Originally published in Guidepost, October 31, 2023
Trefoil Guild: Keeping the Spirit Alive!
Most of our guilds are now active and are enjoying seasonal activities, engaging with Guiders, and planning programming events for girls. Guild members are out and about enjoying the autumn season, having extraordinary adventures, providing service within the community, and having fun, all under the purple umbrella of Trefoil Guiding.
For more information on Trefoil Guiding, visit the Trefoil Guild page in Member Zone or connect with your Provincial Liaison, who can help with any questions you might have or connect you to a guild, if interested in guild registration.
Until next time, see below for a snapshot of what is happening with Trefoil Guilds in the different provinces.
~ Sharron Callahan, National Trefoil Guild Liaison
Alberta, Northwest Territories and the Yukon
Jan McCaghren, ANY Trefoil Guild Liaison
There are 34 Trefoil Guilds in Alberta, NWT and Yukon. There are some guilds who are active with the Camping Committees or other girl focused activities. This gives them a chance to connect with the girl programs. Some guilds are more focused on service projects mostly at the Area level. This still gives them a link to Unit Guiders. Other guilds stay connected to each other by socializing. Many go out for meals or have potlucks. Some do more fun activities. One Calgary guild attended Pumpkins After Dark this fall. There were lots of incredible carvings that were lit.
I have received inquiries from a few people looking to be part of a Trefoil Guild and I have been able to get them involved. I plan to connect with those guilds who have not responded to my request for information over the next few weeks.
British Columbia
Brenda Fraser, BC Trefoil Guild Liaison
Service has been on the agenda for some BC Trefoil Guilds. Last Bastion Trefoil of Nanaimo held a Birthday in a Box luncheon. There were 47 attendees from all over Vancouver Island who brought items suitable for a child's birthday party. Cake mixes, icing, candles, tableware, decorations and favours were donated to a local Nanaimo safe house for women and their children.
Sparkling Spirits Trefoil from the Okanagan picked 800 lbs of apples and donated them to Gospel Mission.
Manitoba
Sharon Romanow, MB Trefoil Guild Liaison
If you are registered for the National Gathering 2024 and are wondering when you will receive more details about hotel, program and offsite events, this is to let you know that plans are well on track for the upcoming Gathering in Winnipeg next June. We are in the process of finalizing all the exciting sessions. Watch for information on these in late December or early January.
New Brunswick and PEI
Carmel Hambrook, NB/PEI Trefoil Guild Liaison
More to follow from NB/PEI in the next edition.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Pat Burton, Newfoundland and Labrador Trefoil Guild Liaison
One guild went berry picking and used the berries to tie dye t-shirts which they will wear while doing archery. A guild is making animal beds for the SPCA and veterans quilts for recently retired veterans in their community. A guild held a weekend retreat which sounded awesome and was a great way to start the year. A guild helped the food bank and plan to help with making crafts for a local craft fair. Looks like it will be an exciting year for NL Trefoil Guilds.
Nova Scotia
Darlene Duggan , Nova Scotia Trefoil Guild Liaison
Our guilds are completing registration, and we are happy to welcome a few new members. We have two provincial Trefoil Guild meetings each year. Our fall meeting is a “getting back from summer fun business meeting” and the spring meeting is a social event. Next Saturday, thirty or more of us will gather for a day of food, fun, friendship, and filling in the gaps. The theme for this meeting is “kindness” and we will share stories of kindness shown. As always, our annual Camp Burning Spirit was a huge success. The Provincial Guiders Conference is happening in November and there are sessions of interest to Trefoil Guild members. On the Saturday evening there will be an information session set up like a speed dating event and I plan to participate and tell Guiders all about Trefoil Guild, to let them know that there is always a place in Guiding for them. The cooler weather is energizing us, and we are planning for a busy, fun filled year as we continue Keeping the Spirit Alive.
Ontario and Nunavut
Meg Stock, Ontario and Nunavut Trefoil Guild Liaison
Ontario Trefoil Guilds have been busy adding new members and getting back into the swing of the Guiding year. Both membership and number of guilds has increased, which is great news for Trefoil Guilds in Ontario.
The 2nd Near North guild recognized the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation by wearing orange and learning about Phyllis Webstad’s story and the origin of Orange Shirt Day. They also took part in the Downie-Wenjack Fund’s legacy schools’ program, earning a crest!
The Ganaraska Trefoil Guild recently honoured Lynn Rogalski as she has stepped down after many years as guild lead. Thanks, Lynn, for your dedication to your guild!
They also made wreaths out of vine from a guild members’ backyard! It was a great way to use resources wisely.
Québec
Angie Kruller and Ellen Gauthier, Québec Trefoil Guild co-Liaisons
Trefoil Guilds are getting underway for the fall. A more fulsome report will be available in the next edition.
Saskatchewan
Lorraine Thibeault, Saskatchewan Trefoil Guild Liaison
Our guilds are just getting started after summer break. A more fulsome report will be available in the next edition.
1st Canadian Internet Trefoil Guild
Dana Weatherell, 1st Canadian Internet Trefoil Guild Lead
Our guild had our first meeting of the year. It was nice to chat with everyone again. We decided that our November meeting will be an informal face to face one. Our guild is growing again after catching up on our backlog of join requests. We hope to fill our registrar position soon. As we span across Canada, we do not report to one specific province but rather national, so our join process is a bit different than the average Trefoil Guild unit.
If you are interested in learning more information on the 1st Canadian Internet Trefoil Guild, you can send your inquiries to 1stCdnInternetTrefoilGuild@gmail.com.