...but is it camping?

[Pack212Scouter]

My guess about the fires and charcoal is that they don't want the risk of messing up the field from someone dumping the ash.

 

This doesn't sound like a camporee that myself or my son would like to attend though.

[desertrat77]

I don't think this is camping.

 

Though camping can take on many forms, there should be an element of adventure and a connection with nature.

[HobcawChaos]

Sounds more like a festival weekend at a college during which you choose to pitch a tent to hold down lodging expenses.

[BrentAllen]

"The flute is a heavy metal instrument." Ian Anderson

[Snow_White]

Ian Anderson awesomeness aside, I assumed that the OP was referring to the video game...

[SctDad]

This sounds like an event that my pack would not attend. Now are you gonna make s'mores without flame. And no we are not cooking em over a stove.

 

At the Jamboree that the East Carolina Council held that Eagle 92 is talking about, they told everyone that you had 2 ways of having a fire, dig a pit and replace the turf when you were done, or bring an elevated pit/barrell.

 

As for the musicians, when I was walking around, there was a young man with a trumpet, (Guess it was their bugler) that was playing the intro to the IROM MAN song. He was rocking it out.

[CalicoPenn]

In three years, when Wii introduces "Wii Campout" we'll be looking back on this outing with nostalgia for the way things used to be.

[SSScout]

OO - OO- ....

 

Concept! "Wii Axeyard!!" No blood, rub file on blade to sharpen, angle is importatnt, use contact method, fell trees with big axe, carve necker slides with pocket knife...

 

When redwood is cut down, extra points if you yell "TIMBER!!" loud enough, vibration machine when it falls,

 

Two people use crosscut saw, cooperation, positioning, speed,

 

How do I patent the idea???

[BadenP]

Calico

 

With the way technology is heading exponentially and the overwhelming control it has over society your post is closer than you might think. The sad part would be the scout being signed off on his requirements while performing requirements on the Wii such as cooking, pioneering, orientation, canoeing, etc., etc. I bet there are even some National office types thinking that this may be the future of scouting, Mazzuca included, if for no other reason than a large increase in scouts and fees.

 

Imagine a virtual troop, pack or crew with virtual adult leaders and you communicate with your unit members on facebook or twitter. National Office rationale in Personnel and Cost savings: no more councils and professional staff's, a very small group of pro scouters at National, and the elimination of volunteer scouters alltogether. We may laugh and say it will never happen but if we as volunteers allow the continued "dilution of the scouting program" by those National executives without a loud protest than anything is truly possible.

[sherminator505]

Is there anything about this thread that doesn't scream volumes about how we have completely lost track of the task at hand?!

[Stosh]

Huh? I'm in my own virtual forest enjoying myself, it don't get any better than this! Does this mean my laptop's background picture of a campfire isn't going to cook my virtual supper?

 

What really concerns me is that there are people out there that seriously thought these ideas were really good ones!

 

Ghayes: - whatever it is the people are smokin' in that council it's some really good S....! The ultimate high adventure!

 

God save us all!

 

Stosh(This message has been edited by jblake47)

[Scoutfish]

My $.02 worth:

 

If there isn't a fire used for dutch oven, smores, or at the very least - some kind of scouts reverence ceremony..then it's not a campout. I can set the tent up in my back yard, but that's still not camping out!

 

Rocking with a flute? JETHRO TULL! Aqualung and Locomotivebreath,

 

 

[va-scouter]

Sounds like the council-wide camporee we had a couple of weeks ago. Camping on the grounds of the state capitol building. Thus... no fires of any kind, all cooking done with gas stoves. Tent pegs had to be tiny, so as not to damage the lawn. Had a pinewood derby too, as it was a combo boy scout/cub scout event.

 

We just went up for the day, due to all the restrictions on the camping and bought lunch from the vendors... first time I've ever seen funnel cakes at a camporee.

 

Those who did camp were miserable... high winds, driving rain, lightning, and low temps. If there was ever a time fires were needed, it was at that camp. Cold, wet young men are unhappy young men.

 

 

[va-scouter]

Dreaded double post.

 

(This message has been edited by va-scouter)

[ScoutLass]

Sounds like our Camporee this weekend. We only went for Saturday, because who wants to camp at the fair grounds? Most of the events were held inside the Expo center, and the only food available was from a local fast food vendor that has an exclusive contract with the fair grounds. We had a one of those big blow-up jump houses there, the climbing wall, and a pinewood derby, as well as a bunch of other carnival-like games. A ton of local businesses had booths set up for the boys, and it seemed like a lot of people were there for the free swag more than anything.

 

The Smokey Bear booth did things the best, in both my opinion and that of my Webelos son. They gave the boys 'badge books' and required them to participate in several different activities to earn the patch and swag.

 

The one benefit of this kind of Camporee is the turn-out, I guess. Our pack has spent the last year trying to up recruiting and retention. About 95% of our boys showed up on Saturday. They likely will go to school Monday and talk about this. I handed them 'invitations' to our pack meeting this week they could pass out to friends. Hopefully this excited them enough to bring in a few more boys.

 

But nope, it isn't camping or a camporee, in my book. There were tents and fires in the camping area, but it was pretty clear camping was primarily for those packs and troops coming in from out of town so they'd have a place to stay. Something fun? yes. Practicing the ideals of scouting? maybe, to a point. Encouraging community support? Heck yeah, though a bit too advertisement heavy for my taste.