Odawa Area Scouting

Present:  Frederic-Francois D. (8th Orleans), Graeme W. (1st Greenwood), Karen E. D. (1st Orleans), Lincoln V. (8th Orleans), Susan L. (ADAC Pack and 1st Greenwood)

Fall Cubaree debrief:

• 40 attendees total (low numbers)
• Do Pack Scouters want this? Those present said they heard good comments from youth that attended, and said they like the idea of a fall Cub camp, especially if it provides an opportunity to learn/practise basic skills. 
• There was agreement that no theme is needed other than “basic skills.” Basic skills are more useful than some unrelated theme.
• Those present did not attend because of scheduling conflicts or not enough Scouters.
• A suggestion was made to have a crest competition in April/May, with winner announced in the fall. This would promote the camp, and Scouting, and encourage youth to come back in the fall and to attend camp.
• Lincoln offered to help plan next fall’s Cubaree.

Upcoming events:

• Winter Cubaree, Jan. 19, 2019, R. J. Kennedy (TBC): Volunteers needed to help plan and run. All present agreed that same schedule, lunch and activities would work, though perhaps not the large balls, which broke. Suggestion to adjust activities a bit. It was good to have some with points and some without. If a Cub with special needs is going to circulate, it would be a good idea to let those running stations know how they can help that Cub and all Cubs enjoy the station in advance so they’re not taken by surprise. Theme: Winter Fun. Crest contest was great; we will do that again. Susan to put a call out at Area Meeting and via email and on Old Wolves facebook page.
• Kub Kar Rally, Sat., March 2, 2019, Jean-Marc Lalonde Arena: New this year, Kybo races for Venturers, Rovers and Scouters. Details to come. 
• Voyageur Council Cubaree, May 31 to June 2, Apple Hill Scout Reserve. Info to come.

Seeonee Awards: It’s not always easy to get the Howlers motivated to work on a project. One project that was mentioned is installing bat boxes and such at a camp. 

Miscellaneous:

• It’s challenging to get Cubs to stop and listen. A suggestion was made to have a Scouter signal to the Howlers when the Cubs’ attention is needed, and to have them do the hand-up signal. Often they are part of the disruption, so having them be part of the solution seems to work sometimes. 
• One Pack had a parent meeting before the first Cub meeting.
• One Pack found out at the last minute that they didn’t have use of the school, and since then, each Scouter has a card with a full meeting plan on it with them, in case plans have to change. They also developed contingency plans in case the meeting needs to be moved outside, etc. 
• Getting feedback on the program from youth and parents is also challenging. The youth may say they don’t want to come, but they haven’t expressed their frustration or disappointment to any of the Scouters. 
  • This is where a Group Youth Commissioner could come in handy, as youth may feel more comfortable talking with another youth about this.
• A suggestion was made to let Packs know ahead of time what will be done at Odawa year-end camp so that they can prepare. For example, if there were to be a competition on lashing, for example, this would make learning knots and lashing more interesting for all sections. Something to consider is whether the year-end camp should be a place to showcase the skills learned throughout the year. 
• Susan promised to provide a reminder earlier next time. 

Questions, corrections? Email Scouter Susan (liddlesj at gmail dot com).

Next meeting: Nov. 17, 8:30 a.m., same location (T’Basil)