Scout Q store 2022 – the year that was

Scouts Victoria Q store is now six years old. The Q store is full of amazing stuff. The Friends of the Q Store (FoQs) have been packing and unpacking, sending out and receiving, repairing and cleaning, meeting and greeting and trying to do it all, cheerfully.

2022 has been the Q Store’s busiest calendar ever. The FoQs team has expanded to try to keep up with the incredible programs that Scouting is offering their youth membership. 120 events or activities have been supported.

Our Christmas Break Up Lunch

One of the advantages of being on the Q Store team is that Christmas lunch can happen at the Ordish Rd Dandenong South warehouse.

Sue, Chook, and Tara pooled their experience and created the best self-catered, in-house Christmas lunch ever.

There were few COVID restrictions and most of the team was available. Trevor said a few words amidst a constant stream of happy and cheerful banter.

Compare this to Christmas 2021 when half the team was at Elmore for VicJam and COVID precautions were very front of mind

Do you recognise any of these FoQS faces?

Peter Bates, Tara Wilson, Stuart Halliwell, Ian Herron, Steve German, Zac Crombie, Andrew Farquhar, Trevor Howlett (QM), Sue Farquhar, Rudi Reitwyk, Ailsa Reitwyk (obscured) Alan Brook, Andrew Wilson, Chook Wilson, Peter Lee, Aaron Bates, and Ian Viney. Sadly Andrew Cox, Peter Blaney, Graeme Berry, Pat Campese, Wayne Motton and Sue Young were not available – but certainly not forgotten. Have I missed someone? Oops – sorry.

Q Store in action in 2022

How many youth members have benefitted from the Q Store? How much money has been saved by event organisers? How many items have been repurposed rather than going to landfill?

There were 120 different event interactions by the Q Store during 2023. Here is a sample in no particular order.

Vic Jam 2022, Surf Moot, Anything Goes, Vic Gathering, Bayside Boost, Gay Times, Kangaree 7, Baypark Boost, Gilweroo, Gang Show, Straddbroke, Scout Hide, MudBash, STEM Camp, many individual Scout Groups, Queens’ Scout Presentation and Leader Awards Day

Outside organisations connected to Scouting got into the act as well – 2 weddings, a 21st birthday party, a Theatre Group, a Secondary School, state and federal electoral commission, BlazeAid at Rowallan and Mens’ Shed. Scouting in action, helping others, looking wide.

You will have seen lots of gear at events and activities. Did you know that these things have a home at the Q Store – “Shirley” the little white bus, Abseiling Tower, Bouldering Wall, Water Slide, Water Park, white collapsible crates, temporary fencing, traffic bollards, white picket fence (yes really!), hiking gear, camping gear and catering equipment.