Abbeyside Unit Scout Notes 24th September 2007

4th Waterford Unit
St Joseph’s
Abbeyside
Scouting Ireland

Cub Scout Pack, Scout Troop & Venture Scout Notes

24/09/2007

Wedding Bells
Congratulations to Vanessa O’Donnell and John Paul Cosgrave who were married last Friday in St. Mary’s Church, Dungarvan with the reception in the Park Hotel. It was a most enjoyable day with plenty of faces present that have passed through the doors of the 4th. I would like to say sorry to all the wives and partners who had to listen to stories about Scouting days of the past. Best Wishes to the New Mr & Mrs Cosgrave from all at the 4th past and present.

Annual Camp 2008 – Montseny, Spain
All Scouts and Ventures that are interested in going to Annual Camp 2008 must have a €20-00 deposit paid by Saturday 6th October 2007 to secure their place. The total cost of this Camp will be in the region of €700-00, this is the upper end estimate and we are working on bringing that figure down. This figure includes Food, Accommodation, Activities, Transfers by Coach to and from Airports, (in Ireland and Spain), all local Transport costs, and Local Taxes etc. Each Scout/Venture will be able to also reduce this figure by participating in any of the Fund Raising Events that will be organised before Camp.

Scouts Undercover do you know who they are? Or where and when this photo was taken?
Cub Scout Pack - News & Information
The meeting this week started as usual this week with the saying of the prayer with the honour this time going to Mathew. After which roll call was taken by Michael and everybody was introduced to new cub Nathan. Gearoid and Brendan did some more badge work with the cubs. Each clan sat down around tables and made sure they knew each other’s name, where they lived, where they went to school and how many brothers and sisters they had. This is called "know your clan" and is part of the Tenderfoot badge. Then we had three of the cubs doing their book report as part of their "book reader badge". They were Patrick Dunphy, John Griffin and Cal Franklin. All read a piece from one book and then described the other books they had read to the rest of the pack. Well done to all three boys. Then it was time to release some energy and play one of our favourite games called "where's my chicken?". Gearoid gave the job of explaining this game to the newer cubs in the pack to Darragh, who had no problem in doing so. New Cub Nathan was the first farmer in the game and this lasted for quite some time. Then a new game called "who's missing?" was played and seemed to go down well. With the meeting coming to an end the new cubs in the pack were then given the "do a good turn " slips, which will have to be signed and given back to the leaders when completed as part of their Tenderfoot badge. Brendan then did some drill work with the cubs before Mathew said the final prayer and everyone were dismissed.

New members are always welcome so if there is anyone who may be interested in joining the Cubs have a Parent/Guardian call along with you to the meeting and talk to one of the Leaders. The Cub age is from 8 years to 10½ /11 years. Their meeting night will be on a Thursday night from seven fifteen to eight forty five. If you have any questions before then you can E-Mail the Cubs on cubpack@abbeysidescoutgroup.com and Gearoid will get back in contact with you.

Scouts Owen Kirkham, Dylan Lawless and Conor Lawless during Annual Camp in Larch Hill 2007 practising their lashings.

Scout Troop – News & Information
This weeks meeting was Full Uniform and started at seven o’clock with fall in and the Scout Prayer being said by all present. The Patrols then went to their corners before Michael and Gearoid did Roll Call, while Brendan gave each of the Scouts their personnel record sheet to be filled in, Eamonn collected Activity Forms that were handed back. The Troop then broke up into smaller groups to go over some of the Scouting Progress Scheme to get everyone up to the next level. Tracker Badge is the most common Badge being worked on. This took some time most Scouts should have this badge fully covered by the end of next month. We will be doing, as much of the outdoor parts while the weather is still fairly good.
It was time for some fun with a few relay games, first off was a new game called ‘Over N’ Under’ this is a relay game where starting with the first member of each team, the Scouts had to run to the stage, then running back to his Team they would go under the legs of his Team, as they stand feet apart, and touch the back wall, the running back to their team goes over the top of the Team, while they crouch down going back to his start position for the next Team player to go, until everyone went. It was Tom and Joe’s Team that won this game.
Another relay game was to be played, this too was a new one called ‘Two Hand Lift’, for this game two members had to carry, safely their injured Patrol to the rescue zone, or the stage as we know it. First team with everyone on the stage won. Again it was Tom and Joe’s Team that won. So it was back to another games of ‘Over N’ Under’ which this time Aaron’s team came up trump’s.
With the score now 2-1 a game of netball was played with PL’s Tom and Joe as the posts, and two basins as the nets, Joe and Tom were on chairs to add height. There were some great scores from New Scout Ben and some of the older Scouts Kevin, Declan and Chris with great defending from Owen and Conor. It ended all square 18-18 to be decided another day.
A quick game of ‘Who Is Missing’ was then played to check how alert everyone was, not very in the case of Tom and Owen who failed to notice that Gearoid was missing.
Patrol formation was then called for with final notices given, Patrol Leaders are reminded to get their Patrol Boxes up to date with some information.
The Scout Prayer was said before the Scout Troop was dismissed. The Patrol Leaders checked contact details for everyone before leaving the Scout Den for home.
Next weeks meeting will be in Glenshelane Scout Campsite & Cabin, Cappoquin, where the Scouts will be putting some of their skills to the test as well as learning some new ones. We will be gathering at eleven o’clock and leaving at four, this is the weekly meeting so there will be no Scouts next Saturday night. Each Scout needs to contact their Patrol Leader to organise transport. Each Patrol will need, Neckerchief for each member of the Patrol to be worn at all times, rain gear, hiking boots, change of clothes, towel, Packed Lunch, tin foil, matches, pen knife, for cooking you will also need Sausages, egg, apple, potato, raisins, sultanas, tin of pineapple, brown sugar, and any other thing you may like to cook. Again contact your Patrol Leader for further details.

