Scouts are a different calibre of humans

Matriculant and 1st Benoni Sea Scout Tomas Schreuder is a young man with a plan! “The moment I saw big and colourful rafts on our local lake I knew that I wanted to do that too”, says Tomas with a smile. “I was 8 years old at the time and since then I have been on a Kontiki raft a few times. We even installed a couch on our raft and chilled and chatted with other Scouts at the event”, he explains whilst laughing. “Scouting is just awesome. I’ve learnt so many skills and met so many people from all walks of life. I truly feel that in Scouting people are genuine. They are a different calibre of humans.

In 2020 I was in Grade 12 at Woodlands International College”, he continues. “When the lockdown hit, we were all spending a lot of time at home. We had our online classes but it wasn’t always easy as sometimes people didn’t show up and we had to wait, or the internet went down, etc. It really wasn’t an efficient way of learning but we all had to make do. I didn’t enjoy not having any social interaction. At first gaming was fun but after a while it gets boring being at home. It’s also a lot harder to sit down and study. This is where I think my Scouting discipline helped and I was able to put my head down and get the job done.

Through Scouting I am now physically and mentally better prepared for what life throws at me

Being a Scout has paid off many times. I remember becoming a Patrol Leader when I was 14 and going to Gilten PLTU at the age of – I think – 16. We had to jot down what our goal was for our lives. I wanted to get fit and I believe that through Scouting I am now not only physically but also mentally a lot fitter and better prepared for what life throws at me.  This state of body and mind also carried over to my school work. As a Sea Scout I also developed a passion for sailing. So together with a friend we worked and saved and bought ourselves a ‘Fireball’ sailing boat. It took really long for us to master it as it’s quite a sporty boat. Today we still go sailing often. Scouting introduced me to this sport!

After growing up in Scouting, Tomas is ready for another thrilling quest. “I recently joined the Phoenix Rover Crew. I’m really looking forward to our first meeting! I would also love to be a pilot and now that I’ve matriculated, I’ve applied to the Royal Netherlands Airforce. Their programme looks like it will be an extreme adventure and I am ready and prepared!”

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