Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (May 26/04) - The Rankin Inlet Girl Guides of Canada held their advancement ceremonies this past Thursday, May 20, before a large gathering of friends and family members at the Alaittuq High gym.

Emily Lyon steps through the advancement ribbon from Girl Guides to Pathfinders. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

More than 20 girls from Sparks, Brownies, Guides and Pathfinders advanced during the ceremony, which celebrated tradition and the 2004 Olympics with its theme.

The event featured Olympic Rings on the gym floor done in the Girl Guides of Canada colours for Sparks (pink), Brownies (brown), Guides (blue), Pathfinders (green) and Senior Branches (red).

The gathering was also treated to throat singing performed by Innukshuk Aksalnik and Pauline Pemik.

Kathleen Broderick is the co-district commissioner for the Girl Guides movement and a Sparks Guider in Rankin.

Broderick says 2004 was a successful year for the Rankin Guides. "We still have a lot more planned for this year, including our group of girls who are going to the Discovery 2004 camp this summer at Birsay, Saskatchewan," says Broderick. "They worked very hard all year to raise about $15,000 to make this trip.

"We had 10 girls and two Guiders picked, and they'll join Guide members aged 12 to 18 from all over the world at the camp."

Broderick says the annual land camps will be starting during the next few weeks, if Mother Nature allows it.

And, she says, this year's camps will feature a new wrinkle.

"Usually, it's just the older girls who are involved with the camps, but, this year, the younger girls are also going to take part. "We won't have the Sparks stay overnight, but they will be there for day camps."

Broderick says Guiders are excited about keeping the program active this summer and the possibility of the Trex program being added.

"Trex is an alternate Girl Guides outdoor program for the girls to learn camping and survival skills using a lot of high-tech equipment.

"We did it last year and if we're able to offer it again this summer, Carla Punshon and Jennifer Berry will, most likely, lead it again."