Re: hello
Beth Allerton (BETHPET@NERVM.NERDC.UFL.EDU)
Thu, 10 Mar 1994 14:32:43 EST
Welcome Lisa! (oops - this is all GS guys, and kinda long: sorry)
Anyhow ... My Junior Troop went out last weekend. My newer girls are
still learning their outdoor skills. The older ones taught them.
("older" meaning been in my troop, have "passed" on their skills)
All campouts are supposed to have a goal in mind. So what you do depends
on why you are camping out (adult camp training: required here).
My campout was to ensure that most of my troop was on church grounds for
Girl Scout Sunday, and to aid(e) the Brownies in their sleepover (goal
same as my 1st). Along with that, my girls needed another "how to camp
out" experience, tying in all that they "learned" in our meetings.
We earned our Spring year-round section of **** (below), and earned parts
of 4 badges: Troop camper, outdoor cook, sports, Junior Aide, Dabbler in
the world of Arts, and did 2 service projects for our sponsor, as well as
provided 2 visiting Daisy troops with an idea of what's ahead of them.
OK, so all your girls know about pitching tents, making fires, wash line,
drip line, kawashie detail, proper garbage disposal and fire damper. Next?
* hike. (rain? they brought raingear & a change, go anyway)
* service project (our state parks let us stay free if we do one)
* nature study (each season has it's different things to see)
**** Earn your year-round camper badge (4 pieces)
* Camp as a means of sleeping and eating somewhere you want to visit.
(like if you went to Springfield to see Lincoln's tomb/home, camp close
by and use it only for a well, base-camp) ... sorry, too much caffeine :)
* Camp as a way of merging your troop with another to earn Sports badge,
Swimming, or something.
*** what you really want to know is: yes, take a craft bucket, cards,
skit book, songbooks, nature books, and your badge/scout books so that
when it rains HARD, or when all else fails, you have stuff to do. Treat
this aspect of camping like a long car ride, and you will end up singing
99 bottles of root-beer on the wall, too!
This is one of my favorite topics: mostly I get my Juniors ready to be
Cadettes! As Cadettes they should plan, buy, get campsite, perm slips,
plan activities, do it all but drive. Mine are getting there! Good luck
with yours, and have FUN. -Beth
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
