Gordon Park is Celebrating its 75th Anniversary this Year

Greetings From The Heart of Scouting

Yawn. 'Morning. What, it's 2011? What happened to 2010?

Oh I remember. My trusty old laptop blinked an eyelid and then went back to sleep when I opened up after I returned in early January from my Scout Troop's "Roof of Africa Expedition". I was wrong about the sleeping bit, for when I took it to a computer specialist here in Bulawayo I was told to 'bin' it as it had died. Not really believing him, I sort the advice of a second specialist, who unfortunately gave the same verdict. I had only had it for a few years and after all, my faithful Landie Inguluvane is 50 years old and is still going strong. Have I experienced the effects of the consumer market, buy today and bin tomorrow? Well, that was that and so I returned home quite convinced that I had now to bid cyberspace good-bye and haul out my well worn quill pen, half full bottle of India Ink, apply pen to paper and to experience the licking of postage stamps all over again in returning to 'snail mail'. Well before I could get over my depression I had a telephone call from a friend now living in the first world, wanting to know why I had not been out to the "Heart of Scouting" since returning home. My reply was that I had and in fact that I was practically living there full time preparing for Gordon Park's 75th Anniversary celebrations due to be held in February. But, why had I not written of of my activities, he had enquired. And so between sobs of tears I told him that my laptop was no more. Oh, was the reply. Well to cut a long story short, I was sent money and told to buy a new, note, a new laptop. Now, for all these past years I have been using old second hand machines that I had been so generously given, not that I am complaining, certainly not, but Wow a new machine. Anyway, it has been a huge learning curve trying to learn how to use Windows Seven which had been installed on it, and if there are any mistakes in this and the next few newsletters, please be understanding. So now due to the generosity of a friend, I am back to recording the weekly antics of myself and my young Scout helpers here in The Heart of Scouting.

It was a nightmare returning to the Park after an absence of five weeks during the middle of summer. The grass had grown to well over waist height and the trees had hung new branches out over the roads, the thunder storms had unleashed vast volumes of water, which in turn had washed huge gullies down and across the roads and horror of horrors, the water storage tanks were empty. I guess it doesn't pay to go away for too long, but it does go to prove that to keep the Park in tip top condition means that a great deal of work has to be undertaken on a regular basis. But, to every dark cloud there is a silver lining, as I was about to find out. On opening the door to The Common Room, of the "Stables" I was astounded to be confronted by the most gigantic Christmas stocking I had ever seen 'plonked' on the floor in front of the fire place. Cautiously, I opened it and out rolled a Ride-on mower. Jumping Marula pips! Attached was a note which read, "This is on loan to you in order to release you from the harsh rigors of pushing the old field mower, "Beastly Betsy". You know you are getting a little long in the tooth and to put yourself through heaving and shoving, sweating and puffing "Beastly Betsy" backwards and forwards across the training/activity grounds, is not too healthy for you." Love, from Santa, a reader of "Greetings from the Heart of Scouting"." What a cheek! Long in the tooth. Hah". Well, what a way to wake up to 2011, a new laptop and the loan of a Ride-on mower. One question though, How did Santa get the Ride-on down the chimney?

I was only allowed to do a courtesy lap on the Ride-on mower around the "Skipper" Knapman Training Ground before being politely told to undertake some other, 'more worthwhile work' by Chris. The cheeky imp. Then having skillfully or I should say stealthily ensconcing himself in my former position on the mower, he raced off across the Training Ground weaving this way and that to miss the huge holes dug by our resident antbears, and shouted over his shoulder, "Isambane", which is Ndebele for Aardvark or Antbear. Thus our new acquisition is affectionally known as "Isambane". The real life isambane does not like wondering around looking for its food in the long grass and neither does our Isambane like the long grass for there are so many safety devises on the machine that the long grass is completely safe from being cut. Out came Beastly Betsy to the rescue and the long grass disappeared, albeit with a lot of huffing and puffing on my part as Chris magically disappeared, literally into the long grass. However, this plan did not last for more than a day as I pondered over the problem and have subsequently undertaken a modification to Isambane. Low and behold Chris has since found his way out of the long grass and now spends his time pulling 'wheelies' as the grass returns to manageable levels.

As I have already mentioned, Gordon Park is celebrating its 75th Anniversary this year. The Park was opened during a camp on the weekend of 15 and 16 February 1936 by Colonel Granville Walton, Imperial Headquarter Commissioner for overseas Scouts. At this year's Baden-Powell camp held on 19 and 20 February 2011, one hundred and fifty Cubs and Scouts joined in on a weekend of fun activities, the cutting of a specially iced cake, and the issue of a campfire blanket badge to celebrate the anniversary. There will more about the camp in the next edition of Pioneer Trail.

Now that I am more or less up to date, I am about to launch into the future world of computer technology and attack Windows Seven which, hopefully will result in the long over due edition of the last edition of Pioneer Trail for 2010. Here's keeping my fingers crossed.

Cheers
Norman
+
+

1st Bulawayo (Pioneer) Scout Troop Programme of Activities for:-

March
Africa Scout Day
Provincial Swimming Gala

April
2-3 Monthly Hike
10 Gordon Park Service: 12.00 noon
22-25 Easter
Zimbabwe Independence Day
Provincial St. George's Day Service

May
7-8 Monthly Hike
8 Gordon Park Service: 12.00 noon
Troop camp

June
4-5 Monthly Hike
Boy Skills Course (Provincial course)
11 Gordon Park Service: 12.00 noon
Parents camp

July
2-3 Monthly Hike
Chuck Wilcox Art and Craft Competition
10 Gordon Park Service: 12.00 noon
William Arnold Carnegie Assegai Competition

August
6-7 Monthly Hike
14 Gordon Park; 12.00 noon

September
3-4 Monthly Hike
Boys Skills Course: P.H.Q.
11 Gordon Park Service: 12.00 noon
Provincial Cookout Competition

October
1-2 Monthly Hike
Parent's Camp
9 Gordon Park Service: 12.00 noon
15-16 JOTA/JOTI
Arnold Carnegie Assegai Competition

November
5-6 Monthly Hike
13 Gordon Park Service: 12.00 noon
Inter Provincial Patrols Competition

December
11 Gordon Park Service: 12.00 noon
25 Christmas Day

Activities may be Deleted/Added to the Programme

***********************************************************
If youre planning to visit Zimbabwe - pencil in "Gordon Park's 75th Anniversary Camp" thats being planned for the 18th to 20th February 2011!
***********************************************************

The 2010 Troop's fundraising Calendar can be found at:-
http://matabele.altervista.org/1st-calendar/1st-pioneer-troop-calendar-2011.htm


+

"A Thought For The Week" (Thanks to Wade Begemann)

Just in case you are having a rough day, here is a stress management technique recommended in a psychological journal. The funny thing is that it does work and will make you smile.
1. Picture yourself lying on your belly on a warm rock that hangs out over a crystal clear stream.
2. Picture yourself with both your hands dangling in the cool running water.
3. Birds are sweetly singing in the cool mountain air
4. No one knows your secret place.
5. You are in total seclusion from that hectic place called the world.
6. The soothing sound of a gentle water fall fills the air with a cascade of serenity.
7. The water is so crystal clear that you can easily make out the face of the person you are holding underwater.

+

Matabeleland Scout Website http://matabele.altervista.org/
+


Bulawayo, Wednesday, March 16, 2011