How troop 265 is staying active during quarantine

Robert Baden Powell, the founder of scouting stated: “A scout is never taken by surprise; he knows exactly what to do when anything unexpected happens.” The unexpected has happened and we have found ourselves under a “stay at home” order, but Troop 265 of Madonna, MD, has found several ways to stay engaged in scouting. The patrol leaders are using online web-conferencing software to hold patrol meetings virtually. In these meetings, the patrols can learn weekly skills, such as fire building or first aid, chosen by the senior leadership, as well as play games like scout trivia, tell stories and jokes, and work toward rank advancement. When not in a patrol meeting, our scouts have been challenged to set up a tent or survival shelter and camp in their backyard under the stars, or cook a meal for their family outside on a grill, fire, or stove. Additionally, they can earn a merit badge such as American heritage, graphic arts, or landscape architecture, to name a few, all of which can be completed virtually. Lastly, our scouts are continuing to serve our community through online service projects. Our scouts are currently learning as much as they can about CVOID-19 and how they can help to stop the spread, along with writing letters to local hospital staff to help encourage the doctors and nurses. They are also writing to residents that are confined to nursing home facilities in the hopes of cheering them up.