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How to cope with social distancing during COVID-19?

(from Kids Help Phone Web site)

‘’ Schools are closed, events are cancelled, no more sports, no more in-person Scouts meetings and activities, and I must keep social distancing so I cannot see my friends … as a result of the new coronavirus I must adjust to a lot of changes ….’’

What is social distancing?

Social distancing is about spacing people out to help slow down the spread of COVID-19. It’s also called physical distancing to help remind people it’s not about stopping social connection, it’s about giving ourselves room to avoid catching/spreading the disease.

Physical distancing may bring up different emotions for people.

  • Some people may value a slower pace of life and more time spent at home.
  • Some people may be dealing with feelings of stress, fear, anxiety and isolation/loneliness.

It’s totally understandable you may be feeling a range of emotions right now, but you can find comfort in knowing you’re not alone — we’re all going through this together.

It is important to:

  • wash your hands often and practise good hygiene (and encourage others in your living space to do the same)
  • avoid physical contact with people outside your living space
  • keep at least two metres (about six feet) of space between yourself and others in public
  • stay home as much as possible
  • stay away from crowded areas
  • be mindful of face-to-face contact with people who are more vulnerable to the virus (e.g. elderly people/people over age 65, people with other illnesses, etc.

Remember that support is available whenever you need it — you can always talk about whatever’s going on for you to someone you trust or a resource like Kids Help Phone https://kidshelpphone.ca/ or Tel-Jeune https://www.teljeunes.com/Tel-jeunes-en

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Novel Coronavirus Update

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Appointment Council Commissioner Quebec Council

George Craigie

Dear Scouters,

It is my sincere pleasure to announce the appointment of George Craigie as Council Commissioner for Quebec Council effective immediately.

George Craigie

George joined the scouting movement as a Cub Scout, then Scout, Venturer and finally as a youth leader. The highlight of his time as a youth in Scouting was attending CJ77 in P.E.I., and the many fond memories of Cub and Scout Camps in Nova Scotia. After university, a career that took him to Montreal, and a young family, he enrolled his son in Cubs with the St Thomas a Becket Group in the Montreal West Island Area. Soon after, he was asked to help out, and before long he was back in Scouting as an Assistant Scouter with the Pack. He moved up to Scouts with his son and eventually became the Troop Scouter and then Group Commissioner. He then took on another role as Group Commissioner for Fairview Centennial Group, became Area Commissioner for West Island, and most recently he held the role of DCC Camps and Properties.

Professionally, George has pursued his education and a career in logistics, purchasing and supply chain management. He has held various positions of increasing responsibility in management with McKesson Canada, currently as a Senior Director in Procurement Operations. George is very active in his industry, and professional development, including holding leadership roles with Supply Chain Management Association, and GS1 Canada. He has a passion for boating, and for leisure has been involved as an officer and trainer with the Canadian Power and Sail Squadrons. For relaxation George enjoys camping and spending time in the outdoors with his family.

George can be reached at [email protected].

We welcome George in his new role, working as part of the Council Key 3 to deliver fun, safe Scouting adventures to our members and helping Scouts Canada achieve its 5 priorities.

Yours in Scouting,

Tim Welch

National Commissioner

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Cub thanks his customers…

    November 2018

    Thank you very much for helping me sell $2510.00 of Scouts Popcorn this year. By purchasing popcorn, you allowed the children in my group keep $1155.50 of my popcorn sales for our camps, activities, and program supplies. Some of you also made cash donations to scouting, and those totalled $376.55. Altogether, I raised $1532.05 for local scouting.

    … portion of the money to treat 30 children and volunteers from my Cub Pack to an archery day…

    We are going to put some of the money into a fund for children who can’t afford extra scouting activities. Thanks to you, many children who couldn’t otherwise afford camps can now go. I’m pretty excited about using another portion of the money to treat 30 children and volunteers from my Cub Pack to an archery day, where we will learn Olympic-style archery and safety from professional instructors. We will also put some money towards training supplies to help as many scouting youth and volunteers across the province of Quebec learn canoeing and pioneering.

    Thanks again for supporting scouts across the province, sending kids to camp, and funding really cool adventures. I hope you are willing to help support Scouts Canada again in the future.

    Sincerely, Rowan Luckow (Beaconsfield resident, member of 1st Greenfield Park Cubs)

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    Camp Tamaracouta Temporarily Closing.

    An Important Message from Your Council Key 3

    Friends in Scouting,

    As your Council Key 3, we are committed to ensuring Scouting properties are both sustainable and support quality outdoor programming.

    Over the past months, we have taken the time to review operations at Tamaracouta Scout Reserve (TSR). The property needs repairs and significant infrastructure upgrades to continue to be a viable, safe property for our youth to enjoy.

    Recent bookings show that while there is good support from Groups within Quebec Council making use of the property, it is insufficient to sustainably support the operating costs. Significant efforts were made during this past year to increase usage and identify sustainable alternate sources of revenue, which resulted in an increase in camp usage and booking revenue from Groups over the previous year. However, in order to realize a sustainable business plan, important commitments will need to be made in terms of staffing and infrastructure. Before committing such investments for the future of TSR, we plan to engage the services of a professional asset management firm to complete an overall review of the property and assist in the formulation of a viable strategic plan.

    As a result, we have decided to temporarily close the property, effective December 1st, while we complete a full assessment of what would be required for TSR to operate sustainably and in keeping with provincial and Scouts Canada requirements.

    Our community; Scouting Volunteers, members and staff, will be engaged throughout this process to provide feedback on how we can create a sustainable property that is Mission-aligned. You can expect to hear from us before February 2019 outlining opportunities for input. Additionally, we will provide members with quarterly updates on progress made and the recommended approach forward.

    If you have a current booking at Tamaracouta Scout Reserve after December 1st, we will be in touch to cancel your booking and issue a full refund of any deposits paid.

    Scout properties support us in providing great, safe Scouting adventures for youth. We look forward to your involvement and support as we evaluate options and plans for the future of Tamaracouta Scout Reserve.

    Yours in Scouting,

    Jeff Smith, Council Commissioner
    Thomas Scoffield, Council Youth Commissioner
    Mary-Pauline Vatsis, Scouting Relationship Manager

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    BRING A FRIEND HALLOWEEN FEST

      What a better way to celebrate Halloween by bringing a friend to your Scouting meeting at Halloween!

      Until October 31, 2018, each time a Scouts Canada youth brings a friend to a Group meeting, and that friend then registers, he or she will receive a $20 Scout Shop gift certificate. Scouters simply need to record in the form below and Submit it by November 10th, 2018

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      Wow! 40 years!

      Congratulations goes out to Roberta Landerman who received accommodation presented by long time friend and Scouter Bobby Lum for 40 Years of service in Scouting. Roberta is well known as a Service Scouter, Trainer and the Gilwell reunion Committee member. Quebec Council thanks you for all your hard work and dedication to Scouting.