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.
Kelly Carrington Staff Writer Sixty-two years ago, Jeanne Boulton says she got 'roped' into helping with St. Mary's Church in Grassendale, Liverpool. When a Scouts group set up on church premises in 1950, she became one of its volunteers _ and remains with the popular youth movement to this day. More than six decades of service with the Scouts later, Boulton, now Fell, is the secretary and treasurer of the Group Committee in Flin Flon. Fell started out as a club leader in her native England. Attending the World Jamboree, she met a Flin Flonner by the name of Jim Fell. After a few visits, the two 'decided we were made for each other,' she says, and in 1965 the couple married. In Flin Flon, Fell picked up where she left off as she joined the Scouts. 'I've been with the same group ever since, at the Scout Hall,' she says. When Jeanne first moved to Flin Flon, she remained a club leader _ as she was in England. However, as the years went by, Jeanne found herself more comfortable with the Group Committee rather than planting trees with the young boys. Jeanne has been with the Flin Flon Scouts for 47 years, beginning nearly the same day she married her husband. Back in England, Jeanne started out with the Scouts with her younger sister and one other girl. From Liverpool she later moved to London, where her sister followed and the other girl remained. Transition Moving from London to Flin Flon was an easy transition in terms of continuing Jeanne's involvement with the Scouts. 'I'm a real believer (in Scouts),' she says. 'I think it's great.' Jeanne and Jim put their son through Scouts as their daughter made her way through the Girl Guides. 'I think it's great for kids. Maybe I'm old-fashioned,' Jeanne says with a laugh. 'I believe in these movements. I think they are great for kids.' In honour of her 62 years of service to Scouts, Jeanne recently accepted an award from Scouts Canada. She first heard word of her award win in February. Due to the far distance between Flin Flon and Winnipeg, and bad timing, she was unable to head south until last week. Jeanne, Jim and six others met for supper at a restaurant in the capital city, where she accepted her award. 'It was informal and nice,' she says. Jeanne received a certificate from Scouts Canada acknowledging her years of service as well as a glass plaque. 'It's really neat, but boy is it heavy,' she says of the plaque. The plaque looks completely clear from afar, but up close has a maple leaf and the Scout's honour design engraved into the glass. 'I'm not in it for that kind of thing,' Jeanne says, adding, however, that it was still nice. As a Group Committee member, Jeanne no longer deals with boys participating in Scouts, other than events such as the Kub Kar races. Because Jeanne is no longer a club leader, she did not receive the Silver Acorn Award _ as Jim did for his own 62 years of service. Instead, Scouts Canada presented Jeanne with the plaque and certificate. Nomination A nomination was sent to Scouts Canada on behalf of Jeanne, though she does not know who it came from. 'It came as a surprise,' she says, recalling when Jim answered the phone call earlier this year. 'I didn't know a thing about it.' While her nominator remains a mystery, Jeanne knows it was not her husband, as spouses are unable to nominate each other for awards through Scouts Canada.
