Guide Super Program
Did you know that Guiders earn badges, too? Guiders work towards their training recognition pins and awards by participating in training sessions, online courses or webinars to learn new skills, share new ideas, and ultimately give you a better and more dymanic Guide program.
This weekend Rosemary and I particpated in the the Guide Super Program training session with 300 Guiders from all over Ontario, Nunavut and from accross the country. Guiders choose four training sessions from a wide selection and we all spent Saturday morning with Amy from the Disney Institute. Sadly she left Anna and Elsa back in Florida, however she shared some insights into leadership and how good leadership has been a huge part of Disney's success. One of my training sessions was led by a member of the Girl Forum who reminded me to make learning new things fun and taught me some new games that I hope will do just that. You'll have to let me know if you agree! After dinner on Saturday we heard from Cheryl Pounder and Becky Kellar who inspired us with their stories about the journey from being girls just like you (Becky was a Guide and Cheryl was a Brownie) to becoming Olympic gold medal winning atheletes. Both Becky and Cheryl shared how much they loved the sport of hockey and decided against all odds that they were going to play and become members of Team Canada. When they were growing up, girls didn't play hockey. In fact, Cheryl remembers watching the very first Women's World Hockey Championship in 1990. She thought that their bright pink hockey jerseys really funny, but desperately wanted to wear one anyway. Can you imagine a time when girls had to fight to play hockey? Or a time when the women's Team Canada hockey team didn't wear the same red and white jerseys as the men's team? These inpsirational atheletes have a message for you: always give 100% in whatever you do and don't give up. Because you can do amazing things. Rosemary and I had an awesome weekend meeting new friends and visiting with old ones, learning new skills, sharing some exciting new ideas for crafts, camping, games, enviromental stewardship and dramatic arts. We got a sneak peek at the upcoming Twinning project and think that you're going to LOVE it. But best of all, we've both been insprired and empowered to share all of this new information with all of you!
Guest blogger Karen Cross has been a Guider with the 146th Toronto Guides since 2004.
