Winter Update
“Be prepared” is a moto that many of us associate with the Scouting movement. In fact the moto For Scouts New Zealand is “Adventure Plus”.
The winter season is a time for the committee and the sections to focus on both catch phrases… getting prepared to maximise the opportunity for plenty of adventure!
Fundraising & Volunteering
Congratulations to the Chocolate fundraisers! It has been a long campaign to get all those boxes sold! There is still some money to come in … but so far we have raised : $1400 (is that right Esme)?. Thank you Christina and family for organising this mammoth task. The money raised will go towards maintaining the boats as they get surveyed in September.
The committee have been stressing about money! We work hard to keep costs down but constantly struggle to find money for maintenance, equipment, safety gear, operating costs etc. It is not possible to cover all costs with our annual subscriptions and so fundraising is a vital. Sausage sizzles and chocolate selling are labour intensive and unfortunately there are have been times when very few volunteers have stepped up to help.
The burden of fundraising and volunteering to help with leading, working bees, grant applications and committee roles need to be spread across the whole group. As was stressed at the AGM at the end of 2016 everyone needs to do their part.
The committee are therefore discussing the need for a Volunteer Bond. The basic principle is that each family would pay a bond of $100 each year. Each occasion of volunteering would attract a credit of $25. This would encourage more participation in the vital activities that keep the organisation running.
What are your thoughts on this? The committee welcome your opinion.
Wharf to Wharf
Save the date: Sat March 17th 2018… We are proud to announce that Waiheke Sea Scouts, along with Waiheke Rotary, have agreed to organise the annual Wharf to Wharf race in 2018. This is a significant fundraising opportunity for us and we look forward to everyone getting involved in the planning and on the day.
Regular participants of this event will notice the change of date and time. As this date is not in the school holidays we think this will suit our teams of helpers.
Please contact Christina (email: #####) if you would like to help in the early phase of planning.
Everyone will be asked to contribute in this effort, so please book this date in your diaries now.
Cubs
Farewell to Jenny Pfeifer and family. The committee wish to thank Jenny for her hard work and awesome leadership of the Cubs group. Many thanks to Jan B and Sol Harris for volunteering to become leaders. With new leaders stepping in it’s a good time ask all parents to stay as helpers for the occasional evening. Your support and interest in the activities is much appreciated.
Scouts and Venturers
Approximately 25 Scout, Venturers, leaders and parents have signed up to do their Day Skippers Certificate. This opportunity is supported by a funding grant from the Waiheke Local Board. Many thanks to Robb Henry from Waiheke Coastguard for teaching us with a range of tales of the high seas! It is fantastic to see our young mariners getting into this learning opportunity.
Safety on the water is a fundamental element of running an ‘Adventure Plus’ programme involving activities on the sea. We are required to have a Leader with a Charge Certificate present and supervising all water activities. Gaining a Day Skippers certificate is one of the steps in gaining a Charge Cert. Thank you to all the parents who are helping meet these safety requirements.
Online Scouts Manager (OSM)
Many thanks to Dan for bringing 1st Waiheke Sea Scouts to the online environment! Dan has been working in the background on setting us this management system. After a few hiccups things are getting sorted. Look out for a parent login invitation. By using this link you will be able to update your contact details and other important information. In particular, we need you to check your email address, and your child’s DOB, so please log on and have a look. Dan insert link?
Communication
The OSM system will enable leaders to email parents to keep everyone up to date with activities etc. Please be patient as we transition to OSM and get all leaders familiar with the processes. The Waiheke Sea Scouts Facebook page is another way to keep up with messages and last minute details. All Waiheke Sea Scouts members, be they Ventureres, Scouts, Cubs or Keas, should be members of this Facebook group, so please join if you’re not already a member. In addition, Keas have their own group on Facebook for weekly planning, complete with photos of Keas in action! Check with your leader if you have a Facebook group specific to your section.
So, in summary, please:
- Email feedback on Volunteer Bond
- Save the date: March 17. Everyone will be required to help.
- Log on to OSM, and check your child’s DOB and your email are correct.
- Join Waiheke Sea Scouts Facebook page, if you’re not already a member.
- Thank your wonderful leaders for giving their time.
Remember to give a big thanks to your leaders this week. Like the committee, they volunteer their time, and their efforts in creating fun and adventure filled activities over the winter are really appreciated!
The 1st Waiheke Sea Scouts Committee
Alex, Esme, Christina, Dan, Paul and Julia
