Giant slingshots were launching soft munitions at a Banderlog Village in a cedar forest on the edge of Everton Tuesday. The monkeys were stealing all the toilet paper and had to be stopped.
Nearby, children were building a Pokemon tower using only bamboo, light rope and cooperation. Cellphones were discouraged, so PokemonGo was a no go. Further up the trail another group was learning to tie essential, all-purpose knots.
The woods and open spaces of Camp Everton are crowded this week, as about 600 Cub Scouts from across Canada traveled a combined 29,506 km, according to the calculations of an accountant, to congregate at the Canadian Cub Jamboree. The kids, ages 8-10, have four full days of activities this week, and a laidback Wednesday.
The weeklong event, based around Rudyard Kipling’s fabled The Jungle Book story, is packed with daily activities that train young people in life skills, leadership, and outdoor fun and appreciation.
There is a tent town set up and divided into zones for each club, great open spaces for rocket-launching, a pool to take a dip in, and an archery range, of course.
While handheld digital technology is discouraged on the grounds, technology certainly is not. The STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) component of the event involves hands-on work with robotics, rocket building, and DNA extraction.
At the site Tuesday, the slingshot bombardment and rocket-making and launching were hugely popular.
Nancy Dawson is the camp chief. A jamboree, she explained, is a “super-sized camp” where groups under the Scouts Canada organization come together from afar.
“It’s a chance for youth to meet other youth from other communities and other provinces across the country,” she said, adding that seven provinces are represented at this week’s jamboree, including British Columbia, Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. Ontario has the largest contingent of participants at the event, and they have come from all parts of the province.
“We’re very pleased with the representation from across Canada,” Dawson said.
Guelph is one of many Ontario communities that sent a group.
“My whole family is involved in scouting at different levels,” said Matt Pitman, a leader of the 27th Guelph Cub Scouts. He was overseeing hilarious activities at the Banderlog Village, where “monkeys” (actually Cub leaders) were using toilet seats as shields against incoming shells, which appeared to be sponges wrapped in duct-tape.
“It’s one of the very few programs we found that’s completely well-rounded,” Pitman said. “It develops the child is a very well-rounded way.”
Ryan Rankin was having a blast in the Banderlog Village. His entire Cubs experience has been fulfilling, he said.
“I’ve learned lots of stuff about different kinds of plants and animals, and about first aid,” said the Oakville boy. “I’ve learned skills I can use for the rest of my life.”
Scouts Canada is a progressive program, advancing through the ranks of Beaver, Cub, Scout, Venturer, and Rover. Participants learn new, more advanced skills at each level, Dawson said, and the older participants help to teach the younger one along the way.
At the sprawling, secluded venue Tuesday morning kids were learning about animal track identification, puppet making, fire building (but no flames due to the fire ban), how to catch crawfish, shoot an arrow, and make a tin-can lantern.
“It’s all about having great experiences, and mostly outside,” Dawson said. “We hope they are all inspired to stay in scouting and move on to the next level.”
