CEREMONIES
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Becky's Guiding Resource Centre
Our unit met with the 2nd Cole Harbour Pathfinders on Monday January 18th to brainstorm ideas. Our District Guider, Julie Crawford, and the District Commissioner, Kelly Tiffin, were also in attendance.
At first, we gave the Pathfinders some ideas, but mainly asked them to plan a ceremony with an "International Theme". After this planning meeting and another unit meeting, here's what they developed for Thinking Day:
All branches arrive at 6:00. They receive a boarding pass which tells them which "gate" to go to. We are pretending that the gym is an airport terminal, and we are travelling to all the World Centres with a stop-over in Snail Land.
There are ten stations; two for each World Centre and two stations for The Snail. The girls remember doing The Snail at a Thinking Day ceremony years ago, and want it to be a part of this year's event.
The Pathfinders are responsible for setting up a game, craft or song for each of the World Centers.
The District Commissioner opens the ceremonies, introduces the special guests, and invites everyone to sing "Oh Canada". One of the Pathfinders made a "wishing well" so the District Commissioner asked someone from each unit to put their World Friendship Fund money in the wishing well. She explains that the units will stay in their station until she blows a whistle, and everyone can move to the next station.
After each unit visits all stations, and the District Commissioner asks everyone to form a large circle around the gym. Guiders were asked to bring a cupcake with white icing for every member in their unit. When they are sitting in the large circle, the Pathfinders hand out colored candy in small baggies to each person in the gym.
Two Junior Leaders and a Pathfinder read the Magic Necklace story. As each branch is mentioned in the story, the Pathfinder holds up a colored piece of paper and this signals everyone to put a colored candy on the cupcake. At the end of the story, everyone says their Guide Promise.
We sing Happy Birthday to Lord and Lady Baden Powell. Just enough time to eat the cupcake or put it in the baggie to bring home.
This brings us to 7:30 p.m. Time to sing Taps and leave.
Enrollment for our unit took place on January 28th. The Pathfinders planned a "Green Scene Fashion Theme".
The Pathfinders getting enrolled were the contestants, and each contestant had two or three Pathfinders that were responsibile for getting her ready for the ceremony.
I found green plastic tablecloths at Christmas time on sale for a dollar each so the Pathfinders were asked to make a fashion using this material. Accessories must be green.
Green invitations went home to the parents and families. The Pathfinders were asked to arrive at 6:00 p.m. to get everything prepared, and the guests arrived at 7:00 p.m.
As each contestant entered the room, the other Pathfinders introduced her and talked about the style of clothing she was wearing. Some of these girls could have gone straight to the prom wearing these outfits - they were fantastic. The older Pathfinders did a wonderful job designing their outfits, and fixing the girls' hair and applying makeup.
The contestants and her partners were asked questions regarding the Law and Promise from sealed green envelopes. The District Commissioner pinned the girls and they renewed their Guiding Promise.
Food for the evening was, of course, green. The Pathfinders and Leaders (except for the contestants) brought food; and here's some of the menu items:
After all the picture taking was done, we had time to relax, enjoy the food and socialize with our guests. Everyone agreed that this enrollment was great. It made the girls getting enrolled feel very special, it challenged the 2nd and 3rd year Pathfinders to be creative, and it was fun for everyone!
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