Camporees etc

[Bill Pitcher]

Camporees got so bad in our district that troops stopped goiong. What the ADULTS planned was the same old . . . same old stuff. Then about 5 years ago, one of the troops planned an invitational camporee. Just 5 troops. Each troop invited had to send a scout (not necessarially the SPL) and an adult advisor to the planning meetings. Guess what . . . the SCOUTS did it all: planned the activities, site, support personel, etc., etc. and IT WORKS. They just held their biggest and most sucdessful. Those troops in attendance can't wait to start on next years camporee. We had 9 new scouts bridge over this Spring, and this was their second outing (had a back-packing trip on which it rained, snowed, sleeted, and sun-shown upon them) and this camporee was all 80 degree weather. THEY LOVED IT . . .all boy activities. They had a fishing derby, a mountain biking trek, rocket flying contest: design and distance, 1 - mile compass course, and yes, even a campfire with songs and skits. But, they planned it and it worked. Listen up all round table attendees and council activities chairpeople. Let the boys paln it!!