Autumn-2004 News from the outh frican Scout Association. CHIEFEXECUTIVE’SMESSAGE In the last edition of Scouting About we about“funwithapurpose”. touched on the importance of The Chief Scout’s Commissioner, Andre acknowledging the need to change as a Bredenkamp, who left early in April to climb “Move”ment in keeping track with the Mount Everest, epitomizes the adventure changing needs of the youth and society. of Scouting. He is part of a three man South The Association has, over the last three African team amongst a larger international years and in accordance with the team led by Dan Mazur. As Andre writes: Transformation Strategy adopted by the “We have finally met Dan Mazur, our National Scout Council, embraced this leader. He didn’t look anything like the philosophy. It has not been easy and not athletic/ mad mountain/ bearded type we without it’s frustrations but the Association had imagined. Chris aptly describes him as BETTYCLAY has unquestionably responded to the a “balding, slightly messy, typical history need to change and now ranks (as school teacher caricature”. Dan first burst 16thApril1917-24thApril2004 confirmed by various sectors) as one of onto the alpine scene about 15 years ago, the most relevant and effective Non when in his early twenty’s he arrived in It is with deep regret that I announce the Governmental Organisations in South Katmandu and talked his way onto a death of our Vice President, the Hon Africa. The process is by no means over – Russian expedition, heading for Everest. Mrs Betty Clay, CBE, and youngest it never will be. The Transformation Plan is Four weeks later he was on the summit! daughterofourFounder. nearing completion though, which Since then he has climbed nine of the 14 requires the Association to look at the next peaks that are over 8000meters in the She died peacefully in her sleep in a strategicplanningperiod. world, including K2, which is perhaps the nursing home alongside her home in Included in the National Scout Council’s most difficult.” So it seems that Andre is in a Somerset, on Saturday morning 24th considerations, when it adopted the team that is sure to succeed. He was April 2004, just a few days after she and Transformation Strategy, was an presented with the Association’s flag and Gervas had celebrated their joint unequivocal commitment to sticking to the our well wishes upon his departure. We birthday-her87thandhis97th. Law and Promise, the patrol system and also congratulate Mr. C Reddy, the In mourning her passing we give thanks Scout method as described in the KwaZulu Natal Area Finance Chairperson, for a life lived to the full, committed to the Association’s Constitution. This secret of on climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. ideals of Scouting and Guiding and the success attributes to the ongoing success in Our sincerest appreciation, again, is visionofherparents. developing the youth in becoming well extended to all the adult volunteers in the balanced, contributing citizens of our Nation Movement whose enthusiasm and She was and remains an inspiration to for almost 100 years now. The Centenary commitment makes the difference the youth and Leaders of today’s celebrations are on our doorstep and between it being a mediocre or an Movements. promises to be a celebration of note in exceptionalMovement. At the moment we await further South Africa. information from the family but in the The success or de- mean time the Association’s Flag at HQ mise of Scouting buildings and campsites will remain at not only depends half-mastuntilafterthefuneral. on change but, DerekTwine within the Scout ChiefExecutive-UKScouting method, depends on providing our youth with fun and adventure. It is plain ALANRITCHIEZS5XK to see that where an adult leader en- We learn that Alan, a scouting friend of sures that the so many of our older Scouters, involved programme is a lot in JOTA from its inception in the 1950s, of fun and provides has Gone Home – 26th March 2004. We an opportunity to be remember Alan for his enthusiasm for a d v e n t u r o u s , TheChiefScout’sCommissioner,Andre Bredenkamp (right), Radio Scouting and his National Scouting is a re- receiving the Associations flag from CEO Luke van der Laan (left), organisation of JOTA for many years. sounding success. for placing on the top of Mount Everest. Chris Drummond (centre), Our sincerest condolences to Shelia, his After all it is all is a member of the expedition. wife,andchildren. DINIZULU’S NECKLACE OriginoftheWoodBadge 1n 1888 Baden-Powell acquired a necklace from Dinizulu, King of the Zulus. With a thousand or more wood beads, it was about DUTYTOGOD 3 metres long, and was conferred on Royalty and on outstanding warriors. Inhislastmessage, B-Pendedoffsaying: In 1919, seeking a badge for Scouters who had successfully undertaken training, B-P took two beads from the necklace, “Be Prepared”, in this way