Butterflies - The overall winners
Grave Cram at the Cemetery
The Laboratory - Theme site
Venturer Totem Pole
Easter 2005, 90 Venturers descend on Blanchetown and its surrounds for the annual 4 day branch venturer event. This year things have changed and bike riding and canoeing are now available during the weekend to break up the hiking which is to be done.
I had the privilege of working with a great team of people (Theme Team) who managed to turn the uninspiring landscape from nothing into a sacred burial ground a cemetery and a laboratory. A Horror theme fits Venturing and EV particularly well and leads to a wide range of ideas for activities.
This was my first year involved in running activities at EV in an official capacity and to see everyone (rovers, leaders etc) putting in such a great effort was great to see and all their hardwork should be applauded. This year Anstey, Aesir, Crew 64, Grovers and TARC fought it out for the
title of best Rover activity crew (for the daily activities run for the Venturers throughout the hike) with Crew 64 taking home the trophy this year.
Congratulations must go to the Venturer teams who came along to compete (19 teams, 5 Full Pack teams and 14 day pack teams) it was great to see such a large turnout of Venturers.
This leads me to my questions about EV.
Was the new format with the canoes and bikes a success? - Personally I don’t believe so as there was not enough equipment for all the venturers to use and so was not a required part of the hike meaning many/most teams opted not to take part and instead relax around the billabong at Roonka.
What do the Venturers want from EV? – is it worth the effort of the hike team wasted as most of the teams did not even consider attempting hiking any further than the minimum (even when carrying day packs). Do the Venturers just want another Supersplash at Easter time… I hope not!.
What happened to the Challenge? - why lower the minimum so low. The Venturers are required to break camp, visit 3 activity checkpoints and than reach lunch, why when the hike was done on flat country side on tracks/roads was this minimum distance so short? I am personally not a fan of this
political correctness where no-one is allowed to “fail” – what about the people who strive for and or need the challenge to motivate them. I believe we are now no longer catering for them. Personally I want to challenge the people who want it and who u know will grow from it not cater for 50
others just to tag along and do the minimum. What ever happened to “Do Your Best”?
Is this Day Pack Option Safe? I spent a lot of time during the weekend watching teams come into lunch or camp with their daypacks. Everytime I asked myself is this safe, the clothing that many of the participants wore is not good hiking clothes (great theme clothes), the shoes – well trainers
slipped on? Is this safe. Day packs which are worn like most school bags (low and not against body) – should we not attempt to ensure safe carrying of gear. I swear a lot of the day packs did not contain enough gear to keep a team out of trouble if an emergency occurred. At least with a full
pack, if something happens and an injury occurs or a team gets lost they can set camp until help arrives, day packs teams don’t have this option and I highly doubt many carry enough gear to look after themselves in this sort of situation.
And now for the big question.
Where is the incentive for the Venturers to better themselves or to try harder next year? This year the accolades (read this as trophies) all went to the day packing teams. Wouldn’t the challenge be for a day pack team from this year to improve their hiking to the level where they than can
full pack EV?... Why would they bother when they can pick up all the trophies as day packers. Camp = easier with day pack, all your campsite and food carried for you, Theme = I’m sure its easier to keep in theme and wear your costumes when you aren’t worried about weight restrictions and are
having an easier walk, Overall = trophy is based heavily on Camp and Theme and Activities so has to be easier for a day pack team. One trophy remains for the hikers on this competitive hike “The Hike Trophy” and congratulations to the Venturers from Lyndoch/Gawler who won it this year.
I personally think 2005 catered too much for the social side of Venturers (which we all know is important but it’s not the reason the Venturer Section exists). Socialising will occur no matter what (it always has in the past at EV without promoting it). I am not saying and would never say
take away the night time activities all I say is challenge the Venturers during the day first.
I put it to the EV organisers… lets not go soft on the vents – lets test them next year. The hike area is more interesting and challenging for 2006 lets make it the best EV yet. If there must be a day pack option ensure they have a weight limit to even the playing field, lets encourage the
Venturers to try full pack hiking and if they struggle then go day packing, challenge them. Set the minimum hike distance to something reasonable and something that will challenge everyone.
I put it to the Venturers – Challenge yourself guys and girls, attempt a full pack hike, attempt to do more than the bare minimum, attempt to improve on this years performance (go from a C grade to a B).
Congratulations to the Award Winners for 2005
Activities: Almost the Adams Family (Evictica Golden Grove)
Camp: Butterflies (Kinkoonie Rangers/Ridghaven Venturers)
Day Pack Hikers: Butterflies (Kinkoonie Rangers/Ridghaven Venturers)
Theme: Time Warp (Golden Grove)
Full Pack Hikers: Bloodbath Wedding (Lyndonch/Gawler)
Overall: Butterflies (Kinkoonie Rangers/Ridghaven Venturers)
These have been the thoughts of one leader who wants Venturing to continue to grow and challenge the young adults we work with on a week to week basis.
Ross Vivian
CLG Venturer Leader
PC Special Needs
YLDP Trainee
