Oh, what an eventful weekend it was out at Camp Bryerswood in the beginning of June. I was out at camp with Brownies 81 the unit I helped out for the year. Along with that camp the Windsor patrols for GM were also preparing for camp and the Rangers had a meeting on the Sunday. The fun began not even two hours into Friday Night.
Lollipop and I took the kids out for a walk and through the pond. Oh boy did we get eaten alive by those pesky mosquitoes. I’d say we must have bug spray with us at all times at Mosaic. It was time to light a fire; we just got it lit and then came the rain. So much for our campfire outdoors. However we did end up doing it inside with some very fun songs to sing and drive the leaders crazy. If you’re looking for a song to drive everyone crazy just start singing if I weren’t a Girl Guide. 1 A.M in the morning I am creating swaps with 2 other leaders. That was fun.
Saturday came around, very early for our camp. One of the Brownies decided that she should have the entire camp up at 5:30 in the morning. That was fixed, for about an hour. Soon before we knew it the Brownies were up when the cows were out. We cooked breakfast outside, along with lunch. It was very hot and muggy outside. The rest of the day went by pretty fast; however it had its moments of time creeping by. Dinner came around, and we began making our tin foil dinners with the Pathfinders. The rain began to come down shortly after we got our dessert. The Brownies had to about 9 o’clock and it was time for bed because they were up so early. Steady rain kept coming down, and then a scream was heard. Leaders went running out. One of the Brownies woke up sleep walking. That is pretty scary stuff. Thunder and Lightning began to be heard and seen shortly after the Pathfinders were sent to bed. Before we even knew it the phone started to ring to tell us we were on Tornado watches and warning. Screaming was heard again, one of the Pathfinders tent came down because the wind was so strong. With very little sleep the night before and a day that was non- stop busy I had a melt down for being so overwhelmed. The Pathfinder brought in their stuff from their tents and we safely fit all the Pathfinders into the building along with the Brownies that had no idea what was going on. They were told that we were going on adventure with the Pathfinders.
Next morning rolled around very fast. We packed up our stuff and had breakfast. A phone call from one of the local scout groups told us that the tornado hit Leamington and Harrow area. After the shock was over us, it was then time to say good-bye to the Brownies and begin the Ranger meeting for GM. Most of us were on very little sleep and on a sugar high so we didn’t get much accomplished. At 2 pm we were going to go to our swim test at the Vollmeer center. We went to go get changed and grab our stuff. Instead of walking all the way over to Ewhurst Lodge, we decided that we would run with the towels tied as a cape around our neck. Looking like super women, we yelled “SUPER WOMEN” across the camp and When Sally was a Spark. We got some pretty weird looks from the leaders but they laughed at us afterwards.
It was a very eventful weekend. We all survived, and came home and crashed afterwards. But, it was a fun weekend and probably most of will do it again at some point in our Guiding years to come.
See you in 5 Days
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Microburst at Camp Bryerswood
June 23rd 2010, severe thunderstorms hit south western Ontario. A threat of tornadoes were out. Unfortunately Camp Bryerswood was hit with a microburst which is a big gust of wind that night. The devastation is horrible. Sheds were taken off their foundation and thrown into the quiet place, trees are uprooted. The shelter that is used for the farm equipment was brought over behind Ewhurst Lodge and destroyed. One of the tarps is actually in the trees over by the pond. Sheds are wrapped around trees.
It is horrible to see our camp in this mess. Any help to clean up the camp is appreciated. We fought to keep this camp open, but in order to that we need to keep it clean. There will be leaders working Monday, Tuesday, and a bit of Wednesday to help clean up the mess. There is still a lot to do. Lets go out with our helping hands and help keep our camp.
It is horrible to see our camp in this mess. Any help to clean up the camp is appreciated. We fought to keep this camp open, but in order to that we need to keep it clean. There will be leaders working Monday, Tuesday, and a bit of Wednesday to help clean up the mess. There is still a lot to do. Lets go out with our helping hands and help keep our camp.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
So Much to Choose From
There is so many to choose from, so many interesting activities. How do choose just 8 or 4 of them? How do you only pick one out trip without wanting to do them all? The time has passed and we have all picked our sessions and theme day selections. Many of us had difficulty doing this because there was so many to choose from the activity catalogue out of the 6 categories and out trips. The categories were divided into these categories: Active Living, Adventure, Arts and Crafts, Community Connections, Science and Technology, Waterfront and Out Trips! How Exciting!!
