Scouts' Day

Scouts' Day is a generic term for special days observed by members of the World Organization of the Scout Movement throughout the year. Some of these days have religious significance, while others may be a simple celebration of Scouting. Typically, it is a day when all members of Scouting will re-affirm the Scout Promise.

Founders' Days

Worldwide in nearly all Scout associations, Founders' Day is celebrated on 22 February, the anniversary of Robert Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell (born in 1857), the founder of Scouting, and coincidentally also of his wife Olave Baden-Powell (born in 1889).

Individual Groups and Councils also celebrate their own Founding at various times of the year, although these are generally restricted to "major" anniversaries, such as a decennial.

= St. George's Day =

St. George is the patron saint of Scouting. The nearest Sunday to April 23 is observed as a celebration in some countries, for example, the United Kingdom and Spain.

Until recently in the UK, Scouting Districts would celebrate the day with a parade of the groups and sections to a church where a service is held where the Scouts re-affirm the Scout Promise.

However, it is becoming more difficult to encourage participation by the youth membership, so many Districts forego the parade and church service in place of a more family oriented day. The focus of the day is still the affirmation of the Promise by all members.

Windsor and Queen ScoutsEach St. George's Day is also marked by a service in St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, which is open to all recipients of the Queen's Scout Award in the previous year.

Scout Sunday or Scout Sabbath

The Boy Scouts of America have designated the Sunday preceding February 8 as Scout Sunday and the following Saturday is designated as Scout Sabbath. (The United Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church (USA) celebrate Scout Sunday on the second Sunday of February as not to conflict with Transfiguration Sunday.)

The day is meant to mark the founding of the Scouts in the United States. Observation varies by unit and locale. Scouts go to their places of worship in uniform and help with the service.

In the Girl Scouts of the USA, the equivalent holiday is Girl Scout Sunday or Girl Scout Sabbath, celebrated in the week that includes March 12, the day the GSUSA was founded by Juliette Gordon Low [cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = http://www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_central/gs_days/ | title = Girl Scout Days| format = | work = | publisher = GSUSA| accessdate = 2006-12-06] .

In the United States, Scouting has been used by churches, synagogues, and many other religious organizations as part of their youth ministries. Approximately 50 percent of all Scouting units are chartered to religious groups. These observances offer an opportunity for congregations to honor Scouts and Scouters, as well as to learn more themselves about the value of Scouting as a youth program. [ [http://www.scouting.org/relationships/15-208/index.html Scout Sabbath] ]

World Thinking Day

Among Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, and some boy-oriented associations (i.e. Greece, where it is called "Imera Skepseos"), Thinking Day is celebrated each February 22, chosen as it was the birthday of Scouting founder Robert Baden-Powell and of Olave Baden-Powell.

Dates celebrated by country

ee also

*Religion in Scouting
*Scout Law - A Scout is reverent.
*Scouting 2007 Centenary - celebrations for 100 years of Scouting

External links

* [http://www.dacbsa.org/CC_RR/RR-scout-sunday.htm Scout Sunday]
* [http://www.scouting.org/relationships/05-961/index.html A Scout Is Reverent: Scout Sunday Observance]
* [http://www.stgeorgesdayevents.org.uk/home.php St George Day]
* [http://www.stgeorgesday.com St George Day]
* [http://www.cimarronbsa.org/scoutsunday.asp Scout Sunday in the United States]

References

* World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, World Bureau (2002), "Trefoil Round the World". Eleventh Edition 1997. ISBN 0-900827-75-0