43rd Annual Scouts Klondike Derby - 2007
Heritage Area

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Parc du Lac Beauchamp, Gatineau, Que
Saturday, February 10, 2007 - 8:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.

The Klondike Derby is a day-long winter competition for Scouts during which patrols will pull their Klondike sleds along a 5-6 km course in the Parc du Lac Beauchamp area. Along the way, they will be tested on Scouting skills at 20 stations. The day ends with a banquet and the awarding of trophies.


The Place
The Klondike "trail" will start and end at The Parc Louis-Philion Community Centre located at the intersection of Boulevard Lorrain and Rue du Curé-Labelle in Gatineau, QC. There is parking available on site for participants.

Directions: Exit hwy 50 (east to Montreal) at Boul Lorrain and turn right after leaving the highway. The community centre is about 1.3 km on the RHS at the corner of Boul Lorrain and Rue du Cure-Labelle

As Klondike is taking place during in a public area, there may be other activities taking place. Please use our Klondike event to show the public what scOUTing is all about!


Fees
Registration fees will be set at the January 10 Scouters’ Club meeting ($10 per Scout (includes banquet and crest) and $15 per leader (includes banquet, crest and lunch)). Given the first aid, station and catering services that Venturers will provide, their lunches and dinners will be provided at no charge to them. These costs are included in the overall budget for the event.


Registration
Registration will close on February 5th. Completed forms with names of Scouts, their age, number of years in Scouts and level completed (Pioneer, Voyageur, Pathfinder or Chief Scout); plus names of Scouters and any food allergies or preferences; and cheques payable to Scouts Canada, Heritage Scouters' Club should be brought to the Scouters' Club meeting or delivered before the meeting to Tony Davis (89 Java St, Ottawa K1Y 3L5; 724-2133) or Dave Truemner (729-2474). Please do your best to provide accurate information; there will be no refunds for no-shows.

Scouts, Venturers and leaders taking part must be registered members of Scouts Canada. Where non-registered adults will be volunteering just for the day, Troop Scouters should note the screening requirements in Membership and Registration.

Trophies for 2006
Overall winner (highest score) - 96th Ottawa, Kingfisher patrol
Senior winners - 36th Ottawa, Ferret patrol
Intermediate winners - 105 ième N-D-N (Quebec), Lynx patrol
Junior winners - 1st Wakefield, Bison patrol

Please bring in the Trophy’s to the Feb 5th 2007 Scouters’ Club.

Preparation
Prior to the Derby, patrols should practice with their sleds including packing and manoeuvring. Because there is a steep hill on the trail, patrols must know how to use ropes around trees to control the descent and aid manage the ascent of their sleds. Boil-in-a-bag meals can be great for lunch; it's best if they are cold but not frozen on Saturday morning when you leave home, so that they can be heated quickly.

Robert Service's poetry about the Yukon is very evocative; Pierre Burton's book on the gold rush is excellent. Encourage your Scouts to do some reading beforehand, or read a little to them at your next meetings.

Leaders will meet at the Parc Louis-Philion Community Centre on Saturday, February 3rd, 9:30 a.m. to set the trail.

On Klondike day, Scouts should arrive with their knapsacks packed including extra mitts and socks, lunch, snacks (trail mix) etc. Their uniform and indoor footwear don't have to be carried on the trail but will be needed for the banquet. Scouts should be prepared to spend the entire day on the trail. The Klondike is physically challenging; after it, motivation for anything other than a bath and bed will be limited.

The Start
Most troops should plan to arrive at 8:00 a.m.; those whose leaders will be looking after late-morning stations can come at 8:30 a.m. to minimize Scouts' waiting time at the start. On arrival, patrols (4 to 8 Scouts) pack their own sleds. One leader from each troop checks with registrar Dave Truemner, leaves Scouts' physical fitness sheets in a sealed envelope with him and picks up a name sign for each sled, and station score sheet(s). The first event for the patrols is the inspection of sled and equipment, and should start by 8:20 in the parking lot. Leaders staffing events in the first half of the morning should leave for their stations by the 8:20 start.

Portable radios
If a troop is responsible for a station in the morning, one leader from the station should sign out a radio and check whether it should be transferred to another troop for the afternoon. There will be a radio base station manned by Dave Truemner or another Scouter and all calls should be directed through the base. Please check that the radio is working before heading out on the trail. Radios and spare batteries must be signed in by the end of the day. The Area is responsible for any loss or damage.

