Cub Scout Camping Overview

Organized camping is a creative, educational experience in cooperative group living in the outdoors. It uses the natural surroundings to contribute significantly to physical, mental, spiritual, and social growth.

Cub Scouting offers camping opportunities for Cub Scouts through day camps, resident camps, WEBELOS den overnight campouts, council-organized family camps, and pack overnighters.

Day Camps

Day camp is an organized one to five day program for Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, and Webelos Scouts conducted by the council under certified leadership at an approved site. Day camps are conducted during daylight or early evening hours. Day camps do not include any overnight activities.

The Atlanta Area Council has a nationally recognized Day Camp program offered for one week every summer.

Webelos Den Overnight Campouts

Webelos Scout overnight campouts introduce the boy and his parent or guardian to the basics of the Boy Scout camping program. These events SHOULD be conducted under the leadership of a Webelos den leader who is trained in Outdoor Leader Skills for Webelos Leaders, an outdoor-emphasis training provided by the district or council. In most cases, the Webelos Scout will be under the supervision of a parent or guardian. In all cases, each Scout is responsible to a specific adult. BSA health and safety and Youth Protection guidelines apply.

Webelos dens are encouraged to have several overnight campouts each year in addition to the pack or council organized events. These campouts are parent-son events, under the direction of the Webelos den leader. At the den overnight campout, the Webelos den leader may be assisted by the assistant Webelos den leader and the Webelos den chief. Sometimes, additional leadership from a Boy Scout troop may join you.

Webelos dens are also encouraged to participate in joint overnight campouts with a Boy Scout troop. However, a parent or guardian of each Webelos Scout should still attend.

Council-Organized Family Camps

Council-organized family camps are overnight events involving more than one pack. The local council provides all the elements of the outdoor experience, such as staffing, food service, housing, and program. These are often referred to as parent/pal or adventure weekends.

Council-organized family camps should be conducted by trained leaders on sites approved by the local council. In most cases, the youth member will be under the supervision of a parent or guardian. In all cases, each youth participant is responsible to a specific adult.

The council must approve overnight activities involving more than one pack.

Pack Overnighters

Pack overnighters are pack-organized overnight events involving more than one family from a single pack focused on age-appropriate Cub Scout activities and conducted at council-approved sites. If nonmembers (siblings) participate, the event must be structured to accommodate them. BSA health and safety and Youth Protection guidelines apply. In most cases, each youth member will be under the supervision of a parent or guardian. In all cases, each youth participant is responsible to a specific adult.

Adults giving leadership to a pack overnighter must complete the Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation (BALOO) to properly understand the importance of the program intent, Youth Protection guidelines, health and safety, site selection, age-appropriate activities, and sufficient adult participation. Permits for campouts are issued locally.

Pack 744

Pack 744 participates in the various district family camping sessions, the Spring Family Camping and Fall Family Camping for all Cub Scouts. For the pack.s WEBLOS patrols, the district offers Fall Camporall, WEBLOS Woods (in the spring) and WEBLOS Encampment (held in the summer after Day Camp).

The Fall Family Camp session usually occurs near the end of September or beginning of October and the Spring Family Camp session occurs late April or early May. This guide will focus on these two main camping session offered to all Cub Scouts.

Committee

A Committee will be organized for each camping trip scheduled to over see all aspects of each trip. The specific duties of the Committee is to plan the outing, recruit and organize volunteers, organize the menus, procure the supplies needed, and assist where ever needed during the execution of the outing.

The Camping Committee will consist of two Co-Chairpersons, Scribe, Quartermaster and Grubmaster.

Co-Chairpersons - The Co-Chairpersons should consist of one prior (experienced) Camping Co-chairperson and another individual willing to sit for multiple outings. This will help share knowledge gained from past outings and increase the leadership abilities within the Pack.

The Co-Chairpersons represent the Camping Committee at Pack Leadership meetings and are responsible to providing updates to the Pack and relaying information to the Camping Committee. As point of order, the Camping Committee Co-Chairpersons report to the Pack Committee Chairperson.

The Camping Committee Co-Chairpersons duties include:

• Appoints committee positions from a list of volunteers provided by the Pack Scribe.
• Represents the committee at Pack Leadership meetings
• Plans and steers committee meetings
• Helps other committee members when needed.
• Acts as the chief recruiter of volunteers needed by the committee
• Keeps committee members informed
• Knows what his committee members and other leaders can do
• Sets the example
• Assists WEBELOS Den Leaders in planning and scheduling overnight outings.

Scribe/Treasurer - The Camping Committee Scribe keeps records of meetings, and maintains lists of volunteers for various duties. The Scribe is also tasked with maintaining financial records for the outing to be reported back to the Pack Treasurer. The Scribe/Treasurer reports to the Camping Committee as an equal member. The Camping Committee Scribe/Treasurer duties include:

• Recruit additional volunteers to assist where needed.
• Keep a log for every meeting to include attendance records
• Collect fees from the Pack Treasurer to pay for outing purchases
• Can prepare a budget for buying additional equipment specific to the outings.
• Collect and maintain permission forms and Medical forms required for the outing
• Submit Local Tour Permit Application as needed for WEBELOS Den outings.

