YORKTON - A Scout Jamboree is planned for Finland in July, and five Yorkton Scouts and Venturers are headed to the event.
”Seven people from Yorkton (including two leaders) will be joining 20 from Saskatchewan and 238 from across Canada,” explained local leader Kent Latimer.
The event at Kajo is the eighth Finjamboree, organized by Guides and Scouts of Finland. It will gather thousands of scouts together into the forests of Evo, north of Helsinki both from Finland and abroad the week of July 15-23.
”We were going to go to one in Australia but that one got cancelled,” said Latimer, so they have focused on getting to Finland instead.
The effort has included working to raise funds for the trip, with $28,000 being needed. The last two years though have been a difficult time in which to raise dollars, said Latimer.
As a result they are still needing to raise $16K, an effort they are ’relaunching’ in earnest in the coming weeks with a bottle drive and barbecues in the planning stages.
Anyone wanting to help in terms of the funding effort can call Latimer at 621-1367.
Latimer said in terms of experience the Jamborees are amazing – the last one attended by local youth being in West Virginia in 2019 – with COVID causing world event cancellations since.
”The kids we take to jamborees ... the personal growth they have is amazing. They walk a bit taller,” said Latimer.
While at the Jamboree the two leaders will volunteer where needed. He added the Scout movement is interesting in that leaders will gladly give up their holidays to take youth the Jamborees, pay their own way, and then work while at the events too.
Although the initial focus of the trip is the Jamboree, Latimer said on the return trip they will be stopping in Belgium where those attending will visit Passchendaele, Vimy and Flander’s Field, all famous as sites of importance to Canadian efforts in the First World War.
Latimer said the opportunity to visit the sites made sense considering Scouts and the Royal Canadian Legion "have been working side-by-side for the last 35 years.”
The visits are also seen as a way to show the Scout and Venturers ”what fighting for freedom really means,” said Latimer, adding it is important they have the opportunity ”to walk where the soldiers did.”
