2012 is almost here in fact next week is it! What do you have planned for next year? I have my boys plan a 12 month calendar and we add to it each month so it is always 12 months out. I just started doing this for 2012. I usually would try to just do 12 months in September or October and not plan beyond that.
It's not easy! Planning far in advance almost seems like a waste of time because things are always changing but after doing this for several months you will get the hang of it and before you know it you will have a thriving program.
Summer Camp is six months away but now is the time to plan it out! Get your committee to get parents involved. Boys can and probably should earn the money for camp but that's up to you. some troops do fundraisers to help out with camp. In my troop we don't but the boys should learn how to earn and how to work for the money they need. Often parents don't want to hassle with it so they must pay for it. The boys could learn a lot from earning their way to camp. Just a thought.
Now that the holidays are almost over it's time to thing about camping and doing things outdoors again. Winter campouts are some of my favorites. Yes it's cold but I have learned how to stay warm and do fun activities even when it is only 20 degrees outside.
Winter camping has its challenges but learning how to deal with them is the journey. Learning how to cook meals over a camp stove and learning how to start a fire with semi dry wood. Learning how to layer clothing and how to stay warm in a tent during the night can be a great tool for boys to understand survival skills.
My troop has about three winter camping places that we like to use in the January-March. In April things are beginning to melt so we can pretty much go anywhere and be warm. Make sure to pick a 3-6 places your troop can get to in the cold months.
In 2012 we plan on doing some hiking and biking as well as our campouts. By planning way in advance you can get things ready such as secure the dates, get the gear and allow time for parents to get involved. It's much easier to commit a parent to help out or even join the activity if they were planning on it in advance. I remember disastrous hiking days where no one was really prepared and the assistant scout master was sick and couldn't go so at the last minute I tried to find a parent to join us. We ended up canceling that trip but we shouldn't have. The boys were disappointed and one parent didn't even know we canceled and well that became a big messy failure on my part. Planning way in advance and having plan A, B and C will give your activities a greater success rate.
So, let me know what you have planned for 2012 and what tips can you offer other Scout Masters?
Have a great week!
David Lane
Visit http://www.scoutingstrong.org
