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Cub Scouts’ annual Freeze-Out draws hundreds
By Bob Jackson
CANFIELD
What are Cub Scouts to do when the weather is too cold to fire BB guns for target practice? Follow the scouting motto and be prepared with a backup plan.
“The BB guns don’t work because it’s so cold, we have to use slingshots and dog food,” said Kurt Hilderbrand, chairman of the Boy Scouts of America’s Greater Western Reserve Council, Whispering Pines District. “Sometimes you just have to improvise a little.”
The target practice was just one of the events that made up the Cub Scouts’ annual Freeze-Out, which took place Saturday at Camp Stambaugh on Leffingwell Road. More than 300 Scouts, age 7 to 10, participated, Hilderbrand said. The district includes Mahoning County and Hubbard.
Mike Kupec, public relations chairman for the district, said the Freeze-Out is intended to teach the youths team-building and other life lessons, as well as just providing them with an outlet to have fun outdoors.
Hilberbrand said this year’s event was broken into two half-day sessions so more kids could participate.
After an opening flag ceremony, Scouts took turns rotating through five activity stations that included making bird feeders from pine cones, target shooting, outdoor cooking, a Klondike sled race and basic first-aid.
In the sled race, Scouts were divided into teams of five and had to pull a sled over a course at the camp’s parade grounds.
“The sled was the hardest and the most fun,” said 7-year-old Aaron Milo of Diamond. “I fell.”
And like several of the other boys, Aaron said he took advantage of the snowy weather to chuck snowballs at some of his friends while they were outside.
Hilderbrand said leaders opted to use dog food as ammunition for the slingshots because when the Scouts finished shooting, the food would be left on the ground for deer to eat.
“We try to be as practical and environmentally friendly as we can,” he said.
At the outdoor cooking station, scouts were taught to make basic foods such as instant pudding and scrambled eggs in plastic, zip-closure bags, without using utensils.
Because of the snow and low temperatures, some of the events were moved to indoor facilities, while measures were taken at the outdoor venues to ensure the Scouts’ safety. Tarps were hung around the sides of outdoor pavilions, and heat was generated through fires and space heaters.
“We had our eyes on the weather forecasts all week,” Hilderbrand said. “On Thursday, we made the call that we were going to go ahead and have this event.”
Kupec said the first-aid component included some timely instruction for the Scouts about how to prevent frostbite, and how to spot it if they see one of their friends possibly showing symptoms.
“We teach them to use the buddy system, to keep an eye out for each other,” he said.
The Scouts were also shown how to make a basic first-aid kit out of M&M containers.
“They get to eat the candy, and then use the container to make a kit,” Hilderbrand said. “We try to make it fun for the younger Scouts.”
Kupec said the Whispering Pines District is one of the few BSA districts that have actually seen an increase in its numbers over the years while most others are decreasing.
“The kids just keep coming out,” he said. “I guess we’re like every other organization out there — you struggle with finances but just do the best you can.”