Alan Dawkins arrived in Penticton in 1974 from Red Deer and Calgary. As a young man in Calgary he quickly learned that being a volunteer in the Scouting movement could lead to a fulfilling life. So began a lengthy relationship with the Boy Scout movement as far back as 1956.
Prior to his twentieth birthday Alan was invited to the home of a young lady who had recently come into his life. While a “meet the parents” session can be intimidating for a young lad, Alan bravely walked in the door of his future wife, Lorna, who had two younger brothers. The boys loudly proclaimed “Hey, that is our Cubmaster!”. He was immediately “in” with Lorna’s family. Together they embarked on a lifetime of adventure, balancing family, work and volunteerism.
Upon his arrival in Penticton in 1974 Alan became Akela (Cubmaster) to the Wolf Cubs of 3rd Penticton Scouting Group, under the sponsorship of St. Saviour’s Anglican Church. By 1978 he had been drawn into the District level, where he served as Assistant District Commissioner for Cubs, helping other Cub Leaders develop their programs. Over the next few years, while working at the District level, he continued to assist with the 3rd Penticton Cubs. He assumed even greater responsibility in 1983 when he was qualified as a Gilwell Trainer Level II, where he was able to share his knowledge, wit and sense of humour with many new Cubmasters.
Dawkins expanded his resume in the early 1980s to include many years as the Assistant Regional Commissioner for Rovers, the older youths who had aged out of the traditional Scouting program. During this period he also assumed the duties of Assistant Regional Commissioner for Wolf Cubs. Records show him returning to 3rd Penticton Wolf Cubs in 1987 and 1988.
When Alan and Lorna moved to Penticton they, with partners, bought South Beach Gardens RV Park. This livelihood was ideal for Alan’s dedication to Scouting. Most of his work happened in the summer tourist season, leaving him free to pursue his volunteer roles for the rest of the year. A journeyman sheet metal mechanic by trade, and a self professed handyman, Alan could fix almost anything at the RV Park and in his Scouting activities. He repaired Cub Car race tracks for District events and he taught future Scouters the disappearing art of silkscreen printing on shirts and banners.
The above details can now readily be retrieved from archives in the Penticton Museum. But there is less known about the 17 years that he spent as a member of a group of Scouting volunteers who were known as the RAMBO crew. The title stood for Richard Tallon (R), Alan Dawkins (A), Michael Meheriuk (M), Bob Osborne (B) and Others (O), who helped on one project or another at various times. RAMBO took on the task of renovating, expanding and maintaining Scout camp properties controlled by the South Okanagan District. These included the large camps at Camp Boyle (Summerland), Camp Secrest (Oliver), and the upper and lower cabins at Apex. The RAMBO crew took on large projects such as building new bunkhouses, replacing roofs and plumbing systems, and the smaller jobs such as splitting firewood for the winter.
The RAMBO projects were funded by various groups, but the primary source was “Friends of Scouting” (yes, the RAMBO crew), who worked at seven Bingo nights per year over a span of five years.
Dawkins was recognized with many Scouting awards during his 45 years as an adult volunteer. They include a Long Service Medal (1978), the Medal of Merit (1985), the Bar to the Medal of Merit (1992), and the Silver Acorn (2003), all of which are reserved for exceptional service.
Whether he was working with a group of Wolf Cubs, assisting other adult volunteers, training volunteers, helping to organize the annual Cub Car race event, or just silkscreening a logo for a special occasion, Alan Dawkins had a deep and lasting impact on the youth of Penticton and area over several decades.
This article was written by Gerry Lamb and published in the 88th Annual Report of the Okanagan Historical Society. It is copywritten.