Written by: Nick Pham
The previous weekend may have been rainy, gloomy and chilly for some, but to 18 of our Rovers, it was also one of the warmest, most joyful and memorable weekends of the year. From 6pm April 7th to 6am April 8th, our Rovers were helping the NiteHike committee create an educational playground for Scouts from a wide range of age groups at Pacific Spirit Regional Park.
Our station activity focused on the development of orienteering skills. When Scout groups arrived, they were given a compass and navigation instructions to assist them in finding multiple bags of marshmallows, which were then converted into a score and could subsequently be used to redeem steaming cups of cocoa.
As simple as this activity may sound, our Rovers deserve to be praised for their efforts in organizing and hosting the event. Not only did they work hard to ensure a safe and fair game for all participating Scouts, but also took it a step further in several instances. One example would be blocking specific paths that contained large puddles in order to prevent younger Scouts from getting their feet soaked, or receiving any injuries.
Even though the event’s target audience consisted of younger Scouts, many of us agreed that it was also an effective bonding event for our own members. After peak hours, especially when Scout groups scarcely appeared due to the downpour of rain, our Rovers would gather around the fire, commune and tell jokes to each other. We connected on a deeper level during these moments, as our laughter and jokes cut through the monotonous rhythm of the rain. Burnt chicken nuggets tasted surprisingly good, and the small fire stove somehow kept all of us warm.
Occasionally, the fast-paced world in which we live in can be so overwhelming that we believe a vacation to another country is the only thing that will satisfy us. However, maybe all we need is a place like NiteHike where we can rediscover what we can do, and who we can be.
