Cub Scout Day Camp: To Let It Die or Triage it?

[Eagle94-A1]

I think the day camp in my district will be dead this year. Don't know what happened, but something did occur between the CD and the PD. PD's job has him traveling all over, so he stated he will not be back. CD, said after last year's expereince, he ain't doing it again. Said he didn't get a lot support and cannot do it all by himself.

 

So with less than 7 months, 4 months to NCS, we have no CD, PD, staff. NOTHING,

 

When this was announced at the district meeting, folks were looking at me to pick it up. I staffed it for 6 years, being PD for 3. But I do not have the vacation time to do it. After being out for 7.5 weeks,  I need to save up my paid time off all over again.

 

And to be honest, I have no idea who to try and recruit. The CD I worked under was a real micromanager who turned people off. The guy who replaced her wasn't a planner. He was a "seat of your pants" type. So there was no recruiting for folks to run stuff. Heck the last year I worked, I was suppose to be with my Tiger and leading a combined Tiger/Wolf den. Because he didn't recruit anyone for shooting sports, I spent more time on the ranges than I did with my Tiger.  

 

I wasn't at day camp last year, but I have been told by many that it was unorganized chaos. A lot of complaints. After the past 2 years I don't know if it's worth saving or not.

 

[desertrat77]

Eagle, I know you are a can-do leader.   I think you are looking at the situation clearly.   If no one steps up, then I'd recommend letting it die and don't look back.

 

The good news:  as new scouters arrive in the district, and memories of the old/disorganized day camp fade, it can be dusted off and launched again, the way it should be.   This dynamic has happened in my district with some annual events.   Some old timers ran folks off, and/or ran a shoddy event.   Then the old timers left and the event died for a few years.   New folks came on board, and thus begins a fresh start.

[Jackdaws]

Do you think it is something that you can help organize and help run remotely?  See if you can recruit a person to be the actual director and to be there on site and you help organize the activities and recruit volunteers.  This way it doesn't die completely and you do not have to take off any time from work. 

My first experience with day camp wasn't that great.   My son went 2 years ago and the person who was supposed to run it (DE) got transferred up to Ohio right before it started so another lady took over and did the best she could.   She only had about 3 other full time volunteers other than herself to help.  I helped out part time but it was so organized all I ended up doing was stand around watching the kids just sit around and help clean up at the end of the day. It was held at an elementary school so they had only an little playground to play on.  No organized sports arranged.  I know a couple of kids from our pack went the 1st two days and promptly left since it was so disorganized.  The only two positive things my son got out of that 1st year was he learned how to play chess and they had a blacksmithing demonstration that I thought was very cool. 

 

This past summer, I sent my son to another district's camp.  Since ours was in mid July and here in Florida its just too hot.   So he went to the neighboring district in early June.  He had so much more fun since it was organized.  It was held at one of our two local council's camps.  So he got to shoot BB Guns and do archery along with swim in the pool there.  

 

Depending on when our district's camp is scheduled I may still send him to the neighboring district again since it is at the council camp and this year he should be able to participate on the climbing wall. 

 

Sorry I got off subject but I think you can still try to be an integral part of getting a camp off the ground.  Not sure how many camps are offered by your council.  Ours has like 10 different camps the boys can go to.  So the competition here for attendance is fierce.

[Jackdaws]

I should add that the woman who had day camp dumped in her lap did the best she could with what she had.  Things are not always going to go the way we want or plan for them to. That's a important leader skill, being able to adapt.   I appreciate what she tried to do. 

 

Susan

[qwazse]

I look at it this way: zero volunteers = not really that important.

 

Like 'rat said, give it a year or two then dust the idea off the shelf.

 

In the mean time, coach DLs in designing an active summertime program for their den.

[blw2]

Eagle, I know you are a can-do leader.   I think you are looking at the situation clearly.   If no one steps up, then I'd recommend letting it die and don't look back.

 

The good news:  as new scouters arrive in the district, and memories of the old/disorganized day camp fade, it can be dusted off and launched again, the way it should be.   This dynamic has happened in my district with some annual events.   Some old timers ran folks off, and/or ran a shoddy event.   Then the old timers left and the event died for a few years.   New folks came on board, and thus begins a fresh start.

