa hat and take it home with them as a little momento of the occasion. Obviously it wouldn’t be a party without some yummy food and some music! On the whole it was a good way to end the year and
From the Pack
celebrate together.
Pack and leaders at Hamrun HQ, take a photo with Father Christmas after a great Central District Party On a different note for those of our readers who are not familiar with our cub promise it is essentially a promise each cub makes and it encapsulates the values that as part of the scouting movement we hold dear and try to live by in each day of our lives and everything we do.
“On my honour, I promise to do my best, to do my duty to God and to my Country, to help other people, and obey the Cub Scout Law.” As a result our activities are aimed at touching upon all parts of the promise, and an important aspect of the promise is helping other people and being of service to our country and community. One of the SAC Pack’s latest initiatives was to collect some food by taking part in a Reverse Advent Calendar and then pass it on the Food Bank, who collect boxes of food for those in need. This was a highly successful initiative in which the SAC cubs and leaders collected enough food to fill in six boxes! We would like to thank all those helped organise and who took part in this great initiative. I would also like to take this opportunity to give you a few reminders. Kindly note that on the 26th of January 2018 we will be holding our Annual Group General Meeting. It would be highly beneficial for all
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From the Courtyard
END OF YEAR CHEER
Issue 121 December 2017
parents to attend! We would also like to remind you all that the new Scout Uniform can now be bought from In Design Ltd. Malta, Attard. The details about the uniform have been circulated via email. Ideally all members should have the uniform by the 26th of January 2018 so that it can be used during the AGM. Should anyone have any issues or querries kindly do not hesitate to contact us. We would also like to remind all those who haven’t settled the annual subscription fee to do so as soon as possible. Thanks Finally we would like to encourage all cubs to keep on attending through out the next year as we have an exciting calendar of events being planned, full of fun activities which I am sure all will enjoy :) David Pace
From the Pack
Akela.
Six entire boxes! Hurrah!
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From the Courtyard
ONWARDS AND UPWARDS
Issue 121 December 2017
In December one traditionally does two things; throw a Christmas party and look back upon the year and takes stock of what has, and has not, been accomplished. ...And this is exactly what the troop did. With regards to the Christmas party, it was the usual spirited affair with games, the much looked forward to disco, hosted by our resident DJ Mike, and the standard nibbles to help add on the festive pounds! 2017 has been a very busy year for the SAC Troop, with a number of big activities under our belt. Adding on to the usual big three; Easter Camp, Summer Camp and Bulwark, we took a representative contingent to the national camp, a teaser and test run for the upcoming Mediterranean Jamboree in August 2018, which we intend to take part in. Attendance has been strong throughout the year and we are hoping that the same impressive numbers will be seen throughout 2018. Under the guidance of the newly appointed PLs, APLs and SPLs we predict a successful and fun year of scouting ahead! Plans for 2018 are in full swing, kicking off with our AGM coming up on the 26th January, followed by our
From the Troop
annual rafting event in February. Some changes to the scouting curriculum have been made by IHQ, with
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an updated awards scheme that has been made easier, and less academic for our young members by eliminating the need for written logbooks. This is a welcome change as based on feedback from both members and parents, the logbooks added a classroom-like dimension to scouting that was not always appreciated. We are hoping that with this updated approach, we can start making some serious inroads into the awards scheme and have a number of members with new badges to attach to the new uniform! We shall be organising our weekly meetings around the awards scheme and begin to incorporate activities into the meeting that will contribute towards the fulfilment of said awards that involve Cooking, First Aid, Pioneering, Orienteering, Backpacking and Camping. Here's to a great 2017, and hoping for an even better 2018! Onwards and upwards! Andrew Agius Scout Leader
From the Courtyard
VENTURE ADVENTURE
Issue 121 December 2017
December has been an eventful month for the Venture Unit with some major changes and a change to get their hands dirty. Ventures coming, Ventures going During the month of November, we bid farewell to a fine bunch of Ventures, whom, having spent their three years in the unit and turned 18 years old, moved on to the Rover Crew. They will sorely be missed.
Farewell to: Mike Psaila, James Caruana, Daniel Pace, Johnny Pace, Luke Cassola and Daniel Busuttil!
Welcome: Andrew Brincat, Luke Pace Moore, Mattia Galea and Matthew Zammit!
