Centennial year inaugural celebrations were held outdoors simultaneously in Tallinn, Tartu, Kilingi-Nõmme, Haapsalu and Rakvere. In Tallinn, scouts and friends of scouts gathered in Vabaduse väljak / Freedom Square where they lit candles, played games, sang and watched video greetings from other troops. Cake was later served at the Tudengimaja / Student House on Raekoja plats where a video was shown of President Toomas Hendrik Ilves speaking about his vivid memories of Estonian scouting in the U.S.
Karolin Lillemäe, editor-in-chief of Eesti Skaut magazine cut the cake honouring the birthday of the founder of Estonian scouting Anton Õunapuu (born Nov. 7, 1887) and marking the opening of the jubilee year of 100 years of Estonian scouting. The first troop was established in 1912 in Pärnu. Anton Õunapuu väljak, the main field at Kotkajärve was named after the phys. ed. teacher who introduced scouting to Estonia and fell fighting its War of Independence in 1919 at the age of 31.
Karolin is a member of the ökoskaudid – "ecological" scouts within the Estonian Scout Association (ESÜ) whose motto is not just "Be Prepared", but be prepared to lend a hand to help the environment (Keskkonna nimel – alati valmis.) Karolin is also assistant coordinator of Eesti skautlus 100, alongside Monika Ojala (see last week's Estonian section). Women leading scouts – Lady Olave Baden-Powell would be proud, since before becoming Chief Guide for Britain in 1918, she was Scoutmaster of a troop founded in Sussex in 1913.
Riina Kindlam,
