Written By Jan Sims
KOMOKA & MOUNT BRYDGES - The Komoka Community Market is open for business once again for the season outside the Komoka Wellness Centre. And the 1st Mount Brydges Scouts are hoping people will drop by, and support their latest initiative.
The scout troop is selling handmade cedar BBQ scrapers, and candy kebobs at select dates at the Komoka market in the summer and fall.
“The candy kebobs were a Scout’s idea and she planned out which candy, worked out the per piece cost and the selling prices,” says 1st Mount Brydges Scout Leader Greg Willsie.
“Another Scout came up with the idea for the BBQ scrapers. His intent was to make them from cedar with no added chemicals and to make a premium product for a value price. We were able to work with Home Hardware in Komoka to get to cost of the raw materials down to where it made sense. Both of the candy kebobs and the scrapers are fully made by the Scouts, with only minor help from the parents and leaders,” adds Willsie.
Proceeds from the sales of the BBQ scrapers and kebobs will go towards an upcoming international scouting event. “The 1st Mount Brydges Scouts are fundraising to help fund the cost of attending the 2027 Haarlem Jamborette in the Netherlands. It is especially meaningful to me, as I went to a similar Scout Jamboree in the Netherlands when I was 14, and now can do the same with my daughter,” says Willsie. “This groups of Scouts have chosen to go above and beyond typical scouting with this event. The Haarlem Jamborette is youth led, which means that the youth take responsibility for the organization and direction of all the fundraising and projects,” adds Willsie.
The first booth was set up at the Komoka Market opening weekend, and the response was encouraging. “It was a great turn out and the community support was amazing. We sold out of our first 200 kebobs and 30 scrapers even with threatening weather and rain,” says Willsie.
The scouts will be setting up their booth at the Komoka Community Market on July 25, Aug 22, Sept 5, Oct 3. They will also be at local Canada Day festivities.
