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Sent to: All Scouters and Rovers and Venturers in Voyageur Council
Voyageur Council
Voyageur Council Trail Guide
August 9, 2024
Hello Scouters, Rovers and Venturers: Welcome to your latest Trail Guide. Cut off for this issue was August 7. Deadline for the next issue is September 4, 2024. If you have something you would like included in an upcoming Trail Guide, click here to provide the information. Questions? Comments? Contact dave.stremes@scouts.ca.

Reminders: Property Summit is next weekend - registration closes soon!
Save the dates!
  • Capital Pride Parade, August 25, Ottawa
  • Voyageur Scouter Expo, September 14, Camp Opemikon
  • RoVent, October 25 - 27
All are invited to attend our Property Summit hosted at Apple Hill Scout Reserve on 17 August 2024. Event timings are 9am (sharp please) to 5pm, with supper included starting at 5pm. Camping is permitted on both nights, and all meals will be provided. Looking forward to seeing you have having some great discussions.

Cost is $20 for the day; $+15 for each night. Etransfer total amount to geoffrey.priems@scouts.ca. Registration will be confirmed after payment is received.

Please register here: https://forms.office.com/r/EZ1yuRZ5ML

The information on the form is provided in the attachment for your reference. There's a lot more detail in the registration, including our planned agenda.

Please contact me if there are any issues with registration or questions about the event. Have a great day!

Yours in Scouting

Scouter Geoff

G. Priems
Property Support Scouter for Voyageur Council, Camp Samac and Camp Bimoba
Scouts Canada
C  613.329.5815
Capital Pride Parade
Are you ready to march to the beat of inclusivity, acceptance, and love? The Voyageur Council is excited to invite you to join us for a remarkable celebration at the Ottawa Capital Pride Parade on Sunday August 25th.

Over 50 years ago the first Pride Marches were held to protest police violence against the gay and lesbian community. Gay rights went from a largely ignored issue to front-page news. Today hundreds of thousands march for the authentic acceptance and human rights for the 2SLGBTQI+ community across the world.

Scouting values are rooted in respect, understanding, and embracing differences. By participating, we show the world that Scouts Canada is a safe space for all. This parade is an opportunity for us to celebrate and honor the vibrant tapestry of backgrounds, experiences, and identities within our Council.

Scouts Canada stands in support of Pride celebrations and the 2SLGBTQI+ community. We encourage members to join us as we turn-up the volume and raise the rainbow flag higher than ever before. This year’s National Pride Parade promises to be an electrifying extravaganza of unity, friendship, and unapologetic authenticity!

If you are interested, please fill out this form by August 9th, 2024: https://forms.office.com/r/runcTYjUeJ. Specific details will be provided to the contact for each group as they come.
Voyageur Scouter Expo

We're thrilled to announce the upcoming Voyageur Scouter Expo on September 14th, 2024 at beautiful Camp Opemikon! Get ready for an exciting day filled with hands-on training, inspiring "Scouter Talks," invaluable networking opportunities, and much more!. Plus, for those looking to fully immerse themselves in the Scouting spirit, there will be an option to camp overnight on Friday, September 13th and Saturday, September 14th.

Why attend?
  • Boost Your Skills: Participate in interactive workshops at our "ScoutCraft" stations, covering everything from fire building to navigation.
  • Inspiring ScouterTalks: Enjoy engaging sessions led by experienced Scouters, sharing their insights and innovative ideas to take your Scouting to the next level.
  • Scout Gear "Petting Zoo": Explore the "Petting Zoo," where you can get hands-on with a variety of Scouting equipment and learn about gear that your Groups may need to understand how to use for your next adventures.
  • Discover New Programs: Learn about innovative Scouts Canada initiatives, including STEM partnerships, safety protocols, and recognition opportunities.
  • Network with Peers: Connect with fellow Scouters, share best practices, and get inspired for the 2024-2025 Scouting year.
  • Enjoy the Great Outdoors: See the beauty of Camp Opemikon, learn about its amenities and services, plus get introduced to representatives from all the other Scouts Canada properties across Voyageur Council to see how their camps could meet your 2024-2025 Scouting program needs.

Get Involved!
We need your help to make this event a success! If you're interested in volunteering for the planning team, we have opportunities in logistics, registration, catering, program coordination, and more. Your support will ensure we deliver an unforgettable experience for all attendees. We appreciate the contributions of all, so small teams focused on specific areas of responsibility will ensure the greatest success. Please complete this form to get involved! https://forms.office.com/r/1EbLhsRmyx

Stay tuned for more details and registration information in the coming weeks. We can't wait to see you there and kick off an amazing year together!

Join us in making this the best Scouting year yet!
Arrrr... RoVent 2024
Ahoy sailor! RoVent is rowing its way over the horizon and will be coming to camp Opemikon starting Friday, October 25, to Sunday, October 27th.

This camp is open to all scouting and guiding youth aged 14 and older. RoVent is a pirate/fantasy themed camp, so feel free to dress up! This fantastic event will never leave you bored, compete against other groups at our faire, or test your engineering by firing your catapult. If competition isn’t your thing, take on the role of detective as you solve the quest, tailored to this year’s “Pirates of the Caribbean” theme.

