By Sarah Rae

N.B. Scouts recovering after camping gear theft

Nov 1, 2016 | 10:06 AM

After the local scouting group’s equipment shed was broken into twice in a month, members are trying to recoup costs.

Lana Abrahamson, the commissioner for the Second North Battleford Scouting Group, said she first noticed the shed was broken into about four weeks ago. She noticed only a couple of items were missing. But after fixing the lock and door, group leaders found the lock cut and a noticeable amount of camping gear missing four weeks later.

Abrahamson said after notifying the RCMP and taking an inventory, recouping the loss will cost between $2,500 to $3,000.

“It seems like a small number,” she said. “$2,500 to $3,000 isn’t a lot in the grand scheme of things, but it is quite inconvenient as that would be $2,500 to $3,000 we have to fundraise on top of our regular programming costs.”

Abrahamson has been a part of scouting for years, putting four children through the program. She said she hopes this is only a minor setback for the group.

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The group leadership plans to increase the shed’s security even more now, by adding a security system and better lighting.

Apart from a registration fee that goes to the national Scouts Canada organization, the North Battleford program runs solely on money raised from four major annual fundraisers — the popcorn sale which ended yesterday, Oct. 31, two bottle drives and a tree planting program. Abrahamson said the group, which is the biggest in the province, gets amazing support from the community during these fundraisers.

This is a big year for scouting, because the Canadian Jamboree is happening in Nova Scotia in July 2017. Abrahamson said the kids continue to fundraise, some have for years, to get to Nova Scotia. It could cost up to $30,000 for the group, who pool fundraising money so everyone can go.

“The kids have been working very hard to fundraise for that trip,” she said. “Having to now fundraise another $2,500 to $3,000 to replace our cooking gear and our tabletop stoves and propane tanks so we can get to that camp and doing activities throughout the year that get us ready to do a camp of that magnitude is just an added burden for us.”

If anyone would like to help the North Battleford Scouts recover their equipment, they can contact Abrahamson or the group treasurer Dana Lavoie to make a donation through Scouts Canada.
 

Sarah Rae is battlefordsNOW’s court and crime reporter. She can be reached at Sarah.Rae@jpbg.ca or tweet her @sarahjeanrae.