The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
July 2009 marked the 80th anniversary of Scouting in the Flin Flon area. It started in July 1929 when a Scouter, James Flockhart, took 15 boys to a camp at Lake Louis (Spirit Lake). We haven't been able to get any information on the scouter or the names of the boys. This was the start of the 1st Flin Flon closed troop. They were called the 1st St. Augustine Troop and were sponsored by the Augustine Catholic (later St. Ann's) Church. In 1934, until the group folded, the Knights of Columbus became their sponsors. In 1930, they received their charter. Between 1930 and 1956, there were 10 troops going in Flin Flon, Island Falls, SK, Creighton and Denare Beach areas. There were 19 Cub packs (some groups had more than one pack) and in 1954 we had a District McIsaac Rover Scout Crew start up. When Venturer companies started up, there was the 6th Company (1967-69), 4th Company (1981-82, then part of the 9th Company from 1982-86). Years later, the 5th companies started up for a while before folding. In 1974, when the Beaver section was added to Scouting, all groups had a colony. A point of interest; the Flin Flon District was formed in 1937. The first District President was Jim Bell, Secretary/Treasurer, H.J. Webber and District Commissioner Rod McIsaac Sr. The man who set a record for being the longest secretary/treasurer was Bob Coombs 1947-1977. Over the years there has been a number of Scout meeting places. The 2nd Troop first met at the Little Red School House Ð now not used Ð on the school ground uptown. It was later moved out to Creighton for the 6th Group. They put it on a basement formation. Years later, when the old Lutheran Church was used, the people moved into a new church the Lions brought for the Scout Association and the 2nd moved over from United Church until they folded. The only Scout Hall standing is the 5th Log Hall in Birchview. Groups over the years met in schools or churches. In March 1936, a "Boy Scout Handyman Service" Ð with headquarters in Bell's Hardware on Main Street Ð was set up. Mr. Bell took orders for a job a Scout could do like going to a home to do a job like cleaning windows or yards, or go on errands and sometimes splitting wood. Any money the Scouts made was put in the Troop Headquarters. This way, each boy had his own account and when it came to get uniforms or go camping, the money came off his account and the parents didn't have to put out any money for things. For a fundraiser, the District Council would put on a concert in the Flin Flon Community Hall and usually over 60 people would attend and the cost of a ticket then was $0.25. They would have the Scout groups put on some acts as well s the Elks Band and Warren's Orchestra. In the 60s, the Cub and Scouts concerts were started up. One half of the District Groups put on concerts for Friday and Saturday one week at Birchview School, second week the same was done by the other half uptown at old Hapnot School. The three or four best acts from first two group went out to Creighton for one night. Everyone enjoyed doing this for a number of years. Over the years, a lot of people have worked hard for Scouting in Flin Flon and Camp Whitney. Some of the better known names we can think of are Neil McLennan, Cuthbert McNeil, Rod McIsaac Sr. and Albert Hopkins. There are hundreds more we don't remember names of. One name we came across a while ago was a Scout leader Ð 90 year old George Schuman and he still walks everyday. In 2007, it was the 100th anniversary of Scouting in the world and Canada put out a 100 year Scouting medal. Three of our Scouters were honoured. They were Ron Potkonjak, Don Peake and Jim Fell. The 5th Group is still going with Beaver and Cubs due to the hard work keeping the sections going by volunteers like Brent Grocholski, Kyle Harrower for Beavers and Ron Potkonjak for Cubs. We could use an extra helper. The Group Committee for the 2009-2010 year is Chairman Dan Boily, Secretary Jeanne Fell, Treasurer Ron Potkonjak, Sharon Grocholski, Hall Rentals , Jim Fell, Honours and Jack Rigby, Legion Representative.
