Home Away from Home

It is interesting to hear what families do when they go on a vacation. Being in the heart of tourist central...Orlando we have done the parks. Not in the typical 4 day flash where most families are pressed to get into and experience each and every ride and experience. Leaving the fourth evening excited and exhausted. But rather quick and targeted trips, visiting the critical rides. If we find one is too busy or shut down we know we can hit it the next trip.

In my experience I'm taking a step back. In my childhood we did those items but we also did something else. We got out away from it all. Experiencing the "Real Florida" TM. This  year we have already experienced five trips. Two were not your run of the mill woods adventures. They were a night on the outfield for the Daytona Tortugas (Reds minor league) field. Scout day as it's known has become a tradition. Hot, long games, popcorn & movie and a experience under the stars. This year it got exciting at 3AM when the sprinklers kicked on for about 5 minutes. The other was a traditional camp out at Daytona International Speedway for Scout Days during the Roar Before the 24. Hundreds of scouts and families from all over the area converge on the infield for a three day camp out. There's something awesome about hearing the roar of the engines as cars test and prepare for the endurance race in late January. And seeing hundreds of boys learning skills, taking part in adventures and making new friends.

Now I see that Vantage Hotels is doing a promotion to get families out and help with road trips. I'm getting ready to do one of these later this month as the family drives north to Maryland. For a 5 day experience of seeing the DC area museums, baseball and hiking trails. Let's see maybe I can help some extra spending money...

Go ahead and enter, maybe you can too #homeawayfromhome http://virl.io/vokDRaTr

Cub Scout Year Round Recruitment

What is a leader to do when they are asked to focus on year round recruitment? We have heard the news, overall declining numbers of new youth joining Scouting. Why? In my opinion it's due to our ever changing loves. Sports, academics, friends, parental jobs, I am sure you can provide me with at least five more.

Well as the round table commissioner for Three Rivers District in Central Florida I'm dealing with the same challenge as everyone else. My own pack has had dwindling enrollment, we lose scouts throughout the year. But how do we keep going?

Year round activities, including Summer Time activities. Well I have two ideas, one is to provide an incentive to scouts for bringing friends to scouting. And a second is to promote inter pack activities.

The first is simple, tell your scouts, if you bring in at least one friend who joins you automatically earn the Recruitment patch, but you also get to enjoy a pizza or ice cream party with your fellow scouts. Bring in at least three friends and you get free admission to a special scouting event. In my district its the On Target for Scouting event, a full day of all shooting and action events. Bring five or more friends into scouting and earn a free camping weekend at our local scout ranch.

The district net members and other pack leaders like the idea, I just need to get it approved at the council.


The other activity is one of my wood badge tickets, setup a inter pack sports event. Just one time, have the boys get together and earn a loop, have fun, get to know each other and enjoy friendship. In my case I've expanded it to include all packs. But instead of managing it all push the leaders to talk with other leaders and setup their own events. Nothing like this is happening today.

If you are doing either of these at your local district or council let me know. I want to help not only my own pack but also my district expand its reach into the community and provide a great program to the youth.