SCOUTING SMOKE SIGNALS
This I believe – Besides what you will read below, I believe Summer Camp for a boy is good in that it helps him to learn to live without Mom and Dad’s constant supervision, helps him grow up mentally, prepares him for living away from home, and gives him a relief from his young brothers and sisters.
Ray McCune
THIS I BELIEVE . . . (From THE COURIER – Official Messenger of the Anthony Wayne Area Council)
LONG TERM CAMP (SUMMER CAMP) EXPERIENCES ARE CRITICAL
You may get tired of hearing me preach about this, but the summer camp experience for our youth is so important, and we all have a mission to see that all Scouts have a wonderful experience. Summer camp signup is great. If the trend continues, we will exceed last year’s 25% increase over the prior year.
GOALS OF THE OUTDOOR PROGRAM
Develop Self-Reliance – Building the skills and attitudes that help people believe they can better take care of themselves.
Develop Resourcefulness – Building the skills and attitudes that help people believe they can use the things available to them for other purposes.
Develop Leadership – Building the skills that help people lead others.
Understand Democracy – Better understanding of the form of government, or organization, that includes voting and making choices.
Learn Respect for the Environment – Learn to appreciate the balances in nature and how to better coexist with the natural world.
Learn Wise Use of Natural Resources – Learn how to take care of the environment.
Be Involved in Participating Citizenship – Being part of a group by doing your share and helping out with the group tasks.
Learn to Accept Responsibility – Learning to do the tasks assigned to you and the things you see need to get done.
Learn to Help Others – Doing things to help other people.
Learn Teamwork and Cooperation – Learning to work together for a common goal and getting along with others.
Learn Respect for Others – To accept and celebrate diversity.
Develop High Self-Esteem – Build the positive feelings about yourself.
Develop Physical, Mental, and Emotional Fitness – Building the body’s strength and health and the mind’s abilities to solve problems and cope with adversities.
Grow Spiritually – To build the belief in others that there is something “beyond themselves.”
by Chris Mathes, Scout Executive BSA-AWAC
SUMMER CAMP
Summer Camp is filling up for Boy Scouts and reservations are being taken for Cub Scout Resident Camp. The theme for Cub Resident Camp is Knights of the Roundtable. The Cub Day Camp theme is Wild West and will feature BBs, archery, crafts, and FUN. Miami Cub Day Camp will take place at the Southwest Conservation Club – July 23-25 8:30am to 4:30pm, and will cost $30, which includes a patch and shirt, bring a sack lunch. Applications have been sent to all Cub Scouts and leaders. We need parents to have fun, participate, and be leaders. Campership applications are available for Cub Camps.
TRAINING
New Leader Essentials, Cub Scout Leader Specific, and Boy Scout Troop Committee Training will be held on September 27, 2003 at Aldersgate United Methodist Church. New Leader Essentials will be from 9am to 11am, Cub Scout Leader Specific Training will be from 12noon to 4pm, and Boy Scout Troop Committee Training will be from 1pm to 4pm. October 11 training will include New Leader Essentials, Cub Scout Leader Specific Training, and Scoutmaster/Assistant Scoutmaster training at Waynedale United Methodist Church.
From Gary McOmber, Assistant Scoutmaster Troop 344
Well it’s summertime and the living is easy, but that does not mean that Waynedale’s Boy Scout units will tone down their schedules. Troop 344, at Waynedale United Methodist Church is up and running faster than ever. The unit was proud to participate in the annual Memorial Day Parade to commemorate the tremendous sacrifices that our men and women in uniform, both past and present, continue to make to keep our land the home of the free.
Troop 344 also had a great spring campout at Ouabache State Park outside of Bluffton, Indiana. Our original destination had been the Huntington Campground, but when we found that area under 10-12 feet of spring water we used our scout planning (“Always have a plan ‘B’ & ‘C’ to fall back on if Plan ‘A’ fails). We redirected our trip to Ouabache and had a ‘GREAT’ weekend.
Upon arriving at the campground, our luck was still with us and we found two other scout units in the youth campground. Miami District Executive Dave Kinnee and Scoutmaster Michael Mahler were present with Troop 353 participating in the Urban Scouting Program. We also enjoyed the presence of Troop 32 with Scoutmaster Joe Bennett and his troop. The number of Scouts present provided a great opportunity for a formal raising of the colors on Saturday morning with all troops participating. All had a great time as we combined achievements with a little flag football. Anyone that knows our District Exec Dave Kinnee should inquire as to his football prowess.
Troop 344 has not been idle in service to our Waynedale community. The troop co-operated with Waynedale United Methodist for an interfaith hospitality program and cooked dinner at the Church for several families that are less fortunate due to losses of jobs or income. The troop was also very happy to assist the Waynedale Lions Club after the Memorial Day Parade with their annual chicken barbeque at the bank and at Waynedale Memorial Park. The following weekend the Scouts assisted the Diabetes Walk-A-Thon at Headwaters Park to raise funds and awareness for individuals and families that continue to struggle with the issue of diabetes in their own life or that of a family member.
The weekend of June 6-7 provided an excellent opportunity for a family campout and fishing derby held at McOmber’s Woods in Columbia City. Friday evening we had a campfire and fellowship time with the fishing derby beginning at 8am Saturday morning. It was terrific to see the number of parents that enjoyed camping out and fishing with their Scouts. If you haven’t had the time to get back to nature with your children these events always turn out to be a very pleasant surprise. Many fish were landed, along with a few fish stories. The weather cooperated and a great time was had by all twenty plus participants.
Troop 344 is getting ready for a week at Camp Chief Little Turtle. We will be camping for the week in our own tents and having a Scouting good time. For those not acquainted with our council camp, it is located off the Ashley/Hudson Exit on I-69 and adjacent to Pleasant Lake. This facility is proud to boast of its many activities. The waterfront has a great beach area and also offers canoes, rowboats, sailboats, and kayaks for the Scouts use. Snorkeling and good fishing are two other aquatic activities that are quite popular.
Yes, there is more to a week at camp than utilizing the lake areas. The Staff at camp offers a C.O.P.E. program, a climbing wall, and excellent orienteering programs with compass and G.P.S. courses integrated. The rifle, blackpowder, skeet, and archery ranges always seem to be quite popular. We offer an ecology center, a metal work program that can’t be beat, and a fine craft center. There is also a first year camper course for the Scouts that have never had the chance to do any long term camping. And there is still enough time for individual Scouts to explore whatever strikes their fancy. I hope to see some of you there. Gary Comber SA, Troop 344
(Anyone wanting to join a Boy Scout Troop or participate in Scouting contact Associate Editor Ray McCune at 747-4535.)
MORE SCOUT UNITS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE WAYNDALE MEMORIAL DAY PARADE
Cub Scout Pack 3044 – Jacob Smith, Allen Brooks
Girl Scout Troop 850 – Leader Mary Shepard, Kim Oakes, Ashley Clark, Kasey Shepard, Julia Shepard
Boy Scout Troop 44 – Jack Shepard SM, Vince Stucker SA, Tammy Stucker MC, Nick Shultz SPL, Joseph Shepard ASPL, Bryant Clark, Aaron Clark, Matt Shultz, Andre Brooks, Kyle Brooks
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