The Ormstown Scouts have been hard at work this year, fundraising for their upcoming trip to Florida to take part in the Central Florida Council International Jamborette in July.
This jamboree is “a gathering of kids ages 11-15-ish, with all kinds of amazing games and activities planned. Jamborees are a place for likeminded kids to get together and meet new people, tell stories, and build friendships,” explains Scout leader Cory Ovans. For him, experiencing Scout jamborees is important for the young people for a multitude of reasons. “I personally have friends from Australia that I met because of a jamboree, and I still speak to them on a regular basis. It’s an opportunity to travel to places and meet people that most kids would never have the chance to otherwise.”
Ovans has been involved with the Scouts since he was five years old. “I’m happy to give back a little now that I can, so more kids can experience some of the incredible things I did at their age,” he explains.
Being a new group, the Ormstown Scouts has been working extra hard to fundraise for this trip. “We’re a new group [starting again after not having many active members for several years], so money and supplies don’t come as easily. We have had incredible help from the community, [including the Howick and Huntingdon groups],” explains Ovans. He adds, “My goal is that parents pay as close to nothing as possible for this trip. There’s enough other stuff that comes up for their kids that they need to spend money on.”
The group recently hosted two roller-skating nights as fundraisers. These 80s-themed nights were well attended and well received. “Everyone seemed happy to have something physical to do with friends; our plan [was] to do one a month through the winter, and there’s a chance we’ll host one more in April before we lock up the skates for the summer,” explains Ovans. They have 40 pairs of skates of all sizes to lend out, so anyone can participate.
On April 8, the Scouts will be hosting a bottle drive around Ormstown. They’ll be going door to door throughout the day, collecting empty bottles. Ovens invites people to also bring in donations if their house is missed on the route. “We hope to have support from the Howick Cubs; it’s a big job, knocking on every door in Ormstown. I [would like] people to know that if we don’t make it to their place, we are accepting donations at 5 Barrington Street all day on the 8th.”
Also in April, the Scouts will be participating in the Earth Day Forum on April 22 at the Ormstown recreation centre. “The Scouts are hosting and will be serving a home-cooked hot lunch, and we are having a seed-planting seminar in the afternoon,” explains Ovans. They also have an ongoing fundraiser called ScoutSeeds, where anyone can go online and buy seeds that will arrive within a week. There are many kinds of seeds available.
What they are all very excited about is the upcoming Cub Car Race. “Our Cub Car Race is scheduled for mid-April. Beavers, Cubs and Scouts from all over the valley build their own mini cars or trucks and get together to race them down a wooden track!” This event is sure to be exciting for all participants.
There are lots of ways to help the 15 Ormstown Scouts get to Florida, while having fun participating in community events at the same time. All of this will help these kids have the unforgettable experience of a jamboree.