For more information, check out our Facebook page: RoVent - Facebook

For those interested in helping out, contact: elinor.arjumand.sullivan@gmail.com

Registration will be posted to the Facebook page shortly.
Ham course registration open

Have you ever wondered how the data gets from your wifi to your device so you can watch the video, play the game or read this Trail Guide? Would you like to learn about radio waves, how to make them, how to control them, how to send them in a certain direction? The Ottawa Amateur Radio Club is offering a course this coming September, 12 sessions on Sunday afternoons at Scout Hq or via Zoom. We will also provide you with the exam after the course is finished so that you can get on the air and talk to others around the world.

For more information check out oarc.net/courses or send an email to ve3shq@scouts.ca.
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Morse Code course registration open

Would you like to learn Morse Code? Lots of Scouts tried it at the September Plan B camp. We even had a group of new to Canada Scouts at the camp that couldn't speak English but they were able to communicate with the leader at the Morse Code table just by using the Morse key. It's like a language that very few can speak, you and your friends could have all sorts of conversations that no one else is going to be able to understand.

The Ottawa Amateur Radio Club is holding a 12 session course starting mid September. We will hold 1 hour sessions at Scout HQ on Sunday afternoons and give you material to practice during the week. If you would like to register for the course please contact us via email, ve3shq@scouts.ca for more information.
COUNCIL VOTING REPRESENTATIVES
This year's Council Voting Representatives, elected to represent Voyageur Council at the Annual General Meeting to be held this November are:
  • Alan Clapp
  • Rebecca Norman (Youth Member)
  • Cam Thomas
GROUP NEWS
Join the BP Guild
The 7th BP Guild (Bytown) is growing and accepting new members. It's ideal for Scouters who want to stay involved, but don't have the time or energy to be active with the youth. If you have left Scouting, but would like to enjoy the fellowship in a relaxed environment, you are welcome to join us as well. We do welcome active leaders as well.

The Guild meets monthly from September to June at Scout HQ in Ottawa. We assist the Scouts Canada National Museum, as well as undertaking occasional tasks for the National Council, and supporting Scouting wherever we can. 

We have members from age 27 and up. You must be 18 or older to join. If you want to know more, head over to https://7thbpguildbytown.ca/  Join us for some enjoyable Fellowship. We look forward to seeing you. 

You can send us a message there, via Facebook, or via email 7thcanadianbpguild@gmail.com
The Scouts Canada Network

All active Scouters in Voyageur Council are invited to join "The Network!"  This is a place that brings together Scouters from across the country who are eager to connect, collaborate and make our program even more impactful. This Network is housed on the Workplace platform from Meta.  By joining the Network, you will have unique opportunities to: 
  • Connect: Any active Scouter is welcome to join! The Network will expand your community with access to thousands of Scouters from different parts of Canada, with broad skillsets and perspectives.  
  • Collaborate: You will have access to unique opportunities to co-design ways to improve the Scouting program, reach Canadians in new ways, and engage diverse communities.  
  • Innovate: You will be involved in finding innovative and creative solutions to the challenges Scouting in Canada faces and help pursue emerging opportunities.  
  • Take Action: Your ideas will be uplifted, and you will be empowered and supported to try new things in your Sections.  
JOINING is easy!
  1. Please register by filling out the form here: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/406c9ffa96fc4b3b9f23857e5b8a79aa 
  2. Once you have completed your registration, you will receive an invitation to join the Workplace platform within 5 business days.  
  3. When you receive your invitation link, please click it to complete your profile!  You will be greeted by a Welcome Bot, that will guide you to some key spots within the Workplace for you to check out. 
  4. As soon as your profile is completed, you can start checking out the content and engaging with Scouters across the country!
Once you're in The Network, be sure to join the Voyageur Council group!
Have you checked out the News and Events section on Scouts.ca? You can find great updates there along with new ideas, new resources, and much more!
Join the Voyageur Council support team!
As a very large Council within Scouts Canada, we want to add some additional roles to our Support Team. We're looking for both adults and youth members who want an opportunity to make a difference across the entire Voyageur Council.

Event Support: Do you love bigger Scouting events? Help us create unforgettable experiences to achieve event excellence by providing guidance and support to event organizers through the Events Management Playbook.

Social Media Team: Digital natives and seasoned communicators alike, we need your creativity to amplify our voice online! Help drive engaging social media strategies, mentor youth in digital communications and help local Groups to learn how to manage their own online presence.

DEIR Team: Join our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Reconciliation team to champion a welcoming environment for all.  We're on a mission to ensure Scouting is a place for everyone, and we need your voice!

Please contact any member of the CK3 if you're interested in joining the Voyageur Council support team, or if you want to recommend someone that might be interested.
Voyageur Council Key 3 (CK3)
Council Youth Commissioner – Cadence James
Council Commissioner – Leo Caisse
Council Relationship Manager – Brittiny Catalano

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