Summertime pack activities

[Scoutfish]

This is actually intended for the packs that do not run a 12 MONTH/FULL YEAR program.

 

 

My pack takes a summer break. To be honest, I do not know why. I am not condoning, nor am I promoting it, just saying it's been that way since long before I became a member - and I honestly do not know why they chose that program over a full time program. Could be the leaders wanted a break, could be the scouts or the scouts families.

 

 

Could be: "Hey! It's summer, what do you expect?"

 

So anyways, we do have at least 1 fun day activity each month.

 

I just took over as Cubmaster, and somehow "earned" being in charge of the fun days. That's cool! I don't mind at all. I heard the other fun days were "ok, but nothing spectacular". So I wanted to do something different.

 

In June, we went fishing at a local sound side park & dock/ pier. We had about 10 cub scouts show up with some siblings.Fished, played, ate ice cream sandwhiches.

 

I was dissapointed in the turn out.

 

But then I learned from some of the older membership and leaders that having "that many" show up was actually impressive in comparison to years past.

 

Yesterday, we had our July fun day. We went to Moores Creek Nattional Battlfield. Had a (pre arranged) tour and program put on by the National Park Service. Had a Ranger guided tour too. Afterward, we cooked hotdogs and let the kids run around.

 

This time we had around 20 scouts show up and a total of 40 people including parents and siblings.

 

Everybody said they really had a great time.

 

Next month, we go to the battleship memorial/museum USS NORTH CAROLINA BB-55. Waitig to see how many show up.

 

Okay, I know that as a pack that doesn't traditionallly run a 12 month schedule, I shouldn't exopect everybody to show up.

 

Considering I am competeing against the beach( we are coastal) pool parties, summer camps, family vacations, and even various scout camps , jamborees, Webelorees, scout day camps, weekend overnighters, etc....plus various parks and recs programs......well, I guess we are doing pretty damn good.

 

That and we live in the humidity capitol of the eastcoast. Sometimes it's just hard to go outside!

 

 

So, if your pack/troop runs a 9 month program:

 

What do you do for fun days?

 

How many show up on average?

 

Is this your normal amount?

 

Are more/ less scouts attending?

(This message has been edited by scoutfish)

[Basementdweller]

I have been in a pack that was year round and one that followed the school year.

 

 

I find the summer program very enjoyable. I take 3 weeks off work for BS camp, Day Camp and CS resident Camp

 

Day camp

 

Resident camp

 

Webelos Weekend

 

80% participation at camp

 

we have a family picnic with picnic games, kickball, volleyball and flagfootball beltloops being earned. , creekin with a state naturalist, Disc golf with a local club as host, Rain gutter regatta. Lots of fun stuff.....

 

 

The other benefit during the summer is the boys who really aren't that into scouting don't come. Behavior and attention issues are minimal.

 

Attendance is roughly 1/3 for us.(This message has been edited by Basementdweller)

[Eagle92]

Just give it time. You are doing fine. Just make sure you don't have a pack actiovity the same nite as CSDC. My son was so tired, that as soon as we got home from camp, he took a bath, put on his jammies, and wanted to go to sleep.

[OwntheNight]

"If you build it,they will come" I agree with Eagle92 that you're doing a great job trying to change the culture and tradition of your pack. It's not an overnight thing, you're seeing the results of your efforts so far. You've mentioned you have a good size pack, how is your district's day camp program? Is the pack active in day camp? What about Webelos resident camp? With the numbers you talked about showing up for these 2 events, it sounds like you have some scouts and parents who are interested in keeping the boys active with scouting throughout the summer. You have a great opportunity, maybe your families' vacation budgets are a little tighter this year, and they're looking for more family based fun. If the boys start talking to each other about what they did with the pack over the summer, you will see the results. If you strongly believe in the summer program ,start talking to your leadership about changing the program, and getting their input on different activities.Even though the committee decides the program for the year, the BOYS look to you as their leader. Why do we do this, FOR THE BOYS!

[John-in-KC]

The Pack my son started his Scouting trail in was "Dens UP" September to May. During the summer, the Pack was the center of activity:

 

- June: Day Camp.

 

- July: 4th of July Parade. In our Council, now, Bear Resident Overnight Camp and Webelos Camp.

 

- August: Back to school (we supported our elementary with staff for an ice cream social) and recruitment.

