Troop 281 Cincinnati, OH

At last week’s troop meeting, the focus had already started to shift towards the next campout: the “Survivor” Campout, so the theme that night was on lashings. Before the meeting’s activities could begin, however, the standard reciting of the Pledge and both the Scout Oath and Law, and Nick B. led the opening for the meeting perfectly, even though due to a soccer accident he was forced to move around on crutches. When the typical formalities were over with, the scouts reformed into a semi-circle around a table for the lashings skill session, led by Greg B. After a brief review of some basic pioneering knots and lashings, the scouts formed multiple little groups where the older scouts (Hurricane and Viking Patrols) were to teach the younger scouts how to do a tripod lashing. Results were mixed. After various tripod lashings had been completed, the scouts moved out into the church’s front yard, where the game would be held. The game was the “Chariot Race”, where the individual patrols ha...

The latest campout for Troop 281, the first of the new Scouting year, was about two things: the induction of the newest scouts to Troop 281, and the use of the Second Amendment. The trip started out like most trips of Achewon, and up until the explanation of how to use the Green Monster was done, it was rather uneventful. Then all of a sudden, everybody noticed another van pulling into camp, except this one had a trailer that carried one really big cannon. The scouts were, naturally, excited about the cannon, but they had to go set up their respective camps at that time, so they couldn’t watch the older adults unload the siege weapon. It wasn’t until much later, when the scouts had all gotten their tents pitched, etc. that the full story about the cannon was revealed. As it turned out, the cannon had been brought by a group of Civil War re-enactors, and they were going to show the scouts how a cannon was fired back in the Civil War. Well, they didn’t as so much “show” how as they did “...

At last week’s troop meeting, the focus was on the upcoming shooting sports campout, so the skill session was focused around the Shotgun Shooting merit badge basics. Hosted by guest speaker Bob Sacco from troop 511, the scouts were led through Shotgun Basics 101 and reviewed the top three rules for using any kind of firearm: keep the gun pointed in a safe direction (away from people mainly), never put a finger on the trigger until ready to fire, and lastly never keep the gun loaded until ready to shoot (Although Mr. Ossman mentioned the unofficial “fourth” rule: Shoot first, ask questions later). Along with very important safety tips and equipment, Mr. Sacco also brought in some different types of shotguns, ranging from pump-action strategic shotguns to the classic Winchester double-side barrel type. All the kinds of shotguns that were shown at the meeting are reportedly going to be on the campout as well, since Mr. Sacco is in charge of the campout’s main event. Mr. Sacco also said th...

At last week’s Troop meeting, most of the focus was on planning the events and menus for the upcoming Achewon trip, a.k.a. the “new scout induction” campout where the new scouts are formally inducted into the ranks of Troop 281. The planning, which was done by each patrol individually but with an adult supervisor to ensure things got done (or in the case of the new scouts, to help explain how to plan a campout), took up most of the first half of the meeting. After all the patrols had turned in the required paperwork, there was a skill session led by Avery R., Bret C. and Greg B. What was unusual about this particular skill session was the topic it covered: it was a skill session…on how to give a skill session. While the basics of giving a presentation were simple enough, somehow most of the scouts ended up having to repeat some basic rules of presenting to the point where it sounded like rushed chanting. After the Skill/chanting session was over, it was time for the game. The game of t...

Last week’s Troop meeting was the start of both the new Scouting year AND of Avery Reynolds’s term as the new troop Senior Patrol Leader. (Avery had been actually working as SPL since the beginning of summer when program planning for the year was discussed.) After the standard turned to the skill session; Firebuilding 101, led by Greg B. The skill session’s first part, describing various methods to start a fire, went over reasonably well, although when the “what-to-do-in-case-of…” part of the presentation, some of the opening of the meeting with the Pledge, Scout Oath, and Scout Law, the meeting quickly answers to “what to do if someone falls into a fire” question were a little alarming, such as: “Well, you can either pull him (the guy in the fire) out, or you can dance around it and-”… (The speaker was cut-off before he could finish.) After Greg finished up his explanations, everybody went outside for a series of fire-building related contests, starting with a “gather the largest pil...