July is a month of service as we honour our late Patron Madiba. With the winter cold upon us, the Cubs, Scouts and Adult Leaders of 1st Hermanus Scout Group braved the storm and met at the Scout Hall for some fun and some service. The Group made just under 72 litres of soup which was donated to the Hermanus Dutch Reformed Church’s soup kitchen. “It was very touching that despite schools being closed on Thursday and Friday due to the storm, 62 people, which is 85% of our Group, attended to make soup for their community”, says Pack Scouter Orsella Schneeberger.

The soup ingredients were purchased with funds raised with the help of parents earlier this year. “To earn ingredients, we played a wide game developing leadership and teambuilding. There were 4 bases. At Base1 they had to build a fishing rod using the round lashing and catch puzzle pieces. The puzzle formed a quote of Mandela. Upon completion they earned carrots. At Base 2 they used 100 blocks to build a domino rally which was recorded and sent to their Troop Leader to earn potatoes. Base 3 was all about height when they enjoyed a game of balloon volleyball with a twist. To earn a butternut, no one was allowed to be taller than the shortest member. The last base tested their creativity and teamwork as they drew a pot of soup with a marker. Each marker had strings attached, and each member held a string. This teamwork translated into parsley for the soup”, she adds with a grin.

“We made just about 72 litres of soup for the Dutch Reformed Church here in Hermanus. They have a soup kitchen where they feed a diverse group of community members in need. Our soup was quite concentrated so the kitchen team at the food kitchen recon they can make and freeze more than 100 litres, making approximately 400 warm meals.

It is heartwarming to see with what joy and dedication everyone lent a hand. As the soup ingredients were bought from money raised with the help of parents last term, as leadership, we are also touched by the involvement of our parents. These types of projects allow Cubs and Scouts to learn that by doing what you can, when you can, with what you have, as a collective a huge difference can be made. Teamwork can indeed make a dream work! These projects also prepare them with positive experiences for when they run their community service projects as Leaping Wolves, 1st Class or Springbok Scouts.

And… when the Scouts were left alone for a moment and the adults were in the kitchen … the Scouts stacked the ice cream containers filled with soup from the floor to the roof! Such a Scout thing to do. #thefunwillfindyou”