On February 5th through the 7th, Troop 48 scouts convened at Colonial Heights First Presbyterian Church, CHPC, for their first inaugural Continuous Campfire and Food Drive. The event, which lasted for 48 hours, was planned by the outstanding Troop 48 leadership under the guidance of the Sequoyah Council. Scouts from six patrols registered for the event, with three patrols scheduled for each night. The Troop 48 Continuous Campfire and Food Drive aimed to accomplish a food drive for the community, a fun scouting outing, as well as skills preparation for an upcoming Klondike Derby.
The main goal of the event was to collect food items for depleted local food banks. First, the public was notified through social media and a newspaper article in the Kingsport Times News. A food collection point was established in the parking lot of Colonial Heights First Presbyterian Church. Over the course of the two days numerous food items were collected. At the end of the weekend, scouts were able to fill the CHPC pantry as well as deliver many items to the Second Harvest Food Bank. Troop 48 scouts were very successful with the food drive.
Additionally, the affair was a fun outing for all the scouts and scouters involved. Due to inclement weather, tents were pitched under a pavilion normally used as a car port. Each patrol set up their patrol box and prepared their own meals. Each night the scouts enjoyed hot chocolate, popcorn and a movie. However, the preeminent part of the action, was building and maintaining the Continuous Campfire, which had to be attended by vigilant scouts round the clock. Despite the cold weather and snow, the outing was definitely a fun and effective adventure.
The final goal of the plan was to train scouts with skills that would be needed for the upcoming Klondike Derby. Each day, the adults provided six, unique stations to instruct and practice Klondike Derby events. The adults used the E.D.G.E method to coach the scouts on topics such as fire-starting, First Aid, Semaphore and Morse Code, compass skills, and a blind maze. The patrols each received hands on experience with the challenges they would face at Klondike. Based on later results at the Klondike Derby, this part of the weekend plan was an unquestionable success.
Although this endeavor to replaced the normal Scouting for Food event, the unusual event turned out to be extremely valuable. We collected food. Scouts had fun. We obtained skills. Through the hardships of COVID-19, the troop pulled off a beneficial food drive and an exciting preparation for Klondike derby, all the while having the utmost fun.
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