Questions re organizing a den-only family campout

[meyerc13]

I can see the logic in this proposal, but some part of me thinks it's a bad idea.  Putting together a Pack Overnighter is a lot of work.  I often had to burn a day of PTO as well as a couple of evenings just to get the shopping, packing, etc. done.  A Pack Overnighter is a strange combination of a camping trip, multiple den meetings, and hosting a huge day long party.  Reducing that to a single den would help some, but it would still be the equivalent of a bunch of den meetings (to keep the boys occupied all day) plus hosting a bunch of parties the same day (to prepare three meals for 6-8 boys plus at least one or more family member each).  On their own, few dens could pull it off.  Not to mention, few Packs have the depth of leadership required to host multiple such campouts each season (one or more for each den).  If the BSA allowed flat-out den camping I think it would result in some boys in the Pack having no opportunity to camp because their den leaders couldn't pull it off and the Pack leadership wouldn't want to put in the effort because they've already done one or more campouts for other dens.

 

With that said, if all of the BALOO rules are being followed, it's essentially a Pack Overnighter regardless of who shows up.  I think the right thing to do is invite all of the boys in the Pack, but there are undoubtedly times when only families from a single den decide to go on a Pack Overnighter (because their den leader is the most enthusiastic about the campout), and I know there are Packs with only a single den (either dying Packs or Packs that were newly formed).  Since camping is a requirement, we can't expect those Packs to not hold an overnighter just because they only have a single den... if their leaders are BALOO trained and they follow the rules and what they've been taught in BALOO it is a Pack Overnighter, even for Packs with a single den.  At that point we're nitpicking about semantics.

 

So I can understand national saying no, and I lean toward that being the right decision even though I can understand and agree with the points above, but if the Pack Overnighter format and rules are followed you can call it whatever you'd like.  We generally go with 'Fall Camp,' 'Winter Camp,' and 'Spring Camp.'  It's less of a mouthful than 'Fall Pack Overnighter.' (Which, by the way, some might mistake for a lockin or something like that - we want families new to Scouting to know that our Pack puts the 'out' in 'Scout'.)