When Loretta Makela was growing up in Flin Flon, she was in Girl Guides and she loved it. Makela now helps bring that love as a Brownie leader. That program will be one of many available for sign-up during Registration Under One Roof Sept. 5 at the R.H. Channing Auditorium.
Joining the Girl Guides at Registration Under One Roof, as of August 26, is the Flin Flon Skating Club, Flin Flon Judo Club, Flin Flon Minor Hockey Association, Northern Lights Dance Academy, Flin Flon Arts Council, No. 2328 Cadet Corps, Girl Guides, City of Flin Flon Parks and Recreation, Creighton Recreation and others.
Makela said one of the biggest things she took away from Girl Guides is a push out of her comfort zone, and the opportunity to try new things. A push she still receives from the club today.
“Sometimes with new people, I can be a little shy and a little awkward,” she said.
“You’ve got to stand up in front of 10, little girls and be the brave one, because you're the leader and engage them in different activities and different games and different songs. Sometimes you get to make a fool of yourself. It's definitely an experience.”
The Girl Guides aren’t just looking for participants, but also volunteer leaders.
“Right now we only have two or three leaders that are actually parents,” Makela said.
“The rest of us have either grown up in the program or have just decided this is something they would like to do. 75 per cent of us don't even have a daughter in the program.”
Girl Guides, like many other clubs in Flin Flon is battling a declining population, and an increase in competition.
“When I was a kid, there was Brownies or there was hockey - you went one way or the other,” Makela said.
“Now, there's so much for kids to do. I'm happy to see that kids are just being involved in community activities and experiencing life, but it's hard to keep girls in our program, especially as they get older. Sometimes Girl Guides is looked upon, as the girls get older, as kind of not cool.”
One of the ways Girl Guides is combating the increase in activities for kids is a restructuring of the program to become less structured. It’s a change that was welcomed by Makela.
“I was really excited about it really nervous about it - I'm not good with change,” she said, laughing.
“For the girls, I find it exciting and interesting. I kind of wish it had been in place when I was a little girl because then I could have maybe experienced the program more and been able to learn new things and experience different things. When I was a little girl, it was sewing, housekeeping, babysitting - now it's working in things like mechanics and science.”
With only one year of experience with the new program, Makela is already seeing benefits.
“It's been a learning experience for everybody,” she said.
“It used to be very stringent and structured on how things were done... Now, it's very broad and the girls can experience things differently than I did as a kid.”
Kids can sign up for Girl Guides or any other area club starting at 5 p.m. Sept. 5.
