From: gandersn@unixg.ubc.ca (George HN Anderson)
Newsgroups: rec.scouting
Subject: Vancouver Night Hike
Date: 9 Apr 1993 11:39:16 GMT

    I just thought it might be nice to exchange a few tales of what
different Scouting orginizations around the world do, other than the
"standard" hiking/camping/badgework (feel free to use these too though!).
I'll start us off by announcing an upcoming event for Scouts in Vancouver.

    On Saturday, April 17th, Vancouver/Coast Region of the BC Yukon
Council of Scouts Canada (all that just for clarity :-) will host its
annual Nite Hike. Nite Hike is an overnight event held for Scouts and
Guides (11-13 yrs) at the University of British Columbia Endowment Lands
and the adjoining Pacific Spirit Park. The Scouts are organized into
Patrols and given a map. Following the map they visit (about)
15-20 checkpoints over a twelve hour period. At each checkpoint, the
patrol performs (and is graded on) an activity. Typical activities
include; First Aid, Pioneering (with and sometimes without rope!), Boiling
water in a paper bag over an open fire, fire starting, knot tying, settign
up tents, an obstacale course, making "bannock" (bread made with flour,
water, salt, and sugar, on a stick over an open fire), and many other
Scout/Fun realted activities. Patrols are scored on their performance,
with heavy emphasis on teamwork and spirit. Scoring is balanced with
regards to age and patrol size by placing a limit on the patrol's total
age. (I can't recall exactly, but I believe the minimum is about 65, and
the maximum around 90.) At the end of the night, the Scouts turn in their
score sheets, and recieve a donut and badge (patch) for their campfire
blanket.

    The best thing about night hike is that, while it is an event for
the Scouts, the Venturers (14-17 yrs) and Rovers (18-26) man most of the
stations and help provide security, while the Scouters take their patrols
out onthe trails. this allows people like myself to participate for a long
time (this will be my eleventh year, once as a participant... :-), and we
have a great time every year (even when it rains!).

    The event has grown considerably, the last two or three years,
registration for Scouts (not including Leaders) has exceeded 1000, and now
includes SCout groups from as far away as Chilliwack BC (about 150 km
East), and Whideby Island, Washington, USA (about 200 km South of
Vancouver). The kids and leaders always seem to have a great time (most of
the ones I've seen anyways, I loved it when I was a Scout! :-), and so do
the staff, (and the sleep you get the next day is SOUND! :-).

    Well, that's what I'll be doing in a week and a half. Anybody else
out there got anything neat coming up? Anything neat you just did?
Anything neat that you *ever* did? Lets hear it!

Yours in Scouting,

George HN Anderson
2nd Burnaby Southwest Rover Crew
"The Knights of Locksley"
Vancouver, BC, Canada