PACK ADMIN HELPS

Planning Outings 101

Occoneechee Council

Thanks to Patch and George for getting me a CD from Occoneechee Council’s Pow Wow.  CD

An affective outdoor program, full of outings, day trips, day camp, resident camp, and pack overnighters should be the corner stone of any great pack program! Something as simple as a hike down the community bike/hike trail to a long-term camping experience will bring added value and awareness to your program.

However, BSA has a number of policies on how to get your den or pack out of the “hut” and into the great outdoors!

Ten Elements of Planning

It goes without saying that without planning, we would never get anywhere! Great activities just don’t happen! Plan, plan and plan some more! It is good idea to hold a planning meeting once every 6 months to review the next 18 months worth of plans! This gives you the chance to make sure your upcoming events are being handled and are on track. It is also a good idea to ask one person to be in charge of each outing! Also keep these in mind:

1.     Objective: make sure your activities meet the purpose of Cub Scouting, and provide opportunities for physical, spiritual, mental/emotional & social growth.

2.     Theme: remember your monthly theme!

3.     Fun: It has to fun, or they won’t come! Make sure your plan is fun for boys and family.

4.     Variety: Try not to do the same thing over and over and over! Everyone loves a trip to the fire station, but by the time a boy becomes a WEBELOS, he’s been, there done that!

5.     Action: Boys do, to learn! Sitting in a room and listening to someone go, blah, blah, blah is no fun! Keep the action rolling!

6.     Boy Appeal: Scouting is age appropriate! Make sure your activity is right for your group! Don’t expect a Tiger to keep up with the WEBELOS.

7.     Family Appeal: Cub Scouting means family! Activities should help to strengthen and enrich families.

8.     Resources: make good use of all of your people, facilities, materials & equipment. Use the talents and skills of all of your family members!

9.     Achievement: Remember recognition! Use beads, try and complete arrow points, and achievements with your program!

10.   Flexibility: Have a plan “B” just in case – be prepared to change the program if needed, and remember those teachable moments!

So What Do We Do After We Plan, Plan & Plan?

ü     Budget, budget & budget! Make sure you have the funds and resources to work your plan!

ü     There are 4 general sources for funds in scouting. There are: the boy & his family, your chartered organization, the pack & the community!

ü     Decide how you are going to pay for your units activities and work it!

Hummmm… Resources!

Don’t go it alone! Use your family members to act as events chairman and help make the reservations, and follow up on all the lose ends! This is a great way to pull that reluctant adult in to a far more productive role in your unit.

So, Where Do We Go?

There are hundreds of great places to take your pack! Find a bike trail and take a family bike trip and plan a picnic. Go to the zoo, a museum, a concert, a play, see a battleship, or a battle field! Just take a walk! Sometime the simplest is the best!

But A Few More Things Before You Go!

TOUR PERMITS: Local tour permits are required for trips and camps when you travel less than 500 miles.  They should be filed at least 2 weeks prior to any scheduled event with your local council office. You can fax them to most (maybe all?) council offices.

NATIONAL TOUR PERMIT APPLICATION: For any trip over 500 miles one way and tours outside of the USA, a national Tour Permit needs to be filed at least one month prior to the event!

The permit needs to be in the possession of the group leader at all times.

IN TOWN TRIPS – Although some short, in-town trips may not require a local tour permit; I prefer to file a tour permit for any outing! - Experience has taught me that the first time we skip it for the den-parent bike or hike, then we bend it for another trip to the fire house, & then what’s another 25 miles to the zoo, we keep finding ways around filing the permit, until we aren’t filing them at all! As a Den Leader I always completed one and gave it to my Cub Master, even for the small trips.)

PERMISSION SLIPS - It is strongly recommended that permission slips be obtained from parents for every trip.

AUTOMOBILES:

ü     You need to enforce reasonable travel speed, in accordance with local & state laws.

ü     All drivers must have a valid driver’s license & be at least 18 years old. There is an exception that allows 16 year olds to drive, but it doesn’t pertain to Cubbies, and is way too scary for consideration! Please check the Health & Safety Guide & The Guide to Safe Scouting for additional details

ü     If you are using a vehicle that can carry more that 15 people the driver must have a CDL!

ü     Driving time is limited to 10 hours, and must be interrupted by frequent rest, food, recreation stops!

ü     Seat belts must be used! Except on a commercial or school bus!

ü     Passengers will ride only in the cab of trucks. No rear decks of station wagons! Or floors or storage space of vans! Or truck beds!

ü     Drive in daylight.

ü     Adequate property damage & public liability insurance must be carried.

ü     Children should sit in the back seat & make sure you obey all current guidelines for child safety seats. Make sure you understand and follow airbag safety tips.

ü     Do not travel in convoy.

Let’s Talk About Two Deep Leadership!

Simply stated, it is the policy of Boy Scouts of America that trips & outings may never be led by only one adult. Two registered adult leaders or one registered adult leaders & a parent of a participant, one of whom must be 21 years of age or older, are required for ALL TRIPS & OUTINGS!

What does this really mean? Well it means you need at least 4 adult leaders at every outing and trip! If a boy gets hurt, two adults must accompany that child to the hospital and you need at least 2 adults to remain with the group, or you’ve just turned your afternoon hike, into a Den Meeting at the ER!