Also, we had a raingutter regatta/pool party/hamburger cookout/planning meeting.

 

 

[Scouting4Ever]

I do not know the entire history of our Pack, but know that recently there has not been summer activities.

 

As Cubmaster we have changed that. We have 26 currently registered during the summer after the Webelos crossed over.

 

For June we had a basketball game, for July we are holding a picnic and playing ultimate, August we are holding a swim party. The first event we had 15 boys show up, there are 5 reserved for the picnic and hopefully we will get about half of the kids for the swim party.

[Scoutfish]

I thought about a swim party. I considered it ...especially living on the coast ...we have both the ocean ans waterway with plenty of shallow areas and huge sandbars. And almost non existant current in places.

 

But then again...we live on the coast. Anybody scout can do that anyway, any time, any place. Some of our families have nice in ground pools. Most hav a above ground temp pool. About a 1/3rd have boats of some sort or waverunners.

 

Trying to have a swim party (in my pack) might be as practical as selling pig poop to a pig farmer!

[John-in-KC]

Go to a baseball game. Go to some museum (you're on the East Coast. Go. Somewhere

[Scoutfish]

Museum..Yeah, the battleship is a great one! Every kid in the pack has been to the local aqarium at least 4 times for school by now.

 

I did mention Fort Macon State Park

 

http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/foma/main.php

 

several times, but the parents don't seem to be interested in such a drive ( only two hours).

 

But I guess we are doing more things this year and better too, so I'll go with it for now and step it up some more next year.

[Eagle92]

To bad teh USS NORTH CAROLINA does not allow overnight sleeping like most of the ships in the Historic Naval Ships Association. My pack is going all the way to Charleston to stay aboard a ship.

[Scoutfish]

Eagle92.

 

They are working on it.

 

Kim Simcox - services director( 910-251-5797 ) - said that if all goes well, they will be able to host overnighters in about 2 years. Right now they don't because the AC system is adequate enought for a handfull of visitors in any one spot, but not sufficent enough for a whole group.

 

I understand that too as the AC works enough to make it bearable but barely so.

 

I'd like to go to Patriots Point myself. Last year, it came up with too short of notice for me to pull it off.

(This message has been edited by scoutfish)

[Eagle92]

'Fish,

I hope so and hope they are cheaper than PP. $60/person ?!?!?!?!?!?!?! I'm use to the USS ALABAMA and USS KIDD. ALABAMA charges $18/person and KIDD is now $21/person. I do hope it's worht the price

 

[Scoutfish]

The USS North Carolina is haunted too!

 

The guys from Ghost Hunters said so!

 

Wouldn't that be a great pre bed time story?

 

"OKay guys, lights out...and by the way, the ship is haunted. Sleep tight!"

[ScoutNut]

Wow, out of 120 Cub Scouts, you have 10 show up, and that is considered an "impressive" turnout!

 

That is sad.

 

As mentioned in other threads on this subject, we are a year round Pack. However we concentrate on Pack level (instead of den level) activities (for the most part) during the Summer months.

 

We have just about 100% of our Scouts (plus parents and sibs) attend for both our bus trip to a Minor League baseball game, and our Picnic/Rocket Shoot.

 

Attendance at Day Camp and Summer Camp varies, but we usually have at least a few boys who go (some to both), and some years we end up with a nice size group.

 

I would say that attendance at our other Summer activities runs from 1/2 to 1/3 of our families.

 

With as big of a Pack as you have, advance planning, and advance promotion is a MUST if you 1) want to get as many families as possible to attend, and 2) want to be able to accommodate around 200 people (if everyone shows up) without major problems.

 

Just a thought, maybe your size has been the reason that your Pack has steered away from Summer Pack events. Running an activity for that many kids and families is a MAJOR undertaking.

 

 

[jamist649]

Wow, I feel ALOT better now. I also (CM) have started a summertime program in order (among other things) to try to earn the Summertime Pack Award-an award that our Pack hasn't won since 1999.

 

We've had 2 Summer events thus far, a campout (which also served as graduation) at a campground and a swim party where we fulfilled the swimming beltloop requirements and gave them out. We had about half the Pack there, not bad...I guess the beltloop helped.

 

We're planning on going to a local racetrack (local/not Nascar by any means) and running the flag up, leading the pledge, and "gentlement start your engines". The track is letting us in free.

 

Good luck to all with your programs!