Lead Stories

Laura Redpath, Senior Reporter

FOUR MISCHIEVOUS cubs sat in the bleachers to the back of St George's College Emmet Park chowing down on hot dogs and popcorn. They were busy laughing and chatting, while taking in the acti-vities on the track at the annual cubs and scouts rally yesterday in Kingston.

"You know how long I've been looking for you?" their guardian sternly asked, hastily making her way up the steep bleacher steps.

"Go back over there!" she said loudly, waving at some gathering point off in the distance.

With trophies lined up on a table under the pavillion and boys and girls of all ages coming and going, the national training commissioner, Joycinth Mal-colm, kept a watchful eye on the the rally.

"This year is important to us," Malcolm, who has been a scout leader for 25 years, said. "It's our centennary year and we want to make this memorable."

The rally attracted cubs and scouts from districts including St Ann, Manchester, St Thomas, West Kingston, St Andrew, Portland and St Elizabeth.

Approximately 250 persons were in attendance, browsing various arts and crafts displays, such as a charming wooden cabinet characterised by its crookedness, beaded necklaces and clay pots.

There were also posters, as part of the art display, bearing messages of activism, such as "pollution leads to destruction in Jamaica". Another poster read "tourism soaring globally", reminiscent of the Air Jamaica logo as the words curved with the tail of Jamaica's national bird, the doctor bird.

"These children are very talented," Malcolm, who is also a teacher at Holy Rosary Primary, said.

Mastered chores

Ten-year-old cub Dimario James of the St Andrew district stood aside with his fellow cubs, watching races such as egg and spoon and the three-legged.

His sleeve boasted five badges, proving that young James had mastered household chores; reading books while knowing the authors and illustrators' names; cooking; athletics and entertainment.

"Did you see this badge?" André Reid, nine, asked, showing off his sign-language badge.

Scouts Kemol Brown and Carlton Gordon, both 17 years old, said they would recommend scouting to anyone.

"For the adventure and helping hands," Brown said.

- laura.redpath@gleanerjm.com