Last weekend on the 5th of April 2025, another National event was held. However, in stark contrast this time our members were ever so slightly smaller. 19 of Malta`s Beaver Colonies, with 150 participants gathered at De La Salle College for some fun in the sun. The Beavery sporty is a simple yet fun play of words as they aimed to Bea”very” Sporty, promoting physical activity through games.
Following the Beaver`s motto: “Nagħmlu ħbieb”, 6 different colour-coordinated teams were formed, one for each station. The groups had different colonies working hand-in-hand to achieve their goals, learning from each other and integrating through play. The event started with a song, created specifically for this National event, to welcome the Beavers and Leaders, followed by a warm-up session to prepare for the games. Then each group was assigned one of the following stations:
Station 1: “Hopscotch u Kutrumbajsa”
Station 2: Leap & Launch: The Hurdle & Hoop Challenge
Station 3: Zig, Zag, GOAL!
Station 4: Eyes on the Prize: Archery
Station 5: Ready Set HOP!: Potato Sack Race
Station 6: Parachute
As the groups rotated through different stations, the laughter and excitement could be heard throughout all of De La Salle College.
While in attendance the Beavers and Leaders had a few unexpected surprises. The first surprise was Ganni Beaver! Who joined the activity fashionably late, as being a Beaver is very hard work after all! Ganni Beaver led the members through an introductory walk, just like the Olympics! During their break, every child’s favourite tune was heard, and there it stood, in all its glory, the ice cream van! Each beaver, leader and helper was given a scoop of their favourite cold treat to keep their energy up for the second half of the day.
While everyone was content with their sweet treat Iwe took the opportunity to ask some members their opinion of the event.
”I enjoyed today, I think that the games were the best part. I think National events are important because you meet many new people, within my subgroup I met many people that I had not known and the children played well together. The Colony is special to me because of the interactions with the children, it's simple but satisfying.
Anna AzzopardiButterfly of Żebbuġ Scout Group
”We enjoyed today, the best part so far was the parachute game however the children truly enjoyed themselves in every station. During National events as the children mix so do we as leaders and we exchange experiences. We met some new groups today. Personally, the Beaver colony is special because they come to us with no scouting skills and as you see them go up to cubs you can see the difference of those of the pack who were beavers previously. Not to say that the others don`t catch up but those that start in the colony have a bit more confidence in scouting.
Mariella SciclunaKeo of Stella Maris Scout Group
”We truly enjoyed today, it is our first time attending and it makes it even more special. I believe that national events like this are important because we meet new groups, the children interact and it is not in a formal setting like parades, we`re in a relaxed environment and integrate much more than we do at parades. We met quite a few new groups today. The beaver colony is special to me due to their innocence, they simply know no harm, they play, they enjoy themselves, they`re simply innocent it`s very different from other sections.
Amanda Jane ZammitKeo of Msida Scout Group
With those reviews I believe thatClearly this event was an off-the-chart success, however, this would not have been possible without De La Salle College, we would like to thank them for allowing us to use their outdoor space and sports ground! At the end of the event, the Participants were each given a commemorative frisbee with the logo of this year’s event, as well as a medal for their Sporty adventure!
Finally, this event could not have been possible without the dedicated planning of the Beaver National team. When Mr. Nathaniel Caruana, Malta`s Beaver Commissioner, on what his definition of a successful event is he replied;
“To see the children happy is already a success.
Everything we do as beaver leaders is to see our colonies happy!”
That simple yet powerful statement will leave us all some food for thought. We look forward to seeing you all soon at the National Parade!