Stations and Activities

This Fall, we are basing our stations on the Chinese Zodiac. For every animal, we have a set of tasks that will be tallied at the end of the day on Saturday. Most of the events are taken right out of the Boy Scout Handbook and reflect basic scouting skills and knowledge. Boys will walk through the stations carrying back packs which should have all that you need for the morning/early afternoon of stations.

• Year of the Rooster:
  Show off your knowledge of merit badges! You will be shown 30 pictures of actual merit badges. Can you name them all? This station has extra credit. We have pictures of two merit badges as they were in the mid 1970's (the Eagle who earned them got his Eagle rank in 1973). Both merit badges are still available to earn today, but the badge has been redesigned. Can you figure out what they are?

• Year of the Dog:
  This station will be identification of common animal tracks.

• Year of the Ox:
  This station will be identification of 15 different common plants.

• Year of the Monkey:
  This station is a compass course which will ask scouts to put tent stakes in the ground at compass directions and stated intervals (2 paces NNW or 3 paces 140 degrees) and connect the pegs to make a design.

• Year of the Snake:
  Knot Tying

• Year of the Rat:
  Year of the Pack Rat. Scouts will be asked to pack a backpack for a specific scenario from a grouping of items at the station. Plus points for right items, negative points for wrong items.

• Year of the Horse:
  Identify the things that go into a first aid kit.

• Year of the Dragon:
  Start a fire with a fire starter. Each group of scouts has to bring a pre-made fire starter. Bonus points at this station are for anyone in the group making a fire starter at the station.

• Year of the Tiger:
  Things with sharp claws. Identification of types and uses of axes, knives, saws, etc.

• Year of the Rabbit:
  Run around and find all the things on the scavenger hunt list.

• Year of the Sheep:
  Bon Fire on Saturday Night.

• Year of the Pig:
  Desert making cook-off. You must make your desert in your camp area. You must submit a NEATLY written (ie readable) recipe that includes specific ingredients and amounts. For example: instead of some raisins, say 1/2 cup of raisins. These will be collected, typed, copied and handed back to every Troop at the campout (even if you didn't participate in the cook-off) so that every troop will have some hopefully new ideas to try.

• Do a Good Turn:
  As part of Troop 432's commitment to helping out in their community, we give to the Ronald McDonald House in Bangor. Last year, we collected 67 family videos and gave them to the house for the families to watch while staying there. This year, we are collecting personal care items for the house to give to families who didn't pack them, or who ran out while staying there. These items include, but are not limited to, things such as:

  • deodorant

  • toothpaste

  • toothbrush

  • liquid hand soap

  • hand cream

  • bath soap

  • shampoo

  • disposable razors

  • Q-tips
    
    
  All of these items must be NEW, unopened items. The travel size items are often the best size. Also if you have any of the sample size items that you might have picked up during a stay in a hotel, these are perfect. Or, if you prefer, we will gladly accept a non-perishable food item to go to a local food cupboard. Every scout or scouter that brings in an item to donate to the RMH, or a food item for the food cupboard, you will get a leather slide made by the troop committee and boys of Troop 432 as our thanks for your help. We are planning to have each group of scouts inspected to have all the appropriate gear in their back packs for the day. The group must be carrying the items somewhere, not every item has to be carried by every scout. Suggested items: water for each scout, scout handbook, totem chip, firem chip, personal first aid kit, writing stick of your choice, patrol cheer, trail snack, clip board or notebook to write on, matches, knife, compass, scout spirit.