Girl Guides visit Park Range Veterinary Clinic on May 28, 2019. (Submitted photo/Cynthia Mamer)

By Ian Gustafson

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Apr 18, 2020 | 12:00 PM

The Saskatchewan Girl Guides have had to adapt the way they do things amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Girl Guides of Canada made multiple changes to their operations including all in-person meetings and events suspended.

Deputy Provincial Commissioner and unit leader for the fourth Prince Albert Girl Guides Cynthia Mamer said they’re doing well but there is no denying the impact it has had on them.

“Girl Guides are fairly resilient and resourceful so of course the health and safety of our members as well as the community is of the utmost importance to our organization,” Mamer told paNOW.

She added her unit is part of the Evergreen District which includes Prince Albert and area. The district has approximately 130 members and over 25 adult volunteer members. Mamer explained some units have continued meetings but over the internet using video conference technology.

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They have also introduced a new program called “Guiding @ Home” where members can go online to complete activities to earn badges.

“They can go online and there’s different activities there that are specific to sciences, or the arts, culture, sports, all that kind of thing,” she said. “It’s very well organized they can see what kind of materials they need, what they have to do to complete and earn their badge as part of their programming with all of the materials that they have at home.”

Their door-to-door Girl Guide cookies sales have also been suspended but Prince Albert residents can buy them at Save-On-Foods and Canadian Tire.

“We are extremely grateful for those local businesses because of course like everyone they’re experiencing their own challenges but were more than willing to support the sales because that is our main source of funding,” she said.

She said selling their cookies in-store is impacting the opportunity to have the girls out in the community developing sales skills and meeting new people.

The registration for the Fall Guiding year would be taking place around this time of year but she said it has been delayed.

“We’re still anticipating and hoping to reopen our guiding year this Fall, and those online registration dates will be available later on,” Mamer said.

She said it has not been too much of a tough transition for them and they have continued to be support systems despite not being able to meet in person. She said the difficult part is trying to provide those resources to units without internet access.

“Of course, as a Girl Guide leader myself I definitely miss that in-person one on one contact,” she said.

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Ian.gustafson@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @iangustafson12