YORKTON — Yorkton scouts received lots of support in their effort to upgrade their building.
Kent Latimer with the Scouts said the hall was constructed in the 1960s, and it still had the original shingles, which he said were “well past due” their replacement date. The Scouts went to the community and asked for support, and businesses and organizations responded accordingly.
“The roof was starting to leak this summer,” Latimer told SaskToday. “We had to get to it and we had to get to it quick.”
The Scouts also replaced cabinets and reconfigured the kitchen with some new appliances thanks to the support they received.
The biggest supporter was SchMartin Up Construction, who supplied all of the labour for the shingles. Numerous other organizations made $1,000 and $500 contributions.
“We actually ended up doing this project for basically zero dollars, which is absolutely fabulous,” said Latimer. “The scout hall has been a fixture in this community … and with all these upgrades, it will continue this way.”
The building is used about three times a week. Each spring Yorkton’s Scouts host a couch rally that attracts members from elsewhere in the province. It has also been used for meetings for the Citizens on Patrol group.
“Without the ongoing maintenance, things tend to start to deteriorate, so we’ve ensured the health of this hall for the next 30 years,” he said.
The Yorkton Scouts have about 30 members between beavers, cubs, scouts and ventures. Meetings are held Tuesdays and Thursdays, and occasionally on weekends. Their season just started, and young people can join throughout the year.
Latimer described Scouts as one of the most economically-feasible groups to have kids involved with. It amounts to about $400 for an entire year’s worth of programming.
“We teach a lot of skills, including self-reliance, outdoor skills and leadership. The scouting program has been going for 125 years and I anticipate it will continue on for a long time. I think Scouts creates leaders if they go through the program.”
When the kids get older, they plan their own activities and programs, and it’s something Scouts helps make happen.
Anyone who wants to join can call Latimer at 306-621-1367.
