Our first BIG campout for Pack 26 is almost here! We have a
lot of new families who have recently joined our pack, so here is some info and
answers to frequently asked questions that you (and our returning families) may
find helpful.
There are 2 events this
Saturday, Oct 2nd. In the afternoon, we have 2 amazing programs:
Lost in the Woods (for Tiger and Wolf scouts) and Outdoor Survival Skills (for
Webelo and Bear Scouts). In the evening, is our Family Fall Campout (for
everyone).
Location: All our activities this weekend
will be at:
Split Rock Group
Picnic/Camping Area
Hopkinton State
Park
Hopkinton, MA
01748
Time:
1 p.m. –
4 p.m.
§ Lost
in the Woods Program (Tigers, Wolves)
§ Outdoor
Survival Skills (Bears, Webelos)
4 p.m. (Saturday)
– 9 a.m. (Sunday)
·
Family Fall Campout (Everyone)
Can we attend just one event? Absolutely! Simply
RSVP for whichever event(s) you can attend. You should have received a
reminder invitation in your e-mail today. Just open the invitation to RSVP.
***Please RSVP by Thursday, September 30 so we can have an
accurate headcount for purchasing hot dogs, etc. for dinner. Thanks!
RSVP Campout - http://www.punchbowl.com/parties/1273375-fall-family-campout
RSVP Lost in the Woods for Tigers and Wolves - http://www.punchbowl.com/parties/1281875-lost-in-the-woods
RSVP Survival Skills for Bears and Webelos - http://www.punchbowl.com/parties/1307497-survival-skills-for-webelos-bears
We have another commitment, but would like to attend. Is
it a problem if we arrive late? Just come when you can. The schedule of
events for the campout is below. We would like to start tent set up around 4
p.m., but if you need to arrive later, that is not a problem. We’ll have
activities for the kids (scouts and siblings) , so scouts arriving late can
simply “jump in” to the activity after helping their family set up
the tent. The State Park gates close at 7 p.m., so please plan to arrive in
the park before that time. If you need to arrive later than 7 p.m., please
contact me and we’ll coordinate getting you into the park. For the
afternoon programs, if scouts need to arrive late, they can simply join in when
they arrive.
Family Campout Schedule of Events
Saturday
Afternoon
1-4 P.M. Lost in
the Woods (Tigers and Wolves)
1-4
P.M. Outdoor Survival Skills (Bears and Webelos)
Saturday
Night
4 – 5 P.M. Meet & Greet, Tent Set up, and Opening
Game/Activity (Dens 2 & 9)
5 P.M. Opening Flag Ceremony
5:15-6 P.M. Pre-Dinner Game/ Activity (Den 6)
6 - 7 P.M. Dinner (Den 7)
7 – 8 P.M. After Dinner Game/ Activity & Retire
Flag (Den 3)
8 P.M. – 9:30 P.M. Campfire & Smores (Dens 8,
4 & 1)
9:30 – 10:00 P.M. Ready for bed/ Parents &
siblings not staying overnight can leave park
10 P.M. lights out
Sunday
morning
7 – 8 A.M. Breakfast (Dens 10 & 11)
8 – 9 A.M. Clean up (Everyone)
9
A.M. Depart
Can siblings attend the campout? Absolutely! Our
pack is very family-oriented and siblings are welcome at many of our pack
events, including the Family Fall Campout. Siblings will be included in the
games and activities starting at 4 p.m. Siblings can accompany parents and
scouts to the afternoon programs, although the activities are designed
primarily for the scouts.
Does my entire family have to campout? No. Although
the entire family is welcome to camp out together, do what works best for your
family. Some parents with very young children may choose to have 1 adult
campout with their scout and older children, while the other parent goes home
after the campfire to stay with very young children.
Are the afternoon programs drop-off? According to
BSA requirements, a parent or guardian of Tiger Scouts MUST attend den and pack
events with their scout. For the Lost in the Woods program, parents must
accompany their scouts. For the Survival Skills, parents are highly
encouraged to accompany their scouts. Scouting is a rewarding experience
for parents as well as their scouts, and scouts can learn a lot from their
parents while they are doing the activities. Although it’s ideal for a
parent to accompany their scout, we don’t want any Bears and Webelos to
miss out on this great program. So if accompanying your scout means that your
Bear or Webelo would not be able to attend, then you could coordinate with
another parent who will be responsible for your scout during the activity. If
that is not possible, then contact one of our pack leaders prior to Saturday.
Will the Lost in the Woods Program be scary for my young
child? We hope not! Although the thought of being lost in the woods can
be scary, the program we are following was specifically designed for kids and
teaches the tips in a FUN and interactive way! Our goal is to have the kids
have FUN while they are learning. We think this will make each tip more
memorable, so if a scout does ever get lost in the woods, they will know what
to do (and therefore not be scared).
What can my Tiger/Wolf Scout expect to do during the
Lost in the Woods Program? We’ll be teaching the scouts 9 tips for
keeping warm and staying safe if they ever become lost in the woods. Each tip
will be taught in an interactive way that is intended to be fun and
interesting. The program also includes a story, so bring a snack for your
scout to enjoy during our story break. There is a wooded area right next to
the campground, so after the scouts learn the 9 tips, we’ll move our
“classroom” into the woods and working in small groups, we’ll
have the kids pretend to be lost and see how many of their skills they
remember.
What can my Bear/Webelo Scout expect to do during the
Survival Skills? The Outdoor Survival Skills is being run by George
Bradbury (an eagle scout and a dad in our pack). George heads up our
pack’s program development for the older scouts and has helped put
together some amazing programs! This weekend’s program will include
several stations in which the scouts will learn outdoor survival skills, such
as knot tying, fire building, making toggles, and other camping skills. Many
of the activities are designed to fulfill badge requirements for the
outdoorsman and other badges– so it is a great opportunity to complete
some requirements!
