Webelos at Boy Scout Camporee

[Scoutfish]

Just got back from District Fall Camporee. Our district and the neighboring distyrict take turns sponsoring Camporees. Ocean District sponosred our "Pioneering Days " fall camporee.

 

Of course, it's a boy scout event, but this time, they allowed WEbelos to attend and participate in most of the events.

 

WEbelos couldn'ty shoot rifles or action archery, but could shoot bb guns, slingshots and regular archery. They weren't supposed to be able to use the COPE climbing tower, but my son as well as a few other bigger, taller Webelos went through without being flagged.

 

Now, the Webelos didn't try to do anything they weren't supposed to, and they didn't lie...it's just that they looked like boy scouts. Matter of fact, they looked like bigger boyscouts as many boy scouts are smaller than them ( my son is tall!) It was after they did it that the other Webelos were told they could not do it.

 

Ooops!

 

So, we went and shadowed our sister troop. We camped beside our sister troop and we helps with all duties, the gateway and camp set up.

 

Now, I have to tell you...this is an awesome thing!

 

You want to get your Webelos to crossover and join boy scouts, but you also want them to not go into shock when things go from adult led with mom and dad doing everything to boy led with boys being responcible for setting up camp, coking, cleaning and taking care of themselves.

 

THis is your ticket right here.

 

WEbelos watching and participating with the Troop, but withouit the distrctions of all the lower ranking cub scouts .

 

I don't know if your district or council does this or allows this...but I cam tell you this ( from a CM standpoint) _

 

It was a huge success! The WEbelos know what they are getting into. They know that being in control also means being in control of the cooking, clean up, set up and packing up. They see they are responcible for getting up , dressed , and to colors on time because mom or dad isn't going to help them..

 

I mean, you can tell a Webelos what Boy Scouts is like all day long until you are blue in the face...or you can take them to be part of it.

 

 

[Troop185]

I have been a big fan since 1981, of Webelos attending camporee, [or for that matter, of doing anything with the Boy Scouts!]

 

In 81, our pack was started, and I was the Webelos leader. We had 12 Webelos (all 5th graders in thoes days.) We had one den meeting, and then, went to the Fall Camporee with the Boy Scouts. Back then, Webelos were encourage to come. It snow that weekend, but everyone had a good time.

 

A few years later, Webelos could not camp with the Boy Scouts at a camporee. Another few years, and they were encourage to come again, and camp with the Boy Scouts. They were even allow to participate with them in in camporee events. One of my finest memory was when my Webelos defeated the Boy Scouts, from our sister troop, in a game of three legged soccer in the snow. I was really impress with how nice the Boy Scouts were to my Webelos!

 

It has reverse back, for about 20 years now in our area, that Webelos are not suppose to camp with the Boy Scouts at Camporee.

[SeattlePioneer]

Our district encourages Webelos to attend and participate in Klondike and spring Camporee. There are separate awards for Webelos Dens. Unfortunately, not many do.

 

Sad, and good opportunities missed as you describe.

[acco40]

At most camporees, patrols compete with other patrols - both intra and inter to the unit. National is very conscience of not having Webelos patrols compete with patrols. However, they may attend the same event.

 

I suggest that Webelos use such an event to check out prospective troops and instead of attending as a Cub Scout patrol, have individual Webelos attend as guests of troops and participate and camp with them.

 

Alternatively, one could attend as a Webelos den and compete against other dens only.

[Scoutfish]

There were 16 different events , but Webelos could only participate in about 11 of them. The Ironman, shotgun , rifle, action archery, crosscut saw were for boy scouts only.

 

Webelos had seperate scoring and seperate awards for the camporee.

 

Packs could attend on their own, or be a guest of a troop.

 

WE were going to attend as a pack on our own, but our sister troop invited us to attend as either a patrol, sub patrol, or shadow them. Turns out that shadowing them , but staying our own unit worked out better since scores would be screwed up due to the activitied that the Webelos could not do.

 

Plus, when the troop did the Ironman, rifles,shotguns and action archery , the Webelos were on the other side of the camp doing the relay competitions, log hitch/pull, and hatchet throwing.

 

It worked out great the way we did it: Camped right next to our sister troop and even had Webelos on duty rosters for food prep, cooking anmd cleanup. My son as well as the other Webelos were not traeted like visiting Cub Scouts, but where treated just klike any other boy scout that had always been a part of the troop.....except in situations where they couldn't be like starting a fire, carrying a hatchet, etc....stuff like that.(This message has been edited by scoutfish)