AOL

[Balding Eagle]

Hello my fellow Scouters!

 

I wonder if you can help with something. I am having trouble arranging a visit to a Boy Scout-oriented outdoor activity for my Webelos Den. I was wondering what sort of activities would qualify for the AOL.

 

Some background information. Our Pack does not have a Troop. It merged a few years ago with another Troop in town who has their own Pack. At the completion of the Bear year I contacted 5 local Troops in the area in order to develop a relationship between the Webelos and the Troops. I asked to be informed of any upcoming activities which would be appropriate for Webelos to partake. I received no response from 2 Troops, 1 Troop advised me to contact our feeder Troop and 2 responded positively.

 

Out of the 2 Troops who responded positively only one Troop actually followed up. We coordinated the Scouting for Food drive between the Troop and Pack. The Webelos attended a Troop meeting where the bags were prepared and assignments were made. We helped with the distribution and collection of the bags. Would this qualify for AOL?

 

Its now a year later and I plan on following up with all Troops again to arrange visits to their meetings to help the Webelos decide which Troop they may want to crossover to.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

[ScoutNut]

Your Council should have Camporees coming up this fall (usually Sept or Oct). Take your Den to visit one of them.

 

Although they will not be able to participate, watching the Troop competitions should be fun. You will also have a chance to see the area Troops "in action", the way they really are, and not just putting on a show for visiting Webelos.

 

 

[fgoodwin]

Balding Eagle: if your boys assisted with bag collection & distribution during a troop meeting, that would count towards the AOL requirement to attend a troop meeting, but it would not count toward an outdoor activity.

 

If your boys actually assisted in going door-to-door to collect food as a den (or Pack), I'm still not sure that counts as a Boy Scout-oriented outdoor activity.

 

Who is your unit commissioner? One of the UC's duties is to arrange for Packs to meet nearby Troops. It sounds like you've done some leg work already -- perhaps your UC can help get those other troops "off the dime" as it were.

 

Also, if your district isn't offering a camporee anytime soon, see if another district is doing one -- you're not limited to visiting troops in your own district.

[Balding Eagle]

The distributing and collecting was done by groups, which consisted of both Boy Scouts and Webelos and led by an older Boy Scout.

 

I have no idea who my UC is. Never met or heard from him or her.

[scottteng]

Find out when the next district roundtable is and show up. Hopefully you will find some interested troop leaders and maybe even a commissioner or two there.

[mtm25653]

I would consider attending a meeting that was held outdoors and focused on outdoors activities to meet the requirement - an outdoor campfire/program on firebuilding, a hike or map reading, lashing or building pioneering projects, learning to use a bow saw. Play a wide game (like capture the flag) with a troop. If a troop camps locally, visit for dinner (and have the Webs help cook) or visit for the day's program. Visit a camporee. Go on a day bike trip with a troop. Work on a conservation project with a troop. Go on a ski trip with a troop. Go fishing with a troop. Have a cookout with the troop. Climb and outdoor climbing wall. Go horseback riding with a troop.

 

[Oak Tree]

Balding Eagle,

 

You've received several good suggestions on what you might do to meet the requirement. On your original question, "Would this qualify for AOL?", the practical answer to your question is that it's up to the den leader as to what he'll sign off on. Den leaders get to use their judgement on questions like this. I (and others on the forum) can give advice on what we'd do, but in the end this will not have a clear definitive answer and judgement will have to come into play.

 

I'd encourage additional activities anyway, but if this turns out to be the only activity that some boy participates in, I'd probably count it. It sounds like they did in fact participate in an outdoor activity with the troop. The spirit of the rule would suggest that the idea is to go see some fun outdoor activity, but it also has the idea of meeting the troop members and demystifying some of Boy Scouts. I think your activity goes partway towards the overall goal.

[Balding Eagle]

Thank you everyone for your replies. They have been helpful.

[Vigil-Hiker]

For AOL, it is 2 separate troop activities, not including camping or Hiking with Scout Troop for Outdoors man. it States: "With your Webelos den visit at least one BS Troop meeting and one BS oriented oudoor activity (If you have already done this when you earned Outdoorsman, you may not use the same outing to fulfill requirements for your Arrow of Light Award.)"

 

Then a separate visit with your parents to a scout troop you want to join and have a conference with the ScoutMaster.

 

These should be the easy requirements unless the kid is over-scheduled - scouts, religion classes, sports, school clubs, etc. Or there are very few troops nearby and their meeting conflicts with something that the parents can not change (sports practice, religion class)

 

Luckily, religion is on Thursday this year for my son. We have two troops in town who both meet at 7:00 pm on Tuesday on opposites side of town in different churches.