2011-06-07 Planning Meeting

Attendees: Will Rogers, Eric Wohlleben, Tony Waisanen Discussion: 1. What are the roles of: a. District: logistics, registration, staff, orchestration, etc. (did not discuss in detail). b. Troop 131: Lead for Scout program, specifics to be defined by youth. Will has C.O.P.E. manual that describes course elements and options for operating. This manual will be highly valuable in helping the youth run the program. c. Troop 993: Co-leads for Scout program. Troop currently is composed mostly of 13-15 yr old boys with some knowledge of C.O.P.E. due to Feb 2011 outing to Camp Highroads where they had a C.O.P.E. program (e.g., zip line, high wire crossing, and low elements). d. Troop 103: No response (to Will) so likely will not be involved. 2. What does a fun Fall 2011 Camporee look like? a. Defined and led by youth. i. Committee of 6-8 youth to be formed from Troops 131 and 993, facilitated by Will, Eric, and Tony. ii. Goal is to have fun activities that challenge all ages of Boy Scouts without requiring long queues. b. Webelos program: i. Need to touch base/contact ... Joe Pallone? c. Activities. Details to be defined by youth committee. i. Older Scout Program. Will include high elements, since C.O.P.E. high elements have minimum age requirement (checking; believed to be either 13 or 14). This restriction could lead to suggesting Troops with few older youth form contingent units. Need to get input from youth. Older Scouts could participate in all other events; the low elements, challenge, etc.. ii. Younger Scout program. Suggest this program include C.O.P.E. low elements and geocaching. Bike race? Depends on what can be supported, what can be made safe. Could make all elements part of larger scenario (e.g., tribe of C.O.P.E. needs problems solved, units must follow restrictions or get penalized[principle unit leaders lose use of leg, arm, mouth]). d. Challenge: i. Colonial has many engineers with a passion for building stuff. Results from Program Launch indicate units enjoy and expect camporees to have unit vs unit challenge. Challenges based on building and using cool stuff should be included in camporee program. ii. Discussed having monkey bridge contest; units construct, test, and use bridges. Rating based on use of materials, quality of construction, novelty, thriftiness, etc. (need youth to work out details). Possible side benefit is Webeloes will be attending and can see example of cool stuff Colonial troops do. 3. What are gaps? a. Staffing: i. No response to requests for C.O.P.E. staffing sources from Council. Don Kilgore is asking (need update). Tim Rupert has no responded to my request for details on last C.O.P.E. training at Camp Snyder. ii. Will reported the C.O.P.E. course appears to be recently refurbished. Nice to have gear, but people are more important. Have yet to see evidence Council has included people in the equation. iii. ODD--source of staffing for events prior to 2010 Centennial Camporee--is having camporee the same weekend. I plan to attend the June RT (Thursday, 9 June) to discuss potential. b. C.O.P.E. knowledge. Colonial units have attended, but none have operated...yet. Looking into possibility of "field testing" new director (Don Kilgore) by running Colonial youth through a course. 4. Next actions (and who has them) a. Presentation for RT. Tony and Will will be prepared to answer questions about current status. b. Staffing. Tony still looking. Acquia units have their camporee scheduled for same weekend. Seems Councils demand that no units do anything on the following weekend is constraining units' schedules. c. Youth Committee: i. Will to send out list of elements available at Snyder. [If NCAC invested in C.O.P.E. gear, where is the course described on their website? Seems illogical to spend big bucks to build something, and not spend pennies to market the capability. Just saying...] ii. Eric and Will (Tony will help) to explain status to their troops and get 3-4 youth to help in committee. The joint committee will define the program and take lead on future efforts. d. Need to check with council to see if GPS units available for geocaching option e. Campfire planning. Will OA cover campfire? How about Brotherhood walk? [Discuss at Roundtable, 2011-06-08] f. Find out what else is going on at Snyder that weekend so we know what facilities are and are not available for program options. We will have the sports and Camporee fields, so lots of space. We don't have the campgrounds, though.