By Kim Varnell
BS Troop 7127
The cooler weather and physical distancing did not slow down Troops 7127 (girls) and 127 (boys) this fall. The scouts met weekly outside, at a distance, in the parking lot of St. Peter Catholic Church. Being outside and off video conferencing was a healthy break for scouts, parents and leaders. Scouts are working on merit badges with tasks that are suited to physical distancing and interaction with immediate family.
Service projects this fall included working with Wild Warner to protect trees from beaver damage. Scouts wrapped trees near water sources using rabbit fencing or chicken wire. Wild Warner identified the species of trees to wrap.
The troop made the difficult decision to cancel in-person popcorn sales, but scouts reached out to family and close neighbors to buy popcorn online or to make direct donations to the troop. Some scouts sold Christmas wreaths to raise funds to pay for summer camp. Like many clubs and organizations, the virus has had an impact on our finances; but the troops have modified programs to adjust.
For the safety of our scouts and their families, physical distancing means scouts are unable to share food or tents during outings. It’s disappointing, but there is a silver lining. Our scouts have their parents/guardians join the activities, which means a higher level of adult participation than in previous years. It also helps our youth gain valuable experience and build confidence as they plan and implement fun, challenging activities.
Scouts had an overnight camping trip in Elroy that included biking on the Elroy-Sparta trail. Scouts pushed themselves to cycle many miles and then enjoyed camping together while safely apart.
Scouts and parents took advantage of a warm day in October to kayak on the Sugar River near Paoli. Special thanks to the good people at Sugar River Outfitters for their knowledge and assistance in getting us safely on and off the water.
As the weather cools and days get shorter, our troops will continue to use their resilience and adaptability to be active in the community while remaining safe during COVID times. Many thanks to the troop leaders for going the extra mile to keep activities engaging and service-oriented.
If you have a child who would benefit from the scouting program, contact Troop 7127 (girls) Scoutmaster Paul Hughes at 608-215-5374 or psusparks@gmail.com and Troop 127 (boys) Scoutmaster Justin Sargent at iscuba@sbcglobal.net.