Campouts: Who should/should not be going?

[shortridge 184]

SSScout,

 

Do you mean Cape Henlopen in Delaware? (We Delawareans don't have much territory to begin with - we don't want to cede any to Jersey!)

 

Small world. I live about 15 minutes away from there.

 

And the family campout is a great idea.

[SR540Beaver 116]

I guess alot of it depends on troop size. I've been in a troop where we started with 5 boys. Two or three adults was plenty to transport boys and equipment. We certainly didn't need both parents and all siblings along. That being said, the troop I now serve has around 55 boys. There is no way that two or three adults can transport all the equipment and boys. We need adults and we welcome what we need. We might have 15 adults and a small handful of siblings on a campout. We have 7 or 8 ASM's. Not all of them come on every single campout. We have many committee members. On a campout, the adults act as a patrol and have their own area and do their own cooking. We even have a committee member who serves as the adult PL. Her husband is the committee chair and they are at 95% of the campouts. They often bring their their 7 year old twins if grandparents are not available to babysit.

 

That is our scenario. It in no way impedes our program or affects the patrols. Adults are in their own area and know they are to leave the patrols alone. If an adult has need to enter a patrol site, they must ask permission. Boys know that the adult area is off limits and if a boy has need to enter, they must ask permission. Any siblings stay in the adult area. We have boy planners for each outing and they have an adult mentor who assists if/where needed in the planning process. Long before we leave for a campout, there is a daily schedule for what that outings program will consist of. It is the boys program and they run it. If it is something like climbing and rappeling, we can't do it all at once because of our size. We have camped at a scout property before and adults would drive one or two patrols at a time about 20 miles to the rock wall they had to make a short hike into to climb. The scouts back in camp were doing other planned activities. Again, the boys are running the program and only the adults needed are facilitating. The rest can do what they want or hang out in the adult only area.

 

Having adults and siblings in camp does not have to affect the scout's program in any way as we keep them seperated. Works for us.

 

One added note. When the SM took the troop about 8 or 9 years ago, he was on the phone on Thursday nights begging an adult to come along for two deep leadership. Based on that experience, he doesn't turn down any adult wanting to come camping. We need them for transportation and to pull one of our two trailers.

[fleetfootedfox 10]

Looks to me like parents and siblings who are not registered are not likely to receive the same insurance coverage under the Council's plan.

 

Read this...

http://old.scouting.org/healthandsafety/resources/10-280/10-280-11.pdf

 

This may be council-specific. The document is from Golden Empire Council. However, it's probably not safe to assume your council has better coverage than this unless you've verified it.

 

Under the heading of COUNCIL ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS

INSURANCE PLAN...

 

"This Accident and Sickness insurance is provided

for youth members and adult volunteer leaders

registered in the Council. (LDS units carry their

own accident insurance coverage.) This plan

provides coverage for accidents and sickness (as

well as accidental death and dismemberment) while

participating in any official Scouting activity,

including going to and from meetings. New

members are automatically covered under this

plan. Non-Scouts attending scheduled activities

(including group travel to and from activities) for the

purpose of being encouraged to participate in

Scouting are also automatically covered. However,

the plan does not cover parents, siblings, or other

guests."

 

Under COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL

LIABILITY INSURANCE...

 

"....The insurance provided unregistered Scouting

volunteers through the BSA General Liability

Insurance program is excess over any other

insurance the volunteer might have to his or her

benefit, usually a homeowners, personal liability, or

auto liability policy...."

 

I found almost the exact wording on the Greater St. Louis Area Council web site, so I am thinking it may be pretty standard.

[SSScout 1615]

Yep, yep, that's Delaware. Not enough sleep, I guess. Next thing, I'll be talking about needing a passport to go to NEW mexico. (:-)>

[bmcdonald138 10]

Twice a year our troop will hold non-traditional car camping trips that families or friends can attend. One is to a lake with sailboats/motorboats/tubing in May. Nice campfire in the evening, usually group/troop cookout for the meals....In August before school starts back in session we go white water rafting in the Great Smokies. Saturday is spent tubing in the Deep Creek campground, part of the Great Smokies National Park. Sunday we all head to the Natahala for a white water raft trip. Again family and friends are invited. Both tend to be well attended, especially the white water trip, a great send off from summer back to school. It also serves us well in recruiting friends and younger siblings into the Troop or Cub Pack.