Woman lauded in Parliament for 63 years in Scouting

Woman lauded in Parliament for 63 years in Scouting. Gloria Partlo has been in Scouting for 63 years as a cub leader with the Mighty 4th Humber West Scout Group. Staff photo/IAN KELSO

The Richmond Gardens' woman has served as a cubs and beavers leader for an astounding 63 years, a near half-century of it with the Mighty 4th Humber West Scout Group that meets Wednesday nights at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in the Royal York-Dixon roads area.

"It is the unsung heroes such as Mrs. Partlo that keep our communities safe and give young people wonderful opportunities to thrive and live up to the cub motto of doing your best," Etobicoke Centre MP Ted Opitz said Dec. 14 in Parliament.

"Today I congratulate Mrs. Partlo for her tireless commitment to youth and Scouts Canada. As the cub promise states: 'To do a good turn for somebody every day.'"

Partlo, 77, caught Opitz's 45-second remarks live in Parliament on CPAC (Cable Public Affairs Channel).

"It was very interesting," said the enthusiastic grandmother, who had never previously watched CPAC. "I really get my reward from the youth that I work with. But if it was good PR for scouting that's what I'm interested in. The more youth we can get involved in scouting, the better."

Partlo's Scouts' honours include a centennial medal, as well as the Silver Acorn Award consisting of a medal and a certificate signed by then-governor general Michaelle Jean. Canada's Governor General is the Chief Scout of Canada.

Roman Gawur, who sits of the Mighty 4th's group committee, nominated Partlo for the parliamentary nod.

Partlo joined the Scouts at age 14 in Sarnia, Ont. where she met her late husband, John.

She hasn't missed a year since.

Scouting is now a family affair.

Partlo's youngest grandson Declan Heller, 9, is one of her cubs. His older brothers, Mackenzie, 16, and Austin, 14, are both Venturers with the Mighty 4th, where their mom, Partlo's kindergarten teacher daughter, Kerry, is a cubs' leader.

Last week, Partlo's cubs raised their voices in Christmas song for Richview Residence seniors for the 10th year. It is the Mighty 4th cubs' 26th year entertaining seniors in the community.

"(Cubs) really are a delightful age to work with," Partlo said of the eight, nine and 10 year olds. "They were ever so good. They were angels."

Now a half-dozen girls are part of their wolf cub pack, with an equal number in the beaver colony and in the scout troupe.

"The girls seem to be adapting very well, even though they're outnumbered. They seem to be a calming influence on the boys," she said.

The Mighty 4th boasts some 100 youth and a remarkable 50 adult leaders and group committee members, an unusually high number in the Greater Toronto Scouting Council, Partlo said.

Many of Partlo's leaders were her cubs as children. Many now bring their own children to the troupe.

"I have so many leaders. I'm so blessed. We're like a family. Some of them stay on even after their youth have gone on, which is very gratifying. It's an exceptional group."

Fun is the key to scouting, Partlo believes.

She learned that lesson 46 years ago from a cub when she became a key leader her charges call "Akela," the name given to the head of the wolf cub pack.

"One day a little boy named Billy Manahan came up to me and said, 'Since you became Akela, you don't smile anymore.' I looked at him and I said, 'Billy, thank you.' And whenever I get too serious, I think of Billy Manahan and I smile. That was the best lesson I could have ever gotten from this little eight-year-old boy who noticed I was taking it too seriously. Isn't that beautiful?

"I've never forgotten that. You've got to keep your sense of humour. You've got to have fun. You can't take life too seriously."

The cub concept is learning while having fun.

The Mighty 4th enjoy three camps a year. Partlo organizes a week-long camp every July at the Scouts provincial training camp Blue Springs north of Milton, Ont.

"My life is so full," she said. "I think this is the secret of Scouting. If you can ingrain in them the values that Scouting presents and the love of it, then they'll come back and bring their children back because they want them to have the same experiences. Scouting has so much to offer."

Recently, one cub's mother gifted Partlo with a box of chocolates and a note that read: "Your enthusiasm is infectious."

"It's so exciting. I hope the good Lord will give me a few more years. I always wanted to make the year 2000," Partlo said, explaining both her parents died young. "Then I thought, 'Maybe I'll make my 60th year in scouting.' Now I don't know. I just do one day at a time."

Partlo has countless stories of her decades-long scouting adventure. Friends have encouraged her to pen a book. "I don't have time. I'm too busy living it," she said, laughing as she often does.

"It's my life. It's the relationships. It's having an opportunity to be a small part of young people's lives, both boys and girls and young adults. If everyone realized you always get back ten-fold what you give, everyone would volunteer and the world would be a much better place. You get so much more back than you ever put into it.

"The rewards are just so great."