durhamregion.com 2 The Citizen September 22, 2016 Whitby Scouts return from eye-opening trip to Finland for international jamboree Week-long event helped foster connections between Scout groups from around the world Parvaneh Pessian ppessian@durhamregion.com WHITBY -- Learning outdoor skills, making new friends and travelling are among the many reasons Caleb Wallace has enjoyed being a member of the Whitby Scouts for the past seven years. The 15-year-old Venturer Scout recently had the opportunity to do all those things over the course of one week when he joined thousands of Scouts from around the world -- including 167 from Canada -- at Roihu 2016 in Finland this summer. The seventh International Finnjamboree was organized by the Guides and Scouts of Finland and allowed youth to participate in a variety of adventures, including wilderness activities, cooking classes and an international exhibition. "All the experiences were amazing," said Caleb, upon his return to Canada. "It was the biggest camp I've ever been to, with over 17,000 people." Ten Scout members from Whitby and eight members from Brooklin attended the event, held in Evo camp site in Southern Finland from July 20-28. The gathering helped foster connections between Scouts from different countries. "One of the things that I did personally was I went around my little area and talked to the various people from different places around the world," said 14-year-old Joshua Finnigan from the Brooklin Scouts group. "I met people from Ireland, I met a lot of Finnish people, of course, I met Scottish people and one group from Taiwan, which was really interesting." Caleb also said he enjoyed learning about other cultures and expanding his knowledge about his own Scottish roots. "I have a Scottish background and I missed out on a chance to go to a Scottish jamboree," he said, adding he met some Swedish Scouts and plans to attend their jamboree in Sweden next year. Joshua said the experience was beneficial because it allowed youth to step out of their comfort zones and experience new surroundings. "It really did open my eyes to the world and how big and expansive and different it is," he said. He's looking forward to seeing some of his new international friends at the Canadian Scout Jamboree in Nova Scotia next year. To learn more about Roihu 2016, visit https://roihu2016.fi/en or for more information about Scout groups in the Whitby area, visit www.whitbyscouts.org. Justin Greaves / Metroland BROOKLIN -- Joshua Finnigan, 14, is a member of the Brooklin Scouts who travelled to Finland last month to take part in the seventh annual international Roihu Finnjamboree. Free bus tour welcome for newcomers to Whitby Sept. 24 WHITBY -- The Town of Whitby is offering newcomers a fun way to learn about their community with a free bus tour, hosted by the Ethno-cultural and Diversity Advisory Committee. A newcomer can be a new immigrant to Canada who is settling in Whitby or any new resident of the town. The tour will take place on Saturday, Sept. 24 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It will start and end at the central branch of the Whitby Public Library at 405 Dundas St. W. and include points of interest such as recreation centres, library branches, municipal and regional headquarters, historical sites, Station Gallery, Port Whitby Marina, Kiwanis Heydenshore Park and more. There will also be a guided tour of a recreation facility and the library. Refreshments will be provided at the beginning and end of the tour. Space is limited. Interested participants must register in advance at www.eventkeeper.com/mars/xpages/w/ whitby/ek.cfm or by calling or visiting any Whitby library branch. Visit www.whitby.ca/en/townhall/ ethnoculturalanddiversityadvisory- committee.asp to learn more about the Ethno-cultural and Diversity Advisory Committee.