How skills I learned as a teen in the scouts help during the Covid-19 pandemic

Let me start by acknowledging I know the BSA has its problems. It made mistakes. Every organization has. Let’s focus on the good.

Right now our lives have been turned upside down. We are confronted with social distancing, isolation, going out wearing a mask and gloves. The closures of offices, restaurants, sports venues and theaters. And more. Much more.

Growing up a scout the skills I learned are invaluable for today’s world or any other. I spent many years in summer camp where I learned to confront change and adapt to the circumstances. Let me cite a few examples from camp and other program areas and how its teachings have taught me to be prepared.

• During Wilderness Survival merit badge we were left in the middle of the woods with our canteen, pocketknife, a camp saw, matches, mess kit and sleeping bag. Each of us was given about a pound of chop meat, a tomato, green pepper and onion. We were expected to make camp, cook and well survive. We did not have the usual equipment we would normally have on a camping trip. I loved this training and did it many times as a camper and staff member. Every time I did the skies opened up from the time we set out to the time we packed camp and went back to our site. Did that stop us? No. We made shelter by building it with waterproof plant life. We stayed dry. We knew which plants we could eat and which would poison us. We built a small fire. Not a blazing one. But it kept us warm and allowed us to cook

• We would often go boating in the lake. Our canoes would swamp sometimes naturally or our fellow scouts would swamp us. We had fun. Did we panic? No. We knew how to drain our canoe, flip it over and paddle
• We camped in areas without traditional showers. We were able to wash up by boiling water and cleaning ourselves
• I once had a leader, my mentor who took us hikes deep into the camp. There was not always a camp latrine along the trail. If you have to go you have to go. He always carried toilet paper. We learned to do so. I’ve seen panicked people on hikes I took later in life. I was able to help
• On the trail to Eagle, we had to learn personal finance management it helped us budget our trips and other events. We learned how to shop for our meals and stay within the troops’ budget
• We learned how to pack before we go on a backpacking trip and what’s needed and what we can leave behind
• We learned to police our areas and keep everything as clean as we could. Hygiene was always paramount. Check out “Trashy Parks,” mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/01/07/trashy-parks/.
  

  

  

  

Photos were taken at Ten Mile River Scout Camps, Narrowsburg, NY

So how does this help us during the Corona Virus?

Simple.

Our motto is, “Be Prepared.”

When business associates, family, friends, etc. were perplexed. The skills learned in scouting made it easy to adapt and be prepared to take on the changes we are beset with. Can’t do in-person meetings? Go to Zoom or Skype. I worked with the older scouts to teach our elders how to zoom. It was entertaining. But we did it. We were able to continue our business and scout meetings, religious services and keep our community centers going.

We used to have to remember to be properly dressed for our camping trips. We’d put on our boots, camp pants, shirts and make sure we had a raincoat in our pack. Now we need to go out with our mask and gloves. Simple keep your box right at your door. Keep the trashcan nearby so you can toss them right in when you return. Remember to stuff and extra pair in your coat or pockets if you plan to be out longer than expected and/or your existing PPE tears.

Do you have to stay away from certain areas or go a different way to get somewhere because your normal route is closed off? Think of Orienteering merit badge. Remember when we had to get to a destination by taking a different path than usual along the trail. Can’t take public transportation? Again, remember Orienteering merit badge and toss in Hiking merit badge. Map out a trail and walk. The gyms are closed. So we need to exercise.

Is your favorite pizza place or other restaurant closed or too far to get to? Remember Cooking merit badge and your survival training. Cook.

The list goes and on. But the scouting program gives us skills that will last us our whole lives. I am glad I “leaaaaarrnned” so much and am ready. Be Prepared.