Active Living gets you moving all of your body with fabulous fun games that will make you want to play all day with a bunch of friends. Love soccer and baseball? Try California Kickball that combines both soccer and bases or a simple game of soccer. Go back 100 years and try games that girls used to play to have fun years ago such as bocce ball, and kick the can. Want to learn a precision sport and get better at aim? Try Archery or try the Fencing which was in modern day Olympics. Yoga, Pilates, a running clinic could help find a sport or activity that maybe you would then now love and want to do at home. Jump in the air with a bunch of friends and learn how to do flips and enjoy the feeling about being in the air by trying trampoline. Enjoy the nature citing that we could see on the Guelph Lake trails in trail walking. There is much more. Unfornately we can only pick one of these from this category. There will be other times to do it, or maybe we will have a chance to do it again someday.
If you’re daring and love to have wonderful adventures this category is for you. Adventure gets you excited to try new things that you have most likely think are exotic to be doing at camp. Like heights? Try Rock Climbing or Rappelling. Where Rock Climbing you climb to the top of the rock wall, or Rappelling where you go down the rock wall. Fly through the air on a zip line in a high flying adventure or take a walk through a cave and explore the creatures that live in the cave. Scared of heights? Have no fear there is something for you. Grab a helmet and hit the skateboarding course, or mountain biking, you could even try Low Ropes! Climb through the trees on a thrill seeking adventure in High Ropes. Everyone has seen the show how about participate in GM amazing race? That would be fun! Learn the basics while you make friends with a horse and go trail riding non- experienced or experienced doesn’t matter. Which one will you choose out of this interesting section of program?
If you’re creative, you love art and drama you will for sure LOVE this section. With plenty to do in the arts and crafts section it is hard to pick what one you want to do. A Drawstring Backpack would be helpful to have a Mosaic and I do think every one needs at least one. So how about you make a bandana/drawstring backpack? Make grandma proud by testing your skills on rug hooking and knotted bags. Make her and your parents even more proud by showing them you know how to use a mop in a different way by making a Mop Doll. It’s probably not what you’re thinking. There is no cleaning up in the section of the craft. However, you are going to create a new friend out of a mop! Sleep well by making a dream catcher and make all those bad dreams go away or how about a pillow case? Want to show off your drama skills or singing skills? Improv’ Games, celebrating guiding oldest traditions with singing and square dancing are just to name a few. There are lots more that we could have selected!
Show your true colors to the Guelph community that you care. You have a chance to volunteer at the Guelph Food Bank and distribute food to others. Do you like to garden? You’ll love the Garden Fresh Box Program and the Elizabeth’s Place Women’s Shelter. Try you’re knitting and crocheting skills by make a knotted quilt or making a bed mat out of milk bags. Help out at the Salvation Army stores in Guelph or make blankets for the homeless. If you really like it outside and think you’ll love the site were staying at. You can paint picnic tables, plant a garden, or work with a Horticulture Aid and help deliver programs to seniors. Every bit of our participation throughout the community is one big help and is greatly appreciated. So let’s go out and celebrate with helping out in the community.
Get your hands on to stuff that you would never thought you would do before. Science and Technology offers some very cool sessions that you will love. Dive into your creativity and try Digital Scrapbooking and bring home a wonderful book of Guiding Mosaic memories. Let you composer shine right above you and try and record Digital Music. Be Dazzled by Color and take off the colors on Skittles and Smarties to find out what the actual color is. Learn about the science of make-up and cosmetics. While you’re at it create some of your own. Get your hand on some cool experiments and partake in CSI Guelph or investigate, spy and gather information with common equipment in Hi-Tech Spy. Are you an animal lover? Tour one of Ontario’s World Famous Vet Colleges in Guelph by joining I Want to be a Vet! Learn how to protect our Pale Blue Dot and discover the pros and cons about wind turbines. Find out how much energy it takes on a treadmill to make battery power. All of these are interesting activities that everyone would love to do!
