Join us as we get to know the 1st Greenside Scout Troop
This scout troop has been part of the Emmarentia community for years, fostering a love of nature within the children that take part.
Let’s get to know the intrepid ‘doers’. The ones in our community that eagerly put their hands up and say: ‘we’ll give it a go’. Who are they, you wonder? The members of the 1st Greenside Scout Troop.
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Located in Emmarentia, this scout group has helped make sure that children and youth explore and learn about nature, both far and near, for close to 60 years. Equipping the pack, 7–11 years old, and troop, 11–18 years old, with knowledge about the great outdoors they otherwise would not know.
Scouter Gabriella van Niekerk said groups such as theirs have the function of plucking cellphones out of children’s hands and getting them, not only enjoying talking to each other, but harnessing South Africa’s natural bounty. She described the group as having a positive impact on the lives of the youth, as the pack and troop aim to teach life skills and enhance happy childhood memories.
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Van Niekerk shared that some of the highlights of the year were: Kontiki – where scouts build rafts and have to spend 24-hours on the Homestead dam in the Cederberg, the 10 day hike in the Cederberg mountains that scouts, 15 years and over, take part in, the scouts achieving their Springboks badge, the top honours in scouting, the annual cycle rally, and whenever the scouts organise and execute their planned events like hikes or camps.
But this scout troop is not only about exploring. They’re also about giving back to the community. Right now they are really excited about their upcoming work with the Emmerentia Residents Association’s adopt a park initiative. “We have also done a lot of work previously with various children’s homes, and other parts of the city, to help the lives of members of the community,” said van Niekerk.
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