Cub Scout Camps

[Eagle1993]

We just received our councils Cub Scout summer camp flyer (we sold off all Scout BSA camps so our council doesn’t have summer camps for them).   I don’t believe our council (and perhaps others) understand how families look at camps today.

Most families (90%+) in my area are either dual income.  When summer comes along they look for week long camps where their kids can go to provide care while the parents go to work.  

GSUSA camps work well.  There is bussing near by and they don’t require adults to attend (as they hire older girls as staff).   If adults attend, they can get a discount on their child’s camp.  Plus, girls can go on overnight camps as young as 2nd grade.  

BSA camps require units to provide 1 adult for every 4 kids.  Oh, and they charge for that adult.  Plus, some camps are only 4 days long. 

GSUSA camps are similar to how YMCA, museum, local university and other outdoor youth organizations are treating summer camps.   All have higher fees (up to 2x) than BSA, but offer parents a full week option that does not come with a requirement of finding adults for every 4 kids that attend.  

Our participation rate at Cub Scout summer camps has been dropping.   They need to hire older scouts/college age students, raise fees, offer a full week, and drop the requirement for unit leaders/adults to attend.  Perhaps this is just my council ... but I’m concerned that their current approach will kill Cub Scout summer camp.

[qwazse]

Our Cubs sleep two to a tent ... either with their parent or their buddy. Do yours?

The GS camps that I've visited sleep dozens to a tent.

[Treflienne]

2 hours ago, qwazse said:

The GS camps that I've visited sleep dozens to a tent.

Really?

The ordinary style of GSUSA platform tent that I have seen in multiple states in multiple decades sleeps typically 4  (or 5) on cots.

Of course some camps don't use those in all their units.    I believe that one of the camps in our council has some yurts.

[qwazse]

37 minutes ago, Treflienne said:

Really?

The ordinary style of GSUSA platform tent that I have seen in multiple states in multiple decades sleeps typically 4  (or 5) on cots.

Of course some camps don't use those in all their units.    I believe that one of the camps in our council has some yurts. 

Well ... I actually didn't look in the tents to see how cots were arranged.  When I camped in similarly sized tents at a youth conference "just a few" years ago, we guys+1 counselor were put in similarly sized tents with next to no space between cots. The counselor was on the top of a double bunk. So, maybe my estimate was based on a warped sense of history.

The GS tents also had electric outlets and a light.

Sadly, I think the one camp in particular was sold in the recent consolidations.

[Treflienne]

You could pack in a dozen girls in sleeping bags into one of those tents -- not much space for gear, and would step on each other if they needed to get up to go to the latrine in the middle of the night.   But for summer camp (1 - 2 weeks long)  they give the girls more space per person.   Makes a more harmonious fortnight, probably.

I've not seen electric outlets in a GS tent in the camps I've seen.

[Momleader]

Eagle1993 - your council is the only one messing with The future of Cub Scout Camp. I posted earlier this month (in the Cub sub forum)about the hair Brained idea our council is doing this summer. And add to it the council that shares our state has a council camp not 15minutes away from the town the pack I work with and they aren’t even offering a Cub Day Camp this summer. They rented the facility out to another camp group to run a day camp program at it. So they suggest the people who want the 2 overnight program use those in our council. 

Honestly - if I still had a Cub Scout who wanted to go to Cub Scout day camp I would have to drive 25 minutes to the nearest council camp bus stop and they could ride a school bus for an hour to camp from there. That stop picks up at 7am and drops them back off at 6pm (if they don’t get stuck In traffic). And the council exec wonders why parents are sending their kids to the local nature centers, Pack and rec,  and ymca camps? Similar costs until you add in the fees for bussing  

the bell tolls for cub camping in my part of the state

[SSScout]

On 1/30/2020 at 3:41 PM, Momleader said:

the bell tolls for cub camping in my part of the state

I see where you might think this, and you would be right.   When the Scout Pros  put money and numbers ahead of Scouty activity and "program", the money and numbers must suffer.  Wagon before the horse, so to speak.   The good pros see the promotion and encouragement and support of the Scouters , the volunteers that PAY for the privilege of volunteering (!!),  as the secret to gaining those numbers they seek.  

 

[carebear3895]

1 hour ago, SSScout said:

I see where you might think this, and you would be right.   When the Scout Pros  put money and numbers ahead of Scouty activity and "program", the money and numbers must suffer.  Wagon before the horse, so to speak.   The good pros see the promotion and encouragement and support of the Scouters , the volunteers that PAY for the privilege of volunteering (!!),  as the secret to gaining those numbers they seek.  

 

Those dang pros on the All- Volunteer Camping Committees! 

[elitts]

On 1/29/2020 at 7:35 AM, qwazse said:

Our Cubs sleep two to a tent ... either with their parent or their buddy. Do yours?

The GS camps that I've visited sleep dozens to a tent.

Our Cubs are in large tents with like 6-8 people each.  The adults get the 2 person tents along the perimeter.