Scout volunteer getting Sovereign Medal for her sash

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/04/2021 (1711 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Yvonne Kyle is used to handing out personal achievement badges as a volunteer with Scouts Canada, but now she’s the one being recognized for her good work.

Kyle learned in January she will receive the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers in recognition of her more than 40 years of service to Scouts. Presented by the Governor General, the medal recognizes Canadian citizens who have made significant, sustained and unpaid contributions to their communities.

Kyle, who currently serves as group commissioner for the 60th Winnipeg Scout Group, is thrilled by the recognition.

“It’s so nice to have somebody from outside scouting — from outside the world I live in every day — say I’ve done good, and that they appreciate and like what I’ve done,” the Charleswood resident said.

Established in 1914, Scouts Canada brings adventure, outdoor experience, friendship and leadership skills to young people so that they become capable, confident, well-rounded people.

Kyle, who was born and raised in Thompson, was 14 years old when she started volunteering with the organization. Over the years, she has been involved with Scouts groups everywhere she has lived, including Ontario and Saskatchewan.

In addition to her role as group commissioner, Kyle oversees youth ages 11 to 14 at the 60th Winnipeg Scout Group.

She is also the primary co-ordinator and team leader for Quest, a one-week wilderness canoeing and camping adventure that involves 30 youth every July, and she edits the Campfire, a provincewide scouting newsletter published six times a year.

Scouting is a family affair for the recently retired 60-year-old. Her husband, Colin, has 30 years of volunteering with Scouts Canada to his credit. The couple met at a scouting event, and their two adult children, Heather and Eric, are also involved with Scouts.

Combined, the family has more than 100 years of volunteer experience with the organization.

When asked what she enjoys about volunteering with Scouts, Kyle pointed to what she calls “the why-am-I-in-scouting moments” — experiences she can point to as reasons for her ongoing commitment to the organization.

One of those moments happened on the Quest trip in July 2019, as participants were making their way home. The previous day’s rainfall created a situation where the youth were portaging through water up to their waists.

A scenario that might have included a lot of complaining induced merriment instead. The group even helped a young family they encountered along the way that was having difficulty with the portage.

“The teamwork, the leadership, the helping other people, the being outdoors, the laughter, the fun — all the good things about scouting showed up in that three hours of doing that portage,” Kyle said. “That really, really tough portage that could have brought the kids down turned into the kind of story they’ll tell 20 years from now when they talk about scouting.”

Arlene Hintsa, who nominated Kyle for the medal, said she is an amazing, enthusiastic person.

“She’s a natural leader, and if you attended her meetings or went camping with her group, you’d see her passion — for learning new skills, for the environment, for watching you become more confident in yourself,” Hintsa said. “Most of all, I’d say you’d just have fun, because Yvonne’s having fun and her enjoyment is contagious.”

Pandemic restrictions permitting, the 60th Winnipeg Scout Group will present Kyle with her Sovereign’s Medal during a special celebration sometime this summer.

“With Scouts, you can watch the development of a young person and see that what you’re doing makes a difference. It feels good,” Kyle said. “It feels like what you’re supposed to do in the world — help people and share with people.”

If you know a special volunteer, please contact aaron.epp@gmail.com.