100 Year Birthday Bash

In a testament to the resilience of Guiding over the last 100 years, Ballarat Guides have once again demonstrated their ability to adapt to bad weather conditions that threaten to ruin events.

The ‘100 Year Birthday Bash’ was originally organised as an activity to be held through the streets of Ballarat. With a chilly temperature of 9 degrees, and 34km winds, the wet weather plan was put into action.  The Leaders simply modified the program and overcame the bad weather to ensure the celebration of the milestone went ahead. They skipped straight to the party portion of the celebration.  The hall was beautifully decorated with colourful bunting, blue and gold banners and posters made by the Delacombe Junior Guides.

Julie-Anne Evans played a pivotal role in the organisation of the Birthday Bash and said:

“Planning an activity in June can always be tricky, but fortunately we had anticipated the weather when organising the Birthday Bash. While the outdoor component had to be put on hold for now, the indoor component was able to go ahead with everyone enjoying and celebrating our 100 year milestone with traditional Guiding fun and friendship”.

The afternoon was filled with fun and laughter as the girls enjoyed engaging activities. They danced, played musical games, collaborated in patrols to make Lego creations, and worked together to form the number 100 for a unique District photo.  The girls made butterfly lollipop holders as a tribute to Agnes Baden-Powell who kept butterflies in her home, indicating the importance of preserving Guiding’s history.

Party food included traditional favourites like chocolate crackles, honey joys, cupcakes and fairy bread.  A special chocolate birthday cake was cut by:

• Imogen, Ballarat’s most recently enrolled Girl Guide. 7 year old Imogen made her Promise with the 4th Ballarat Guides at an enrolment ceremony only 3 days before the birthday celebration.
• Ms Sandra Ballard, member with significant connections to Ballarat’s Guiding history. Sandra joined the 4th Ballarat Guide Company in 1954, progressing to the 1st Ballarat Land Ranger Unit and later training as a volunteer Guide Leader. During her time in Guiding, Sandra
  • led Ranger Units in Ballarat and London, England
  • held the positions of District Commissioner and District Leader in Sebastopol
  • led a specialised Unit at McCallum House in the 1980s
  • actively participated in Ballarat’s Trefoil Guild
  • currently assistants at the 4th Ballarat Guides, the Unit where she herself was a youth member, as was her daughter, and her mother as an original founding member

Sandra Ballard was delighted to have been selected to cut the centenary birthday cake and later said:

“It was an honour to cut the cake with Imogen.  I was the most senior Guide at the party and Imogen is our newest Guide, as she made her Promise three days before the party”

Members from the various Guide groups across  Ballarat joined together for this event, the final centenary activity for youth members following a year of celebratory activities.