Quartermaster - A volunteer is recruited for each outing to serve as the Camping Committee Quartermaster, and reports to the Camping Committee as an equal member. The Pack Quartermaster duties include:

• Recruit additional volunteers to assist where needed.
• Keep all the pack equipment in order working order.
• Check out gear from the pack storage facility needed for the outing.
• Pack all equipment for transportation to the outing. This includes the food procured by the Grubmaster.
• Checks in gear back into the pack storage facility after the outing.

Grubmaster - For each outing there is a volunteer assigned to be the Pack Grubmaster. The Grubmaster duties include:

• Coordinate activities for the outing with the Committee.
• Recruit additional volunteers to assist where needed.
• Prepare the menu.
• Collect grub money from Quartermaster.
• Retrieve ice chest(s) from Quartermaster.
• Purchase food and other needed items, and maintain records of all purchases to be reported to the Scribe/Treasurer.
• Pre-prepare and pack food prior to the outing.
• Bring food to Quartermaster to be transported to outing.
• Prepare and post Duty Roster.

• Get out everything necessary to make the meal.
• Setup food serving line.
• Get out all equipment to serve the meal.
• Cook or prepare all food for the meal.

Planning

Pack outings are usually set by the Atlanta Area Council and the Pack Leadership during the Calendar planning sessions prior to the beginning of the scouting year.

Initial messages must be sent to all Scouts at least two months before the outing. This is to allow parents adequate time to put the outing on their family schedule. Follow up messages must be made during all Pack meetings prior to the outing. Flyers and e-mails are also necessary to keep the dates fresh.

During the first two months prior to the outing, the committee should have enlisted volunteers from the parents in the pack. Den Leaders can be enlisted to encourage parents to offer their services.

Meals

The Committee Grubmaster has the responsibility for planning all meals, with advance input for specific dietary needs of Scouts, Parents and siblings attending the outings.

For standard overnight outings beginning Friday evening and lasting until Sunday morning, a total of five meals must be planned, dinner on Friday, breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday, and breakfast on Sunday. Each meal should take into account the camp itinerary, and should be planned accordingly.

Dinner on Friday should be a simple but balanced meal, lunch on Saturday should allow those preparing that meal adequate time during the morning.s activities. Sunday breakfast has traditionally been a simple meal requiring little cooking or preparation. Some suggestions are listed below.

• Cold Cut Sandwiches
• Taco in a bag
• Salad

Basic Campout Rules

• Pack Sponsored Campouts are Family Campouts. Parents and siblings of the Cub Scout are welcome. Some campouts sponsored by Council (ie: Dad & Lad, Mom & Me) will have specific rules pertaining to attendees.
• Boy Scout Rules mandate "no youth will stay in the tent with an adult other than his parent or legal guardian with out that youth.s parent or legal guardian being present". This may create a problem when the significant other of a single parent of a Cub Scout wishes to take the Cub Scout camping alone, in the place of the parent, but as the Scout Rules are strict on this issue, we must be too. Also, according to Boy Scout regulations, two unmarried adults of opposite sex cannot share a tent.
• Two Adults must accompany children at all times when leaving the campsite and at least one adult must be Youth Protection Trained.
• Smoking is not allowed on the campsite or around the boys. Find an inconspicuous spot away from the boys and please pocket your butts.
• Only Webelos with camping experience may sleep in a tent without an adult.
• Scout Rules prohibit firearms, fireworks, alcohol and illegal drugs at all Scouting Functions, including Campouts.
• Pressurized fuel lanterns or stoves are not permitted without proof of appropriate Scout Training.
• No Electronic Devises are allowed at camp. (ie. Video Games, TVs, DVD Players, and Radios with out a Weather Band) Cameras and Video Recorders are OK.
• Removal of plants, animals, rocks, artifacts and relics from campsites is prohibited.
• To make camping successful, everyone needs to pitch in and help.

