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April 2009
 
Sveiki skauteliai!
2009 is the 1,000 year commemoration of the name of “Lietuva”.

We started the year with our January stovykla “Kernavė” – named after the first official capital city of Lietuva. We had 3 vadovai from Lietuva helping out – Vaiva, Povilas & Justė. I think you’ll agree they were a real help in making it a great stovykla. They introduced us to new and interesting activities, fun games and stations and they lacked no enthusiasm! As well, you all built awesome gates, towers & other structures; challenged yourselves on a compass trail; carved sculptures; danced to “Sutaras” - the live musicians from Lietuva; cooled off at the beach & enjoyed a surf-lesson or bowling games

Since then, we’ve lined up on V-16, Feb 16th – commemorating Lietuvos 1st Independence Day in 1918. It was a great turn out as we filled the front pews in the church & both Father John & members of the community mentioned how impressive it was to have the skautai present.

Then there was Kaziuko Mugė in March. Though St Casimir’s Fete was not in the usual church hall, but at the Litho club, the turnout of skautai & community was pretty good. The club’s cook, Alvyda, generously allowed us to use the kitchen to warm up our famous lunch (dešrelės and kopustai). This meal was served up by vyresnės sesės & young vyčiai; the baronkos
were strung together and sold by the skautai and prityrę skautai, while the cakes were looked after by our angelic faced paukštytės. Projected on the wall, behind the other stalls, were photos from past stovyklos for everyone to see (and reminisce ?). Thanks to our broliai skautininkai (green ties). Team effort paid off again – hence, a successful day!

And most recently – you guessed it – another stovykla! Aptly named “Lietuva”, during the Easter holidays – our favourite time of year!
We had a record number of paukštytės, vilkiukai, aguonėlės & gintarėliai (red & white ties); the usual core of skautai & patyrę skautai; heaps of vyresnės sesės (though most were over 21 yrs. I mean 31……OK….); a solid core of skautininkai & skeletal number of vyčiai – even a young vytis all the way from Melbourne!!

The rain may have delayed our setting up of tents on Monday, but we dried out by Tuesday & the programa was underway.
We improved our tent building skills; scrubbed up on Lietuvos geography; made our own lunch over the laužas; tie-dyed awesome looking shirts in geltona/žalia/raudona; challenged our trail sign skills on the jaunesniųjų skautų hike & orienteering skills on the skautų & patyrusių 12km hike to Staples Lookout - adding a scenic 6km detour – just to make it really worthwhile. We got to learn about and handle a python thanks to brolis Darius & stick insects thanks to sesė Belinda.
Another highlight had to be our trip to “Treetop” – where we, equipped with abseiling harnesses & helmets, learnt, tried and conquered ropes and obstacle courses of varying degrees of difficulty & height (up to 35m high and a flying fox 70m in length!!).

A brilliant effort by each & every skautė & skautas from those having a great attitude & doing their best for their fellow skautas to those trying new roles as vadovai (as buddies or as parts of štabas). A huge AČIŪ to all for your input in making this another fantastic stovykla.
Sesė Kristina
“Aušros” Tunto Tuntininkė
9894 8658

NB. Remember to find your “stripes” programmes on www.manoprograma.com
PS. Check out the “Aušros Tuntas” Facebook Group
PPS. Rajonas has a website www.skautasaustralia.org for all litho scout Tuntai in Australia.
Scouts - Aušros Žinios
September 2008
 
Sveiki skauteliai!

Our last sueiga was 29th June at the Lietuvių Klubas. Thank-you to the paukštytės, skautės, patyrusios skautės & skautai and vadovai, who mustered up the effort to come along. Though it was a comparatively small Tunto turn-out, it was never the less constructive. Irena Kapočiūtė gave her patyrusių skaučių įžodį; the patyrę skautai watched a DVD and learned about partizanai (the resistance - during the years of occupation of Lietuva); while paukštytės worked at blistering pace on their patyrimo laipsniai. Thank-you to sesės Lydia & Marina for helping make the sueiga qualitative.

Next on our Tunto agenda, was the Tautinė Stovykla in Lietuva. Well, the survivors are back and live to tell the tale. From the questionnaires that were to be filled in on returning home, a few points were fairly conclusive:
  1. Amazing to see over 1000 Litho skautai lined up in one aikštė.
  2. The lake and island, where stovykla was, were awesome.
  3. Toilets and washing facilities were not as expected.
  4. The food was…….well, it certainly wasn’t Kaos Kitchen Cuisine – though edible.
  5. Laužai - were there any???
  6. Does the sun ever set in Lietuva? Even IF you went to bed before tyla & were up before mankšta, it was STILL light.
To hear all the nitty gritty and see photos on screen, come to the sueiga on the 21st Sept.

