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Opener of Cans, Destroyer of Friendships

Writer's picture: Tyler 'Crash' StarkTyler 'Crash' Stark
Words by Tyler 'Crash' Stark
Photos supplies by Kent Latimer

A two year mystery that started with an abduction in Saskatchewan, Canada, has finally been resolved here at AJ2025.


Kent Latimer's can opener is famed in the Saskatchewan Scouting Community, home to the Can Opener Society. This can opener has travelled to more than 15 destinations around the world, including our home here at Maryborough, Queensland, Australia.


The tale of the can opener began during Klondike Hike 2022 when Camp Chief Kent borrowed a can opener from a random Troop. At the time, Kent needed only to open over 200 cans, but he had no idea the journey he was about to embark on.

“I was going to give it back,” said Kent, “but after I threatened to use it in place of toilet paper, their affection for the can opener marginally waned.”


As is the Scouting way, The Saga of the Can Opener then took on a life of it's own.


The can opener has travelled the globe – being photographed with Kent and new friends in over 15 destinations, including Disneyland – before disaster struck.



At Klondike Hike 2024 – exactly two years after entering Kent's life – everything was torn away in an instant.

“It was broad daylight,” Kent recalled, the laughter from moments before now fading. “I'd put the can opener down for a moment, I was coming right back, but it was too late. It was just gone.”


Saskatchewan social media erupted in outrage as news spread overnight, the entire community was overrun with hysteria.

“Nobody was safe from accusations, and I mean nobody. Friendships were shattered, all trust was broken. To think that one among us was harbouring the can opener meant that everyone was a suspect.”


Pressure to find the can opener was relentless. Time passed, but they were no closer to finding answers.

“The hope of return was eternal, but fading quickly. Social media had given up, everyone was in mourning for the loss of the can opener.” Kent said. “There'd been no new leads for months, every trail had gone colder than a brass monkey's balls. Everyone was giving up, but I couldn't let go.”


When Kent travelled to Australia for the 26th Australian Jamboree, he was expecting 10 days of adventure and new friends – but not old ones. On the second day of AJ2025, Kent received messages from a small group of Australians that he'd met at the Pacific Jamboree in Vancouver Island in July, 2024. They invited him to their campsite to swap some badges, and while he was there they presented him with a small, wrapped gift.

“At that juncture, the hope of it being the can opener was not even on the top of my mind,” said Kent, the spark returning to his eyes. “However, jubilation and exhileration returned to my Scouting soul upon unwrapping a pair of koala socks and discovering the long lost can opener within.”


“I was absolutely stunned and overcome with joy. I was too shocked to react.”


Little did Kent know that he had infact crossed paths with his beloved can opener again six months earlier, at the same Pacific Jamboree where he'd originally met the Australians.


Kent was too shocked to react when he recovered his long lost can opener.
Kent was too shocked to react when he recovered his long lost can opener.

The Aussie's revealed that it was there that the can opener had been handed over to them by the original kidnappers.

“The Kidnappers were so incredibly remorseful at what they had taken from the Scouting community that they had to negotiate the annonymous return of the can opener.”


Just as word of the abduction of the can opener had torn through the Saskatchewan community last February, the Can Opener Society was overcome with relief that the can opener had returned to Kent safely.

“There's already plans for a welcome party to meet us at Regina Airport,” said Kent. “The fated return of the long lost can opener will be met with fanfare and we will be whole once again!”

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The 26th Australian Jamboree will be held on the land of the Butchulla (Badtjala) and the Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi) people. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as Australia’s first people, and pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.

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