The Great Outdoors

Hi All,

Once again I am writing in the space to give you all some idea of what's in store for Troop 401. The cliche; "Two thirds of Scouting is outing." may be trite but it is very true. One of the biggest attractions of Boy Scouts is the idea of outdoor adventure. In Troop 401, we will be faced with a challange when we first meet. We will be a small Troop with (I hope) a mix of seasoned and young scouts. The older boys will be accustom to and expect big expeditions into the wilds of Maine. The younger scouts will just be getting into the outdoor camping experience. Add to that the limit of funds and possibly experienced adults and we have our work cut out for us as far as outdoor activities go.

This is why as Scout Master, I will be aiming toward simple local outings to start. One big trip somewhere will be our goal for the 2008-2009 season. It is for this reason that an Outdoor Event Chair on the Troop Committee is so important. The work will not be great at the start. For example, we could start out with a simple campout in my back woods or a short cannoe trip on Messalonskee or the Kennebec. A nearby state park or camp ground could also be used and a winter camp out down at my brothers camp on Messalonskee is also a possiblity. The outing or events don't have to be big, just out doors.

With the help of the Committee and a few adult volunteers, I am hoping to get the boys moving on leadership training and rank requirements and outdoor activities meet both criteria. I see no reason why the new leadership could not begin planning a campout in the woods in September (but that is for another day). The most important thing is to get the boys outside and set camping tasks that can be accomplished but also pose increasing degrees of difficulty as they all gain more experience. If it isn't fun or doesn't present some challange the we will begin to lose our Scout for one of the most important aspects of the programs.

To sum up, I hope to be able to work with the Committe, parents and Scouts to develop an outdoor program that can be easily accomplished but also presents some challenge and fun. We have a great group of potential parents and Scouts and I see great things ahead in The Great Outdoors.

YIS
jdd
:)

Another Thread to Consider

Hi All,

I am playing around with the new (to me) world of blogging and decided to set up another blog where I will post the random thoughts of a Scout Master. Any important information can be found here and at the Troop blog. For now, let's stay in touch and keep moving forward on the new Troop

Take care,
YIS
jdd
:)