Boy Scout/girl Guide founder worth remembering

Editor:

This week, we celebrate a very important occasion in our history, namely, the 160th birthday of the founder of what I consider to be the most important youth organization ever. That would be Lord Baden- Powell of Gilwell, the Founder of the Boy Scout and Girl Guide movement, born on February 22, 1857, and died on January 8th, 1941.

For those among us who were brought up under the principals of this organization, it has very special meaning, especially when we see the way our world is evolving today.

Even way back then, we were taught not only to have fun, but to be of service and help to the community to which we belonged.

Requiring public employees to take monthly unpaid days off would amount to a pay cut that would send shocks through Saskatchewan’s economy, according to SGEU.

“We need to be clear that what government is proposing is a pay cut, not just a day off once a month,” said SGEU President Bob Bymoen. “And what do people do when they are making less money than they were last year? They hold on to their paychecks and hold off on renovations, retail and service spending, charitable giving – they spend less in our local economies and at small businesses. How is that going to improve Saskatchewan’s economy? It’s not.” Some shining examples of services were during the depression years of 1929 to 1936, when so many Canadians were unemployed, Scouts helped the Red Cross, as well as other relief organizations by collecting clothing, gathering fruits and vegetables for relief barrels in grocery stores for the needy. During the London Ontario floods of 1937, Scouts helped the police direct traffic, as well as aided with rescue work.

Today, we still see some of this type of community service happening, but no doubt, some inspiration probably came from these beginnings.

I am so proud to have been a part of this, having served every uniformed position up to commissioner, as well as being a Queen’s Scout, and taking all three parts of adult training. I also held position of chairman of group committees.

What I remember mostly is the Scout Slogan “BE PREPARED “, which has served me well over the years. I also remember the promise “to do my best, and my duty to God and the Queen,” some of which apparently has now been deleted, what a shame !!!!!

Today, the organization is co-ed, which is a good thing.

I could go on for a long time, but the rest I will use as Great memories.

Happy Birthday Lord Badenpowell, and thanks for the memories.

Steve Mac Innis - Morse

SGEU is also concerned about a decline in public services should the government require all public sector employees to spend an extra day away from their jobs each month.

“I don’t know how you can expect to eliminate that many hours of work time and claim that everything will be ok and that service levels won’t go down,” said Bymoen. “Are they asking social workers to just not show up for a day, when their workloads are already unmanageable? Are children who need protection, or patients who need treatment, or drivers who need plowed roads supposed to just wait an extra day?”