Bangalow Scout, 12 year old Bailey Grant, is about to embark on the trip of a lifetime to America.
Bailey departs this month to spend 10 days at a Jamboree in Virginia USA with 43,000 boy scouts and leaders, including two male leaders and seven Venturers and Scouts in the Australian contingent. Bailey is the only one going from this area. His trip is for 23 days all up. He will spend the first week touring New York, Niagara Falls and Washington, then 10 days at the American Jamboree, then two and a half days in LA visiting Disneyland and Universal Studios.
He will be doing activities such as abseiling, scuba diving, trap shooting, a bike triathlon, archery, canoeing and sailing as well as making new friends from all over the world. Bailey says of his upcoming trip, “I can’t wait to go! I’m really looking forward to trying new activities like tomahawk throwing, trap shooting and scuba diving.”
Bailey’s mum, Rachelle came across ‘International Opportunities’ on the Scouts Australia website and Bailey was accepted as one of the scouts to go. He has been an active and valuable member of the Bangalow Scouts since September 2008 showing common sense, initiative and excellent leadership skills.
Bailey first met up with contingent leaders and a few of the other kids at the Australian Jamboree at Cataract Park in January this year. Both leaders and five of the scouts/venturers met again at a pre-jamboree camp in Sydney in April. This was a get together to give everyone an idea about what to expect from the American Jamboree and to see everyone was suitable to go.
Thanks to the tireless fundraising efforts of his family, (you may have seen his mum Rachelle selling raffle tickets anywhere and everywhere to try and raise the $6000 cost of the trip) they have a long way to achieve their target so any donations to help Bailey represent Bangalow and Australia would be greatly appreciated. Please call Rachelle on 6629 1349 if you can help out.
Speaking of donations, the Bangalow Scouts were also very grateful to receive a visit from Michael Malloy, President of the Chamber of Commerce, who gave them a cheque for $2300 and Neil Sowerby, President of the Bangalow Lions, a cheque for $2200. The money is going towards the renovations of the hall, including a new kitchen.
The Scouts would also like to thank Neil from Seesaw Signs for donating their wonderful new sign on the hall.
On another positive note, the rainwater tank was installed this week as the beginning of Scouts new eco-friendly hall.
Bailey is wearing the uniform in the photo which is an Akubra hat, green and yellow contingent shirt, red earth tones scarf, stone coloured shorts and a woggle made from a large ‘gumnut’!
Lisa Sharpe
