Starting Monday, June 8, the North Trail District held its annual Cub Scout Twilight Camp at the city of Richardson’s Breckinridge Park.  The theme was “A Camping We Will Go.”  Cub Scouts, who will be in the second through fifth grades during the 2009-2010 academic year, attended five camp sessions.  First-grade Cub Scouts, known as Tiger Cubs, started camp on Wednesday, June 10.

Among the nearly 900 people involved in Twilight Camp were 505 Cub Scout campers and 290 adult “walking Den Leaders,” who accompanied Scouts to each event.  They represented 42 Packs from three Circle Ten Council districts.  Camp was staffed by 50 adult volunteers, 50 Boy Scouts and four Girl Scouts.

“In spite of a little wind and rain, camp was a great success,” said Barbara Richer, camp director and adult volunteer with Troop 895, Waterview Church of Christ.  “Thank you to all the hard-working volunteers who made it happen,” added Terri Groom, camp program director and adult volunteer with Troop 570, Spring Creek Elementary School.

Camp began each afternoon at 4:00 p.m., and was scheduled to end at 8:30 p.m.  Activity areas included craftsman, geology, archery and BB-gun ranges.  At the “Dry Gulch Mining Town,” Cub Scouts threw rocks at pie pans, pottery, and skeet clay pigeons, sifted for gems hidden in sand-filled one-gallon buckets, and used metal detectors to find coins scattered in a field. 

When Pack 727 Webelos Cub Scout Isaac Hileman was asked what he liked most about Twilight Camp, he said, “learning about rocks and minerals in geology (sessions).”  He added, “Twilight Camp is a lot of fun, and you learn a lot.”

‘Swaps’ Tradition Continues

Twilight Camp continued the tradition of Cub Scouts and adults exchanging “swaps.”  “Swaps” are small items that represent each camper’s interests and personality and can be attached to hats with safety pins.  Among this year’s “swaps” were small felt animals, beads, fishing bobbers, miniature American flags, paper money, playing cards, rubber snakes and worms.

Special Programs

Most evenings featured special entertainment.  Monday night, Arrowmen of the Yanush Chapter, Mikanakawa Lodge, Order of the Arrow, dressed in authentic regalia, performed Native American dances and encouraged campers to join in.  Tuesday night, Jay Wilson performed camp songs, and Wednesday night, Exotic Animal University delighted all campers with a number of animals not often seen at Breckinridge Park.  

Friday Night

Friday night, campers learned if they had created containers that would keep a raw egg in one piece when it was dropped from the top of an extended scissors lift and hit the ground 19 feet below.  At the end of the evening's regular program, more than 130 Webelos Cub Scouts, parents, and siblings camped overnight at Breckinridge Park.  Troop 895 Boy Scouts and adult volunteers served as the overnight staff.

North Trail District

The North Trail District comprises more than 50 Cub Scout Packs and 50 Boy Scout Troops in North Dallas, LakeHighlands, ParkCities, Preston Hollow, and Richardson.  It is one of 19 districts in Circle Ten Council, Boy Scouts of America, which includes Dallas, Corsicana, Sherman, and south central Oklahoma.

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Contributor

Alan Edwards is one of a number of adults who report on Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Venture activities of the North Trail District, Circle Ten Council, Boy Scouts of America.