Be Prepared! Scouts celebrate a century of existence
“Be Prepared” is the motto that is constant on the minds of the youths who become scouts. The Local Association of Boy Scouts of British Honduras was established in 1911. One hundred years later, as the Scout Association of Belize, the organization’s numbers have significantly grown to two thousand members. This week, the association is celebrating a century of existence and is also joining the rest of the world in observing Scout Week 2011. The association’s Program Director, Nephtali Palma, spoke to News Five about the week of events, happening countrywide.
Nephtali Palma, Program Director, Scout Association of Belize
Nephtali Palma
“Countrywide and worldwide, scouts all over the world are celebrating Scout Week. It’s in commemoration of the birthday of Lord Baden-Powell and his birthday is on February twenty-second. And so for that day, we celebrate scout week. We have also a weeklong of activities that the groups countrywide will be partaking in. we have activities that will range from community service; we also have campfires that will be done. We also have a joint ecumenical service with the Girl Guides Association which will be done on Sunday at Wesley church at two p.m.; there we will have the Girl Guides and Scouts that will be taking part in this service and after the service we’ll be having a parade through the streets of Belize City. And on February twenty-second, which is the birthday of Baden Powell, we are asking all our Scouts, all members of our association to come out and wear their uniform proudly to end the Scout week.”
Delahnie Bain
“Can you tell us a bit about the theme that the week is being celebrated under this year?”
Nephtali Palma
“The theme is One Promise; the Challenge Continues and I think it’s also fitting that we use that theme for our association since we are also celebrating a hundred years of scouting in Belize. We all at Scout want to remember, especially in this Scout week and celebration of a hundred years that what we have pledged in our promise; to do our best, to love God, to serve our country, to work for peace and to be true to the Scout Law. I want to encourage my brother scouts countrywide and worldwide to live up to this promise.”
A message from Governor General Sir Colville Young, officially declaring opening Scout Week will be aired immediately following Caribbean News Line.
