How many weekends does your unit camp?

[Alabama Scouter]

We camp at least 20 nights a year. Four years ago we had 31 nights, and it was excessive for us old men. We hit our two night campouts in the winter and spring, and one nighters during football season, as 90% of the troop is in band. We hit the OA events, two or three a year with the OA boys, and summer camp. We have 2-4 boys each year go to high adventure bases.

We take off December and July camping trips, so it's 10 months of camping for us. We've found that if we're not camping, we're losing interest and advancement lags.

 

(This message has been edited by Alabama Scouter)

[Buffalo Skipper]

We do a 2-nite campout every month of the year. We also do a week of summer camp. For the last 2 years, we have tacked on a semi-high adventure weekend the 2 nights before summer camp, which has proven to be very popular. Some years we do a 5-night in August. 1.5 years ago, we did an additional 4 nights at a council winter camp. That adds up to 32-40 nights a year. This year, the PLC will also have a 2-night leadership training camp.

 

We meet once a week, every month. The only exception has been the week of summer camp and the Tuesday between Christmas and New Year (but this year we will be camping that week). During the summer, the PLC often tacks on an additional activity (not an overnight) for each month, often water oriented. Recent examples are a canoe river clean-up day (free from the outfitter), a water skiing day/cookout, and a surfing day. Our scouts frequently say these are their favorite events of the year!

 

I don't understand troops that break during the summer. We have taken the opposite approach (ramp UP!), and it may have become one of the best things our troop has done.

[Get Outdoors]

Like most we're 3 meetings a month and camp once a month. About 30 nights of camping offered including summer camp.

 

However we're going to be trying something new this year:

Two meetings a month instead of three. (we don't meet on camping weekend)

Camp 10 months out of the year insted of 12.

Offer some day-trips instead of "meeting at the church"

 

The whole idea is to focus on quality instead of quantity. We are looking at taking a few camping trips and extending them 3 nights. If we try the two meetings a month, the PLC can put more time into planing two good quality meetings instead of having to plan three ok meetings.

[SeattlePioneer]

Oops....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

x(This message has been edited by seattlepioneer)