My notes from the area meeting of October 20th, 2005.

• Whispering Pines had $432 in revenue from outside groups in the month of September. This is compares to about $300 for all of last year.
• A committee is in place to organise and run Scout Camp Zero. Will be at Ken Richardson's place.
• 3rd year Cub activity day tentatively scheduled for May 6th. To be run be Scouts.
• Sharing session for Beaver leaders and Cub leader meeting to occur sometime in the next six weeks. The Scouter's Club on October 30th is canceled.
• Chris Tyler was given the Lily and Thistle award. This is a new Valley Highlands award for someone going above and beyond the call of duty.
• Heated discussion on whether the stacking chairs at the camp should be kept or disposed of. Decision was to keep them.
• Pakenham is not running this year. Arden is struggling to get off the ground. A couple of groups are running with one leader per section and/or no group committee.
• Al Griffon is the contact at Scout HQ for the museum and archives.
• Suggested guidelines published for when one section does activities with the same section from another group. i.e. when a small section works with a larger section from a different group.
• Valley Highlands had 512 kids + adults at the end of last year. Voyageur region had 7,700.
• John Stalker has a large number of topographical maps covering eastern Ontario. These belong to the area. They can be borrowed by any group that needs them.
• Any group that would like a timeslot at the Carleton Place bingo should speak up now. A timelot runs from 2:30pm to 6:00pm each Sunday. A group is allocated at most one timeslot. Revenue is $500-$700 for the afternoon's work. Five people are required for the afternoon.
• Lion's Club in Carleton Place is offering grocery cards. They are resold to parents and people for face value. i.e. they pay $100 for a $100 card. So it costs the person nothing extra. The group gets 4% kickback. i.e. $4 for every $100 sold. Contact is Jean D'Allaire 257-1315 (W) 253-0241 (H).
• Chris Tyler will be putting out his newsletter again.
• Carleton Place: Old 12' sailboat for sale. Comes with sails but no mast. 88 kids. All section camp at Whispering Pines. 80 people at camp. Dr. Seuss theme. Beavers had sleepover at Smiths Falls Railway museum. Kids had really good time. Scouts have had three camps so far this year with a light weight camp planned for November.
• Beckwith: 10 Beavers, 7 Cubs, 5 Scouts + 5 Scouts from Montegue.
• Smiths Falls: 23 Beavers, 24 cubs, 7 Scouts. Scouts went to Brotherhood camp. Cubs made apple crisp with left over apples from Apple day. Cubs and Scouts went to Saunders farm. Cubs had a Fear Factor night.
• Almonte: 12 Beavers, 15 Cubs, 12 Scouts + 1 Drummond Scout. Campfire in the middle of the town. Cubs to Saunders Farm.
• Portland: 10 Beavers, 4 Cubs, 4 Scouts. One leader for each section. Cubs & Scouts made survival kits. Beaver's doing Space jumpstart program. Really good.
• Drummond: 8 Beavers, 10 Cubs, 1 Scout
• Perth: 1 Beaver, 5 Cubs, 7 Scouts