Helpful Hints

• Pack children's clothes in a bundle ready for the day - socks, underwear, shirt, pants - altogether. Wrap an elastic around the clothes to keep them together.
• Let each child have their own bag for their clothes (a plastic garbage bag is good). They can pull out a bundle of clothes easily by themselves. The bags can be reused for the soiled clothes.
• Use a mess-kit when you can: plates, cups, and utensils. Boys should clean their own dishes. 
• Don't have a lot of money to get started? Look around your home, use what you have: Example, make bed rolls for sleeping bags.
• Have a "practice" camp out in your back yard. If you've forgotten something on your check list you can run to the house for it. Also, you'll see how your children will do.
• The first ingredient of a successful outing is a good plan. Consideration should be made of time, destination, activities, food, personal equipment and organizing group tasks.
• Take along an onion bag to hang your pots in after washing. It keeps them clean and up out of the way.
• Take cheeses, crackers, jerky, fruit (dried), candy bars, etc. for snacks.
• Make a checklist of items your camping mode includes, then check it each time you leave home. Nobody is enough of an expert to think of everything. Among items most often forgotten: salt, matches, tool kit, flashlight, batteries, mantles, ample rope and cord.
• Use big plastic lawn bags for camp garbage. Anchor with a rock and/or tie one corner to a tree. Smokey Bear will love you!
• A small "toy" broom is perfect for camp use. Roll it up in the tent or tuck in a corner closet of the camper. It is small enough to get into tight corners.
• A small police type whistle can carry a long distance in the outdoors Buy one for each member of your camping group - with strict instructions to blow it only if lost or in an emergency. Great for small kids.
• Use empty plastic pill bottle (remove the labels) for matches, toothpicks, lantern mantles - or any other small item that might get lost or broken. These snap top bottles can really take rough going. Film canisters (35 mm) work well too - but they aren't see-through.
• Often the last thing you do before you leave camp site is wash up dishes and clean up gear. Use the dish water to make doubly sure the fire is out. Pour and stir.
• Nylon net makes a tough, fast drying dish cloth for camp work. A square doubles as a strainer, too.
• To make sure an easy hand washing station for camp, hang a large plastic jug from a tree, punch a hole in the side (just above the bottom) and whittle a wooden plug to fit. Attach the plug with a string, so it won't get lost, fill the jug with water and let it warm in the sunshine. Keep at the right height for small fry, hang a towel next to the jug and see how clean everybody stays.
• You can make a camp hotter heater by filling a square tin five gallon can with water, then setting it close to the fire. Add cold water occasionally to replace the warn to hot that you take out.
• Half gallon milk cartons filled with water and frozen as good ways to keep your ice chest cool but dry. The (later) melted water is perfect for drinking.
• Dining flies are easy to set up and provide shade and rain protection for less than $30.00. They'll make life easier for tenters, camp owners, even motor home types.
• Tie or use a large safety pin - a sock to the tent opening and put in a small flashlight. If somebody has to get up in the night, the light will be easy to find (and put back).

·  Eating Utensils (blunt knives,forks, spoons)

·  Plates

·  Cups (for hot and cold liquid)

·  Tent (large enough for the entire family. Practice setting it up and taking it down prior to the campout)

·  Tarps (Ground cloth) for under the tent and to cover items left outside the tent in case of foul weather.

·  Sleeping Bags & Camp Pillows - store sleeping gear in large plastic trash bags if threatening weather is evident.

·  Air Mattresses or Foam Pads.

·  Flashlights w/ Extra Batteries - these should be carried after dinner in preparation of the evening campfire.

·  Camp Lantern, Fuel, & Mantels (Optional).

·  Camp table (Optional)

·  First Aid Kit

·  Insect / Mosquito Repellent

·  Sunscreen (SPF 30+)

·  Toothbrush / Toothpaste

·  Toilet Paper (and Other Personal Toiletries)

·  Bath Soap & Shampoo

·  Sunglasses

·  Tennis, River, & Hiking Shoes

·  Clothes For 3 Days with Towels

·  Sweatshirt and/or Jacket

·  Cub Scout Handbooks

·  Notebook and Pen

·  Water bottles

·  Rope or Nylon Cord

·  Fishing poles and bait

·  Personal snacks

·  Camera & Film

·  Books (Tree / Bird Identification or Other)

·  Binoculars

·  Folding Chairs

·  Tent Broom

·  Games

·  Family board games and card games.

·  NO electronic games (Game Boy, etc)

·  Cooking

·  Pots

·  Turkey cooker

·  Pans

·  Spoons

·  Spatulas

·  Knives

·  Coffee Pot

·  Propane

·  Charcoal Briquettes (& Starter)

·  Camp Stove (Optional)

·  Turkey Cooker

·  Large pots

·  Gas stove (propane)

·  Propane

·  Concrete blocks for cooking grate

·  Grate 4X6

·  Groceries (See Attached)

·  Waterproof Matches (Mandatory)

·  5 Gal water container

·  Firewood (Mandatory, Mandatory, Mandatory)

·  coolers for food storage

·  Ice Chest (with Ice or Blue Ice)

·  Dish Washing Detergent (Small Biodegradable)

·  Pot Scrubber Brush (Optional)

·  Dish tubs

·  Dish Towels

·  Trash Bags

·  Water Jugs and/or Canteen

·  Paper Towels

·  Campfire Bucket (Optional)

·  Tables for serving and cleanup

·  Check-in

·  Light Dinner

·  Light Buffet Breakfast

·  Flag Ceremony

·  Opening & Orientation

·  All Program Areas Open

·  Buffet Lunch

·  Buffet Dinner

·  Campfire

·  Non-Denominational Service at the Chapel

·  Light Buffet Breakfast

·  Program Areas Open

·  Closing Ceremony

·  Departure