Having fun in the great outdoors

Camp Stambaugh hosts Cub Scout Day Camp

STACEY WILLIS

Special to The Vindicator

CANFIELD

This year’s Greater Western Reserve Council’s Cub Scout Day Camp took place in June at Camp Stambaugh.

The five-day event attracted more than 70 boys from the Mahoning Valley.

The day camp is an annual event geared toward offering Tiger, Wolf and Bear Cub and Webelos Scouts a unique Scouting experience designed to challenge, stimulate, educate and entertain while providing many opportunities to earn Scout advancements toward their future Cub Scouting ranks.

The camp is designed for boys ages 7 to 10, when boys typically have a general curiosity about their surroundings and the outdoors.

Day camp introduces the boys to fun outdoor play and adventure that will allow them to grow and mature.

Camp started each morning at 8:30 and ended at 3:30 p.m. Every morning, the Scouts raised the American flag and joined together in saying the Pledge of Allegiance. Then, at day’s end, the Scouts saluted the flag as it was lowered during the closing ceremony’s moment of silence.

Age-appropriate crafts, activities and educational sessions were led by trained and qualified Scout leaders with the additional assistance of trained parent volunteers.

The Scouts had the opportunity to take part in multiple activities each day. They learned proper safety procedures for loading and shooting a BB gun and shooting a bow and arrow, as well as advanced swimming techniques and proper pool safety.

They spent time playing games, immersing themselves in nature, participating in activities that encourage physical fitness, and, most important, having fun and making new friends.

Each year the day camp focuses on a different theme, and the activities as well as crafts follow that theme. This year’s camp theme was “The Wild West.”

The Cub Scouts learnedhow to tie and use a lasso and shoot marbles, and they competed in challenging games of horseshoes, kickball and potato-sack races.

During craft time, the Scouts created name tags that also served as a tool for each Scout to display the beads he earned at the many different daily activity or learning stations he participated in, showcasing his talents and accomplishments.

The western-themed crafts throughout the week sparked conversation about what life was like in the Old Wild West. These projects included making an old-fashioned tin-can lantern, which was done by following a paper pattern placed over an empty tin can to make the nail holes.

Scouts constructed their own wooden covered wagon, decorated a slide to hold their western neckerchief and braided a leather snake key chain.

The Scouts participated in educational sessions that taught them the various ways of how to tie Scout knots and worked in pairs to create an actual rope made from thin pieces of twine. All the projects were taken home as camp souvenirs.

In the middle of the week a mobile Scout shop made a stop to give the boys an opportunity to purchase a variety of novelty toys, treats and Scout-related items such as hiking sticks, educational reading materials, patches and pins.

Swim time seemed to be a Scout favorite. The boys were supervised and guided by certified volunteers to test their skill levels in the different depths of the pool.

Scouts passing certain requirements could also participate in group sessions that allowed them to earn advancement pins and belt loops outlined in their Scouting handbooks. They also had free time in the water.

At the end of the week, the boys had the opportunity to invite family and friends to the Camp Stambaugh Pavilion to enjoy a picnic and skits performed by Scout groups. The Scouts worked throughout the week in their designated groups to practice a skit that showcased fun and humor.

Families brought covered dishes to share and enjoyed grilled hot dogs provided by the Camp Stambaugh leaders and volunteers.

If you have a son who is 7 to 10 years old and would like to find out more about how he can become involved with the Cub Scouts and the camp programs, visit www.BeAScout.org for more information.

Stacey Willis is a day-camp leader with the Greater Western Reserve Council.