Meetings will still be on a Saturday night from seven to nine. If you have any questions about Scouts before we return in September you can E-Mail us at scouttroop@abbeysidescoutgroup.com and Brendan will get back in contact with you.

Venture Scout Group – Information
The Venture Scout Section met at 7pm on Saturday. Upcoming events and activity ideas were discussed and dates were set. The next activity on the venture calendar is a hike in the Comeraghs this Saturday the 29th. Ventures are reminded to be at the den on Saturday morning at 10am. Each venture must bring full waterproofs, lunch, and must have walking boots, NO BOOTS, NO WALK! Ventures are reminded to bring their Activity Consent Corms. For further information contact Sandy. You can E-Mail the Venture Group on venturegroup@abbeysidescoutgroup.com.

Mountain Skills Hike
On Saturday last, Scouts Joe Conway and Kevin Brazel joined leaders Gearoid and Sandy for a day of mountain skills in the Comeraghs. We met at the den at 10am (well some of us did, one of us was at home cooking!). When all were present we set off, taking the scenic route, to the start point.
After Sandy explained the route and measured our 100m pacing, we started our hike with Joe leading the way to the first point. Our spot height target was Farbreaga to the south of Seefin. Each member of the group led a different section using new techniques and skills which Sandy explained along the way. A lot of skills were put to use including map reading, feature recognition, taking bearings, hand railing, pacing and timing. With fast learners in the group it wasn’t long before everyone was using their new skills and to lead themselves across the mountain. The weather was perfect, but then Sandy had arranged that with Met Eireann! Lunch was had on the Summit of Farbreaga overlooking Coum Eag (Valley Of Death apparently, lovely…) and it wasn’t to be the usual ham sandwiches. These scouts were eating in style with Soup and Spaghetti Bolognese being cooked on the Trangia Stove.
After plates were literally licked clean, due to lack of eating utensils, we set off again to the saddle/col between Farbreaga and Seefin. Here we saw a historic standing stone and what looked like a modern stone enclosure. Kevin then led the group down the mountain where we found the ‘track’ to lead us back to the car.
All agreed it was an enjoyable and educational day and are looking to plan another hike to put the new skills into practice.
Quote of the day goes to Kevin; “Did RTE build that hut for Pat Kenny?”

Travelling Scout Shop
The Travelling Scout Shop is coming to Waterford on October 13th, at Ballygunner Scout Den, Waterford City, from 4:30 pm until 7:30 pm.

Full Uniform
Full Uniform is Black Polished Shoes/Boots, Navy/Black Socks, Uniform Trousers, Uniform Belt, Uniform Jumper (Cubs), Uniform Shirt (Scouts), Group Neckerchief, Woggle (Plus Spare), Lanyard (Scouts), Whistle (Scouts), Badges, Group Cap, Uniform Jacket (Scouts).

Any Scout or Cub in the Unit longer than six weeks should have this Uniform. Scouting Ireland is a Uniformed Organisation.

The Scout and Cub Scout Uniform are available from the Outdoor Adventure Store, Mc Curtain Street, Cork.

We carry some items such as Group Badge €3-50, Group Neckerchief €5-50, Woggle €1-50, and Group Baseball Cap €15-00. As well, as some other small items. Just ask the Leaders and they will help you out.

If there is anyone who has been in the Cubs or Scouts and wishes to pass on their Uniform in part or full contact one of the Leaders. Thank You.

Last Weeks Photo’s
This was a picture taken in the Scout Den, either before or after a Scout Meeting or Uniform Event, the Scouts were, Michael ‘Mick’ Verling, Damien Wall, Conor Mooney, and Brendan ‘Benny’ Flynn. This one sparked a lot of interest around the dinner table at a recent Wedding, with some of those present looking around to see if they could figure out who the Scouts in the Photo were. Those in the Boat were Sean ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald, Dennis Slattery, and Joe ‘Poco’ Organ. It is great to hear that this section of our notes is generating some interest.

Web Site
We have added some more photos from the past Annual Camp in Larch Hill, and will add in time some of the Patrol Log Book extracts along with photo’s from further back.

Please leave us a comment and tell us what you think, if you have a picture that you would like to have added to the blog get in touch with Brendan. www.abbeyside.blogspot.com .You can keep up to date with any events down at the Scout Den as well as other pictures.

We are also hoping to get our Troop Web Site up to speed with information on each of the sections and the leaders involved. www.abbeysidescoutgroup.com

Check out the Glenshelane Scout Campsite & Cabin web site on www.glenshelanescoutcampsite.com and leave us a message in the guest book, tell us what you think.

Leaders News
The Leaders were busy this past week with meetings in Waterford City, these were to plan out dates for County Events and Activities over the next 12 months. The Cub Leaders were on the road on Wednesday night, the Scout Leaders were on the road Thursday Night and Finally the Venture Leaders were travelling Friday Night. These events will be put into a calendar for everyone to keep.

Best of luck to Leader David Hickey who has gone to Wales to study Primary Teaching and to Kieran Harty who will be returning to college in Cork.

Scribe.