VENTESIMO ANNIVERSARIO SCOUT CAGLI

VENTESIMO ANNIVERSARIO SCOUT CAGLI

Cagli Scouts

Text By Billy Schlottke
Photo By Mari Lucco
There are many differences between America and Italy – but there are some similarities as well.
American students arriving in Cagli, Italy quickly realize they are not in America anymore. But despite the culture shock and adjustments needed, they quickly come to understand that Italians and Americans are not that much different.  Of course there is the obvious language barrier and different food and fashion but once you get down to the personal level similarities jump out.
An example is the scouts program in Italy, which is almost identical with that in America, as a lively discussion with Sofia Grilli and Silvia Ferri demonstrated. They are team leaders (an Italian counterparts to America’s eagle scouts) of Cagli Uno, and they are happy to explain how the Italian scout organization is run and works. Cagli Uno was started 20 years ago, in 1992, and has quickly taken off and has created a culture that the people of Cagli take pride in, they said. The scouts of Italy, specifically from Cagli Uno, offer similar standards to American scouts, especially through their memories, character and service.
Probably the biggest difference in the two nation’s scouting is that Italy has only one scouting organization, including both boys and girls, while American scouts are split between Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.
Sophia Grilli, team leader of Cagli Uno, is 22 years old and has been with the scouts since she was 17 years old.  She explained that originally the whole “scouts thing” to her was “dorky” and “silly” until one day when she came to pick her brother up from one of his scout camps. “When I was picking up my brother, I saw that his group was all huddled under a pine tree in a circle. I didn’t know the meaning of this, but I figured I would listen to get an idea of why he enjoys it so much, and when I came close enough to listen I began to breathe their happiness.  As soon as I felt this I knew right there that I wanted to be a scout and the rest is history.”
The other team leader, Silvia Ferri, offered her favorite memory. It came from when she went to scout camp for the first time. She said it was so much fun and she enjoyed the inclusive culture. She knew she wanted to be a part of it. She has been with the scouts for only two years, but joined after hearing of her friend Grilli’s promising experiences.

Scout Member, Giovanni Mariotti enjoying himself with his scout friends.

Scouts of Italy also take a lot of pride in the characteristics scouts allow them to build within themselves. Grilli speaks upon how she is now able to speak more confidently in front of parents and other crowds on any topic. “Ever since scouts, I have been much more comfortable in front of all types of people and speak how I feel, but in a comfortable fashion.”
Scouts have allowed her to become more trusting and open with others. “I was very shy as a child, and, because of scouts, I soon began to trust people more and become more confident within myself. The confidence I have today would not be the same if I did not participate in Cagli Uno,” Grilli said.
Silvia Ferri also commented on personal growth, saying, “I have become much more independent ever since I have joined the scouts. I use to be very reliant on others, but scouts teach you very fast that you can do things yourself if you take the time to learn and believe in yourself.”
Finally, scouts are known around the world for helping others and being proactive in doing good deeds. Scouts in Cagli Uno help with the elderly, churches, snow and even with relief for the recent earthquakes. Grilli spoke personally on how fulfilling it is to help others and to see the satisfaction on others’ faces. “Recently there have been earthquakes in Bologna, and Cagli Uno is trying to help in any way possible. We are currently trying to get into contact with other scout troops in that area so we can be more helpful,” she said. Ferri tells a personal story of helping others in past year’s snowstorm. The city received an extremely large amount of snow in March. “People were stuck inside their houses and unable to go to work or school. We felt it was our duty to help and assist them to get out of their homes, and so we helped move the snow out of their doors.”

Some Members of the Cagli Troop

Scouts of Cagli Uno also assisted with the local churches in mass and other extracurricular activities. For example Cagli Uno participated in the city’s Corpus Domini celebration, with scouts volunteering their services with setting up the flowers picked from the mountains.
Sophia Grilli and Silvia Ferri offered great insight on how the scouts of Italy participate within their community and how scouts in Cagli are structured similarly to that of American scouts. While it is clear that scouts in each country differ in some ways, but when you get down to values and what they stand for a universal standard emerges.
In both countries, memories will be made, you will grow as a person and finally that good deeds will be done just because “it’s the right thing to do,” said Sophia Grilli.