Splash in the pool or in the lake and go for a dip. Its always well appreciated especially when it’s hot and you need to cool you off. Try out your your camping skills and combine them with your canoeing skills. Test out your upper body strength and use a double bladed paddle with kayaking. Spend time with your friends in a boat using your canoe skills and go canoeing or compete against other girls and play canoe games. Discover underwater life while wearing snorkelling gear and try snorkelling or learn how to scuba dive. Take the plunge and improve your diving skills and go diving. Combine your love for the arts and do them in the pool and do synchronized swimming. Just want to relax with friends and enjoy your day? Swimming and water games are also available. All of these wonderful activities will help us cool off after and during a hot sunny day.
Not only do we get to experience 10 days in Guelph Ontario, we also get to attend another Ontario City of our choice. See the beauty of Niagara Falls on the Niagara Falls Adventure tour. Go on an adventure tour and then to Wasaga beach after you zipline through the trees and walk a suspension bridge, or tour the scenic caves before a leisurely swim in the beach. Travel to the top of the CN Tower and discover the amazing city of Toronto and then the historical palace that holds Girl Guide Information at Casa Loma. Travel back into two eras. Visit Casa Loma and then step farther back where Medieval Times comes to life. Spend a day at the Toronto Zoo and meet 5000 different kinds of animals. Attend the Stratford Festival with a backstage workshop before a world class production. Did you hear that animals from Africa have travelled to Canada? Meet them at the African Lion Safari. Explore the great Canadian city and find clues of many famous Canadian Sites. Do the Great Toronto Scavenger Hunt. Go to Toronto's "House on the Hill" (Casa Loma) that will take you back decades. Mini Golf, Go-Carting, Rock Climbing and swimming pheww what a day! At Bingemans Park- Big Splash Waterpark. Get your hands on some fasinating experiments at the Ontario Science Center while IMAX brings science to life for you. All of these out trips sounds amazing and will give us many memories in one day to bring home.
So that is that! All the activities are so great. Its hard just to pick 4-8 of them. We will have other activities and experiences that we can look forward to as well. Shows, Performances, and much more. See you in 23 days. :)
Active Living gets you moving all of your body with fabulous fun games that will make you want to play all day with a bunch of friends. Love soccer and baseball? Try California Kickball that combines both soccer and bases or a simple game of soccer. Go back 100 years and try games that girls used to play to have fun years ago such as bocce ball, and kick the can. Want to learn a precision sport and get better at aim? Try Archery or try the Fencing which was in modern day Olympics. Yoga, Pilates, a running clinic could help find a sport or activity that maybe you would then now love and want to do at home. Jump in the air with a bunch of friends and learn how to do flips and enjoy the feeling about being in the air by trying trampoline. Enjoy the nature citing that we could see on the Guelph Lake trails in trail walking. There is much more. Unfornately we can only pick one of these from this category. There will be other times to do it, or maybe we will have a chance to do it again someday.
If you’re daring and love to have wonderful adventures this category is for you. Adventure gets you excited to try new things that you have most likely think are exotic to be doing at camp. Like heights? Try Rock Climbing or Rappelling. Where Rock Climbing you climb to the top of the rock wall, or Rappelling where you go down the rock wall. Fly through the air on a zip line in a high flying adventure or take a walk through a cave and explore the creatures that live in the cave. Scared of heights? Have no fear there is something for you. Grab a helmet and hit the skateboarding course, or mountain biking, you could even try Low Ropes! Climb through the trees on a thrill seeking adventure in High Ropes. Everyone has seen the show how about participate in GM amazing race? That would be fun! Learn the basics while you make friends with a horse and go trail riding non- experienced or experienced doesn’t matter. Which one will you choose out of this interesting section of program?