to live happy knotted them on a leather boot lace . and the Wood Badge was and to die happy. Stick to your Scout born. Today the Wood Badge beads are worn by thousands of Promise always - even after you have trainedScoutersworldwide. ceased to be a boy - and God help you doit.” Wonderful words of our founder, written NATIONALPOW-WOW–2004 all those many years ago, but still an The Pow-Wow Held at Heronbridge, life skills and is active in Aids Awareness inspiration to the youth of today. When I Gauteng from 24/26 April 2004, was education and training in agricultural skills, was a young Troop Scouter, discussing attended by 188 Pack Scouters enabling them to assist in their communities the “Scout Motto” with those many representing Gauteng, Cape Western, to be more self-sufficient. youngsters who came eagerly to “join” Cape Eastern, KwaZulu Natal, Jeanette Angus, National Commissioner the scouts and have all the fun that was Mpumalanga and Central Areas, where all for Cub Programme, summed up by promised, I explained it as to acquire all took part in the discussions aimed at saying“ The Pow-Wow has been a the skills scouting had to offer, to become ensuring that the youth programme for wonderful opportunity to get adults in the able to face every situation life could Cubs meets the needs of today’s youth. Scout Movement to meet one another and throw at you and be able to cope. Well The Pow-Wow played a major role in explore how Scouting could be better thereisnothingwrongwiththat! advising the National Commissioner for implemented throughout the country, Cub Programme on policies and As time went on and I became a “know it particularly in rural areas where the need programmes that constantly need adapting to develop life skills amongst the youth is all” scouter, questioning decisions of my to the needs of our youth changes. superiors in the movement and in fact so important. In this way we are able to As part of the gathering, the Scouters uplift the living standards of all questioning the restrictions placed on me participated in skills training activities to communities. Freedom can only reach all by P.O.& R. – restricting the “fun” we provide new ideas and skills, which can our citizens if we all have a common were having in our Troop. Being at assist them in training their youth. The purpose to work towards. We must take an loggerheads with my D.C. about permits Pack Scouters visited places of interest in active role in assisting those most in need. etc. – wasn’t I a “better” scouter than he, thevicinityof Heronbridge. We have learned from each other, and having run a first class troop for years now have a better understanding of the while he had only been on the job a short The gathering explored whether the current entry age of seven and a half years was problems facing those of our members in while – his experience, having only ideal, or whether this should be amended. In themoreremoteareas” earned “Second Class” as a boy, many addition to the normal scout activities, the Contact:JeanetteAngus- yearsbefore? programme provides youth with numerous Tel:(011)0824382510 Well at about that time, with the help of God, as B-P had suggested, I reread the above message and saw it in a much wider aspect. “Be prepared to stick to my Scout Promise always!” Be prepared, in spite of my own ego, to accept the authority of those placed in positions in scouting to protect not only me, but the WHOLE movement from anarchy and chaos.Infacttoprotectmefrommyself. Part of the Scout Law I had been flirting with was Loyalty, and of course the seventh law – I asked myself, had I, the “perfect” scouter, been disloyal and not obeyed orders? If I had, then I had also been dishonourable, because, as I see it, breaking any of the other laws impinges onthefirstlaw. “Lord God, help me in my imperfection to overcome my human weaknesses – to accept that what my inclinations are, may not be what is in the best interest of the youth in my care and the Scout Movement as a whole. Help me in my GirlScoutsofthe Macibe Troop– Kentani inCapeEasternAreadancingin enthusiasm to render to those who are TraditionalDressataCulturalDayintheirRegion. Macibe Troopconsistsofthree answerable to me, the best Scouting that girlpatrolsandfiveboypatrols totaling 54scouts.Otheractivitiesincludedalitter I am able, so that they may reach the cleanuparoundthetown,fundraisingconcertsandaStarPatrolCampwhere high ideals as envisaged by our founder.” DovePatrolcameoutontop. SCOUTINGCAMETOTHENETHERLANDSBYBIKE An interesting article by Piet J. Kroonenberg of Amsterdam , is available onthe internet. He tells how a patrol of six scouts, with their Scoutmaster Bernhard S M Blythe, from the university city of Oxford, cycled from their home to Hull in July, 1910 – took the ferry to Rotterdam where they were met by their contact and a unit of the Royal Navy Cadet Corps with a drum and piper band.