Scouts complete 4-day course in adventure camp
KUCHING: Twenty eight scouts including six girl scouts successfully completed a fourday-three-night Wood Badge Stage 3B Scout Leadership Course held recently at the Ma’as Eco-Tourism & Event Centre in Kampung Semadang near Bengoh Resettlement Scheme.
Joining the camp were seven trainers and secretariat officials headed by State Scout deputy chief commissioner John Lim, State Scout commissioner (activity) Eu Eng Chiew, two assistant chief commissioners Valeri Kong and Methodius MacDonald, district scout commissioners Aldrin Peter and Alexander Adrian.
The participants came from Kuching, Samarahan, Miri, Serian, Sebuyau, Sarikei, Matang and Petra Jaya.
Besides the lectures, the participants were given outdoor assignments including jungle trekking, camp craft and constructing towers.
“During the lecture session, participants were exposed to the criteria required to pass the Stage 3 wood badge course to qualify them to wear two beaded wood badge,” said Methodius.
According to him, the Stage 3B Wood Badge courses are held once in two or three years.
Before attending the course, participants must first attend and pass the wood badge introduction course, followed by wood badge stage one course, wood badge stage two and wood badge stage 3A.
Participants also spent one night in Kampung Danu for the ‘Night Adventure’ where they interviewed the village headman Ahip Naii to gather information about the village.
Along the journey, the participants were also required to collect 10 species of herbs found in the forest near Ma’as Eco-Tourism and Event Centre, besides measuring diameter of trees.
Methodius described the camp as very successful as all participants completed all the tasks given.
“During the hiking, participants were required to go through various obstacles including jungle trekking, river crossing, trail and mountain climbing but all participants successfully completed the tiring journey,” he said.
Meanwhile, a participant, Diana Siggie, said among the tasks given to the participants, hiking was the most challenging.
“Although it was tiring, the adventure activities were indeed very challenging and enjoyable, not to mention the beautiful forest, mountains and rivers which are suitable for outdoor activities,” said Diana, a teacher at a school in Kuching.
Another participant Angel Connor, 30, said the activities were full of fun despite being tough and tiring.
“This is the most challenging camping experience I’ve ever joined so far and it really tested my mettle and enhanced my scouting spirit,” she added.
On a related matter, Methodius hoped the Malaysia-Indonesia Scout Jamboree involving up to 1,500 scouts from both countries would also be held here, adding it was a suitable site with a big area and the required basic facilities.