Left - left - left - right - left sounded the directors of the their Pathfinder clubs. All in line, sporting khaki dress uniforms as they marched in the Pathfinder Parade. Hefting their carefully constructed floats behind them which represented a honor they achieved this past year. Pleasant Valley Pathfinders Color Guards posted the colors of the Pathfinder flag and the Red, White, and Blue. They looked sharp in their shiny helmets. As the Pathfinders proceeded through the opening ceremonies - reciting the Pledge and Law, singing the Pathfinder Song, and recognizing those who recently got baptized.  

I can just imagine the drill sergeant saying Simon says before all of his commands in the Drill Down. "Simon says left face, Simon says about face Simon says..." until there is only one left out of all the pathfinders.

Left - left - left - right - left, next up Basic Drill, Advanced Drill and the exhilarating Exhibition Drill where drill teams are able to exhibit their skills in a beautiful display of in high steps, sideways scoots, criss-crossing patterns, and then all coming back to an organized marching position again. Then on to the next challenging move.

Many things happening at once. You can smell the mouth-watering Shamburgers, the tartar sauce dipped, warm corndogs, and oh, the very berry smoothies from the clubs selling food to raise money to go to Oshkosh this year. Walking closer to the Pathfinder club booths you may smell paint, or baking ingredients, or glue from putting that last minute touches on an exhibit piece. At another booth you will hear the rat-a-tat-tat of Morse Code as a Pathfinder spells out their name. As you move on you pass by someone holding a snake out at you to show you the beautiful markings on it, as it slithers around her neck, she is telling you all that she had learned this year from doing the Reptile Honor. Oh, and Big Lake Youth Camp brought their rock climbing wall. It never seems to have a dull moment.

Back over at the main staging area, Pathfinders were making paper maché piñatas. Part of the club was making a piñata from scratch with the gooey, glue-soaked strips of newspaper slapped onto a balloon. Another, and yet another, dripping strip went on. Since it takes a while for the goo to set, the Pathfinder clubs had previously made a piñata up to the point to where they had to paint and decorate it. So the second group from the clubs were slapping paint on their piñata figures, adding pieces of colorful paper, butterflies, but wait! Look at this particular piñata! It's taking the shape of a cute little Pathfinder in full dress uniform! If not all Pathfinders were involved with piñatas they were making balloon animals. The air was filled with beautifully colored balloon animals along with very loud pops and bangs from some balloons being twisted one too many times.

Next up was a scavenger hunt with Pathfinders running everywhere within the auditorium to find the items on the list.

Now the day is coming to a close with awards and a prayer to send the Pathfinders all off, back home, to make a difference in loving their communities.

See photos of the 2019 Pathfinder Fair at http://bit.ly/2KNi3so.

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