So what’s coming up next?

13th September, Saturday 12.30pm Lithuanian Club, Meridith St, Bankstown.
We warmly welcome boys & girls aged 5-10yrs interested in Australian Lithuanian scouts (even if you’ve never heard of them). We will have a fun filled hour introducing you to some games, songs & activities that our Sydney scouts have enjoyed over the years. If you are new, bring yourself (mamą or tėti if you like) & a smile. If you are a current scout, please bring your programa &/or work-books & of course…your ties.

Remember you can download your programa from www.manoprograma.com

21st September, Sunday 11.30am St Joachim’s church, Lidcombe.
To coincide with celebrations commemorating Holy Mary’s apparition in Lietuva (Šiluva) 400 years ago, the Sydney Lithuanian community is having a special Mass & we skautai are invited to attend. To show our respect & support, it would be wonderful if ALL could attend & in full uniform. If you don’t have one yet, please join in anyway.
After Mass, we will have a sueiga for yellow ties & older at the Litho Club, where we will see photos & hear stories from the survivors of Tautinė stovykla “Legenda Tęsiasi” in Lietuva.

Of course, that’s not all. But for now, mark down in your diaries the following dates:

Sunday 2nd November 2008 Vėlinės – All Souls Day
Friday 2nd January to Saturday 10th January 2009 “Rajoninė Stovykla”
i.e. the Interstate Jamboree will follow Šventės (Aust. Lithuanian Days) which this December will be held in Sydney.

Lastly, it is with regret I inform you that sk. Jerry Belkus, due to other commitments, has stepped down from his Tuntininko post. We sincerely thank him for all his work & efforts over the past few years & hope to see him around in future scouting events & stovyklas.

For any queries, ring sese Kristina 9894 8658 or coxrupsys@bigpond.com
Sesė Kristina & Štabas
Scouts - Aušros Žinios
February 2008
 
Sveiki skauteliai!

Well, we’ve started the year - maybe a little differently than usual.

Instead of our classic 7 day stovykla, we revisited an old favourite camp ground in a short but sweet event, that was aptly named by brolis Kao "Mini-vykla".
Organisers / co-viršininkai broliai Kajus Kazokas & Eddie Karp had planned a wet week-end alright, but I don’t think persistent rain was part of it. Never mind - skautai & skautės don’t let their spirits dampen that easily.
Dripping skautai drizzled in from the wet darkening evening - most just in time for dinner. Bags were unloaded onto bunks & catching up was in full swing. Then, nothing like a movie " Dud’ai, kur mano mašina?", before settling down for the night - some sooner than others.
Due to relentless rain, adj. sese Melissa lead Veliavų pakelimas in the food hall. Practical scouting was on the Saturday morning agenda, but the afternoon canoeing was cancelled due to the monsoonal conditions. Plan B involved cricket, kvadratas (dodge-ball) & hand-ball, followed by a leisurely dainavimas & energetic šokiai. Adj. brolis
Jonathon sent us, now all spruced up in our uniformas, for Veliavų nuleidimas to the upstairs hall. There, Mattias gave his maroon tie įžodis & Todd, Julian, Natalia & Nerija were announced to have finished their next laipsnius. Bravo sesės & broliai!. After another scrumptious dinner, no time to rest - Laužas in the hall was about to begin. Brolis Ray J succeeded in lighting the saturated wood. Andrius J & Dalius conducted a great laužas.
Singing & pasirodymai were at their best. Performers included: little Jack (Santa song); Tautvidas (country style "Be prepared", i.e."BUDĖK"); Irena (& guitar) with Sarah & Lara; Darius Gakas with some old favourites & the Wilson bros. (Jules & Dai) with Andrius J & Luke.
Naktipiečiai is always followed by Tyla, right? Wrong. Quiz Nite begins: from trivia to scouts, to history, to sport - all knowledge was tested by the quiz master, brolis Jerry Belkus. Bed-time - at last ._.or not. Well,.. we still have stuff to talk about.
A gorgeous sunny day for our morning iškyla to Skull Rock. The short hike becomes an emergency when a sesė (then a brolis, then another!) is found in the bush with a broken ankle, spider bite & cut arm - but smelling awfully like tomato sauce & first aid is called for. Following the spate of emergencies, all are ready for a swim, but are willing to wait & sing for their lunch - which smelled at least as good as all the meals so far, thanks to Kao & Team: Michelle, sesės Audrutė & Nat and other helpers. The swim in the cool, clean river was very refreshing & the rocks on deep side made for great entertainment as jumps, bombs, tricks & "bonsai"s were executed. Time for a quick clean-up & final veliavų nuleidimas - on real flag poles! Then our finishing prayer "Ateina naktis" & Iki Pasimatymo.
The turn out was great - despite the weather.

