By Simon Ambit
This past weekend, my two sons and I drove to the Scofield Day Camp with a good friend and his young son. There, we attended the 2018 Cub Scout Day Camp for the Carbon District of the Utah National Parks Council. This year, the theme was “A Bug’s Life,” and with hundreds of two-legged little “Bug Scouts” running around, the place was buzzing with excitement and energy!
Following a solemn flag ceremony where the color-guard of young scouts hoisted the proud colors of our nation atop the wooden flag pole of the fort, we set out on a gamut of adventures. We started out with a hike up the mountain where the boys were instructed on finding and knowing direction and how to use GPS. Then, they found a candy-filled geocache and a nest of new hatchlings along the journey.
We then moved onto the artillery phase of the day as young scouts and adults alike thoroughly enjoyed themselves as they participated in the BB gun shoot, archery range and the art of the sling shot. After a lunch of half-eaten sandwiches, spilled applesauce and inhaled cookies, we set back out for round two of the adventure. Following a refueling of boys, the first two places we could get them to touch down after lunch were filled with a brief stop at the trading post and a craft corner where the boys made a giant glow-stick filled lightning bug model.
From there, we journeyed back to the main building where we took in some classroom time and the boys were able to individually build themselves a “bug box.” These simple boxes made of wood and covered with screen door material have been brought home and filled several times with a variety of creepers and crawlers of all sorts.
The final adventure for the day was “the waterfront.” The scouts were able to pile into small boats, canoes and kayaks as they scuttled around the cove. As you can suspect, after about 15 or 20 minutes in the water, the paddling fun wasn’t enough and… It took only one or two small splashes from one vessel to another, before suddenly the entire armada was involved in a water fight. The calm lake began to churn as water flew in every direction with the assistance of flailing oars and splashing hands. It was an impressive thing to see! As the bell rang to end the activity, like obedient little soldiers, the scouts paddled to shore, said their thanks, stowed life vests and paddles and moved along the trail. They shared echoes of the water fight over and over as the trampled on up the trail back the central fort area.
With the flag retired and the scout camp in the rearview mirror, the boys shared their favorite memories of the day and were already asking about next year. I’m grateful to those who put so much into making this event possible; the boys had an awesome time. The adventure of life is good, see you on the trail!