If you’re creative, you love art and drama you will for sure LOVE this section. With plenty to do in the arts and crafts section it is hard to pick what one you want to do. A Drawstring Backpack would be helpful to have a Mosaic and I do think every one needs at least one. So how about you make a bandana/drawstring backpack? Make grandma proud by testing your skills on rug hooking and knotted bags. Make her and your parents even more proud by showing them you know how to use a mop in a different way by making a Mop Doll. It’s probably not what you’re thinking. There is no cleaning up in the section of the craft. However, you are going to create a new friend out of a mop! Sleep well by making a dream catcher and make all those bad dreams go away or how about a pillow case? Want to show off your drama skills or singing skills? Improv’ Games, celebrating guiding oldest traditions with singing and square dancing are just to name a few. There are lots more that we could have selected!
Show your true colors to the Guelph community that you care. You have a chance to volunteer at the Guelph Food Bank and distribute food to others. Do you like to garden? You’ll love the Garden Fresh Box Program and the Elizabeth’s Place Women’s Shelter. Try you’re knitting and crocheting skills by make a knotted quilt or making a bed mat out of milk bags. Help out at the Salvation Army stores in Guelph or make blankets for the homeless. If you really like it outside and think you’ll love the site were staying at. You can paint picnic tables, plant a garden, or work with a Horticulture Aid and help deliver programs to seniors. Every bit of our participation throughout the community is one big help and is greatly appreciated. So let’s go out and celebrate with helping out in the community.
Get your hands on to stuff that you would never thought you would do before. Science and Technology offers some very cool sessions that you will love. Dive into your creativity and try Digital Scrapbooking and bring home a wonderful book of Guiding Mosaic memories. Let you composer shine right above you and try and record Digital Music. Be Dazzled by Color and take off the colors on Skittles and Smarties to find out what the actual color is. Learn about the science of make-up and cosmetics. While you’re at it create some of your own. Get your hand on some cool experiments and partake in CSI Guelph or investigate, spy and gather information with common equipment in Hi-Tech Spy. Are you an animal lover? Tour one of Ontario’s World Famous Vet Colleges in Guelph by joining I Want to be a Vet! Learn how to protect our Pale Blue Dot and discover the pros and cons about wind turbines. Find out how much energy it takes on a treadmill to make battery power. All of these are interesting activities that everyone would love to do!
Splash in the pool or in the lake and go for a dip. Its always well appreciated especially when it’s hot and you need to cool you off. Try out your your camping skills and combine them with your canoeing skills. Test out your upper body strength and use a double bladed paddle with kayaking. Spend time with your friends in a boat using your canoe skills and go canoeing or compete against other girls and play canoe games. Discover underwater life while wearing snorkelling gear and try snorkelling or learn how to scuba dive. Take the plunge and improve your diving skills and go diving. Combine your love for the arts and do them in the pool and do synchronized swimming. Just want to relax with friends and enjoy your day? Swimming and water games are also available. All of these wonderful activities will help us cool off after and during a hot sunny day.
Not only do we get to experience 10 days in Guelph Ontario, we also get to attend another Ontario City of our choice. See the beauty of Niagara Falls on the Niagara Falls Adventure tour. Go on an adventure tour and then to Wasaga beach after you zipline through the trees and walk a suspension bridge, or tour the scenic caves before a leisurely swim in the beach. Travel to the top of the CN Tower and discover the amazing city of Toronto and then the historical palace that holds Girl Guide Information at Casa Loma. Travel back into two eras. Visit Casa Loma and then step farther back where Medieval Times comes to life. Spend a day at the Toronto Zoo and meet 5000 different kinds of animals. Attend the Stratford Festival with a backstage workshop before a world class production. Did you hear that animals from Africa have travelled to Canada? Meet them at the African Lion Safari. Explore the great Canadian city and find clues of many famous Canadian Sites. Do the Great Toronto Scavenger Hunt. Go to Toronto's "House on the Hill" (Casa Loma) that will take you back decades. Mini Golf, Go-Carting, Rock Climbing and swimming pheww what a day! At Bingemans Park- Big Splash Waterpark. Get your hands on some fasinating experiments at the Ontario Science Center while IMAX brings science to life for you. All of these out trips sounds amazing and will give us many memories in one day to bring home.
