Not very often do people get a chance to share a moment with the Chairman of the company you work for. The 180th Pacific Coast Scout Group is pleased that we were able to achieve this just recently. On June 11th, 2012, we had the honour of welcoming two special guests that found the time in their busy schedules to attend our monthly Rover Scout Group meeting; Mr. Steve Kent and Mr. Doug Reid.
Steve Kent was appointed Chief Commissioner and Chair of the Board of Governors by Her Excellency, the Governor General, in November 2008. Over his Scouting career, he served in various Scouting capacities in the Group, Council, Provincial and National level. In 1995, at the age of 16, Steve became the first Chair of Scouts Canada’s National Youth Committee, and the youngest voting member of the National Council in the organization’s history. Professionally, he was elected to Newfoundland and Labrador’s Provincial Legislature as the Member of the House of Assembly for the District of Mount Pearl North in October of 2007. He currently serves as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister Responsible for the Forestry and Agrifoods Agency.
Doug Reid has 20 years of volunteering experience with Scouts Canada. Over the years he has moved back and forth from Troop to Venturers; wherever there is a need for him. Outside of his Group responsibilities, he served as an Assistant District Commissioner in Gander, Newfoundland, and also later as District Commissioner. Doug also has an extensive history in training; he was awarded his fourth bead in 1995, earning his Trainer III Accreditation designation. Professionally, he is employed by The Global Group, Canada’s largest furniture manufacturer where he is an Account Manager for Atlantic Canada.
During this meeting, the 180th Pacific Coast Scout Group had the pleasure of presenting our guests with a glimpse into the structure and mission of our group. It was a rare opportunity to showcase ourselves to those at the National level. We were also privileged to have both Scouters speak to us about their roles in Scouts Canada and what they hope to achieve in the near future. For most of us, this was a rare firsthand look at the strategy and operation of this National organization that we have been a part of most of our lives.
One of the more memorable stories that Steve Kent shared with us was how he was able to revive Scouting in his home town. After a period of absence from Scouting, he had found that the groups that he used to be a part of in his youth were no longer active. Refusing to accept this, he and his wife set off on a mission to bring Scouting back to his community. Steve’s advice for his success was simple: “Just ask”. He had simply called up all of his old Scouting friends and spoke to anyone that would listen to him. His persistence paid off in the end. In four short years, he started a Scout group from scratch and grew it to be the largest group in all of Newfoundland Council. It shows that perhaps the solution to the hardest problems is sometimes very simple. The resiliency in achieving his goal was one of the many lessons that our Rover Scout Group took away from our meeting.
In closing, we would like to share a few inspirational quotes that were particularly meaningful to us. We would like to thank Steve and Doug for sharing with us their stories and insights. We hope that our paths will cross again in the very near future.
“Lead by example.”
“Do what you say you are going to do. Follow through.”
“Be clear on your priorities and be true to yourself.”
“Be patient. Anything worth accomplishing takes time.”
“People can doubt what you say but they can never doubt what you do.”
“To be successful, surround yourself with people that are smarter than you are.”
