Tenderfoot Weekend / Webelos Campout

[Troop185]

We have a large troop, about 75 scouts. In 2005, thanks to the idea we got from this web site, we started our first ever, Tenderfoot Weekend. We have it in May in the youth area of a real nice, local, county park. It has been a great success! In 05, we had 19 new scouts attend, with only 7 leadership scouts. The past two years, we have had over 25 leadership scouts to help the new scouts. Our new scouts have a good time, and are encouraged to reach 1st Class in a year, so they can work at next year's Tenderfoot Weekend.

 

Last year, we started our first ever, Webelos Campout. We have it the same weekend as Tenderfoot Weekend. The reason we decided to do it in May with our Tenderfoot Weekend was: Our troop does not do very many local campouts besides Tenderfoot Weekend (we travel a lot); we thought it would be priceless for the Webelos (and their parents) to see our older scouts working with our new Boy Scouts; and we would have contact information on all the Webelos that come, while they are still 1st year Webelos.

 

Last year, 9 Webelos were registered, only 5 show up (the weather was bad), but the 5 had a good time. 4 of the 5 have since joined our troop (the other one has droped out of scouts). This year, we had 30 Webelos registered, and 27 show up (again the weather was bad). Everyone had a good time, but it really stretch our troop facilities to the limit.

 

We used all the scout's tent for the new Boy Scouts and the Webelos (plus 5 of my own tents). The leadership scouts slept in their own tents. The park provides six platform tents with 2 bunks (4 beds)in each. Most of the adult men slept in these. Some, and one mother, slept in their own tents.

 

Cooking stations were a problem afer the Webelos arrived at 1:00 on Saturday. The Webelos group count was 50 (Webelos, parents, & Boy Scouts working with the Webelos). The Grub Master for the Webelos pre-cooked the meat the day before, and we had the Webelos cook (warm up) in aluminum folds over coals; to leave the stoves for the Boy Scouts. We had about 12 dutch overs going to feed everyone after the campfire (around 135 people). We gave out our troop's neckerchiefs at the campfire to the new Boy Scouts, and have a lot of visiting, new parents come out.

 

All in all, it was a great success despite the bad weather, and a good problem to have. We are going to try, but wonder if we can continue to do both in the future. I can only see it growing bigger and bigger!

 

 

[AvidSM]

I seems you took a good idea and made it even better! You are fortunate that you have a local park that will allow you to camp.

 

You mentioned that your troop facilities were stretched to the limit. Did you run one program for the weekend with the Tenderfoots participating and the Webelos observing? Or, did you run a spearate program for the Webelos?

 

How did you register the 30 Webelos for this year? Did you recruit from several local Packs?

 

One last question - how big was your troop when you starting doing this in 2005?

[Troop185]

We run a separate program for the Webelos, in the same area - so they can observe what is going on with Tenderfoot Weekend. They can see the scouts working in the ax yard, etc. The Boy Scouts come in on Friday after dinner, and the Webelos come in at 1:00 on Saturday. Everyone leaves by 9:30 a.m. on Sunday(Mother Day).

 

I assign one or two older scouts that volunteers (usually Eagle or Life rank), to be the Den Guide for each Webelos Den. They help the Webelos set up their tents, and then will work on Outdoorsman Activity Badge or other activities badges with the den, if the Den Leader request it. We also, set up a swinging rope (Acid Pit) and a blindfold maze just for the Webelos. They really enjoy both of them. Their guide also make sure they have a skit for the campfire that night. After dinner, the adults were having Scoutmaster Conferences and Board of Reviews with the new Boy Scouts, that had completed all the requirements for Tenderfoot; and I notice that the Webelos Guides were just having fun with the Webelos - playing tag, etc.

 

I send out a brochure (with pictures) on the Webelos Campout to all the packs in November. I send out the same information, with a Registration Form, the first of April. I encourage them to drop off the Registration Form at one of our troop meeting, but most people mail them to my house. Our 30 Webelos came from 5 different packs this year. (Our feeder pack had 11 Webelos by themselfs.) Our 23 new Boy Scouts this year, came from 7 different packs.

 

Our troop has been around 75 scouts for the last several years. For years, we were around 30. About 15 years ago (for 3 years in a row), our District combined the Fall Camporee with (what they called) a Show-O-Ree for the Webelos. The Webelos came out and visited the troops that were camp there. I am a low ropes instructor, and set up a couple of mazes and the Acid Pit for the Webelos. We also cooked cookies in a cardboard box for them. The Webelos voted our troop #1 for the first two years at the Camporee. Our troop then jump to about 50 with the the new scouts. I ask several of them, why they joined our troop. The #1 reason was, they liked our games! About 3 years later, we arrived at about 75.

