After more than six decades, Flin Flon’s Scouts program is closing.
Dwindling interest has left the program with insufficient numbers and a building it could no longer afford.
“We hate to see the Scout movement fold, but last year we had four kids signed up,” said Jeanne Fell, a long-time volunteer with the program. “It’s just not fair to them. You can’t do anything with just four of them.”
Scouts has not run in Flin Flon for the past two years but had not officially folded, as volunteers held out hope the program could be revived.
Fell and fellow volunteers had hoped to generate more interest from area children with a meeting scheduled for last November with a representative from Scouts Canada.
But for the second year in a row, a representative from Scouts Canada did not show up.
Local Scouts volunteers attempted to contact Scouts Canada in Winnipeg, where the representative was from, but were unable to reach anyone.
Fell later found out the Scouts Canada office in Winnipeg had been shut down.
For the few children who were interested in Scouts over the past two years, Fell says it would have been impossible for them to raise the money needed to keep the program going.
Fell and husband Jim, also a Scouts volunteer, have kept track of the program’s finances and say the balance is dwindling with no money coming in.
“When you think about it, the heating alone [at the Scout Hall] is $1,400 a month,” said Jeanne, who has been active with Scouts for 50 years in Flin Flon as well as 15 years in England before that. “You can’t expect four kids to bring in that through fundraising.”
Heating is just one of a few costs associated with keeping the Scout Hall running. The program also pays over $1,000 a month in insurance.
“I pay all the bills,” said Jeanne, “and we’re up the creek without a paddle.”
The Fells, Cub leader Ron Potkonjak and Beaver leader Brent Grocholski were forced to make the difficult decision to officially fold the program and close the doors to the Scout Hall on Bracken Street.
A local organization, which will remain nameless until further details have been released, has been in contact with the Scouts to purchase the Scout Hall for their own use.
The Reminder will continue to provide information as details are released.