The Scouting Programs
The Scouting experience is divided into programs according to age and activities.
What is a Camporee
A camporee is a local or regional gathering of Scouting units for a period of camping and common activities. Throughout the year our District will hold Camporees right in neighborhoods throughout our Council. These can range from a local park to the Williamsport Regional Airport! This event is a perfect showplace for the Scouting program and therefore goes far beyond just a gathering of Scouts. This is an opportunity to showcase to our local community the best Scouting has to offer.
What to expect to see and do at a Camporee:
Typically, the camporee involves scout patrol competitions, with events such as: hiking preparedness, fire building, knot tying, first aid, emergency preparedness, pioneering, citizenship, patrol mystery event (team building), outdoor cooking, camping or orienteering. Some camporees also integrate work on merit badges. The camporee may be centered on a central theme such as living history, horsemanship, aquatics, shooting sports, a historical trail, a service project, and most recently Geocaching. Camporees often have a campfire program with awards and presentations, skits and songs. Camporees also may have a service project that helps the hosting facility. Typical service projects could be pruning trees, spreading mulch, clearing brush, trail repair, tree planting or trash pickup. The scouts usually camp, compete and cook by patrol. The patrol will have a patrol name, patrol flag, patrol cheer or yell and a patrol leader. Patrols are usually made of six to eight scouts, a patrol duty roster is made and posted so patrol responsibilities are rotated, like: head cook, assistant cook, cleanup, fire builder, and water duty.
What is a Pinewood Derby?
The pinewood derby is one of the most popular and successful family activities in Cub Scouting. Pinewood derby cars are small wooden models that Cub Scouts make with help from their families. Then they race the cars in competition. The cars are powered by gravity and run down a track. Most packs have a pinewood derby every year. It can be run indoors or outdoors. Every boy can design and build his own “grand prix” car to enter in the race. Winners of each Pack’s Pinewood Derby are eligible to attend a Pinewood Derby on the District Level.