2008 Year of the Scout !

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Prime Minister John Howard has just declared 2008 as the Year of the Scout in Australia.

" NEXT year, 2008, has been declared Year of the Scout to mark the centenary of Australia's scouting movement.

Prime Minister John Howard said Australia was one of the first countries in the world
to adopt scouting.

About 60,000 people were involved in the Australian scouting movement, while another two million had been part of the nation's largest youth development organisation over the past 100 years, Mr Howard said.

"The Government greatly values the contribution these young Australians make to their families, their communities and the entire nation," Mr Howard said.

"To commemorate this event and to recognise the contribution that scouting has made and will continue to make to Australia, I am also pleased to announce that the Australian Government has decided to designate 2008 as the Year of the Scout.

"In addition, the Royal Australian Mint will strike a circulating coin next year to commemorate this event."

Australia's scout halls also would share a government grant of $17.7 million to install rainwater tanks, Mr Howard said.

"This funding will assist the Scouts to generate significant water savings while at the same time providing a tangible and ongoing demonstration of actions we can all take to conserve our precious water resources," he said. "

Re the government grant for installation of rain water tanks, I have already submitted Avoca Beach Scouts application for this back in February, of which I have garnered support from Jim Lloyd, our local Federal member for this. So here's hoping...

Musca.