June 1, 2020
MILLSTONE TOWNSHIP, NJ (MONMOUTH)–In this time of social distancing, being “together” is tough. This weekend, families from both Cub Scout Pack 116 and Boy Scout Troop 116 of Millstone Township went camping…. at home. With the aid of a private Facebook group and Zoom video conferencing; scouts and their families spent time outside cooking, building campsite gateways, doing scavenger hunts and pioneering projects.
Fifty families with 71 scouts located in both Millstone and Upper Freehold and ranging in age from 6 years to adult participated in the weekend long event. Cubmaster, Chris Weltner, commented, “This was an excellent event, the weather could not have been any better. I am proud of the scouts who attended and showed their scouting skills and scout spirit. This pack/troop interaction should occur more often and I look forward to participating in person.” Teaching, learning & growing… that was the highlight of the weekend that held the theme “Scouts Camping Apart yet Together: bridging the gap from Lion to Eagle”. Each morning began with a rousing Reveille and each night ended with Taps played by the Troop 116 Buglers. George Schmidt, Senior Patrol Leader, said “I was happy to see so many scouts getting involved in different activities. It was the closest thing we have had to a camp out in months.”
The older scouts from Troop 116 posted instructional videos ranging from cooking, hiking and First Aid skills to pioneering projects, Leave No Trace tips and flag retirement ceremonies. Challenges were made and accepted by scouts of all ages… cooking, camp gateway projects, scavenger hunts, scout skills, and, of course, a s’mores challenge ended Saturday night on a sweet note! Troop Committee Chair, John Keleher. noted that he was “really impressed by not only the engagement of the scouts, but the quality of the content that was posted and shared online. The amount of effort these boys put in was really great!”