So that is that! All the activities are so great. Its hard just to pick 4-8 of them. We will have other activities and experiences that we can look forward to as well. Shows, Performances, and much more. See you in 23 days. :)
Saturday, June 12, 2010
A Day in the Life
If you many of you are wondering what Guiding Mosaic 2010 is going to be like in one day here is an outline of the 10 busy days we have ahead of ourselves in less than one month.
We must wake up early enough so there is enough time to get everything done before we hit our sessions. Make sure all of your stuff is water proofed, in the middle of your tent and pack your gear the same way. Then we will make our way over for breakfast and do our toiletries. We must be on the island where the activities are held by 9am. It is a 3km walk and takes about half hour to get there. By the end of the day we will have walked a lot.
First session begins at 9am and finish at 10:30. Our 2nd session is from 11 to 12:30 p.m. So we have half an hour to get to one session to the next. This is your time to swap with new friends.
After second session there is an hour lunch to relax and eat. Us, Rangers going will have a different schedule and may not have the same lunch as everyone else depending on what we are doing in that time. After lunch we will move onto the 3rd session from 2-3:30. Then after having fun with all these sessions we have another 3km walk back to our tent site. Our camp leaders will either have something planned for us to do like special activities or we will have a little bit of free time. This means we could shower, we could clean and air out our tents, chat with friends, call home or go to the store. There are many things we could do. Dinner is at 6 until about 7:30 back where we had breakfast. 7:30 we need to start making our way back to where the program is. Every night there is a different theme for show on a huge stage. In the past years they have done a Canada night, Much Music, an international night and much more. The show ends at about 10 and then you are to head back to your tent. If you are a smart one you go to bed right when you get back and not keep the rest of your camp up. If you don’t all of us will be miserable and not be able to enjoy camp because a lack of sleep.
July 11th and July 14th there will be no big activities and sessions out of the island but we do have a sub camp evening. I have no idea what we are doing on these days, maybe out trips or something. Also, this may be time to do auditions for the talent show and pick the best act out of the sub camp.
We have a busy ten days ahead of us. However, a very exciting 10 days ahead of that is the time of our lives. By now the excitement is heating up and everyone is getting ready. With little time do so much stuff is making my mind go crazy. Swaps need to be complete, last minute kit list supplies need to be picked up, tagging and labeling everything and so much more. It’s all worth it in the end. See everyone in 26 days.
We must wake up early enough so there is enough time to get everything done before we hit our sessions. Make sure all of your stuff is water proofed, in the middle of your tent and pack your gear the same way. Then we will make our way over for breakfast and do our toiletries. We must be on the island where the activities are held by 9am. It is a 3km walk and takes about half hour to get there. By the end of the day we will have walked a lot.
First session begins at 9am and finish at 10:30. Our 2nd session is from 11 to 12:30 p.m. So we have half an hour to get to one session to the next. This is your time to swap with new friends.
After second session there is an hour lunch to relax and eat. Us, Rangers going will have a different schedule and may not have the same lunch as everyone else depending on what we are doing in that time. After lunch we will move onto the 3rd session from 2-3:30. Then after having fun with all these sessions we have another 3km walk back to our tent site. Our camp leaders will either have something planned for us to do like special activities or we will have a little bit of free time. This means we could shower, we could clean and air out our tents, chat with friends, call home or go to the store. There are many things we could do. Dinner is at 6 until about 7:30 back where we had breakfast. 7:30 we need to start making our way back to where the program is. Every night there is a different theme for show on a huge stage. In the past years they have done a Canada night, Much Music, an international night and much more. The show ends at about 10 and then you are to head back to your tent. If you are a smart one you go to bed right when you get back and not keep the rest of your camp up. If you don’t all of us will be miserable and not be able to enjoy camp because a lack of sleep.
July 11th and July 14th there will be no big activities and sessions out of the island but we do have a sub camp evening. I have no idea what we are doing on these days, maybe out trips or something. Also, this may be time to do auditions for the talent show and pick the best act out of the sub camp.
