Not sure where to post this... Being Productive

[Eagle2007]

Our Troop campouts are once a month. It's usually Friday 6:00-Sunday Noonish. I've realized that this is a perfect time to go over general things that need to be taken care of; schedualing upcoming events, putting together fundraisers, and such things that normally we wouldn't have time for during a weekly meeting. Since its three days (ish) we potentially have the power to make memoriable, productive, meaningful, lasting decisions - not just tossing ideas around during a meeting that lasts for 2 hours, then forgetting it when we get home, only to toss around the same ideas next meeting.

My problem is this;
Some how we always manage to be too busy to scheduale mini meetings during a campout. We end up being very active, hiking biking and the lot, instead of sitting down talking.

Any ideas how to pool everyone together, get them to calm for a second to make some important troop decisions?
During chow time was one of my ideas, any tips on what works for you guys?

We have a campout this weekend so anything you give me would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

[WVBeaver05]

My advise would be to keep doing what you are doing. Take advantage of your campout time for activities. Most of the activities can only be done while outdoors. Meeting stuff can be done most anywhere/anytime. Additionally, due to schedule conflicts, etc. we usually have more Scouts present during meetings than on campouts.

If you have something that really needs to be discussed at a campout, try doing it during the quiet time around the campfire (or equivalent) after dark. Another option is to hold a separate Patrol Leader's Council (PLC) meeting to get the discussion started or completed with the PL's going back to their patrols either during the main meeting or separately. If called for a brief general meeting of the entire Troop can take place after significant discussion among the PLC.

I haven't found meal times to be a very effective time to discuss things as cooking, cleaning up, and, most importantly eating seems to be pretty distracting.

Just my thoughts on the subject.

YiS

[jr56]

Agreed, if you want to do planning on a campout, a good time would be some reflection time either before, during, or after the evening campfire.

[PPC_NYLT]

i know what your talking about, eagle2007, except my problem is getting them off there buts to do something constructive--whether its any of the activites you are talking about or even planning a calender...the best bet is after they've done their activites or before that in the morning. One of the better ideas i've had was doing it during dinner. We told the scouts we were going to talk about the calender and that if they didnt contribute to a level that satisfied the SPL, ASPL and SM that they were going to be the last ones to get seconds (that is if seconds even lasted that long). Sure enough one person didn't get to have seconds and that was me. But they all got the point and they participated and it actually worked. Try it--its amazing what scouts will do for food

[Eagle2007]

Very helpful.

I also thought about the trip to and fro. We just went to Corpus Christi which is a 3 hour drive. We had plenty of time to plan for the future.

Thanks.

[riverwalk]

Hmmm, one could either plan an outdoor meeting if that atmosphere was desirable, leaving other campouts as planned? Also, I think some areas have forgotten all about the cracker barrels. This might be a way to get a few things discussed while leaders thought they were meetin' and greetin'?

[Chief J]

My first thought about this thread was what happened to your PLC meetings? It sounds like much of your topic is the focus of that forum.

If you are going to do this type of planning I would suggest a scheduled cracker barrel after the evening campfire when the younger scouts hit the sack. As the Troop quiets down for the night, you could have a productive meeting with your PLC before bed.

I think trying to do it in the middle of the activities would not be as productive.

YIS,
Chief J