Thanks one & all.

THINGS to REMEMBER

17th February - Vasario 16ta (V-16)
Commemorating Independence Day (the 1st one was in 1918).
11am sharp Tunto Sueiga & Mass at St Joachim’s, Lidcombe. Full uniforma.
2pm V-16 commemoration Litho Klubas - still in full uniforma. Skautai have been invited to participate. We will be singing a couple of appropriate, but well known, laužo songs.
This will be your last chance to get your uniforma together before our trip to Lietuva. Socks (2 pairs for $5) & badges etc. will be on sale before sueiga (before 11am).
Remember, a uniform is only a uniform (& looks good) when everyone wears it!

2nd March - Kaziuko Mūgė
11am St Joachim’s church hall, to help set up for Baronka & cake stalls for Šv Kazimiero Feast day Fete. Full uniform.

7th March - Meeting about our kelionė to Lietuva
Friday 7.30pm at Lietuvių klubas "Dainava"
PARENTS & other travellers - this is an important meeting about our kelionė to Lietuva.
Meet with travel agent, know what your subsidy will be, confirm latest trip details & ask any other questions.

16th March - Pre-Easter Activities
Sunday from 11.00am to about 4.00pm at Lietuvių klubas "Dainava"
Egg rolling, egg painting etc.
NO UNIFORM (this time) - but wear a tie please

13th - 19th April - Stovykla
More info to follow.

Don’t forget to get your laipsnis (stripe or tie) sooner by doing your programa.
Log on to www.manoprograma.com
You probably know your laipsnis, but if not, just ask.

Iki pasimatymo
Sesė Kristina & Štabas
Scouts - Aušros Žinios
September 2007
 
Hi skauteliai!

It may have been a bit quiet of late, if not for the very successful "iškyla" to Canterbury Ice Rink in July. A slow, cold start, while everyone gathered entered & was finally fitted for skates. But once on the ice, the laps were happening: the young & young at heart; the slow & the fast; the very fast... Two hours was not enough for some, who had to be enticed off the ice with the "bonus" McDonalds stop to "cool" off. A great time was had by all, according to the smiles on your dials.

Ačiū sesei Laurai for all the organizing on the day,
Ačiū to you skautai (& tėveliai) for your abundant attendance,
Ačiū broliams Eddie & Kao for scouting out the nearest Mac’as,
Ačiū sesei Audrutei & broliui Steve for dragging around the newly made uniforms - free delivery service?????

Have YOU paid for & taken YOUR new SHIRT ?
The TUNTAS will look great in the new uniforms !!!! Please see the attached note for more details on getting your cheap as chips SOX & getting fitted for your new POLARTECS.

Upcoming Events

6th October: "TUNTO TURTAS CLEAN-UP" at Kariong.
This involves all vyčiai, vyr.skautės, kandidatai/tės & able bodied volunteers (parents too). The caretaker, Norm, has kindly allowed us to store our "STUFF" in his shed. After a generous 9 months, it’s time to - no, not give birth - empty his space. Please help the ageing ŠTABAS - who can’t do it on their own. Lunch & dinner provided. Bunks available if staying the night.
Ring Kristina for more info: 9894 8658.

3rd November : Rookwood KAPINĖS
- Time for the yearly clean-up of the Lithuanian section of the cemetery, the day before "All Souls Day". Lithos have a beautiful tradition of tidying & placing flowers (if not lighting candles) on all the graves - not just on your `loved ones`, but even on those who may be forgotten, or have no relatives to look after their graves, in preparation for VELINĖS.

4th November : ALL SOULS’ DAY
- As a tuntas, we will gather at church, St Joachim’s Lidcombe, for 11.30am Mass in NEW full uniform & attend the traditional celebration/blessings at the beautified Lithuanian cemetery.