 

One more thing: I always send out e-mails to the pack if the troop is doing anything that the Webelos could join us in (going to a college recreation center, archery night, judges for patrol's cookoffs, etc.) Over Memorial Weekend, the troop is going to the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario (about 300 miles). 4 Webelos and their dads are joining us! I am sure they would not be interested, if they had not already camped with the troop.

 

 

 

[dScouter15]

It sounds like a good setup you have going with your Tenderfoot and Webelos programs. Have you considered approaching other troops in your area and cooperating on such a program? It sounds like your program is pushing the limits of your troop's resources, and continuing to grow in popularity! One other thing you could consider is operating such an event at a district level, in cooperation with several troops. You would essentially be running a camporee at this point. While the politics and red tape at the district and council levels can be aggravating, you might find you appreciate the additional available resources (in terms of personnel, advertising, facility, equipment, etc). Just a thought.

[Troop185]

We just completed our eleven Tenderfoot Weekend, and six Webelos Campout.  I thought an update on this topic might encourage other new to the forum, to try it with their troop.

 

For the first time in eleven years, it did not snow or rain at Tenderfoot Weekend.  We had 52 spent Friday night, and 85 on Saturday night, including 5 from our Venture Crew.  Last year, the Venture Crew came out and did a Flag Retiring Ceremony at the Saturday night campfire.  This year, they came again and most of them spent the night (like I said, the weather was great.)  They do a great job with the retiring ceremony, and it is good to see some girls.

 

We had 14 Webelos this year.  My grandson and a buddy came 85 miles to join us, for the Webelos Campout (thanks to Nana).  The adult Grub Master for the Grump Patrol, for the first, nine Tenderfoot Weekend, came on Saturday to help out.  He has moved about 250 miles away. His son, a Eagle Scout and college grad. could not make it this year.  He was at the first 10!  And the Grub Master for the Webelos, has been doing it for all 6 Webelos Campout.

 

This year, only 5 of 12 new scouts completed the requirements for Tenderfoot, by Saturday night campfire.  Last year was a record: 15 out of 15 new scouts, and they are all still with us, except the one scout that move to the other side of the state.  Six of them were part of the Leadership Scouts this year, for the weekend.

[blw2]

hey that's great!

 

Last year, our District changed what they are doing for WEBELOS Akela weekend.  My son and I just attended it again a few weeks ago, for it's second year in the new format.

 

Seems like it's very similar to the WEBELOS portion of your event.  I like your twist of the Tenderfoot involvement I think....

Anyway, our WEB/Akela weekend is held at the scout reservation.

They moved it to April, for the 1st year WEBELOS

and are no including the Bears too.

 

Troops are invited to come host both WEBELOS (1st year) and Bear cubs.

It's a station round robin, where the scouts are assigned a rotation.... to demonstrations of various stuff put on mostly by Boy Scouts, but a bit by Scoutmasters.... 1st Aid, from 9-9:50, Pioneering from 10: - 10:50, etc....

 

The idea is that Bears get oriented to what WEBELOS will be all about (really with a heavy twist of an Intro to Boy Scouts)

and the WEBELOS get a taste of Scouts, with the added demonstrations at the shooting ranges and a chance to play on the climbing wall.

 

We camped with our Troop, ate with their patrols, etc...

Many of our recent crossovers were there, now as Boy Scouts.

My son really enjoyed it.  Honestly i think his best memory this year was playing Zombie Tag... or some such thing.... with the older boys after dark

 

It's really a good event.  My only beef with it is that there is not nearly enough "hands on" with things like fire starting, cooking, etc.... too much sitting and listening....

 

Seems like your event might be even better!

[Troop185]

I am glad you son had a good experience.  It is always good to get the Webelos out to a scout camp, so they know what the troop is talking about, when they becomes Boy Scouts.  I do a campout with the Webelos every summer; and we always stop by the Boy Scout Camp, to visit on the way home.

 

You are right about "hands on".  This past Saturday, a group of Webelos were walking by me, heading to the fire ring.  The Webelos Guide said they were working on the Outdoorsman Activity Badge, but he did not know if they just needed to show how to build a fire, or if the scouts should light it.  I turned to the Webelos as said, "Do you want to light a fire?"    Well, you know what they said!

 

Last year, the Bear Leader from our feeder pack, came out to the Saturday night campfire, with his family.  He had a great time, and was back camping with the 1st yr. Webelos this year.  I thought that was a great idea, and invited the entire Bear Den to come out this year, for the campfire.  No luck with them, but will try again next year.

[SpEdScouter]

In our area the only problem is the weather. May is notorious for lots of rain so one would have to carefully pick a site where when (not if) it rains it wont turn into a mud pit.