chalet
matters
"Our Chalet is a magical place where dreams come alive
and we can learn to believe in ourselves."
Flexibility and choice were again the key words to
describe Our Chalet's programme of activities last year.
A full programme was offered in both the winter and
summer seasons, and day and evening activities were
tailored to the guests' individual needs and wishes.
S U M M E R
From May to September, Our Chalet was full each day with the sound of laughter and
chatter from over 100 Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from all over the world. The summer
Swiss Experience sessions, designed specifically for girls aged 11-18, were based on the
theme of challenge, adventure and international friendship.
Walking and hiking around the beautiful mountains of Adelboden was again one of the
main activities. A record number of guests completed the highest level hikes, and many
guests also enjoyed the thrill of watching the sun rise over the top of the mountains on
the Early Bird and Overnight hikes.
A wide range of coach trips to nearby towns and tourist attractions was again offered,
with the introduction of several new trips including excursions across the border to France,
Germany and Italy. The Chalet minibus was used on many occasions to run smaller trips.
Trips and hikes were lead by Our Chalet staff, who acted as tour guides, offering useful
and interesting information en-route about local sights, history, wildlife and culture.
Many guests also chose to include at least one high adventure activity in their programme,
with white water rafting, paragliding, kayaking and rock climbing proving popular choices.
An optional entertainment programme was offered every evening, and was a highlight for
many guests. The international night, Swiss cultural evening (with Swiss crafts, music,
costumes and a Swiss quiz), barbecue, campfire and an updated version of the Chalet
Challenge were especially popular.
Programme
of
activities
2003
T H E G U I D I N G S P I R I T
Our Chalet, like all the World Centres, offers guests challenge, adventure, spirit and international
friendship. The spirit of Girl Guiding/Girl Scouting can be seen throughout the year in the
atmosphere of warmth, friendship, tolerance, understanding and cooperation. Reflections on
themes such as peace, love, uniqueness, challenge and leadership, lead by Chalet staff, and
the daily sung graces and readings before the `family-style' evening meal instill a sense of
belongingness and sharing that encourages everyone to feel part of the Our Chalet family.
All summer and winter activities encourage guests to `stretch to reach their potential', gaining
personal confidence and inner strength that can later be transferred to their home lives. Through this wide and multi-faceted
programme, Our Chalet's mission mirrors that of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts in aiming `to enable girls and
young women to develop their fullest potential as responsible citizens of the world'.
Our Chalet's calendar of events highlights different weeks that are tailored to different groups. The Swiss Experience sessions are
specifically for Girl Guides and Girls Scouts, while other weeks are specifically aimed at adults or families, allowing members of
the Movement to bring their friends and families to share the beauty of Our Chalet and learn more about the mission of WAGGGS.
R E N O V A T I O N
W O R K
A large number of additions and
improvements were made to Our Chalet
over the last year. Amongst these were:
·
renewing the path
from Baby Chalet
to the main house,
built by 12 Swiss
Scouts, and now
complete with solar
lighting (right)
·
extending the car
park
·
installing a wooden
ceiling, carpet and lighting in the T-Bar
·
adding new beds, lighting, cupboards,
toilet and sink in Spycher attic
·
creating an animal enclosure for the
two dwarf goats (mother and baby),
four chickens, rooster and three
rabbits, aka `the Chalet farm'
·
sanding and varnishing of the floors in
the Library and American Room
·
erecting an
adventure tree
house (left), using
unwanted beams
and timber from a
local neighbour
·
installing sensor
lighting for the
kitchen, shop and
Stöckli pathways
·
making new curtains for many of the
bedrooms
·
painting external and internal walls
·
planting new trees and adding potted
trees in the entranceway of Spycher
·
providing a colourful flower display
between the two houses
·
tidying and pruning the woodland in the
Chalet grounds.
F U T U R E P L A N S
At the end of 2003, a major building/renovation programme was started to improve
the facilities at Our Chalet for the comfort and convenience of future guests.
The projects include:
Heating system
Current Swiss regulations require that the existing oil burner, which provides
heating and hot water to the main house, must be replaced to satisfy environmental
legislation for exhaust gases. A new, eco-friendly woodchip burner will be installed
to service both the main house and the staff house. The work involves digging
trenches and laying pipe-work between the two houses, and creating a large
woodchip storage area in the current food cellar. This major project should be
completed in late spring.
Shop
The small but abundant Our Chalet shop (right) will double in
size enabling a wider range of products to be offered to guests.
A large storage area has been designed underneath the shop
to carry additional stock. Work on digging the foundations for
the extension started in November before the first snow came,
and is expected to be completed in spring 2004.
'Stöckli' Staff house
The staff house (left) has been in desperate
need of modernisation. The old
electricity wiring system will be
totally replaced, worn floors have
already been sanded and the old
sanitation system is being upgraded.
An improved kitchenette
and new
curtains for
all rooms will
complete this
project.
Kitchen
The design of the kitchen does not allow for much storage space, so most food
is stored in the cellar below, with the only access being via the main stairs.
An additional stairwell is now being built, creating direct access from the kitchen
to the food cellar. When complete, the new stairs will improve working practices
and provide easy access to the fridges, freezers and food stores.
Laundry room
Work started in November 2003 on renovating the laundry room,
which is now used by guests for drying clothes. The old bath has
been replaced by a soak-away unit and the old concrete floors
have been laid with clean, modern tiles.
The walls have also been given a fresh coat
of paint by one of our volunteers. Funding for
this entire project has been provided by the
Schweizer Pfadistiftung.
Building work
2003-2004
W I N T E R
Guests last winter enjoyed an
active winter programme of
alpine skiing, snow shoeing,
snow tubing, cross-country
skiing, snow blading, ice
climbing, sit skiing, sleigh rides,
tobogganing, snowboarding
and paragliding. The most
popular day-time activity was
again alpine skiing, with many
guests taking lessons with
Adelboden Ski School, whilst
others skied with qualified Chalet
staff who provided a mountain
familiarisation programme.
A wide variety of winter evening
programme options included
fondue evenings, night skiing
and tobogganing, snow
Olympics, Eisstockschiessen,
DVD presentations, campfires,
moonlight walks to ice cream
restaurants, Karaoke nights and
discos.
