Scouting in the Glebe
A Tradition since 1936
By Paul Mayer
Hello from the 36th Ottawa Scouting Group! My name is Paul Mayer, and I am the group commissioner of the Glebe’s 36th. Together with our sponsor, Glebe-St. James United Church, we have served the Glebe area for 87 years. We bring high-quality, co-ed youth programming focusing on outdoor skills, the environment, stewardship and leadership. Here are some examples of what we have been up to lately.
Beavers (ages 5-7). Beavers were able to attend an overnight camp in a cabin at Camp Opemikon in 2022 where they learned about shelter building and identified trees and plants by their leaves. They took part in a variety of winter activities, museum nights and, of course, the ever-popular Beaver Buggies.
Cubs (ages 8-10). Our Cub Pack continues to “do their best” in their program. Last year’s highlights included dog sledding, two camps (fall and spring), the return of the annual area Kub Kar Rally and a biking adventure. Our senior cubs carried out a food drive in the spring for the Ottawa Food Bank.
Scouts (ages 11-14). Scouts participate in skills camps (learning the right way to handle axes, knives, stoves and fire) and participate in an area-wide Klondike challenge and an annual canoe camp to name just a few of their many activities. This past year they were introduced to coding and robotics, so the breadth of activities is very wide.
Venturers (ages 15-17). Our Vents are more independent and focus on planning their own adventures. This year the highlight looks to be a weekend winter camping hike in the Adirondacks!
Storage needed! To give the youth their outdoor experiences, the group supports a wide range of gear: tents, canopies, stoves, cooking supplies, axes, water jugs, etc., together with Klondike sleds (think dog sleds), Cub Chuckwagons and three canoes. As you can imagine, it can be a challenge storing all of this in an accessible location. We have been blessed with the use of a former Scouter’s garage for many years, but that arrangement will be coming to an end and we are actively searching for a new spot(s). If you think you could help, contact me and we can start a conversation!
Volunteers needed! The backbone of the scouting movement is our volunteers. Nothing could happen without the selfless adults who take on the challenge of mentoring our youth in their respective sections. We are always on the lookout for new volunteers willing to make the commitment to the program. For youth safety, there are a number of screenings and training sessions that take place before a volunteer can interact with the youth. A short summary video of these requirements can be found at https://youtu.be/bW1aAbuKRm4, and interested (or potentially interested) individuals can contact me at pmmayer111@gmail.com. I am always happy to talk about the roles we have in the group. Chances are there is a way for everyone to participate given the time they have available.
Paul Mayer, a Glebe resident, is commissioner of the Glebe’s 36th Ottawa Scouting Group. When not scouting, he is a professor of chemistry at the University of Ottawa.
Photos: Courtesy of Ottawa Scouts
