MINDEMOYA – Mindemoya’s Autumn Davy is finishing her final year of Girl Guides with the highest honour a Guide can receive—the Lady Baden-Powell Award an honour that takes up to two years to earn.
Autumn started her time with the Girl Guides of Canada when she was just a Senior Kindergardner, joining a local Sparks group, eventually graduating to Brownies and then on to Guides.
Autumn explains that the Lady Baden-Powell Award comes from taking the Lady Baden-Powell Challenge, named for the woman who founded Girl Guides. To earn the award, a Guide must complete all of the four program challenge areas, learn about Lady Baden-Powell and prepare a skit, song, story, poster or other activity and share it with their fellow Guides and complete four of the following five activities: complete a project to help their Guide unit enjoy their Guiding experience; participate in a major community service project; participate in the Pathfinder meetings (the next step above Guides); take part in a community activity that involves doing something for someone else; and share their favourite Guiding experiences over the last year with a group of friends who are not Guides.
When it came to the challenge of doing something for her seven-Guide unit, Autumn made a book of campfire songs. Two of her personal favourites, she says, are ‘Black Socks’ and ‘Land of the Silver Birch.’ She also helped to initiate an Acts of Kindness program at Central Manitoulin Public School, as well as lead the charge on a Go Green group at school.
“It was at Marymount Academy (in Sudbury),” Autumn explains of the presentation ceremony. “And we had to march in in a parade. We went up one-by-one and got a rose, a certificate from Mike Mantha and Carol Hughes and the Lady Baden-Powell hat pin and a paper to say you’ve got the award.”
Autumn says she likes Girl Guides because she gets to meet other people and because the activities are fun.
“You get to go camping, do crafts, have board game nights and stuff,” Autumn adds.
She’s looking forward to her very first Jamboree this summer at Dill Lake near Huntsville.
Autumn boasts a sash full of badges and crests for her special Guide blanket, plus at least 60 more that she keeps stored at home.
Autumn can now proudly sport her Lady Baden-Powell pin on her hat, a pin shaped like the trademark hat the founder of the Girl Guides always wore.
When asked why others should consider joining a Sparks, Brownies or Guides unit, Autumn says “because you get to help others, so you feel good.”
Congratulations, Autumn.
