Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Jun 23/00) - Inuvik Scouts are already making big plans for next year even though they only wrapped up this year's activities with a weekend campout.

Scout Master Dave Tyler said his 1st Inuvik Troop hopes to travel to the Canadian Jamboree in Prince Edward Island in July 2001, which will be attended by about 10,000 Scouts.

"If they're able to raise enough money to go and they're able to achieve certain levels of success," Tyler explained, "and come together as a team, then we'll be doing the trip."

Tyler explained the jamboree is a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," as the national event is only held every four years.

"During the course of a youth's life in Scouts, they will get one chance to go to a Canadian Jamboree."

Plans to travel to the national jamboree also come just six months after Scouts were revived in Inuvik.

Tyler explained he got the troop going again shortly after arriving in town in December.

"I just started to get things going in January. Alan (Fehr) came on as a leader in January, and we've been gradually getting things up and running," Tyler said.

At the campout, Scouts, Cubs and Beavers pitched their tents Friday and Saturday along the Mackenzie River. On Saturday morning, the Scouts canoed 17 kilometres back to Inuvik and were then driven back to camp.

Another highlight came Saturday evening, when, for the first time in six years, Inuvik's Beavers, Cubs and Scouts held a combined induction ceremony. Four Beavers graduated to Cubs and seven Cubs advanced to Scouts.

Badges were also presented during the ceremony.