Story Mwen To Tell (My Story To Tell)

The 4th Dominica St. Alphonsus Scout Troop today celebrates 70 years of existence.

Dear reader, if you’ve been reading my blogs for a while, you may have come across me mentioning that I have been a girl scout for a long time. On this the 70th anniversary (of existence) of my troop, today the 26th of July 2024, I would like to share a few memories with you, and hopefully restore your faith, or pique your interest in scouting.

I remember very clearly that I’ve been a Bunny, Brownie, Guide, and Ranger. I also still have all of those uniforms. I’ve been a part of the schools/organisations marching past at every National Youth Rally consecutively from that age of seven all the way up to twenty and I never represented a school. It was either the Brownies, Girl Guides or the Scouts.

The switch from Girl Guides, however, took place when I was about fourteen. My younger brother had joined the troop down the street, The 4th Dominica St. Alphonsus Scout Troop and would come home with the craziest and most exciting accounts of the activities that took place during their Friday meetings. I, naturally being a tomboy, began to get more and more curious about this…..scout troop. They would go to Soufriere, on the rocks to fish. They would also have knot tying and rope climbing competitions. There would be bonfires on beaches, a lot more camps than we did with the guides. Constant hikes, Vegetable gardening and the continuous sharpening of marching drills. I loved drills!

After about three months of my brother’s stories, I was sold, and I shamelessly made the switch. Well, I tried to. The leader at the time was Mr. Rawle Hector, and when my mom approached him about me joining the troop, he had said “Hmmm! I dont have a lot of girls here, we actually have just one active girl and she had to prove herself. I don’t want any girls who are not disciplined. So…..are you willing to prove yourself?”

The leader Mr. Rawle (Hector) was well known and well respected. He lived and breathed discipline. Tidiness, punctuality, respect, manners, dignified self-comportment, proper use of discretion alongside constant awareness that you belonged to the brotherhood (and sisterhood) of scouts were all firmly attached to what he saw as discipline. I must admit I was a little uncomfortable with the level of strictness at first, but I soon fell in line and got to know the real Mr. Rawle. He was an amazing person! True to his word.

Needless to say, the challenge was accepted, and not only did I prove myself, but I was also told by Mr. Rawle that I was one of the toughest young ladies that he has ever known. A lifelong compliment. No mercy was shown because I was a girl. I had to set up my tent at camps just like everyone else. I had to dig my trench around my tent so that it would not get waterlogged if it rained. I had to build crude furniture out of nearby natural resources. I had to do push-ups, exercises and drills like all the boys and men who formed the largest and more prestigious troop on the island.

I travelled to England for the first time in 2007 forming part of a small contingent of 5 few members from the troop to attend the World Scout Jamboree at Hyland’s Park, where visited Gilwell Park and Brownsea Island (The first ever scout campsite). I remember being chosen because of how well behaved and determined I was. I also recall that my trip was sponsored. That World Scout Jamboree was an unforgettable experience.

I became a teacher at the age of seventeen very close to my 18th birthday. I was a little over a year fresh from high school and still very active in the troop. On my first thinking day (Feb 22nd) as a teacher I turned up to work in my scout uniform as we are required to do and the all-boy’s catholic school that I taught went crazy with reactions of shock and glee. The following week, our cub pack grew from about twenty all the way up to sixty. I was then made cub leader. I was also very popular on the island because I sang both solo and with a band, and so I felt like I had eyes on me all the time. The ability to time-manage and the be-prepared mind-set surely helped me along the way.

Mr. Rawle and the scout troop had become an integral part of my and my brother’s life, so much so that our mom found herself sitting on the executive board as well as the fund-raising committee. There were other parents who stood the test of time and showed unfailing support for Mr. Rawle and his troop. They ensured that their children never missed a Church Parade Service, National Youth Rally, Memorial Day Parade and so much more, and they were present as well. They were on the sidelines taking pics, or holding unto snacks, handkerchiefs, bags and even medication to ensure that their children performed to the best of their ability. You would see them on the sidelines in every video or picture. The troop needs the parents as much as the members.

We would have semaphore and morse code competitions. Flag raising and breaking competitions. Our attendance at Friday meetings were meticulously recorded and our achievements rewarded with certificates and badges that we proudly displayed on our uniforms.

The 4th Dominica St. Alphonsus Scout Troop was the largest and most celebrated troop on the island, and I was thrilled to be a part of it. It was founded in 1954 by Mr. Roy Royer who will be a centenarian on Jan 1st 2025 (I have a conducted an interview with the esteemed Mr. Royer that I will release soon).

It was a revamp of the pre-existing 4th Dominica Scout Troop, and efforts to have the same name were futile, thus the name of the parish under which the troop served; St. Alphonsus, was added. Mr. Rawle became the Group Scout Leader in 1964, ten years after initially joining. Our Scout band played at every National Youth Rally alongside the Government’s Music Lover’s Band which was then headed by Mrs Valena Letang, my brother’s and my piano teacher. There was also the Cadet’s Band. We took turns playing for the many primary and high schools to display their marching skills. I played the cymbals and the snare drums and eventually became the first ever and still only female Scout Drum Major in the history of the island’s scouting.

