Do you remember me?

“When you remember me, it means that you have carried something of who I am with you, that I have left some mark of who I am on who you are. It means that you can summon me back to your mind even though countless years and miles may stand between us. It means that if we meet again, you will know me. It means that even after I die, you can still see my face and hear my voice and speak to me in your heart.
For as long as you remember me, I am never entirely lost. When I'm feeling most ghost-like, it is your remembering me that helps remind me that I actually exist. When I'm feeling sad, it's my consolation. When I'm feeling happy, it's part of why I feel that way.
If you forget me, one of the ways I remember who I am will be gone. If you forget, part of who I am will be gone.” --Frederick Buechner

Where have I been?

I dunno seems like forever since I have been around. I was looking around online and found the coolest thing. The spiral scouts. Oh yes....

Focus and Goals:

SpiralScouts has been established:

• to provide an opportunity for minority faith families to interact with their children

• to encourage minority faith children to interact with each other

• to instill in our children the concepts of inclusivity, the balance of gender energies, acceptance of differences in beliefs, other useful cultural customs and values, and an Earth centered spiritual worldview

• to promote the growth and development of interpersonal skills and life skills in these children.

History:

SpiralScouts began as a Pagan Scout group in 1999. The Aquarian Tabernacle Church in Index, Washington was looking for an answer to other organizations that teach or require children to believe certain tradtions. In 2001, SprialScout International was formalized and SpiralScout Circles are now found across the United States and Canada and the program continues to grow.

FireFlies, Ages 3 to 8:

The FireFly Promise:

I promise to serve the Wise Ones,
To Honor and respect Mother Earth,
To be helpful and understanding toward all people,
And always keep love in my heart.

SpiralScouts, Ages 8 to 14:

The SpiralScout's Oath:

A SpiralScout shall:
Respect all living things; be kind and courteous;
be honorable; be mindful of his/her words;
seek out knowledge in all forms; recognize the
beauty in all of creation; offer assistance to
others; value honesty and truth; honor personal
commitments; and respect the Divine in all things.

PathFinders, Ages 14 and up:

The PathFinder Pledge:

I pledge myself to the FireFly Promise, the SpiralScouts's Oath, the fulfillment of all my commitments, made to myself as well as others.
I pledge to serve all my brothers and sisters in every way on our many journeys around the sun together as I find my way through the world.

Membership Criteria:

Membership is open to children of all faiths who are 3 to 18 years old.

SpiralScouts Uniform:

• Activity Uniform: Forest green polo shirt with khaki bottoms (short, pants, skirt or skort) and the SprialScouts neck cord.
• Dress Uniform: Forest green long sleeve oxford shirt with long khaki pants or skirt, and chocolate brown capuche.

Activities:

SpiralScouts activities and learning is based on pagan, earth-based beliefs. Through camping, songs, crafts, wood lore, service projects and other scouting activities, children learn about respect for the Earth, themselves and others. They learn about the balance of energies, explore other cultures and more. They earn badges to wear on their uniforms.

Find a Circle or Hearth:

SpiralScouts International is a growing organization. To find a group near you, check their Web Site list. If you cannot locate a local group, consider starting one!

Why Spiral Scouts:

SpiralScouts offers children of pagan families and families who practice other minority religions an opportunity to participate in activities, volunteering, study and growth. If you would like your children to participate in scouting more closely aligned to your faith, SpriralScouts is a good choice.