By JOSEPHINE JALLEH, Photos by K.T. GOH
IT was indeed a change of scenery for 30 “special scouts” from their daily routine when they had a thrilling time camping over the weekend.
The scouts, aged between eight and 40, from the Penang Cheshire Home and The Cerebral Palsy (Spastic) Children’s Association of Penang happily breathed in the sea air as they eagerly looked forward to the various activities awaiting them during their gathering at the Penang Water Sports Recreation Centre in Tanjung Bungah on Saturday.
They were joined by 40 regular scouts from SMK Jalan Damai, Bukit Mertajam for the camp held in conjunction with the 4th Penang Cheshire Agoonoree.
The “special scouts” were delighted when they flew kites with help from the regular scouts and they beamed with pride when photographs were taken.
Cheshire Home president Datuk Seri Khoo Keat Siew said the Agoonoree aimed to bring regular and special scouts together to forge a common bond and to integrate the disabled into the mainstream society.
“Such events gives the special scouts the opportunity to participate in practical outdoor activities such as camping, campfires, woodcraft, aquatics and sports,” he said in his speech.
The Penang Cheshire Agoonoree co-ordinator Veronica Pau said that camping was a way for the disabled to be exposed to outdoor life and to interact with regular scouts.
“All of them worked together in putting up the tents. Half was done by the regular scouts and the other half by the special scouts. It was a beautiful sight,” she said.
Pulau Tikus assemblyman Koay Teng Hai opened the event.
The other activities that were lined up for the scouts included cooking, trip to the National Horse Show at the Penang Turf Club, trishaw rides along the heritage trails, paintball games as well as arts and crafts activities.