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Cub Scouts prepare for transition to Boy Scouts
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By Sean Barron
The program fosters a greater appreciation for being outdoors more often, a Scout leader said.
Being a Cub Scout might be fairly new to 6-year-old Timothy Focht, but traveling the country is old hat.
“I’ve learned to keep things where they are,” such as foliage and animals to respect the environment, Timothy said, while taking a break from helping to pitch one of two tents Thursday at Camp Stambaugh on Leffingwell Road in Canfield. “I [also] stay on the trails.”
Assisting him were 12 members of Cub Scout Pack 2 of Poland.
Timothy, who’s been a Scout for about three months, travels extensively and lives much of the time in the family’s recreational vehicle.
Already, he has seen large chunks of the West, including a skiing jaunt at Lake Tahoe, as well as trips to the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. The other end of the country — most recently several New England states — also has been a stomping ground for Timothy, said his grandmother, Patti Brandt.
Timothy is a lone Scout, meaning he doesn’t belong to a single troop. Nevertheless, he named several friends he’s made during his short stay here.
His father, Nathan Focht, owns a computer company and became tired of flying and being away from family for long stretches. So the motor home became the most suitable option, Brandt explained, adding that the family is staying at an RV park near Transfer, Pa.
Timothy was one of an estimated 65 Scouts age 6 to 11 to have participated in a weeklong Cub Scout Day Camp program that concludes today.
The event was broken into one station each for swimming, Scout skills, crafts, archery and shooting BBs. Other activities included boccie, croquet and performing skits.
The youngsters spent about 45 minutes at each station before rotating to another. With guidance from around 20 Boy Scouts, parents and others, they learned proper ways to shoot a bow and arrow and fire a BB gun, for example.
Also helping to take down and reassemble one of the tents was Pack 2 member Michael Puhalla, 8, a student at Holy Family School in Poland.
For Michael, who came with his mother, Colleen, learning several safety features seemed to be a top priority and piece of knowledge he gleaned from the five-day camp.
“I learned not to point [a BB gun] at people and to keep the safety device on,” Michael said, adding that archery is one of his favorite activities.
Michael, who’s been in Scouting four years, cited as a long-term goal becoming a Boy Scout and teaching future Cub Scouts what he’s learned.
Helping to oversee the tent activity were Nick Huggins and Sid Aaron, both members of Poland-based Boy Scout Troop 2.
Learning to put up and take down a tent is more than simply a fun activity, Nick pointed out.
“We’re all helping them learn their stuff so they can be Boy Scouts. They may have the attention of a goldfish, but the sooner they learn, the more it will stick with them,” Nick said with a chuckle.
Many young people spend too much time indoors, and one value of the program is that it allows participants to derive greater enjoyment from being outside, said Tony DiTommaso, a leader of Pack 2. The Internet and countless technological devices are enticing and often make it harder to get many children and teens outdoors, he explained.
“It’s not being inside in front of the TV and computer,” DiTommaso added.
Another benefit is that the camp instills in the boys the virtues of doing one’s best and continuing to try despite possible failure, noted Ginny Buzas, program director. It also teaches them not to be afraid to attempt new endeavors, she continued.
The day-camp program wrapped up with several skits, including a re-enactment from “Knights of the Round Table,” the program’s theme, and other comical scenes, Buzas said.