Supervision: Although we will have leaders running
the programs and activities, parents are responsible for their scout(s) and
siblings. Please keep in mind that this is a campground and natural hazards
exist (uneven ground, sharp rocks, etc.). Therefore, parents should closely
supervise their children.
Running: When we set up tents, we’ll keep an
area of the field open for games and activities, so the children can run/play
in this area. Please remind your child not to run around the tents, as
many will have strings securing them to the ground. These become especially
hard to see as the sun goes down and excited children running near the tents
are highly likely to trip.
Other Potential Hazards: BIG BOULDER - At last
year’s campout, we soon discovered that there is a very large boulder
(several feet high) on the left hand edge of the campground that the kids were
drawn to. If you allow your child to climb the boulder, please monitor them
closely to help ensure their safety.
Group Activities: Throughout the day/evening, dens
will lead group activities for the kids. These activities are fun and are an
integral part of our campout. Therefore, please encourage scouts/siblings to
participate. This will help minimize children running around and possibly
getting injured and/or wandering into the woods unsupervised. We don’t
want to have to practice our first aid or lost in the woods skills!
Etiquette: To preserve the natural outdoor
environment at our campout, we ask that scouts not bring cell phones and other
electronic devices. If parents must use a cell phone, we ask that you
move away from the group (perhaps toward the parking lot) so as not to disturb
the rest of the group.
No Alcohol: Just a reminder that alcoholic beverages
are not allowed at any cub scouting event. Alcohol is also not permitted
at the State Park, and bringing it into the park could result in the loss of
our camping permit and prevent our pack from camping at the State Park in the
future.
I noticed that my son’s den number is next to one
of the activities listing in the schedule – what does that mean? Our
large pack events run smoothly because everyone helps out. Each den was
assigned to lead an activity or some other part of the campout. If your den
leader has not already contacted you about this, you can contact them to see
what you can do to help out. Or simply be available for that part of the
program to lend a hand. With everyone helping out a little, we can all enjoy
the campout and have a GREAT time!
Directions: The DCR Split Rock Group Picnic/Camping
Area is located in Hopkinton State Park and is very close to the entrance.
Simply go into Hopkinton State Park, past the guard house, and take a LEFT at
the first fork (this is the opposite direction from the boat launch). Go about
300 feet and take the first RIGHT (you should see the sign that says
“Split Rock”). Follow the road to the very end (go past the red
building and overflow parking lot on your left). If you follow the road to the
end, it will take you right into the main parking lot, which is next to the
camping area. If you have trouble finding the Split Rock Group area, just call
Patti Ryan’s cell (508-740-9941) or Eric Ryan’s cell
(508-740-9940).
Parking: You can park right in front of the
campground, so unloading your camping gear will be very easy.
Bathrooms: There is a bathroom at the campground
– it’s not fancy, but it does have toilets and sinks with running
water (no showers).
What do I do when my family arrives for the campout? Drop
off your dinner item at the picnic shelter, then find a spot and start setting
up your tent. We’ll have scouts/ parents available to direct and assist
with tent set up. When setting up your tent, please keep in mind that
we’ll be leaving a large area open for games/ activities, and also set up
your tent a safe distance from the campfire/grills. If you’ve never
camped before or just need a hand setting up your tent, we’ll also have some
scouts/ parents available to help. Be sure to encourage your scout to help you
set up your tent as well. After you finish setting up your tent, have your
scout/siblings join in the group activity, and then ENJOY the FUN!
Don’t forget:
Lost in the Woods:
·
A blanket for you and your scout to sit on
·
A snack for your scout (we’ll have a snack
break part way through the program)
·
water bottle (preferable a reusable one to
reduce trash/recycling)
·
cub scout hat (if you have one)
·
closed toe/heel shoes (like sneakers – no
sandals)
Outdoor Survival Skills:
·
water bottle (preferable a reusable one to
reduce trash/recycling)
·
toggle ropes (if have made one at a past event)
·
survival kits (if you have received one at a
past event)
·
wear closed toe/heel shoes (like sneakers
– no sandals)
·
small camp shovel (if you have one)
Campout:
·
your food item from the potluck list (See
E-vite)
·
lawn chairs for evening campfire
·
roasting stick (for toasting marshmallows)
·
tent, sleeping bags/blankets
·
air mattress (optional)
·
warm clothes
·
toiletries (soap, toothbrush, toothpaste,
washcloth)
·
flashlight
·
bug repellant
·
If you haven’t signed up to bring a food item yet:
Simply go to the campout e-vite (a reminder from “Pack 26” was
recently sent to your inbox) - click on the “potluck list” to sign
up for a side dish, dessert, or breakfast item to bring.
Possible bad weather: Right now, the forecast for
Saturday looks FANTASTIC! However, in the event of rain, watch
your e-mail. If you don’t see anything, assume the event is still on!
Whew…that was a lot, but hopefully this helped answer
any questions you may have had about our weekend events. We want this first
campout to be a great experience for your scout and family. We have an
exciting program planned – with lots of fun games and activities. It
should be SUPER time for the entire family - Hope to see you there! If you
have any additional questions, just e-mail ( PLryan@verizon.net)
or call me(at home: 508-435-5556 OR on the day of the event: 508-740-9941 or
508-740-9940), and I’ll be glad to help!
~Patti Ryan
Activities
Coordinator
Hopkinton
Cub Scout Pack 26
