February+2011

Coonabarabran Guides were delighted to celebrate Mackensie Newton’s achievement of her Junior BP Award last week. Guides and leaders had a lot of fun in our first week back at Guides when Mackenzie taught us all how to use Devil Sticks (circus equipment). Mackenzie stepped us through 6 stages to enable us to spin the devil sticks in the air, pass them to each other and more. (I think the Guide leaders had the most fun of all!) Leading us all through this activity was Mackenisie’s final step to her completing the Junior BP Award and this is a step along the way to Mackensie achieving her BP Award (Baden Powell Award).
 * Guides ‘Being their Best’ **

media type="custom" key="8579386"

Jasmine Evans was presented with her Silver Endeavour Award which means she is ½ way to her BP Award. The week previously Jasmine had prepared a wide game focused on the 4 World Guiding Centres – leading the girls through preparing and eating food from Our Cabana (Mexico); Learning and singing the Pax Lodge song (England); solving a puzzle about the Guide Scout Promise and Laws from Our Chalet (Switzerland) and playing a really fun World greetings game from Sangam (India) which involved acting out a variety of international greetings. A variety of badges were presented to all Guides for various achievements so we say a big BRAVO to all our Guides striving to do their Best!

** Thinking Day Message from the World Chief Guide **

“On the 22nd February Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from across the world celebrate Thinking Day. This is a special day when we think of each other and give thanks and appreciation to our “sisters” in Guiding.

The theme this year is the UN Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 3: girls worldwide say “empowering girls will change our world”. The aim is to raise awareness of the situation for many girls and young women who are not so lucky as we are. They often find that because they are girls they do not get equal opportunities for education, leadership, employment and even basic things like food.

Did you know? That around the world twice as many boys learn to read compared to girls. Can you imagine half your friends not being able to read? That women do two thirds of the work in the world, but earn only 10 per cent of the income.

All over the world Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting is about empowering girls and young women to develop leadership skills to overcome issues like these and enjoy fulfilling lives.

Together empowering girls and young women will change our world. Happy World Thinking Day.”

Excerpt from the Chief Commissioner’s Thinking Day Message – Helen Geard Chief Commissioner of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts

Our Guides posted and received Thinking Day postcards from Guide Units from around the world sharing stories about their unit and their town. Countries included Vietnam, USA and England. We found it interesting that the Girl Scout Unit from Los Angeles Hollywood was very multicultural. media type="custom" key="8579710"

** District Support Group – AGM and Donation to Flood appeal ** The District Support Group have arranged for a donation to the Premiers Flood Appeal of $100 via Guides Australia. Although a profit was not made on the Australia Day Breakfast morning the Coonabarabran Guides wanted to contribute to the Flood appeal.

Arrangements are being put in place for the District Support Group AGM on Monday 21st March 6pm at the Guide Hall. Rotarian John Sawyer will be the Guest Speaker at our AGM about the Shelter Boxes which are distributed to disaster areas and service projects that Rotary are involved in. Our Guides will also speak about some of the special activities they have been doing in Guiding. All parents, Trefoil Guild and interested community members are encouraged to attend. Nominations for positions of the District Support Group need to be given to Vivian Evans (District Leader) before the meeting. No nominations will be taken during the AGM. Be Prepared