Winter Season Farewell
1 March 2010
Our Chalet has recently farewelled our team of Winter Volunteers. They have all contributed a generous number of services hours to maintain the WAGGGS World Centre throughout the season, especially during the Girlguiding UK Centenary Celebration Event ‘The Great Guide Getaway’ to Switzerland.
The team were rewarded with a Staff Day Out to Gruyeres and treated with a special dinner of pizza, icecream cake and chocolate fondue for dinner. Many thanks for your efforts throughout the season, and we hope you will continue to share the Guiding and Scouting spirit in your home countries.
|
The day began with a mysterious journey into the unknown, along the way those in the van were entertained by traditional games such as eye spy, name a country, hold your breath in the tunnel and swordfights. After a brief stop at a petrol station we eventually arrived at the medieval town of Gruyeres, also famous for cheese. Our first stop was the Gruyeres cheese factory where we received free samples of cheese and a guided tour from Cherry the cow (named because she was born in the cherry season). We also got a chance to see the cheese being made and the massive cellars where it is stored. After this we headed up the small hill for some ‘casual walking’ into the town centre, but not before some volunteers decided to have their faces painted… Once in the beautiful town square there was opportunity for shopping, sight seeing and lunch eating. At around two o’clock we headed up to the Gruyeres castle for a tour and also a chance to enjoy a quick game of penguins and polar bears. We then headed back down the hill where Sally surprised us all with ice cream, and coffee for Christoph! After a chance to buy some souvenirs and of course cheese we all piled back into the vehicles for the long and winding journey home. Back at the chalet, Veronica and the Spring volunteers had set up for dinner. We all enjoyed a meal of pizza and salad followed by ice cream and fondue. Yum! Everyone agreed that it had been a really special day and thanked Moushira for organising everything! Louisa, Winter Volunteer |