 

This is A cycle I think is natural in scouting.  I look at it as a natural thing that probably happens in most groups.  If you plot it it might look like a sine wave, up and down and up and down, likely with several years between peaks and valleys.

 

I see it happening in our pack as a unit.... and honestly I think it's a good thing.  I think we're at bottom, or nearly there.  The old guard will be moved on soon.  Another one or two seasons after, with some breathing room for new energy.  Then things will spring back nicely.  Until then its a fight to get good out of the program.

I see this in our troop too, and they seem to be coming out of the valley heading back up nicely.

[JoeBob]

This is what happens when micro-management festers until it pops.  

CS Day Camp just doesn't have to be so complicated.  A national school to teach you to fill out paperwork is a waste.

 

If I were you (I'd be better looking...), I would let the District DC die.

But I'd replace it with something simpler for my pack.  And maybe invite another local pack to participate.

 

Plan 5 'Go See It' type trips for the week of Day Camp.  Fire Station, zoo, local airport, bowling, local high school for CS sports day, National Guard armory, Boy Scout summer camp (if it's close).  Ride the train to some nearby location, have an ice cream cone and ride back.  With 3 months to make a plan, and then 4 months to recruit volunteers and sign up Boy Scouts for herding; you can put on a simpler version of CSDC that puts way less strain on your people, shouldn't cost more, and might even be more fun for the boys.

[RememberSchiff]

Enjoy your family vacation.

[SeattlePioneer]

Our district day camp failed several years ago.  At the last minute, pretty much all the paid Scouting staff at the council wound up running the day camp pretty much at the last minute.

 

Two years ago,  the Camp Director failed to do any organizing.  I warned the District Executive and District Chair that nothing was being done.  I was ignored.

 

The District Executive finally wound up organizing the day camp the last two weeks before it began.  Then he invited the Camp Director to be the Camp Director the next year, too.

 

The next year,  AGAIN nothing was being done.  I again warned the new DE and the new District Chair and new District Commissioner that nothing was being done,  again.  We started holding organizing meetings in March and a new Camp Directror was recruitied and I and another Scouter in my pack were Camp Directors.  We did pretty well.

 

This year the Camp Director from last year and the Program Directors from last year have been holding monthly meetings to plan the program and organization for next summer.  We are doing very well. 

 

In short,  if no day camp planning is taking place,  you should inform the DE and the District Chair,  in my opinion.  They are the people who are responsible for checking up and making sure the program is being organized.

 

If the DE isn't taking action,  you can contact the Council Field Director,  who supervises the DEs, 

[desertrat77]

I'm tracking with Joe Bob's plan:   let day camp die.   Then do something else that is easier to plan and tailored to your pack and/or den.

 

There is no event in the BSA worth the kind of logistical and bureaucratic troubles that day camp usually presents.   If the people and plans aren't in place, write it off, turn the page, and go do something really cool with your pack/den.

 

Naturally the DE and others will not agree with that.   No one wants to fill out a report or JTE worksheet that shows "zero" for cub day camp.   The metrics will take a hit.   Can't have that.   So folks have to move heaven/earth to put on an event, regardless of its quality, just to say that it was held.

 

Looking back on my cub scout days, which were golden, we didn't have cub day camp.   Dens did things together over the summer.  

 

RememberSchiff's advice is sublime:   enjoy your family vacation.   The BSA will be there when you get back.

Edited December 11, 2015 by desertrat77

[Eagle94-A1]

Jackdaws,

 

I'm willing to do anything EXCEPT go to NCS again and take a week off. I do not have the vacation time to do that anymore.  I still have copies of everything I've done. I can essentially hand someone an entire program on a silver platter. All that would need to be done is update it to the new advancement, i.e. these activities meet these requirements. Heck the old PD just dropped off all the supplies at my house for storage. I do not want that stuff going into the maw that is the council service center. It will either be lost, damaged, or sent to the main camp never to be seen by Cub Scouts again. Already had to have a DE get involved in getting my supplies once from summer camp. They didn't order their supplies in a timely manner, and tried to "requisition" mine!

