Guide leader honoured

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 457, 13 October 1992, Page 8

Guide leader honoured

By

Jan

Savell

Waiouru's District Commissioner of Guides was hoping to receive her Campers Licence and Advanced Focus Badge

when she completed her assessment camp earlier this year. What Joanna Saunders wasn't expecting was that she would be presented

with a Good Service Award by the Provincial Commissioner. Joanna Saunders has been a warranted guide leader for over five years. Two years ago she was appointed District Commissioner for the group of over 35 guides, brownies and pippins at Waiouru. The Good Service Award recognizes the energy, enthusiasm and professional leadership she has given to the Waiouru district. The Advanced Focus badge she earned the same weekend is also a leadership qualification. She had only to earn a camper's licence to complete the requirements for the badge which she has been working on since before the birth of her first child two years ago.

The camp at Pickwick in Wanganui over Queens Birthday Weekend was her final assessment. It coincided with the coldest weekend Wanganui had experienced. Record frosts were recorded and Joanna recalls that it was so cold the tents had still not thawed by 2pm. "We had to send everyone for a run first thing in the morning. Some were literally bluc with cold," said Joanna. "We hadn't anticipated the conditions but we adapted. We did lots of active games, and tried to find patches of sunlight!" The assessor must have approved of the i'mprovisation because Joanna was awarded the licence which qualifies her to organise and lead guide camps.

Joanna and Alan are expecting their second child soon so she will be taking a break from icebreaker camps for a while, but she intends to continue her involvement with the Waiouru guides, brownies and pippins for many years to come.