Scouts Canada held a flag-raising ceremony at Barrie City Hall on Saturday for one of the most celebrated weeks on their calendar.
Over 20 members of the local group joined Mayor Jeff Lehman and Barrie-Innisfil MP John Brassard in saluting the flag and the birthdays of the founders.
Greg Peach is the group commissioner for the 4th and 10th Scout groups in Barrie and said that this is one of the most important times on the Scouting calendar as the organization honours its founders: Lord and Lady Baden-Powell.
“It is a very special week in the Scouting and Guiding communities as we honour our founders who both were born on Feb. 22 as well as bring everyone together in friendship and fellowship,” said Peach.
“We have lots of activities happening with the flag raising today, the winter skills event happening today for the Beavers and our church parades going on which honour our sponsors," he added.
Scouts Canada has been around since 1914 and provides programs for those aged five to 26 that help build the character of youth and prepare them for success in adulthood.
While the organization is huge locally and worldwide, Peach said there is room for more to join.
“In the Barrie and surrounding smaller communities we have approximately 800 registered youth and about 300 registered volunteers,” he said. “We are a part of a bigger family and community as there are close to 163 countries that belong to the World Brotherhood of Scouting.
"The numbers have admittedly declined over the years but we are looking to reverse that and are getting into the community and reminding folks of what a great organization this is to be a part of," Peach added.
Greg’s son, Adam, will celebrate his 14th birthday on Sunday and has been involved with Scouts for nine years.
Adam told BarrieToday he loves what Scouts has done for him personally and can’t wait for the big trip this year.
“It’s such a great feeling of being a part of something bigger and being able to meet people from around the world,” said the teen.
“This summer I’m going to the World Jamboree in West Virginia for three weeks and there is supposed to be more than 50,000 people there," he added. "I think Scouts has also helped me be less shy and more sociable, because I would have been so nervous before about going to an event that big, but I’m just really excited about meeting all the people I can.”
