DSG Hawaii Overseas Exchange 2012 Day 5 – A Mini Jamboree

Rise and shine, it’s Day 5 of our DSG Hawaii Overseas Exchange 2012. Today, there would be more Hawaiian Scouts and Scoutmasters coming to the DAV campsite in the morning. During the morning breakfast cooking, we had a parent/scoutmaster, from Hawaii Troop 147 who was a chef during his Navy career helping us with the breakfast preparation and cooking. His son was a Boy Scout from Troop 147 and he was camping with us at DAV campsite. It’s an interesting experience and we all learned something about Scouting in USA, they have great parents support who would come along with their kids to camping and Scouting activities. The community based Scouting in USA is not much seen in Singapore because majority of Singapore Scouting is school based.

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While breakfast was being prepared, DSG and Troop 147 were preparing for the morning’s Flag Break Ceremony. The boys and girls from DSG shared with Troop 147 Scouts on how we conduct our Flag Break Ceremony, the procedures and movements, something that they do it very differently. This learning exchange was very beneficial for all them, to share, to teach and to learn from a fellow Scout. After ensuring our brother scouts from Troop 147 were ready, they all went for breakfast in the dining hall. The dining hall was noisy with the chattering and interaction between DSG and  Troop 147, we were also joined by more Hawaiian Scoutmasters who came to join in the mini Scouting Exchange day – A Mini Scout Jamboree as I called it! When we all had breakfast, it’s time for the Flag Break Ceremony, conducted by DSG along with Troop 147 and a Cub Scout Troop joining us. The combined ceremony signifies a key essence of DSG visit to Hawaii for a Scouting Overseas Exchange Program in 2012, both DSG, Troop 147 and a Cub Scout Troop in a horseshoe formation, with 2 Flags flying high – DSG Flag and USA Flag.2T2J2244

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The event began after the Flag Break Ceremony, split into 5 different patrols since there are 5 different stations for the Scout Craft/Skill Exchange and Learning. DSG is very natural and experienced in taking care of their younger Cub Scouts since DSG had quite a number of Scouting events/activities back home in Singapore with Cub Scouts too. There were 5 different stations whereby the different patrols were able to learn and have fun at the same time. It was heartwarming to see Hawaii Scoutmasters helping, sharing and passing on their Scouting skills and knowledge to the younger generation, I believed that our boys and girls from DSG would find it useful and beneficial to their Scouting knowledge and skills, that they can pay-it-forward and pass-it-on to their fellow DSG scouts. At a later time, Scouts from Hawaii Troop 42 visited us at the Scout Craft/Skill Exchange and Learning and we really had a Mini Jamboree!

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In the late afternoon, after the events concluded, DSG presented a plaque to Mr Thomas Hee, scoutmaster from Troop 42, a token of appreciation for his contribution and support of Dragon Scout Group visit to Hawaii in 2012 for the Overseas Scout Exchange Program. I can remember Troop 42 coming down to Singapore in 2007 for an exchange program, I was part of the welcome party at Changi International Airport, we brought them for steamboat buffet at Marina South (when it was still around), farewell dinner at Singapore Recreation Club and bidding them goodbye at Changi International Airport! Beautiful memories with Troop 42 when they were in Singapore!

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During dinner time, we had Chef from Troop 147 to help us with the cooking and he prepared dishes for all of us there to have a taste of his cooking. Before dinner time, we had our Flag Lowering Ceremony and a group photo taking in very challenging light condition, having to borrow gas lamps from Troop 147 to illuminate the surroundings. Thereafter, dinner was served and the Mini-Jamboree of interaction and exchange continued on inside the dining hall with food and at the campfire pit outside later after dinner.

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

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