2nd December : CHRISTMAS - KALĖDINIS LAUŽAS
Starting at 2pm in the air-conditioned comfort of the Litho Klubas, Bankstown, you will sing your favourite songs (requests taken in advance), perform your best šūkis & skits, etc.
It is also the 100 year anniversary of scouting in Australia, so Rajono vadas, brolis Henka Antanaitis, will be our guest. Of course, we’ll be inviting your folks & the Litho community - so let’s show them...
After Laužas, we’ll have our own Christmas Party.

January stovykla
Still to be confirmed, but very likely NOT to be a full 7-8 day camp, only a week-ender due to a few reasons:
Fire-risks : grounds are likely to be closed without notice
April stovykla : definite 5-6 days
Tautinė Stovykla: in Lietuva July 12th-20th.

Tautinė Stovykla 2008
Preparations are under way. One of them is having a proper uniform. Another is discussions with our travel agent. You will be receiving more details very soon.

Position vacant
The two year term of our current tuntininkas brolis Jeronimas (Jerry) Belkus comes to end at V16 next year. If you know anyone who would be interested in taking on this role, or if you would like to volunteer, please contact us.

Well, that’s all for now. See you all at our next function !
Sesė Kristina
Scouts - Aušros Žinios
March 2007
 
April Stovykla
Commencing Easter Monday 9th April (Registration between 11.00am - 2.00pm) and concluding Sunday 15th April @ Camp Kariong. Registration forms will be emailed upon request - Contact Stovyklos Viršininkė Laura Belkienė on 9753 0796 (home) or email laurabelkus@bigpond.com or Stovyklos Adjutantė, Kristina Rupšienė 9894 8658 (home)

Tautinė Stovykla - Lietuva - 2008!
Tautinė Stovykla is being held in Lietuva in July 2008. We want as many skautai/ės to attend as is possible from our Tuntas. To help us achieve this, a financial assistance package has been developed.
We have an information meeting scheduled for Sunday 27th May @ the Lithuanian Club commencing @ 2.00pm at which time the financial assistance package will be explained. If you have any intention of going to the Stovykla you need to be at this meeting.

Tautinė Stovykla - Lietuva - 2008! - Register now!
If you are interested in going to the Tautinė Stovykla - Lietuva - 2008 you need to register your intent by the end of April, 2007 with Jerry Belkus either by phone 0419 223 773 or email jbelkus@bigpond.com .
We need to know numbers ASAP to enable the Štabas to contact the Australian Scouts and apply for a subsidy from them for attending an overseas jamboree.
We have already selected a Travel Agent and we will be having a "get together" (BBQ or something similar) with him and his staff, at which time you can ask questions that might impact your particular travel needs. A deposit will probably be required towards the end of November this year.

Tunto Sueiga - Vasario 16d/Kaziuko Mugė - Kovo 4d
A very good attendance at both.
Congratulations to the following scouts who achieved promotions:
Skautė Irena Kapočiūtė, Skautė Ieva Petraitytė - Į paskiltininko
Prit Skautas psl Luke Kains, sv psl Jonas Lee, sv psl Mark Wilson - Į skiltininko
and also to psl Natalia Lee - Skaučių II patyrimo laipsnį
Thanks once again to the tireless workers in the kitchen at Kaziuko Mugė (Laura, Audrutė, Kristina, Danutė, Elena, Darius and Kajus). Thank you to the Vyčiai for the money tree and the skautai and skautės who helped out.

Scouting Badge
Due to our association with the Victorian Scouting movement, the Lithuanian Scouts in Australia are now officially recognised as members of the World Scouting Association (which has over 28 million individual members). This year, 2007, is the centenary (100 years) of the birth of scouting and recently you would have received the official World Centenary of Scouting badge. If you have not already done so, this badge should be sewn on, above the Lithuanian flag, above your right hand pocket of your uniform.