I was reluctant at first, but Mr. Rawle’s persistence keep me going. Bless his soul! He always told me that I had the leadership qualities that he was confident in. We were asked to do special displays every single year. When we drilled through the streets it was always a spectacle to see! I remember my mom saying that she would have to make us extra uniforms because there were so many activities that there was hardly enough time in-between to clean the one that we owned. We were called upon to form guards of honour for serving presidents, to bear and break flags at multinational events being hosted on the island, to attend youth and non-profit organisation forums, and to help the elderly and homeless with activities and celebrations. We thrived and reveled in it all.

Scouting kept the boys and girls who formed part of the various troops out of trouble and sharpened their social, survival and public speaking/interpersonal skills. Whenever I would put on my uniform, there was pride and confidence. When I had the Mace leading the Mass of uniformed bodies that was our troop, followed by other troops on the island, I felt a sense of service to something that was much bigger than myself.

Then Mr. Rawle passed away in 2009 it broke our hearts, especially mine. I for one silently began to worry about who would take the reins of such a magnificent organisation, and properly steer it into a bright and secure future. Mr. Rawle had assumed the position of Group Scout Leader in 1964 and had taken the troop to and through its glory days. There will never be another like him.

Though I tried to stick it out, I eventually stopped attending regular meetings a few years after Mr. Rawle’s passing, especially when I began to work cruise ships and do music overseas. When I was a National Queen contestant in 2013, my troop proudly stood behind me. I will never forget it.

Recently there had been a tug on my heart to step back into an active role with my dear troop. The numbers over the years declined and sadly some of the inactive members went astray. Things were not the same. I personally got frustrated at the lack of organisation, lack of discipline, and conspicuous manner in which the troop’s affairs were being conducted. Some things seemed like they were for “show” rather than real service. The essence of scouting was being lost.

Mr. Steve Charles, the new Group Scout Leader met me in the capital city one day back in 2022 and told me that he was putting the troop back together under his leadership and that he needed support. Seeing that I had felt in my heart that the troop that had been my home and family for so long needed me, I instantly gave my word. Alongside other loyal members like Mr. Ferdinand Webster who is now the Band Leader, Junior Maxime, Russell Mills and Dalton Paul (Dept GSL), on the 19th of March 2022, we held the first meeting in a long time, where we established via nomination and election, the new and present governing body of the troop.

Powerhouses like Mrs. Celia Nicholas who once served as the troop’s secretary, and the parish priest Fr. Charles Martin who told us that he had been looking forward to the troop’s revival played their parts and we were able to turn the key of faith and start the tiny but mighty engine.

Slowly but surely, the word was spreading that the troop was back in action and so the numbers grew from about three regular attendees to now, about 80 members strong. However, regular attendance at meetings stop at about 25. The struggle continues. We are informing the public that the troop is open to new membership, as well as help through finance and/or resources from the public. We require musical instruments, especially snare drums and brass. We need office supplies for our Den/Office. Filing Cabinets, A bookshelf etc. Attached is our Wishlist. If the public is able to assist in getting us anything on this list, we would greatly appreciate it. The troop’s contact information is below.

We are looking to reestablish former relations as well as to build new ones and to strengthen those that now exist with both public and private sector. We have a few letters in our archives from the President’s Office, The Youth Division, The Cultural Division, The Sports Division, The Dominica Association of People with Disabilities, The Dominica Police Force, The Dominica Junior Chambers (Jaycees) among others.

We were sometimes being called upon simply for our presence because of how respected we were in society, and that was with good reason. The troop proudly produced many an outstanding member of society and they credited their success in part to being a scout. Our scout band used to be hired to play at fund raising events all over the island and that contributed to the troop’s internal funds and proper maintenance.

If anyone wishes to help in any way, the GSL Mr. Steve Charles can be contacted at +1 767 277 0152

email us at infostalphonsus@gmail.com

or visit us at our den, located at the Goodwill Parish Hall on a Friday afternoon from 5pm where we hold regular meetings.

*****Please note that the GSL or other exec members must be contacted before any kind of monetary donation is made. We do not authorize any deposits to any bank accounts****

***SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT*** We are also appealing to the general Dominican public inclusive of the diaspora, past members of the troop and family members or friends of past members, media personnel (tv and radio stations as well as videographers and photographers) who may have pictures, audio and/video of any form of troop activity and are able and willing to share with us, to please contact us as we make an effort to rebuild our lost archives. We would love to see what treasures can be turned up. Please contact us if you require more information.

Dear reader, I would not put my signature on anything that wasn’t morally sound and upright in social standing. The 4th Dominica St. Alphonsus Scout Troop is an important part of our society and so we thank you in advance for your help in keeping it alive. I hope that you enjoyed my cherished memories of scouting and now I invite you to go over to my sister blog DIT MWEN TOUT for an exclusive interview with the GSL (Group Scout Leader); Mr. Steve Charles.

Sincerely, once a scout, always a scout

A girl-scout Island Girl.