We have a busy ten days ahead of us. However, a very exciting 10 days ahead of that is the time of our lives. By now the excitement is heating up and everyone is getting ready. With little time do so much stuff is making my mind go crazy. Swaps need to be complete, last minute kit list supplies need to be picked up, tagging and labeling everything and so much more. It’s all worth it in the end. See everyone in 26 days.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Weather Permitting
Bright sunny day and not a cloud in the sky. Enjoying the hot sun with a bottle of water and enjoying lots of activities. All of the sudden a dark thunder cloud appears and it starts to get cool outside. Clasps of thunder rumble across the campground and flashes of lightning light up the sky. As you run and try to grab your rain gear that you forgot in your tent throughout all this commotion the sun comes back out. The biggest thing that ticks me off when I'm camping.
This is why it is important to always have your rain gear with you. The chances of us not having some type of storm in the wonderful 10 days we are there are pretty slim. It could be a small one or a big one.
GM 2006 the campground was hit with huge rain storms and ended up flooding the tent and campground area. Knock on wood this doesn't happen to us or other weather disasters. But the flood is something that we should keep in mind that it does and can happen.
Make sure you pack up your tent before you go to your daily sessions and be sure to water proof it. Best idea is either a dry sack or a tarp to wrap around your bedroll. That way if it does rain, your stuff will be dry. There is nothing worse like crawling into a wet sleeping bag.
Proper rain gear is very important. That means rain jacket that is not a poncho. Boots and maybe a hat. Rain Pants would be useful too.
Despite the rain and the weather we may get. (knock on wood we don't get any nasty weather)a great time is planned
See you there is 44 days:)
This is why it is important to always have your rain gear with you. The chances of us not having some type of storm in the wonderful 10 days we are there are pretty slim. It could be a small one or a big one.
GM 2006 the campground was hit with huge rain storms and ended up flooding the tent and campground area. Knock on wood this doesn't happen to us or other weather disasters. But the flood is something that we should keep in mind that it does and can happen.
Make sure you pack up your tent before you go to your daily sessions and be sure to water proof it. Best idea is either a dry sack or a tarp to wrap around your bedroll. That way if it does rain, your stuff will be dry. There is nothing worse like crawling into a wet sleeping bag.
Proper rain gear is very important. That means rain jacket that is not a poncho. Boots and maybe a hat. Rain Pants would be useful too.
Despite the rain and the weather we may get. (knock on wood we don't get any nasty weather)a great time is planned
See you there is 44 days:)
Friday, May 21, 2010
Bag packed check; sunscreen check; water bottle; sleeping bag check; bus packed check; bus loaded check. We have everything lets head to Toronto for National Rally Day at Ontario Place.
600 girls and leaders from Windsor/Essex county headed to Ontario Place last Friday for National Rally Day Saturday. We slept in pods in Discover Atlantis Building. Despite getting crammed in like floor boards and the emergency light shining in some of our eyes it was a great experience.
( building we slept in)
The view of the Toronto Skyline was beautiful at night along with the view of the lake about us. Yes we did sleep over water. Some girls weren't impressed with looking down and seeing water.
Bright and early Saturday morning we woke up to get ready for the "big day." The fun begins with thousands of trips to the washroom, packing the bus (wasn't as bad as i thought it would be) and searching for the unfinished swaps that I gave friends that were on another bus to do and kill boredom. All missions were accomplished except for finding the Brownie unit Emilyn and I were suppose to be helping out during the day. We found them, well they found us. All weekend no matter where we went we starred at the Toronto CN Tower and downtown.
(CN Tower)
Breakfast and then off to the Molson Amphitheatre for opening ceremonies. I watched loads of school buses unload and girls flee in. As we entered we were given a blue pom pom and listened to music playing such as: we are a family, you've got a friend in me, and if you just believe and much more.
Soon after everyone was seated we stood for National Anthem and let the day begin. Greetings and speeches from the Town Friar and Lieutenant Governor was a nice surprise. Then we were off to start our day.
(Town Friar)
We began in Global Rythms where we did disc art with sand. Then we travelled to Cre8, I felt like I was being herded around like a cow. We completed friendship gifts, thank you cards, and animnation. Phew what an hour, now its time to go to lunch. We got a snack wrap, chips,cookies and a juice. While we were eatting we swapped with other girls and watched a Swan set a pesky Seagull straight.
