From: sdm24@cas.org (Steve Miller) Subject: Akela Weekend Date: Tue, 29 Jun 1993 17:59:03 GMT > Last weekend I attended an Akela Weekend with my first year > Webelo. This was a one night overnight campout, with theme oriented > activities specifically for Webelos. As I recall, this used to be > called "Lad'n Dad" or "Mom and Me". > > We were told that this program was being discontinued at the > end of this years camp season without a replacement. This would leave > our council with Cub Resident Camp (4days/3nights) as the only sponsored > camp activity. > > I would appreciate an indication for those around the US/world > whether you currently have an Akela Weekend type of camp and/or other > council sponsored camp activities. > > Our troop finds that there is significant attrition upon entering > Boy Scouts due, in large part, to the entering Cubs not having had the > experience of campouts. Weekends such as Akela seem to be an attempt > to address this dropout. > > Thanks, Scott > > P.S. Our council makes money on these activities, which adds to my > confusion as to why the Activities Committee is cancelling the program. Our council (Central Ohio) has several weeks during June and July that they sponsor both Cub and Webelos residence camps. The camps are held at Camp Lazarus, a BSA approved camp. There are two options - a weekend and a weekday camp. The weekend residence camp runs from Friday evening thru Sunday morning. The weekday residence camp runs from Saturday evening thru Wednesday evening. In both cases, the scouts and their leaders stay in council-provided canvas tents on wooden platforms (just like Boy Scout camps) and eat in the dining hall. Each pack that enrolls is required to have at least 2 adult leaders. The adult leaders are responsible for the behavior of the scouts and making sure they are at the right place at the right time. All the activities are planned by the camp staff. Typical activities include BB's, archery, boating, knots, creeking, sports, swimming, etc. The cost is $40 for the weekend camp and $60 for the weekday camps (at least that was the cost in the summer of 1991 and 1992). The adult leaders get a discount. I took my Webelos to the weekday residence camp twice. They really enjoyed it. Our district (Mingo-East) holds a Cub and Webelos day camp each June. I have been involved for the past 5 years and have served as camp director for the Webelos section the last two. We have a Cub day camp Monday-Wednesday and a Webelos day camp Thursday-Friday. We used to have them both Monday-Thursday but had to break them up due to the increase in attendance. We typicaly have 160 Cubs and 140 Webelos. We divide them into ten color groups and each gets a colored T-shirt with the camp theme which changes each year. Activities include BB's, archery, sports, nature, creeking, compass work, swimming, knots, leather work, crafts, etc. Both Thursday and Friday nights each Webelos scout and his adult partner can stay overnight. (Note that the adult partner is a requirement at our Webelos overnights as stated on pages 18-19 in the Parent's Guide in the Webelos book.) Out of the 140 Webelos that came to day camp, 105 participated in one or both of the overnights. We hold our daycamp at Camp Lazarus also. The Webelos scout and his adult partner must furnish their own tent, sleeping bags, cooking utensils, etc. We have a campfire program on Friday night with skits, etc. and follow it with a cracker barrel which includes cheese, crackers, grapes, chips, pretzels, popcorn, carrots, etc. The cost for both Cub and Webelos daycamp is $25 per scout and this includes a T-shirt, cup with camp theme, and all leather and craft supplies.