Large crowd at the 100th anniversary of the Hraunbúar Scout Association 

The Lava Dwellers celebrate 100 years!

„A very warm congratulations. We in Hafnarfjörður can be proud of this well-established society, which has supported many of its members over the years. May these 100 years be just the beginning,“ says Valdimar Víðisson, the mayor.  

„We have always worked closely together on many projects; the Scouts are heavily involved in the First of June and they play a very important role on 17th June. They also look after the campsite and the barbecue hut, and run a very popular and fully booked summer course for children year after year.“ ValdImar gave a speech when the Hafnarfjörður Scout Association, Hraunbúar, celebrated its centenary and held an open house and birthday party at the scout hall, Hraunbyrgi, between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. today. 

Bjarni Freyr Þórðarson, leader of the Hraunbúar Scouts, says the scouts„ work has grown stronger over the last 20 years. The development has been significant. “We now have 150 participants under the age of eighteen. We meet on most evenings of the week, and also at weekends," he says in the run-up to the anniversary. Both the number of meetings and the age range have increased. 

The family together in the Scouts 

„We were just starting a family scouting programme. It offers the youngest children the chance to come along with their parents,“ he says. 

Are people aware of Scouting today? „Everyone connects with the Scouts today and most people know someone who was a Scout. But the fact that there's such an active programme sometimes flies under the radar.“ Anyone can come and try out Scouting. „Yes, come along to a few meetings and give it a go. The vast majority of the younger children start with the summer play schemes. They then come along in the autumn and want to carry on.“ 

The first club for both girls and boys

Bjarni says that the Hraunbúar Scout Group, along with Heiðarbúar in Reykjanesbær, was the first to have both boy and girl troops. They are proud of this. But is it good to be a Scout? 

„Yes, it improves your life. I've been coming here for many years, nearly twenty, every week. It's suited me,“ says the group leader. „When people ask what we teach, the point is to prepare people for life. We don't have trophies and medals, but rather a send-off into life; self-reliance and developing independent individuals and leaders.“ 

Is Scouting as important now as it was 100 years ago? „Yes, even more important. We bring kids back to the land. We use little technology, although we have a tech scout section. We have nature sections and bring the kids back to the land without saying it outright.“ 

Happy birthday, Hraunbúar. 

• Find out about the association here 
• See all the villages here