Rankin Inlet (Dec 22/04) - The Rankin Inlet Girl Guides learned a bit about storytelling, community issues and reporting the news during a special meeting earlier this month

The Guides were working on challenges to earn their Community Emblem badges.

The core program of Guides is divided into four pathways.

The first is community, which helps participants learn about their area and different cultures around the world in the international community.

The second is horizons, which focuses on everyday skills such as cooking, measuring, hammering and first aid.

The third is outdoors, which includes camping and hiking, the proper use of a compass, maps and other outdoor tools, and learning about water and animals.

The fourth pathway is called future, which encourages Guides to look at issues that will impact their future lives, such as fitness, volunteering for other groups and what occupies your time as you get older.

To help the Guides meet their Community Emblem challenges, Girl Guides Guider Carla Punshon brought in Mayor Lorne Kusugak, author Michael Kusugak and newspaper editor Darrell Greer.

Punshon said the Community Emblem portion has four or five separate challenges Guides must meet in order to receive their badge.

She said the girls were put into separate groups because each age level has different challenges.

"The girls said it was nice to have people there who had the skills and enthusiasm for the different roles and be able to share that with them," said Punshon.

"They thought it was quite neat to actually have other volunteers come in and spend time with them.

"Some of them didn't know who the mayor of Rankin Inlet was, and they got to meet him and shake his hand."

Punshon said it's important for Guides to realize their opinions count.

She said hopefully, the sessions were beneficial to both the Guides and presenters.

"Who knows, maybe the mayor heard some good advice during his session?

"Even Michael (Kusugak) was able to get some good feedback on a story he's writing, in that he was able to see how his audience will respond to it."