Webelos attending the camporee

[woodardjp]

I have been told our Webs need to attend the camporee with our troop . Yet I have heard nothing from the troop itself . Now shouldn't the troop be "courting" the prospective Webs for crossover ?

[Lisabob]

Why don't you pick up the phone and call the Scoutmaster? Best way to get info is directly from the person who has it.

 

About the "courting" stuff, think of it more like a 2-way street.

[woodardjp]

I agree , thanks for the kick in the pants I needed LisaBob .

 

[Twocubdad]

Let's define terms.

 

A camporee is generally a gathering of different Boy Scout troops camping together, enjoying common activities, often competitions, and programs designed for the boy scouts. According to the Guide to Safe Scouting, Age-Appropriate Guidelines, Webelos may only visit Boy Scout camporees. The ways folks devise to skirt this requirement would make an Enron accountant proud. But the idea is that a Boy Scout camporee should be built around age appropriate activities for the Boy Scouts. Having Webelos attend could create safety issues, or at least frustration if the Webelos are precluded from various activities.

 

Webelos are required to participate in a outdoor-oriented activity with a Boy Scout troop as a requirement for Arrow of Light. We very strongly encourage the Webelos in our brother pack to go camping with the troop to fulfill this requirement, but often have one or two Webelos who can't make the full campout.

 

We invite the Webelos IIs from our brother pack to go camping with the troop every fall. The whole campout is targeted to giving the Webelos a taste of the things Boy Scouts do. We don't really try to teach the skills, just show them off. We also include some orientation time for the parents.

 

Ditto Lisabob when it comes to the courting thing.

[woodardjp]

Thanks Twocub I have not looked at it from that perspective . And you have a VERY valid point indeed . I am glad I have found scouter.com its full of very useful information and insight .

[BDPT00]

Twocubdad is correct regarding camporees. Woodardjp, just to claify ... the requirement would be to go on a campout, not a camporee. Two totally different things.

BDPT00

[Twocubdad]

AOL Req. 4 is to visit a Boy Scout troop meeting and attend a Boy Scout oriented outdoor activity.

 

AOL Req. 5 is to participate in a Webelos overnight campout or a day hike.

 

For the Outdoorsman activity badge, the requirement is to take part in a Webelos den or family overnight campout in a tent you have pitched.

 

So a kid could camp in the backyard with his sister and could meet the camping requirements for Webelos.

 

Don't get me wrong, that would really suck. With that little outdoors experience, the prognosis for that boy's career in Boy Scouts would be grim. I'm a very strong proponent that Webelos need to attend both years of resident camp, that Webelos dens should have at least one campout a year with just the den, and I'm definitely a big proponent of the Webelos going on an actual campout with the Boy Scout troop.

 

But we still need to be accurate with what is actually required.

[SR540Beaver]

I'll ditto what others here have said. I used to scout in a different district in my council. This district had a tradition of inviting Webelos Dens to come camp and participate in the Camporee with a Troop. It was used as a recruiting opportunity. The Troop's Patrols would end up incorporating Webelos into the Patrol for competitions. Bad, bad idea. The activities were not age appropriate for the Webelos and any patrol who had brushed up on their skills and practiced towards winning the competition had their plans dashed when they had Webelos added in the mix. Other than visiting, Webelos should not be there. Patrols are competing and they don't have time to put on a recruitment dog and pony show. It is my understanding that this practice has come to an end in this district in recent years.

 

Besides, that is what Webelos Woods is for.

 

Our troop pretty much has an open invitiation to the Webelos Dens in our District to come camp with us. Depending on the program of any given campout, we might tell them to wait until another particular campout, but the door is always open to camp or visit a Troop meeting.