On The Trail
The Klondike Derby is intended to build and test teamwork among the youth. Hence leaders, parents or other adults must not to accompany patrols along the course; Scouts are on their own. Venturers will provide hot chocolate mid-morning and mid-afternoon - lug mugs on the sleds in an accessible location!

Leader’s Lunch
The Leader’s lunch (including Venturers) is provided at the lunch stop near the Chalet in the Parc du Lac Beauchamp. The food will be prepared by 1st Greenwood Venturers. Please indicate any food allergies.

The Events and the Scoring
At stations along the trail, leaders will evaluate patrols on, for example: slalom race, side hill manoeuvres, "smooshboard" race, tree identification, knots, estimation of height & distance, water boiling and lunch site cleanup, rope climb, first aid and survival quiz, first aid splint & transport, lashings, compass bearing, ice rescue, sled preparation/emergency equipment, first aid kit/survival kit, gully crossing, map symbols, "panning for gold", blindfolded stretcher carry, "spider hole", knife/saw. Descriptions of the stations have been circulated separately.

A patrol's performance at each event will be scored for knowledge/accomplishment (up to 7 points) and teamwork (up to 3 points). Scores will be totalled and trophies awarded to the best overall patrol and the best patrols in the junior, intermediate and senior categories. The category into which a patrol fits is determined by an average of its members' age, years in Scouts, number of previous Klondikes attended and the Scouting level the individual has attained (between Pioneer and Chief Scout).

The Banquet
The banquet is formal with all Scouts in uniform. The banquet has all Scouts in uniform. The food will be prepared by 2nd Gatineau Leaders, and a vegetarian dish will be available on request through the registration form. Announcement of scores and presentation of trophies for each category will follow the banquet. Please indicate any food allergies

The End
You can expect to leave for home between 6:30 and 7:00 p.m. We ask that all troops contribute to the cleanup after the banquet and ensure that no clothing or equipment is left behind. If necessary, Scouter Adrian will provide a lost-and-found. A summary of the results will be provided at the next Scouters' Club meeting, if not before by e-mail.

Equipment Lists

Patrol

  • Sled with tow harness (Plans to build a sled)
  • 4 ropes 2m long to secure everything
  • 2 ropes 15m long to assist in up-hill, down-hill and side-hill manoeuvres
  • Tarp or plastic sheet to wrap sled contents securely; also handy to sit on during lunch
  • material for the "splint and transport" event: triangular bandages and splints
  • Small shovel
  • Water (in insulated jug) for drinking on the trail and for lunch preparation
  • Pot(s) to heat beverage and/or boil-in-a-bag lunches
  • One Buddy Burner per patrol for competion and a Coleman Stove for heating lunch
  • In one accessible bag: a mug and a substantial mid-morning snack for every Scout, patrol first aid kit, garbage bag, matches, compass, and small roll of duct tape

Scouts

  • Warm clothing appropriate to the weather, snow pants, scarf, hat, mitts (not gloves)
  • Boots with tight tops to keep snow out. Use duct tape around boot tops if necessary, but note that the tape needs to be applied at room temperature. (NO rubber boots or running shoes)
  • In a Knapsack:
    • Extra mitts, socks & T-shirt
    • Plastic bags (foot sized)
    • Sweater or fleecy
    • Notebook & pencil
    • Survival/First Aid kit
    • Boil-in-a-bag or other lunch
    • A hot beverage or water in a thermos and snacks such as trail mix are good ideas; it is important to drink and eat during the day.
    • Eating utensils
    • Bowl and mug with a big handle (helps when drinking with mitts on)
  • For the banquet: (may be packed separately and left in leader's car during Derby)
    • Uniform including shirt, necker, woggle and sash
    • Runners or slippers to wear indoors (floors could be wet)

Leaders
Everything the Scouts need (except lunch) plus:

  • Event materials
  • Updated registration forms
  • Physical fitness certificates for all Scouts (with a minimum of Health Card number and allergies listed), to be left in a sealed envelope with the registrar. Please mark the troop number on the outside of the envelope.
  • Plate, cup and eating utensils for lunch. Venturers will provide a hot lunch for leaders, with a vegetarian option available.

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