LAC LA BICHE - The Lac La Biche Scouting group is looking for more members to join its ranks.
Terry Zitnak, who oversees the local Scouting program, says the Lac La Biche club currently has 12 members, which includes youth aged 5-16. That number is a significant decrease from previous years.
“We have had more than 40 youth in the past, but the COVID years decimated our numbers,” Zitnak told Lakeland This Week.
Zitnak said she has heard that some people are not even aware that the area still had a Scouting program, so the organization is working on raising its profile.
Zitnak also noted there are many different opportunities for youth to choose from these days. These activities, she said, all come with a cost - whether it be time or financially.
“Sometimes, I just think parents and youth don't know that we are here," or what the club is all about, said Zitnak.
According to Zitnak, Scouts Canada is different from the American-based Boy Scouts and is an age-appropriate growth program for both boys and girls that runs throughout the year.
There are five levels for members to progress through, which are Beavers (5-7 years), Cubs (8-10 years), Scouts (11-13 years), Venturers (14-17 years), and Rovers (18-26 years).
“We meet for 1.5 hours every second week, with one afternoon on a weekend, and the occasional weekend camp,” she explained.
The attraction and fun of the Scouting program lies in the diversity of programs and activities that members can participate in.
Over the past year, Lac La Biche Scouts have gone hiking, canoeing, skating, practiced archery skills, worked on crafts, and two youth even attended an international jamboree that took place in Iceland last summer.
Members of the Lac La Biche Scouting group have also helped in the community by taking part in roadside cleanups, and volunteering at community events like the Festival of Trees.
“There is a focus on learning new skills and in providing community service and care for the environment,” Zitnak said.
“What seems to be most successful for us is getting out into the community doing community service and helping out at various events in the town, wearing our uniforms, and trying to raise our profile so that people understand we still exist and are a good option for keeping kids engaged in non-electronic interests, or for youth not interested in team sports or in addition to team sports,” she said.
Scouts is beneficial for youth because it is a program that grows with them.
“The program is youth led, so kids have a say in what they want to do and where they want to go in the future,” she said. “It teaches them to plan ahead and to have goals to work towards.”
