Opening Day at Watson's Mill

Hey Folks, here's something to do with your Beaver next weekend......

As a proud beaver Colony located in the "1st Manotick" area, we have always had a fantastic supportive relationship with the good folks at Watson's Mill - a local landmark.

They are having a season opening party on May 4th, from 10am to 4pm. Lots of fun stuff to see and do ....... all to kick off another year of programming at the classic Manotick stone grist mill.

Local Scouters will be helping out, and will have a display setup to proudly show how local youth of all ages keep busy with scouting in the area. Feel free to wear your uniform if you plan on attending, and say hi to anyone else proudly wearing their scouting attire.

NOTE: This is not an A Colony event, this is something local that you might want to do as a family.

April 30 2013 - Campfire!

Hey Folks - Quick Tuesday morning update.

Regular meeting in our Gym tonight - as you can see were had a campfire planned, but due to rain and overcast, it's not the best night for that.

See you in the Gym @ 6:15 :)


We've been invited to join D Colony this week out at Camp No'Chimik for a campfire - Awesome!

For those who are not familiar, check out my blog post from earlier in the year when we did our Investiture Ceremony ......directions and site information all provided there.

We will have some rice crispy treats to snack on. We will not be providing drinks, but please feel free to bring along a thermos or travel mug as you see fit.

If you would like help setting up some carpooling to shuffle beavers and families to No'Chimik, please be in touch via email. I'll do my best to connect those in need with empty seats.

See you at No'Chimik!

April 23 - Mer Bleue hike

Together with both other local Beaver Colonies, we'll be meeting at the Mer Bleue Conservation area next week (Edit: TONIGHT! April 23), for our nature walk in this incredible local ecosystem. If you are not familiar with this spot, please have a look at the below NCC video.

Please dress appropriately, we'll be out there rain or shine. We'll be following a 1 km walking trail that is made up of mostly wooden boardwalk, though rain boots are highly recommended. As it is a bit of a distance from our neighborhood, we encourage parents and siblings to join us too.

On your commute to Mer Bleue next week, can I ask that you please reinforce to your Beaver a couple of very important rules that we must adhere to:

• We absolutely must stay on the trails. This area is a protected wetland that is home to many endangered species. As most of the low growth vegetation is still quite dormant, and leaf cover is sparse, it is tempting for little guys to venture off the well marked trails - Please reinforce to your Beaver that this is not to be tolerated.
• The buddy system. We'll be a large group (3 local Beaver Colonies, and associated siblings, leaders and parents) and to reduce the risk of your kiddo experiencing an unplanned solo survival sleepover .... we'll be pairing up our Colony.

This walk was one of my personal highlights form last year, I am already looking forward to next week tonght. See you at Mer Bleue!

Click here for Google Map's directions from St Jerome's to Mer Bleue.

Good Turn Week - 2013

A very cool program kicked off this week, and A Colony is proud to take part. It's Good Turn Week - please click on this link to visit the Scouts Canada page with full program information.

Your beaver will come home tonight with a bracelet of their own, and instructions on how to use it.

Over the years my two boys have been very proud to participate in this event, and pass along the bracelet.

Next week, instead of 'Caring and Sharing' we'll kick off our meeting with a conversation about these bracelets and some of the cool things that were accomplished.

April 16, 2013

At long last folks, we're back in our Gym tonight ........but it's going to be a regular meeting just yet!

Background: Every week, just after opening we have a quick group conversation with our entire Colony to reinforce 2 core Beaver principals. Caring and Sharing. We ask the group to provide some examples how how they helped care for something, or share something in the time since our last meeting. It's fun to see the lil'guys think hard and realize that helping clear the table, taking out some trash, or sharing some M&M's was a big part of their week.

A common theme in the Caring category for our guys, is taking 'care' of their pets. From guinea pigs, to fish, to cats and dogs .......A Colony's households are pet friendly places. We picked up on that, and thought that it would be cool to bring in some other awesome examples of critters and pets to learn about how they fit into the world too.

On April 16 Tom from Reptiles Rock will be joining us. Our full meeting will be a meet and greet with all of the fantastic snakes, spiders, critters and crawdads that 'share' our planet with us.

We're asking each beaver for a small contribution, to help Tom 'care' for his animals. $5 would be an awesome monetary contribution, or beavers can provide one of the following.

• Romaine lettuce.
• Paper towels.
• Garbage bags. 
• Hand sanitizer. 

We'll see you in the Gym Tuesday night folks, should be a great week.

Also, I'd like to take a quick moment to call out one of our (awesome) parent volunteers. Sarah won't be with us this week, for an amazing reason. She is running in the Boston Marathon (Bib #14853). On behalf of our entire Colony, I'd like everyone to scream GO SARAH GO on Monday morning - this is a massive accomplishment and we're proud of you

** Quick update. Sarah safely finished the marathon, she and her family were safely away from the horrible turn of events that occurred yesterday in Boston. She and her family are en route back to Ottawa.

April 9 - Movie Night!!

Hello Folks, tonight is the second half of our annual 'transportation night' theme, that we do with all local beaver colonies combined.

We're having a 'drive in' movie tonight together with all the other beaver colonies. D Colony is hosting, we will be meeting in the St. Francis Xavier Catholic High School Gym (That's "St FX" for short). This is the high school just on the other side of Spratt and Limebank Roads. Popcorn and drinks will be provided.

What to Bring: Brown and Blue tails made cardboard vehicles last week, and they are encouraged to bring those tonight to sit in and enjoy the show. If our White tails want to raid the black box and bring a box to sit in as well, that is awesome too. If you don't have a box to sit in, just bring a blanket or pillow to sit on to make the gym floor that much more comfortable.

See you at St. FX tonight!!

(Never been to St. FX? When dropping off your beaver just head to the back corner of the parking lot around to the left of the school, by the portables. Go in that door, and take your first left. The gym is down this hall, on the right.)

One last thing, don't forget that the Spring Beaveree is on the 27th, more info here. I need final numbers tonight, to RSVP for the event. Sign up is on the clipboard.

April 2, 2013 - Please read!

We have a special meeting this week Folks ........ A Colony is hosting a White tail craft, and all the other beavers are gathering with C Colony just down the street.

All the White tails (Grade 2's) from A Colony and 2 other local Colonies will be meeting in our gym (St. Jerome) to do a special woodworking craft. If a parent could stay to help the whitetails build their craft that would be a help.

Our Blue and Brown tails (Grade 1 and under's) will be meeting just down Spratt Road at Bernard Grand Maitre, hosted by C Colony. They will be doing a "transportation" craft night. The Beavers need to bring a large cardboard box (One a beaver could sit in) so that they can make it into a Car or Train or Boat. We will have some other supplies there like Toilet paper and paper towel rolls .........raid your black box this week and bring some cool stuff along for the craft.

We'll be splitting up our A Colony leadership team accordingly, so there will be familiar leaders at both locations for all of our A Colony beavers.

To recap:

White tails - Wood Craft.
When: April 2nd, 6:15 - 7:15
Where: St. Jerome

Blue and Brown tails - Transportation Craft.
When: April 2nd, 6:15 - 7:15
Where: Bernard Grand Maitre (Google Map Link)