World Thinking Day
Some 450 sparks, brownies, girl guides, path-Ànders and rangers and their families gathered at the Peachland Community Hall on Saturday to celebrate World Thinking Day.
World Thinking Day, which has been celebrated since 1926, falls on Feb. 22, the birthdays of scouting and guiding founder Lord Baden-Powell and his wife Lady Baden-Powell, world chief guide. Every year each of the units in the Naitaka district, made up of the Westside and Peachland, choose a country that offers guiding. They research the country, not only learning about guiding in that country, but also the traditions, food and dress. They share what they learned with other guiders at the World Thinking Day celebration.
Each unit paraded into the community hall bearing the Áag of the country they had researched. Forming a large horseshoe, the girls passed the guiding light, sang songs and shared cultural activities from their chosen countries.
Once the formal part of the celebration Ànished, girls and their families could visit 12 booths, learning about other countries, tasting food and making small crafts called traders. This year’s celebration attracted guiders from Kelowna to Penticton. World Thinking Day teaches the girls that guiding isn’t just in Canada, said Kristy Lamont, district commissioner for the Naitaka district. There are over 10 million members worldwide. Guiding has been around for over 100 years.
Lamont said the program stays relevant with constant revamping and revision using feedback from the girls as well as parents.
“Guiding gives girls the opportunity to try new things in a safe and encouraging environment,” said Lamont, noting some girls feel uncomfortable trying new things in a co-ed environment. “This gives them the safety net to do it.”
As well, Lamont said guiding programs teach girls leadership skills from the time they start as a spark to the time they leave as a ranger.