Aušros Tunto Vadovai 2007
Tuntininkass. Jeronimas Belkus
Pavaduotoja/Adjutantės. Kristina Rupšienė
Iždininkė/Programų vedėjaps. Audrutė Markowskei
Vyr Skaučių Vadovėps. Laura Belkienė
Vyčių vadasps. Edis Karp
Štabo narys/"Team Kitchen" vadas ps. Kajus Kazokas
Prityrusių Skautų vadovass v psl Steve Markowskei
Prityrusių Skaučių vadovėps. Audrutė Markowskei
Skautų vadovasps Edis Karp
Skaučių vadovės. Elena Erzikov
Jaunesniųjų Skaučių vadovėsl. Melissa Belkutė


  
Scouts - Aušros Žinios
February 2007
 
Tunto Sueiga - Vasario 16d
V16 Tunto sueiga, followed by Mass, will be held on Sunday, the 18th February commencing 10.30am at St Joachim’s Church, Lidcombe and we invite all scouts to attend (in full uniform)

Kaziuko Mugė - Kovo 4d
The day on which we commerate the Lithuanian Scouts (and Youth) Patron Saint, Šventas Kazimieras. Full uniforms as we will be marching into Church. 10.30am.

Rajoninė Stovykla - Angelsea, 2007
Our Rajoninė Stovykla was held in Angelsea, near Geelong, early January this year. Aušros Tuntas was represented by over 40 scouts (including vadovai). During the stovykla the following medals were presented to our scouts:
Pažangumo Garbės Žymuo: Nerija Rupšytė
Emilija Rupšytė
Andrius Belkus
Dailius Wilson
 Sarah Markowskei
Vilija Jurkšaitytė
Julian Wilson
Jonathan Lee
Už Nuopelnus Ordinas: Kristina Rupšienė  
Congratulations to Nerija Rupšytė for being selected as "pavyzdingiausia skautė" (exemplary behaviour award) during stovykla. Well done Nerija !
"Sveiks Valio" to the following NEW Prit Skautės: Giorgia Gakas, Ieva Petraitytė and Magdelena Soulos, new raudonšlipsės: Brianna Taylor and Chelsea Jablonskis, and to our newest recruit Jack Jablonskis (Gintarėlis).
Well done to our "naujai iškepti vyčiai": Alexander Karp, Jonathan Lee and Rimas Kazokas.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU to Ray Vingilis for "lugging" all the equipment to Angelsea.
Last but by no means least, thank you to the vadovai who took on leadership roles at the stovykla (Audrute Markowskei (Jaunesniųjų Skautų/čių vadovė) Kristina Rupšienė (Seserijos vadovė) Belinda Hornas (Vyr Skaučių vadovė) Tom Jablonskis (Vyčių vadovas)

Hope everyone had a great stovykla !!!

Tunto Sueiga - Vėlinės 2006
"Sveiks Valio" to Emilija Rupšytė and Dailius Wilson who received their Prit Skautės/to kaklaraištis and to Irena Kapočiūtė for giving her Skaučių Įžodis.
Congratulations also to the skautės ir skautas, who successfully completed their antro patyrimo laipsni - Nerija Rupšytė, Sarah Markowskei & Julian Wilson.

April Stovykla
Commencing Easter Monday (Registration between 1.00pm - 5.00pm) and concluding Sunday 15th April @ Camp Kariong. Stay tuned for more details.

Naujas Vyresnis Skautininkas
Special congratulations to v.s. Teodoras Rotcas for attaining the highest skautininko (green tie) laipsnis. Theo has long been an active participant and supporter of the Lithuanian Scouts and this honour is well deserved. He joined the scouting movement in Lithuanian in 1933 and a year later gave his Vilkiuko Įžodis. In Australia, in 1953, he was the co-founder of the Vyčių burelis - Geležinis Vilkas. As well as being the burelio vadovas on several occasions he was also Aušros Tuntininkas for four years from 1968 - 1972 and the Lithuanian representative with the AASE (Australian Association of Scouts in Exile) for 15 years from 1961 to 1976. He received his Skautininko laipsnis in 1969.
This honour has been a long time coming and once again our congratulations on this honour, but more so, we applaud you on your lifelong scouting involvement.

Tautinė Stovykla - Lietuva - 2008!
Tautinė Stovykla is being held in Lietuva in July 2008. We want as many skautai/ės to attend as is possible from our Tuntas. To help us achieve this, a financial assistance package has been developed. The amount of subsidy that will be provided will depend on how active a skautas/ė you have been and how active you are over the next 18 months. (ie. how many scouting activities/events you attend).
We will be having a meeting in May this year to discuss the Financial Assistance Package, duration of the trip and try to ascertain who is going. I hope ALL of you will take up this opportunity to travel with the Aušros Tuntas to Lithuania.