Week 1
Search and Rescue personnel came to Sparks meeting and gave presentation on “Lost in the Woods” and Rules of Survival.
Defined “survival” as staying WARM and DRY, while waiting to be found.  Rules were: stay together (if with a friend or pet); stay in one place or area; keep warm (hat); find a cozy waiting place, NOT a hiding place; put out something bright (but don’t take off any clothes); do not lie on bare ground (make mattress of branches, leaves etc.); do not eat anything you are not sure of; and  stay away from larger rivers and lakes.

Week 2
The following week, we made emergency survival kits, which included:
A zip-lock sandwich bag for the container (also used as a cup for drinking water)
A snack of high energy trail mix in its own zip lock bag
A whistle used for calling help (three short blasts)
A signal flag approx. 10x100 cm (cut from orange plastic garbage bag)
A reflector for sending signals (mirror, tin foil)
A large bright coloured garbage bag used as a poncho. (pre-tear slit for face opening.)

Week 3
With our survival kits in our backpacks, we went on a hike/rescue.  Our Sparks doll, Serena, was lost in the woods.  Luckily she knew the Survival Rules.  Our Sparks divided into three teams and went to search for Serena.  The girls looked for clues (strips of orange plastic) tied to trees or bushes and an arrow on the pathway.  They found Serena in a cozy place, on a prepared bed of branches.  Serena was replaced in her waiting spot after the first team found her, so the other teams had a chance to find her too.

Précis of hide the sparks doll:
Education on Survival Rules – discussion, demonstrations
Making of individual emergency survival kits – discussing each item
Leader hides doll outside, leaving clues, before meeting.  Girls, in teams with an adult, search for doll.  Discuss how well they think she followed survival rules.