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Canadian Jamboree
Approx. every four years: Nova Scotia (2017), Alberta (2013)
The Canadian Scout Jamboree takes place in a different Canadian province about every four years and brings together Scout groups from around the world. The most recent Canadian Jamboree (CJ) took place at Camp Nedooae in Elderbank, NS, from July 8-15, 2017. According to CBC News, this 13th CJ brought together over 5,500 Scouts and Volunteers from around the globe.
The 1st Blackburn Scout group had to pre-determine what group gear they would need, then pack and arrange it onto a few square wooden pallets to be loaded onto a truck and driven out to Halifax to await their arrival. Once they arrived, the Scouts had to set up camp, gather water and food from a central location and find their sub camp. The Scouts got to experience many new things such as touring Nova Scotia's waterfronts, paddle boarding, working together to make a catapult by hand, badge trading, interacting with Scouts from around the world and so much more!
RoVent
Annual Event (mid-October): Camp Opemikon
Established in 1974, RoVent is an annual Fall camp which brings together senior members of Scouts & Girl Guides of Canada (Scouts, Venturers, Rovers, Rangers and Link). This is a weekend of activities, skill building and the much anticipated "flour siege" fight to finish the day.
It is important to be prepared for various weather conditions and activities during RoVent. Some meals can be catered by the Opemikon Rover Crew in the dining hall. Other groups may decide to prepare and cook all of their meals in the great outdoors.
RoVent is an opportunity for the Scouting & Guiding communities to come together for a weekend of skill testing, fun and games as well an opportunity to make long lasting friendships.
Sub Zero
Annual Event (late January): Apple Hill Scout Reserve
Sub Zero is a winter camp where Scouts must work together to build a shelter to survive through the night. By building a quinzhee (a hollowed-out snow cave) or shelter, and sleeping through the night in the great outdoors, the Scouts are safely able to test their knowledge of outdoor elements, winter camping and teamwork.
The Scouts plan and cook their own meals on stoves or fires (overseen by their Scouters). Scouts also learn how to pack for this unique style of camping, what gear and clothing is best for the changing weather conditions they may face and how to treat different types of winter and cold weather-related illnesses and hazards.
Scouts get the opportunity to take on this winter challenge while meeting Scouts from East Ottawa and surrounding areas.
Group Camp - All Sections
Annual Event (late May): Camp Opemikon
All Sections of the 1st Blackburn Scout Group come together to attend the year-end camp, linking with the Blackburn Brownies and Guides. This camp offers a unique opportunity for all participants to submit a design for the camp crest. Highlights include an afternoon activity that involves both groups called "wide games" such as Amazing Race Scouting Version, Fur Trader, and more.
Youth are given the opportunity to swim, canoe, do archery, hike, make their own meals (or be catered), do high ropes (typically individually), and low ropes (typically in groups).
Depending on the Section, some camp in tents, others in cabins, or tabins, offering an array of sleeping conditions for the variety of weather that comes with a May camp.
Kub Kar & Scout Truck Rally
Occasional Event (March/April): Rockland, ON
Cubs and Scouts make their vehicle from a kit. They follow rules and guidelines, such as size and weight, to create their Kub Kar or Scout Truck. Each vehicle is unique to the individual style or taste of the Cub or Scout who builds it. Typically the Kub Kar & Scout Truck rallies happen within the same day, Kub Kars against Kub Kars and Scout Trucks against Scout Trucks.
Multiple rallies happen at the same time on different tracks, each overseen by a Scouter to ensure all races are fair. The rally has multiple heats that take place; the winner of one heat then faces off against the winners of the other heats until there is a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winner. The main goal of these rallies is for youth to have fun while exploring their creative skills.
Scoutrees
Annual Event (early May): Ottawa Greenbelt
Scoutrees is an annual event that is typically run by a Scout or group of Scouts, enabling them to learn planning and leaderships skills.
Scoutrees typically takes place in a pre-determined area along the greenbelt in early May giving the saplings plenty of time to grow and flourish before the cold Ottawa winter. Teams work together to plant hundreds of trees to help give back and make the world a little more green.
Scoutrees brings together all Sections of the 1st Blackburn Scout Group, from Beavers to Rovers, looking to make a difference in their community and the environment. In past years, donations from family and friends have been collected to support the Brotherhood Fund. Fifteen percent of all revenues generated by Scoutrees supports much-needed projects in World Scouting's Community Developing Program.
Brotherhood
Annual Event (late September): Morrisburg, ON or Wolfe Island, NY
This is an international event involving Scouts and Venturers from Canada and the USA. The camp location alternates each year between Canada and the U.S., generating an attendance of around 1500 youth and Scouters. This unstructured camp allows youth to participate in whichever activities are of interest to them.
Scouts and Venturers are offered the choice of a variety of activities including: archery, axe or tomahawk throwing, pellet range guns, badge trading, canoeing, and cricket spitting. Youth work together to determine their gear and food requirements before heading to the camp where they cook their own food over camp stoves, fire or dutch ovens.
This camp provides the opportunity for youth and Scouters to meet Scouts from the United States and elsewhere within Canada.