Whose are the faces in the photograph? If any of our readers recognize and can identify them, please let us know.
Far left, Brett Friday, and far right, Don Hammond, were the scouts’ leaders the year this picture was taken, believed to be in the 1950s.
In 1926 delegates from around the globe met in the USA and agreed that Feb. 22 would be known as a special annual day for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts all over the world.
Conference attendees agreed that year that they should observe a special annual day when Girl Guides and Girl Scouts around the world think of each other and express their thanks and appreciation for the international movement. It became known as Thinking Day.
The delegates chose Feb. 22 because it was the birthday of both Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scout movement, and his wife Olave, who was World Chief Guide.
Much later in 1999, at the 30th World Conference in Dublin, delegates from around the world decided to change the name of the day from Thinking Day to World Thinking Day, to better emphasize the international aspects of the day.
This year, 2013, marks the 70th anniversary of Girl Guides and Scouts in the Cowichan Lake area. It was on April 28, 1943 that the first troop of Girl Guides and the first pack of Brownies were organized in Youbou, recalls Lake Cowichan resident Lola Sinclair.
To mark that date, and in conjunction with World Thinking Day, the Cowichan Lake Sparks, Brownies and Girl Guides will hold a special meeting Feb. 20, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the hall of St. Christopher’s and St. Aidan’s Church.
The names of the first Girl Guide captain was Mrs. J.E. Carmichael and their lieutenant was Mrs. George Aylwen according to Sinclair, who has the historical information at her fingertips. The first Brown Owl was Mrs. Eric Lakes and the Tawny Owl was Mrs. J. Avison.
A few other dates of note, also provided by Sinclair: in February 1957, the first Sea Rangers group “SRS Warspite” was organized; the first Lake Cowichan Brownie pack started on March 25, 1970.
Although there is no longer a Boy Scouts organization, it originated in the area back in February 1944.
Jolene Cook was the last Scout leader for the Youbou-based group in 2009.