from left Dave Olson, various RCMP and Judge, Bob Olson front, Brad Coleman far right – receiving Chief Scout’s award, 1983
In Canadian Scouts, the highest accolade one can achieve is the Chief Scout’s Award. Requires a whole load of badges and tasks and whatnot – sorta like the US Eagle Scout i suppose.
Anyhow, as it goes, most Scouts earn this on their way out and onto Ventures (the next age bracket group) but diligent as i am, earned at a young age (was told youngest ever but no way to verify) and attended the ceremony (requiring special permission apparently) along with older brother Bob and pal Brad Coleman.
What follows are artifacts and evidence from the event and award.
(As obvious) this is a letter from Governor General who is apparently the Chief Scout of Canada) acknowledging earning of eponymous Chief Scout’s Award.
Report Card: Grade 7, Prince Charles Elementary / Surrey, 1982-83 / grades and remarksReport Card: Grade 7, Prince Charles Elementary / Surrey, 1982-83 / cover
Report Card: Grade 5, Prince Charles Elementary / Surrey, 1980-81 cover and signaturesReport Card: Grade 5, Prince Charles Elementary / Surrey, 1980-81 / grades and remarks
Report Card: Grade 4, Harold Bishop Elementary / Surrey, 1979-80 / cover and remarksReport Card: Grade 4, Harold Bishop Elementary / Surrey, 1979-80 / grades and remarks
Changed schools from Harold Bishop to Prince Charles when family moved…
Report Card: Grade 4, Prince Charles Elementary / Surrey, 1980 / gradesReport Card: Grade 4, Prince Charles Elementary / Surrey, 1980 / cover and remarks
Fascinated by pigs of all kinds from a young age, i made scrapbook, drawing, plans for ownership, and learned the names and habits of everykind of swine from peccaries, to warthogs, to javelina. My sports-teams are always named after pigs (street hockey and fantasy sports to be more accurate) and i invented characters including “Super Pig” with appropriate uniform. I also raised a family of guinea pigs (until devoured by a ruthless opossum). Evidence of these other projects are scattered elsewhere, whereas in this post, i share various sketches of pigs, farms and a buffalo – made when 7 years old.
Drawing: Pig head 2, David Olson, undated (likely 1977)
Artifacts (youngtime): with pal Chris Goodman (note Peterbuilt hat) / he’s still awesome
Note: after moving from Lansing, Michigan to Surrey, BC in 1974/5, we lived on 154th St. in Guilford area on a dirt road with a rented house which backed into a whole bunch of forest. I attended Harold Bishop elementary school before moving to Whalley (95 ave.) in middle for Grade 4.
In the nearby woods, my friend Chris Goodman and I found a huge stash of lumber (also note in there was a few burnt out old houses in a field across from us) we salvage things and made large dangerous tree houses. I recall we played wide-games in the forest as well as epic street hockey games at the dead end by a new doctor’s office.
This area was quickly developed with a big new library and a massive mall. The building still exist though the house is long gone, the roads paved etc. etc.
This was around the time I did the Pig Express newsletter and wrangled up various gangs of “good kids” for activities and what not. Realizing now this was *important* because there was a lot of dangerous characters around the neighbourhood including the one who shall not be named.
