Taranaki
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Sock puppets
Some Brownies having fun with their sock puppets they made as part of the Act Up theme badge.
Christine
Lepperton Brownies
Taranaki regional lake Rotokare outdoor day
Girls and families were recently invited to participate in a Regional Outdoor Activity day to learn more about projects happening at Lake Rotokare including their Kiwi Release program.
There was a program of activities during the day including community action time, education workshops, walks and kayaking.
The morning started quite windy but thankfully when the groups split for their activities they were all working in sheltered areas.
The younger girls started with a workshop to learn about the Lake Program and Kiwi project while the older girls and families split into groups and completed some trap line clearing in the bush.
Then the groups swapped over with a more in depth workshop for the older girls while the younger group completed some fence line checks.
Lunch by the lake was enjoyed and much to our delight the wind had died down. This was followed by a guides own, some of the older girls reading some poems and quotes, concluding with a poem read entitled ‘my fallen hero’ and 3 candles lit to remember the 3 that died recently on Paritutu rock during a Topec activity.
Then the groups split up again, and the girls got to have a go at kayaking on the lake, a scavenger hunt on the lower board walk around the lake or an uphill walk to a look out on the fence line.
We had a reasonable turnout of 5 Pippins, 17 Brownies, 19 Guides and 1 lonely Ranger. With a great response to our family theme for the day including 14 leaders, 15 Mums, 14 siblings and a whopping 27 Dads. (What a great way to spend Fathers Day). Great ratios too.
Several families have put their name down to go back to the Lake and become a volunteer. For those that are interested they have a working bee every Sunday morning. With lots of jobs to do, there is always something to suit everyone, including help that can be done off site such as Kiwi recorder processing and other admin work.
They have also offered for us to take girls back anytime and complete more in-depth education work with groups or community action so please feel free to contact me for more information or contact the Trust directly. More information can be found www.rotokare.org.nz
A huge thanks to all the Lake Rotokare trust members and volunteers for their support and making the day available.
Also thanks to the leaders who’s support and work on the day made the event happen. Including our group coordinators, kayakers and life savers.
Action Month
Week 1: Oh Now We Love Our Kiwi's
We had a unit meeting devoted to our beloved bird the Kiwi, each Brownie was given a card with a shape of a Kiwi at the start of term to raise funds for the BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust by doing chores to earn coins (we raised $80). We listen to the Kiwi calls/sounds. Each Brownie was given a card foot to decorate and write an interesting fact about Kiwi's they have learnt at Brownies and a card hand to write how we can help the Kiwi's then we made a giant Kiwi with the hands and feet.
Week 2: All in the Name of Community Spirit
Our Trefoil joint us to create crafts to sell to raise funds for the New Plymouth Riding For Disabled at the Kids Market.
Week 3: We're Off to the SPCA
We went to the SPCA with cans of Kitten Food and found out how we can help them and the animals.
Week 4: World Environmental Day
Mike Tapp from DOC came to visit and shared his passion and knowledge about Conservation and told us how we can help!
I love community action and think it's a wonderful opportunity for girls to think and get involved in the wider community and there are some amazing inspiring people making a difference in our country and world, I ran my assessment residential camp shortly after Red Sock Day this year and admit I didn't know a lot about Sir Peter Blake, I knew he won the America's Cup for us twice and wore red socks and was killed by pirates on the Amazon so researched his trust and legacy - a New Zealand Hero (not a female I know but someone we should be inspired by) so I purchased Red Socks for everyone at camp, we wore them and learnt all about his amazing man and how we can continue his environmental work.
This term we continue on with our community action with another Kiwi unit day, Red Cross are joining us to help complete the Band Aids 'n' Bee Stings Unit Badge, during Conservation/ Keep New Zealand Beautiful week we will team up with Westpac Trust for a coast clean up then the following week in support of the Deaf Awareness Week have our very own Loud Shirt Day with donations going to The Hearing Place and do the Sounds Theme and Hearing part of Walk a Mile.
Karen Dixon
Beanies for babies
Rubbish clean up
Hawera Pippins from Rotorangi District, Taranaki (with the help of some Rangers) got out earlier in June and spent an evening at their local park picking up rubbish for Girl Guide Action month.
Jubilee Camp
Te Henui District had a right royal celebration on the Waitara Railway Preservation Society’s train on Monday 4 June. Pippins, brownies, guides and leaders came dressed in their best to honour the Queen on her Diamond Jubilee. There was a singalong the Queen would be proud of with such songs as ‘Everywhere We Go’ and ‘God Defend New Zealand’ - heard by the train driver upfront! We stopped at the Tahora Station for our ‘High Tea’ (afternoon tea) then acknowledged the wonderful achievements of the girls in our District who received the 8 Up, Challenge 9, Senior Guide, Guides Aotearoa and Queen’s Guide followed by Promising our Guide Leader Christine Bollond.
The girls perfected their royal waves and left with big smiles!
Karen Dixon, Merrilands Brownies,
Te Henui District
Anzac Day 2012
Maketawa Anzac day 2012
Relay for Life
March 2012
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As you can see not many people showed up. There were 4 girls from Merrilands and us as you can see in the photo. We designed the bag and put all the Taranaki Units on it for Stefny Logan. A great time was had remembering Stefny. |
Get Going Girl Activity Day
February 2012
This event was put on for Inglewood Pippins, their families and their friends. It took place on a Tuesday of the Christmas holidays, and the girls were eager to come to a Pippins activity.
The unit had been working towards the Get Going Girl Challenge, to be completed next term, so it was an ideal focus for activities - climbing a hill, doing a bush walk, playing at an adventure playground, playing games with the Guide helpers, and having a pot luck picnic lunch under the trees.
We then spent the hot afternoon in the Den, doing a range of activities - flax mat weaving, drawing a picture of a Get Going Girl, playing the Balancing Kiwis game, making something with pipe cleaners, and listening to a story about African animals.
I asked a couple of girls what they had enjoyed most - “ the flax mat weaving” and “ the pot-luck lunch”!!!! - altogether an excellent day, which got Pippins , families and friends going!
Liz Finnigan
Inglewood Pippins
Maketawa District
Great Christmas Kiwi Camp Out
February 2012
Te Henui District held their Great Christmas Kiwi Camp Out on 3 - 4 December. Girls started the camp by decorating and riding on our Christmas float in the New Plymouth Christmas Parade, then walked back to the hall for a BBQ dinner, followed by a delicious fruit salad they made (the “Chop Chop” clause of the Get Going Girl Challenge).
We slept in the Merrilands School Hall (the pippins slept in a tent inside the hall) and in the morning, after a hearty breakfast, completed several more clauses of the Get Going Girl Challenge.
A fantastic time was had by all. Thanks Kiwi Camping for creating the Great Annual Kiwi Camp Out - we’re looking forward to 2012’s camp out.
Karen Dixon, Merrilands Brownies, Te Henui District
What has Taranaki been up to in 2012?
Why not tell us what you have been doing in your unit so far this year?
I know you have been out camping, doing Community Service and generally having a lot of GirlGuiding Adventures - lets show everyone what we have been doing!
Forward any stories or photos on to your Leader, District Co-ordinator, Regional Co-ordinator or the Central North Zone Office so they can be published here.
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