 

 Hardest part would be recruiting folks. I hate to ask someone  to do something that I can't do.

 

Desertrat and Qwasze,

 

Kinda hard to let go of something you busted your butt to improve. Our "Down Period" lasted over 10 years. I remember being a DE and going to day camp to support it and it only had 7 Cubs attending. Yes, you heard me 7!  By the time I first staffed it in 2009, we had 22. We had 3 good years, then in decline again. I served in the background trying to pull it together, and became the PD again at the last minute when the CD was "fired" for not attending council day camp meetings. But since I've stepped back a second time, it has faded fast and is essentially flatlined Yes, it's been hard on me emotionally because of the decline.

 

Desertrat and SeattlePioneer,

 

The DE, his boss the DD, and the District Chair all know about the situation.  I hate to say it, but the DC, and most of the committee, is more focused on Boy Scout than Cub Scouts.  I'm actually the only CS rep to show up at the meetings. Others feel it's a waste of time.  As for the DE, he is brand new, and to be honest I believe he will be assigned summer duties at the council's HA base. He is NCS certified for that program since he worked there 3 summer prior to being a DE. As for the DD, don't know about except he is extremely overworked managing 3 large districts by himself while sharing the DE with another DD ( don't ask, our professional org is screwed up with DEs covering multiple districts, in some cases multiple service areas)

 

JoeBob,

 

 That's a good idea. Possibly evening or weekend activites may be better. Less paperwork to deal with. And wouldn't have to deal with NCAP.

 

RS,

 

I wish I could take another vacation! Hopefully by the time 2017 comes around, I will have enough time to do so.

[SeattlePioneer]

<<There is no event in the BSA worth the kind of logistical and bureaucratic troubles that day camp usually presents.   If the people and plans aren't in place, write it off, turn the page, and go do something really cool with your pack/den.

>> \

 

 

I agree that it's a big challenge.  But,  as I described earlier,  I'm helping to rebuild a day camp program that has failed or nearly failed for lack of adequate leadership repeatedly.

 

So far,  I've found that the key is being able to identify quality leaders who will come in and help design and build the day camp program.  For us,  that means an effective Camp Director and two effective program directors plus a shooting sports guy who has run that program off and on for years.

 

Those people need to design a quality program and to reach out to other Scouter, parents and volunteers to staff up the program.  Both the Program Director and I have pretty good contacts around the district for finding those volunteers.  Also,  our District Commissioner is EXCELLENT at finding volunteers and is working with us to make the Day Camp program a success.

 

The District Executive is doing a good job,  but we haven't really had to lean on him for help (I avoid leaning on the DE when it's possible to do so since he always has plenty of things to do.)

 

Our day camp last year was a success.  That means we have Day Camp Den Leaders and Day Camp activity Staffers we can recruit from to support us this year (I hope).  We will be asking Packs and Troops to consider staffing an activity at day camp.  (One of my theories is that we should ask units to take charge of activities rather than looking for people as individuals to help.)

 

So far,  we are having monthly meetings to consider proposals for activities and idnetify organizational issues we need to deal with.  My assignment this month is to e-mail Merit Badge Counselors in the district who do science related badges and ask them to consider working on and presenting a day camp activity.  My theory is that this will help us identify new volunteers who will help us.

 

 

Anyway,  that's how we are working to rebuild a weak/failed program. 

[gumbymaster]

@@Eagle94-A1, How long ago was your last NCS?

 

Usually that certification is good for five years.

[SeattlePioneer]

<<I'm willing to do anything EXCEPT go to NCS again and take a week off.>> 

 

 

 

Around here, the NCS for Cub Scout Day Camp is three days.  I think that's absurd.

 

 

Last year,  neither Program Director nor the Camp Director attended the Camp School.  Guess what?  They got a waiver!

 

Anytime they need me,  they can get another waiver.

[Eagle94-A1]

My cert is expired and I need to go back.  I admit I never dealt with the certification aspect as PD. We got enough issues that I don't want to worry about a conditional certification and getting a waiver.