After lunch we marched onto BP zone, which was very long but fun. We completed Morse Code, Hollihoop games, and a snail song. All of us even had a chance to swap at this station more than any of the others. The day was almost over by then. We travelled over to GO GREEN! which is where we participated in water games, pipe chimes, paper airplanes and areodynamics explostions. Our last but not least zone was Activ8. The girls had an oppotunity to go in the climber H2O Regeneration Station!
The day ended with closing at the amphitheatre with a big campfire. It was amazing to see 15,000 pom poms up and shaking all at once. Also, to hear all of us sing at once. Meeting new girls and connecting with others by swaps was great. Windsor 77th Brownie, Guide, Pathfinder, Ranger Unit honoring a member: Candice Faerber who passed away in March. Buttons were giving out in honor of her.
Busses left by groups of 12, and girls exited to "Go well and safely." Overall it was an amazing and exhausting day but a day that 45,000 of us will not forget. We celebrated Rally Day with a quarter of the girls and leaders that were celebrating it across Canada.
So here we are looking back at Rally Day 2010 and thinking of the fun we will have a Guding Mosaic 2010. There is now less than 50 days.
600 girls and leaders from Windsor/Essex county headed to Ontario Place last Friday for National Rally Day Saturday. We slept in pods in Discover Atlantis Building. Despite getting crammed in like floor boards and the emergency light shining in some of our eyes it was a great experience.
( building we slept in)The view of the Toronto Skyline was beautiful at night along with the view of the lake about us. Yes we did sleep over water. Some girls weren't impressed with looking down and seeing water.
Bright and early Saturday morning we woke up to get ready for the "big day." The fun begins with thousands of trips to the washroom, packing the bus (wasn't as bad as i thought it would be) and searching for the unfinished swaps that I gave friends that were on another bus to do and kill boredom. All missions were accomplished except for finding the Brownie unit Emilyn and I were suppose to be helping out during the day. We found them, well they found us. All weekend no matter where we went we starred at the Toronto CN Tower and downtown.
(CN Tower)Breakfast and then off to the Molson Amphitheatre for opening ceremonies. I watched loads of school buses unload and girls flee in. As we entered we were given a blue pom pom and listened to music playing such as: we are a family, you've got a friend in me, and if you just believe and much more.
Soon after everyone was seated we stood for National Anthem and let the day begin. Greetings and speeches from the Town Friar and Lieutenant Governor was a nice surprise. Then we were off to start our day.
(Town Friar)We began in Global Rythms where we did disc art with sand. Then we travelled to Cre8, I felt like I was being herded around like a cow. We completed friendship gifts, thank you cards, and animnation. Phew what an hour, now its time to go to lunch. We got a snack wrap, chips,cookies and a juice. While we were eatting we swapped with other girls and watched a Swan set a pesky Seagull straight.
After lunch we marched onto BP zone, which was very long but fun. We completed Morse Code, Hollihoop games, and a snail song. All of us even had a chance to swap at this station more than any of the others. The day was almost over by then. We travelled over to GO GREEN! which is where we participated in water games, pipe chimes, paper airplanes and areodynamics explostions. Our last but not least zone was Activ8. The girls had an oppotunity to go in the climber H2O Regeneration Station!
The day ended with closing at the amphitheatre with a big campfire. It was amazing to see 15,000 pom poms up and shaking all at once. Also, to hear all of us sing at once. Meeting new girls and connecting with others by swaps was great. Windsor 77th Brownie, Guide, Pathfinder, Ranger Unit honoring a member: Candice Faerber who passed away in March. Buttons were giving out in honor of her.
Busses left by groups of 12, and girls exited to "Go well and safely." Overall it was an amazing and exhausting day but a day that 45,000 of us will not forget. We celebrated Rally Day with a quarter of the girls and leaders that were celebrating it across Canada.
So here we are looking back at Rally Day 2010 and thinking of the fun we will have a Guding Mosaic 2010. There is now less than 50 days.
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