Helping Cub Scouts at Holcomb Farm

Whenever an adult in our troop asks for help from the scouts of 175, their are always at least a few scouts willing to lend a hand. When Mrs. Peacock needed help at a cub event at Holcomb farm in Granby, seven guys from our troop, and one from troop 76, came to help even though for most of them it was an early closing and they could have gone home.

When we arrived at the farm, we spent time setting up the stations that would later teach the cub scouts skills that we use in scouting. There was knot tying, first aid, setting up a tarp and rope tent, and of course, fire building. The Cub Scouts arrived, and everybody, whether done with their stations or not, was put on teams with the cub scouts to go on an approximate three mile hike. Every team survived the Cubs and the forest, but for a while there, it was close. They were all given little whistles and buddies to help them not get lost, boy was it a chore keeping the buddies in check and stopping them from blowing the whistles.

When we finally got back to the farm, everyone settled in for a game of Capture the Flag, except me Brandon Bush and Joey Dunn, who had to finish our station. I am happy to say that these two scouts both helped eagerly, and without question. In fact, they knew their stuff more than I did. When the stations were finally set up there was a flag raising ceremony.

Then all the cubs who were split up into four groups and went around to the stations and got first hand experience on how to build fires, tie knots set up tent with ropes and first-aid.  When each group had gone to all the sights, there was a flag lowering ceremony, performed by the  cubs and they all performed skits about the scout law. (We had helped to teach the scout law and oath.) After this they were free to go.

Here are the names of all the Boy Scouts that helped out: Brandon Bush, Joey Dunn, Isaac Peacock, Mike Duff, James Hermsen, Nick Summa, Cortland Carter and Paul from troop 76. Also, Gabe Benjamin, who wrote this article, was there. All of this could not have been accomplished if we had not showed up and done our jobs, but especially could not have happened if Mrs. Peacock had not been there to coordinate the cub scouts and keep them interested in becoming Boy Scouts at a later time ( hopefully in Troop 175.)

Gabe Benjamin