The past few months have been very busy for the Old Scotch Rover Crew. We’ve recently welcomed Yusuke, a Rover from Japan, into the crew while he is studying in Melbourne. It’s been a great opportunity for all of us to learn about each other’s countries. His visit has made us all appreciate how people from across the world can be brought together in the Scouting movement.

Meanwhile the Rover Crew has been very active. We helped out the Scout troop with their annual camp at Elliott Lodge, Healesville. This is a great opportunity for all the families involved in Scouting at Scotch to meet one another and to view the lodge’s wonderful facilities. The property has made an amazing recovery since the 2009 bushfires, and it was good to see the results of many years of hard work. The Rover Crew helped run some activities for the Scout troop and showed the Scouts some new camping skills.

Learning is a key factor in all levels of Scouting, and recent Monday night activities have focused on navigation, Scoutcraft and cooking, all useful skills that can be put to use in everyday life and while camping.

At Scotch Family Day, some Rover Crew members helped at the Scout Parents’ Association’s dim sum stall, raising money for the Scout troop. This was a great success, and we’d like to thank the Scotch community for their support.

We are all very much looking forward to Surfmoot, due to be held at Eumeralla Scout Park in Anglesea over the Australia Day long weekend, as well as a camping weekend planned for Tocumwal, NSW, over the Christmas period. Our annual general meeting will be held in December where we will elect a new executive.

Originally published in Great Scot magazine. http://www.scotch.vic.edu.au/greatscot/2015decGS/85a.htm