It’s a Scouts Canada tradition and the 1st and 3rd Bracebridge Beaver Scouts, Cub Scouts, and Scouts are taking part.
A team of boys and girls armed with the apples will be at the Wal-Mart Independent Grocer, Canadian Tire and other locations in Bracebridge on Friday and Saturday. The scouts will be out from 5 to 8 PM on Friday and from 9 AM until 1 PM on Saturday.
Colony Scouter Shawn Forth says Apple Day is a tradition that was started in 1932 in Saint John, New Brunswick. A total of 21,000 apples were handed out on January 30th of that year in return for passersby making donations. Forth says it’s become a fall staple for Scouts Canada. “It’s a celebration of the fall harvest and a chance for the scouts to get back out in the community,” he adds.
This year, the McIntosh apples were brought in from a farm in Peterborough.
Forth points out that 100-percent of what is raised during the long weekend goes directly to the local scouts. “You know it’s going to be supporting our camping efforts, our programming, things that will directly impact the youth,” he says.
“It’s so exciting to go back to live, in-person scouting indoors and outdoors,” Forth goes on to say. “Seeing the smiles on the youth makes it all worth it.”
If you’re interested in joining the local scouts, Forth says to reach out through their Facebook page.