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Health & Fitness

The Benefits of Scouting

A mom's perspective on the benefits of scouting.

This Thursday, March 8, Troop 135 is having an Open House from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at . It’s a great opportunity to see the boys in action and ask any questions you may have. If you are on the fence, please read through my perspective of the program and benefits below. You can also check out the Troop website at www.brookfieldtroop135.org.

I didn’t know when my son started Scouts in first grade that, seven years later, he would still enjoy it so much. He is currently a member of Troop 135 in Brookfield, CT. The real surprise has come in how much he has learned and grown through scouting. Sure I thought scouting was “good” for you but I wasn’t a scout so I didn’t know.

The boys work as a team to get things done. They have the opportunity to camp each month. They are divided up into patrols by age bracket. Each patrol is responsible for planning meals, shopping for food, cooking and cleaning up. They work with a duty roster so the jobs are rotated through each meal.

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I remember the first time I took my son shopping at to buy the food for that weekend’s camp out. He had a menu the boys had chosen and a budget of $60 for four boys for three meals including charcoal. He used a calculator throughout the store to keep himself on track. Several people, strangers, stopped us to comment on how great it was to see a young man doing his shopping so carefully.

While learning and gaining leadership the boys have fun while exploring the outdoors. Camp outs have included backpacking on , , canoeing and kayaking on Candlewood Lake, biking on Block Island, , , orienteering at Tarrywile and after last October’s storm. Each spring break the boys have the opportunity to go on a three-four day trip. Last year they camped on Staten Island at a Boy Scout campground and explored NY City including the Empire State Building, the Intrepid, the NYC Police Museum, and Central Park. This year the troop is going to Washington D.C.

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The Boy Scouts hold weekly meetings to work on requirements and merit badges for each rank advancement. As a mom, my favorite merit badge so far has been Family Life. My son made his bed, took care of the dog, took out the garbage, did his laundry and set the table. He still does those things even though the badge is complete.

There are many other benefits in Boy Scouts. There are leadership opportunities such as patrol leader, webmaster, historian, and senior patrol leader. They also learn the importance of giving back to the community through a number of community service projects. 

Cub scouts is from first through fifth grade. Boy Scouts starts in sixth grade and goes through twelfth. No prior scouting experience is required. For more info about scouting in Brookfield please contact the following people: Cubscouts — Rob Libby Pack 5 at 203-775-2412, Rob Janofsky Pack 135 @203-775-9578; Boyscouts — Kirk Lauri Troop 135 @ 203-470-9050, Jonathan Gibney Troop 8, Tom Tyrell, Troop 5 @203-775-4448.

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