chalet
matters
Highlights of the year 2003
Over 100 people celebrated the New Year at
Our Chalet, enjoying an exciting start to
a perfect season of snow, sunshine and
winter sports.
Many families enjoyed a ski holiday
together at Our Chalet,
while the Centre also
organised several activity
weekends for young Guides
and Scouts and their families
from military bases around
Europe.
F E B R U A R Y
Guests and staff completed a `Ski for the
World' 75km ski challenge to celebrate WAGGGS'
75th anniversary, while Our Chalet's staff and volunteers
organised a church service in Adelboden, attended by 65
guests, to commemorate World Thinking Day.
The winter volunteers made a birdhouse in the shape of
Our Chalet and a number of nest boxes to attract birds to
nest in the Chalet grounds.
A U G U S T
Each Swiss Experience session included a
popular overnight hike that involved hiking to
the base of a mountain late in the evening,
before sleeping for a few hours in a hayloft in
a cheesemaker's hut. Rising at 2am,
the groups then climbed to the top of
the mountain to watch the sun rise.
A barbecue evening meal preceded the overnight
hike, making the most of the fine summer evenings
and allowing guests to wave the hikers on their way.
M A R C H
Paragliding
continued to be a popular
activity with Chalet guests, along
with skiing, snowboarding, snowtubing
and snowshoe rambles.
Spycher attic was refurbished with
new en-suite facilities, bedside
cabinets and wardrobe. The original floors in
the Library and American Room were restored,
and both rooms were reorganised to preserve
their authentic
1932 character.
A P R I L
Spring weather and longer evenings
brought opportunities for moonlight
tobogganing and night skiing, whilst a
full house of guests over Easter enjoyed
a wide range of winter sports, as well as
horse sleigh rides, Eisstockschiessen
and visits to the woodcarver.
A fantastic tree house
with ladders and ropes
was built by one of the
volunteers for younger
guests to enjoy in the
summer.
J U N E
The Swiss Experience Sessions
got off to a successful start with
new adventure activities such as
hot air ballooning and canyoning, being tried
for the first time by guests. Other favourites included
paragliding, white water rafting and scootering.
Popular evening activities included Our
Chalet's own Swiss Culture Night, international
evenings, campfires and night
walks, as well as a visit to
Adelboden's folklore evening.
J U L Y
The Swiss Experience sessions
continued to offer the ultimate
alpine challenge for Girl Guides and Girl Scouts,
along with an all-round taste of Switzerland and
unforgettable Guiding/Scouting
friendship.
More guests than ever before
completed level 9 and 10
hikes, involving
using ladders and
chains and climbing
over glaciers, to
earn a certificate of
achievement.
M A Y
May heralded the start of a very hot summer,
when guests and day visitors alike enjoyed an ice
cream or cup of tea whilst sitting on the Chalet's
new outdoor picnic tables.
The Our Chalet farm, including two
dwarf goats (mother and baby), four rabbits,
six chickens and a cockerel, proved popular
with young and old, as did a range of new
mountain bikes and helmets available for hire.
S E P T E M B E R
The summer Swiss Experience
sessions drew to a close and
Our Chalet welcomed a large
group of adult Finnish Guides and
an even larger group of Trefoil Guild
members celebrating their Diamond
Jubilee. Along with various hikes
and walks around the Adelboden
area, day trips were organised to
Oeschinensee, Bern, Interlaken and
Swiss cheese, glass and chocolate factories.
Several volunteers completed the `Staff Challenge' that involved
mountain climbing, a glacial dip and community service.
J A N U A R Y
N O V E M B E R /
D E C E M B E R
Our Chalet launched its new
web site to reflect the
recent improvements to
the facilities
and services
at the Chalet.
Annual meetings of the Our Chalet
Foundation and Centre Team were held,
and work began on the major renovations
planned for the Chalet during the winter 2003/4
season.
Over 60 local people
attended the annual
Neighbours Christmas
party, which included
singing performances by
many of the children.
O C T O B E R
Following a busy summer
season, staff and volunteers
cleaned and polished every
room, made new curtains and
completed a stock check in the
shop. New fire exit signs were
erected, picnic tables, tents and
bikes stored for the winter and the
laundry room
painted.
