What is Our Crew About?

Our  crew is based on the traditional Rovering program described in Lord Baden-Powel's book "Rovering to Success: A Guide to Young Manhood".  Because of this more traditional approach we do many things differently from other Rover crews.  For example, we still use the traditional ceremonies for investiture and knighting, maintain a more traditional uniform, and concentrate on personal, physical and spiritual development.  For anyone interested the book is available free on-line at the Scouting in Canada webpage (http://scoutscan.com/rovering/).  As you can tell from our webpage the outdoors plays a major role in our program.  Indeed, we enjoy many outdoor activities including SCUBA diving, hiking, backpacking, camping, skiing, canoeing, and more.  In addition we are active volunteers within our community.  We are always on the lookout for new activities and volunteering opportunities.

At the time this page was written (Fall 2003) we have 11 youth members aged 18-25 and three advisors.  We enjoy a variety of activities, and are highly active.  Here's a list of the major events we've participated in since January 1st, 2003 (i.e. the last 10 months). Keep in mind this is a partial list:
 

• Climbed the Fortress (big mountain)
• Backpacked Northover Ridge (4 day trip, 3 of which were off trail)
• 5-day SCUBA trip to Victoria
• Several SCUBA trips to the local dive sites  
• Several hiking day trips  
• Went fencing  (swords!)  
• Volunteered several times at the local scout camp (Camp Gardener)
• Volunteered at a cross-country ski race  
• Skied at Sunshine ski resort  
• Snowshoed  
• Attended several camps (including a survival camp, winter camp, and a provincial jamboree)  
• Ran a Scout group

In short, our crew is a great place for anyone interested in adventure and personal development.

Expectations of Members:
Membership: Membership is open to all people (male and female) between the ages of 18 and 26.  Members are expected to attend as many meetings and activities as possible.  We understand that people do have other commitments - many of us are in post-secondary schools or early in our careers, thus we are understanding if you cannot make a meeting. 

SCUBA: Although our group does a fair amount of SCUBA diving it is not necessary for you to be certified before, or while, you are a part of our crew.  That said, most members seek out SCUBA training in their first year or two as we do several SCUBA trips each year (and SCUBA is just plain fun!!!). 

Fund-raising:  Members are expected to assist in fund-raising.  Our main fund-raising even occurs in December when we sell Christmas trees.  We do not participate in the Canada-wide fund-raising events (popcorn, etc.), as the return is too small for the amount of time invested.  In addition to Christmas trees we do the occasional bottle drive, and you can work bingo's if you desire.

Other: We are a nondenominational group, and members of all religions are welcome.  Lastly, members are expected to live up to the moral standards of scouting - both during Rovering activities and in their day-to-day lives.

Crew Hierarchy:
Within the crew there exists three "levels" of  members.  There are only minor differences between levels, and members of all levels can (and are expected to) attend meetings, initiate & vote on motions, and plan activities.  In addition to the three levels of Rovers there is an executive counsel, consisting of a president, vice-president, a secretary and treasurer.  These positions carry little additional power, although these members are expected to take on a leadership role within the crew.  Here's a breakdown on the individual levels:

Page:  Upon joining the crew you become a page.  The purpose of pagehood is to become familiar with rovering and the inner workings of the crew.  During this time you are expected to familiarize yourself with how the crew functions and the basic tenants of Rovering.  Pages cannot hold a position on the executive, unless their position is overseen by a knight.  Unlike many crews we treat our pages with the same respect as other members, and expect pages to play an equal role in the crew.  Pagehood is completed after a 3-6 month period, after which you are invested as a squire.

Squire: After investiture you become a squire.  As symbols of squirehood you receive a red beret and Rover shoulder boards (epaulettes).  Squires can independently hold a position on the executive, and oversee pages. 

Knights:  In terms of crew function, knights and squires are equivalent.  However, knights are expected to be leaders within the crew and are responsible for running ceremonies and keeping crew traditions.  The main aspect of knighthood is personal development, with a concentration on spirituality and morality.  The knighthood process starts when a knight (the sponsor) takes a squire as a knight-initiate.  This occurs after the squire has demonstrated that he/she is an active, trustworthy and responsible member of the crew.  The major step in becoming a knight is the vigil, where the initiate is expected to consider a series of tough personal questions over the period of a day or two.  The answers of these questions need not be shared - they are designed to force you to reflect on your life and how you can lead it better.  Upon completing the vigil and other requirements for knighthood the initiate is knighted in an elaborate (but secret) ceremony.  As a symbol of knighthood, knights receive a shoulder knot.

Joining the Crew:
The process of joining the crew is simple and straight-forward.  First you need to contact us (click on the "Contact Us" link on the left side of this page) and arrange to come to a few meetings.  If the link doesn't work you can get a contact phone number from the Calgary Scout Office.  Potential new members are expected to attend a few meetings/events, after which point their membership must be approved via a secret ballot.  Although this may sound scary it isn't - every person who has desired to join our Crew has done so; in fact we have yet to have a single "no" vote against a new member in the entire history of the crew.  Once your membership is approved you will have to register with Scouts Canada (~$100 per year), but there are no crew fee or dues (although we often pay for our own activities as crew funds are usually reserved for major trips).  At this point you'll be a page.