The Principles of Scouting

These can be summed up by our various creeds:

The Scout Promise:
"On my honour, I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to God and the Queen,
To help other people at all times,
And to carry out the spirit of the Scout Law"

Although the Scouts are not on officially religious organization, duty to God is a fundamental obligation of every Scout - whatever their faith. We expect and encourage Scouts to fulfill their religious duties. Although many, if not most, Scouts do not belong to an organized religion or church, no one who denies the existence of God can be a Scout. We encourage all Scouts to get in touch with their spirituality regardless of how they feel it is best manifested.

The Scout Law:
"A Scout is:
Helpful and trustworthy,
Kind and cheerful,
Considerate and clean,
And wise in the use of all resources"

Here we emphasize that Scouts are to be active members of the community, helpful and respectful to their elders, while being positive role models to younger friends and family. Good citizenship and community service are key components to many Scouting achievements.

The Scout Motto:
"Be Prepared"

Much of the training and hands-on experience a Scout encounters is designed to prepare for any circumstances - from the mundane to an emergency. A Scout will learn to anticipate the unanticipated and to look after others when a need occurs,

The Scout Slogan: :
"Do a Good Turn Daily"

The Scout Handshake:
We don't have a secret handshake, but Scouts shake with the left hand as a sign of brotherhood and truest. Baden-Powell took the idea from an African story about two feuding tribes whose battles were destroying both communities. During one violent confrontation, one of the chiefs spotted the other and dropped his weapon to arpproach his counterpart. As he approached, he also dropped his shield that protected his heart from enemy spears. This freed his left hand to be held out to his rival as a sign of friendship and trust. The gesture brought together the tribes and helped to end the wars between them.