From the Unit
However, this is all part of the voyage, and thus, we welcomed four new Ventures who will undoubtedly keep the unit’s spirit young and fresh. Andre Brincat Venture Scout Leader
New Venture Committee The SAC Venture Unit Executive Committee comprises of members of the unit, which together help run, guide and maintain the Unit during weekly meetings and outdoor activities. This committee comprises of various positions, including the Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and Quartermaster, and each position is in charge or a certain aspect of the Unit. Members of the Unit are elected into these positions through a voting system. As per tradition, 6 months have passed from the last vote and a new one has taken place to elect a new committee. The newly elected Chairman is Adam Vella Cardona. The Chairman is responsible for planning and leading the weekly meetings, and conducting discussions in accordance with the agenda issued prior to the meeting and making sure that the pre-planned agenda in relation to the meeting is followed correctly. Nigel Grech has been elected for the responsibility of Treasurer. The treasurer is responsible for any funds allocated to the Unit. This includes any activity expenses, fund raising, camp fees etc. He liaises with the VSL and group treasurer, and is to present a regular report to the Unit regarding the state of accounts. He is to suggest projects that may help improve the Unit as well as suggest fund raisers in order to maintain a healthy balance in the Unit’s accounts. The Secretary post has been undertaken by Daniel Mifsud Baron. The duty of the Secretary is to minute the meetings held on a Wednesday and publish them accordingly. He is also responsible for maintaining organised filing of Venture Unit documentation. The elected Quartermaster is Daniel Mallia. As Quartermaster, he is charged with the upkeep and mainte-
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From the Courtyard
VENTURE ADVENTURE
Issue 121 December 2017
nance of all Unit belongings. This includes the Unit’s equipment such as first aid kit, ropes, map kits etc. as well as the Mousehole itself, including the furniture, as well as general tidiness and organisation. Together, the newly elected committee are excited to begin their work and do their best to maintain and improve the Unit wherever and however possible. Many exciting activities are being planned for upcoming months and other projects that may improve the Unit’s efficiency and experience during meetings or recreationally are being discussed. Nigel Grech
From the Unit
Unit Treasurer
Venture Camp: 8 – 10 December One of the best ways to bond as ventures is through camping, and this being the first camp with our new ventures we certainly formed new relationships and strengthened existing ones. Whilst we did a number of things throughout the camp, our main activity was building a fully functional mud oven together. This was the first time any of us attempted to do something like this and it was a complete success. The activity involved making mud which we then used as insulation to cover the stones which we had used to build the oven. However this didn’t come without its difficulties, after mixing the mud with tools proved to be ineffective we decided to get our hands dirty and mix and place the mud the old fashioned way.
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From the Unit
From the Courtyard
VENTURE ADVENTURE
Issue 121 December 2017
I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we were extremely happy with the result of our oven albeit the metal roof of the oven melting with the immense heat. But this was just proof of how effective this oven was! In spite of this drawback, we were able to cook 10 pizzas in no time.
Unfortunately, we recently got the sorrowful news that our beloved oven didn’t survive the terrible weather we’ve had over the last few weeks. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the oven and his family.
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From the Courtyard
VENTURE ADVENTURE
Issue 121 December 2017
From the Unit
Lorin Grima
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Member
From the Courtyard
MONTHLY ACTIVITY
Issue 121 December 2017
Our newest Rovers showed us what they're made of and organized a treasure hunt in the IHQ area. The monthly activity had everyone revisiting the good old SAC competitive spirit, if just for a couple of hours. On the 13th of December, Jonathan Pace and I, were assigned with the task of organising an activity for the rover crew, which was to be held during a weekly meeting. This was our first time organising an activity for the Rovers, since we had been with the crew for less than two months. After discussing the different activities which we could do, we decided to organise a treasure hunt. The treasure hunt was 2 hours long and points where to be deducted for every minute they arrive late. It was divided in 3 different sections; Section A: Take a photo & Answer the question Section B: Take a photo
From the Crew
Section C: Challenges Some of the challenges included: Taking a photo with a pair of twins, A photo of the entire team in a bath tub, Doing 20 push-ups using only one hand, Building a friction bridge a standing on it for 1 whole minute and forming a human pyramid, with the heaviest person at the top. For this activity, the rover crew was divided into three smaller groups, each consisting of around 4-5 people. Different groups took dif-
It’s a friction bridge!
ferent approaches on how to tackle the activity. One team opted to start the challenges (many of which could be done at the hq itself), while the rest of the teams set out to go to the checkpoints where they needed to take a photo and gather particular information. As the 2 hour mark starting edging ever closer, the teams started to arrive back at hq, finalising their any pending challenges which they had. Afterwards, Jonathan and I where shown photos of the challenges which had been done and awarded them the points they deserved. The final standings were as follows: Winners: 113pts – Timmy Zammit, Emma Gauci, Mark Borg, Edward Debono (Killer) 2nd Place: 89pts – Mani, Luca Tufigno, Simon Gauci, Andrew Zammit Montebello 3rd (and last) Place: 83pts – David Pace, Matthew Zammit, Liam Curmi de Gray, Albert Galea, Luke Maistre At the end of the activity we received positive feedback from the participants as they all said that they had fun during our activity. Jonathan and I were very pleased that everything went well for our first activity for the Rover Crew.
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From the Crew
From the Courtyard
MONTHLY ACTIVITY
Issue 121 December 2017
Above and Left: Some of the winning team’s challenge photos.
Daniel Busuttil Jonathan Pace Rover Crew Members
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From the Courtyard
LEND AN ARM
Issue 121 December 2017
Service is an integral part of every Rover Crew. At SAC, we make an effort to give it our all!
While a Rover Crew is synonymous with
From the Crew
the service team for any Scout Group, the SAC crew like to extend that definition to include giving back to the community in some way or form. On the 13th December (prior to the onset of
Christmas
drinks
and
inordinate
amounts of food), a small contingent of SAC Rovers made their way to the National Blood Transfusion Service in G’Mangia to lend an arm...literally! The donation idea started out around the same time in 2016 and, including our visit
One pint lighter and exponentially happier!
on 13 December 2017, this is the Group’s third visit in that time. We hope to visit the blood bank at least twice a year, generally over Christmas and either Easter or around June. It’s a simple and incredibly effective way of helping out. The process lasts all of half an hour with friendly and efficient staff to make you feel at ease, every step of the way. Giving blood for the first time might be a daunting experience for some, however, as with most things, strength lies in numbers! For the new year, we’d like to encourage all our older members especially our members’ parents to head down to the National Blood Transfusion Clinic (opposite St Luke’s Hospital) and donate a pint of blood. We genuinely hope that you take up the challenge in the new year and set an impressive example to those around you! Emma Gauci Bagheera & Rover
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