Pack 565 families,

Fall family camping is coming up the weekend of October 16-18. Camping is probably the most fun activity your boy will do in conjunction with Scouting.

I am keeping a sign-up list, so I’m requesting that you respond to me if you would like to attend. Let me know how many adults, how many Scouts, how many participating siblings, and how many nonparticipating siblings will be attending. By participating, I mean will the sibling be participating in the same activities as the Cub Scouts during the day Saturday. If your sibling is between the ages of about 4 and 11, they will probably want to do everything their brother does.

Here are the costs for camping. It will be $10 per person for food (for the weekend: three meals Saturday plus Sunday breakfast) and a $10 activity fee for each participating sibling. Pack 565 pays the $10 activity fee for our Scouts (Thank you, popcorn sellers!). Bring your checkbooks to the next Pack meeting on Tuesday, September 29th. That will be our deadline for Fall Family Camping sign-up.

I’m enclosing the 2009 Fall Family Camping flyer, directions to Bert Adams, and a map of Bert Adams. We’ll take care of the registration. All you need to do is sign up with me.

I’m also enclosing a Word document about camping, which has our Pack rules, a camping checklist for what to bring, and a few words about what to expect. You can borrow or buy most of the equipment for pretty cheap. Please, please, PLEASE do not reject this activity because you know you wouldn’t like it as a parent. First of all, this isn’t wilderness backpacking. You can make it pretty comfortable. We drive in, drop our stuff off, and go park. Many of us have the cheap hotel-size tents. The Atlanta Area Council campgrounds are giant controlled natural environments with large fields for activities. Your boy’s schedule is filled with fun things to do all weekend. For many of us parents, the best personal activity of a camping weekend is the Sunday afternoon shower after you get home. But the most rewarding activity is being able to watch your son enjoy himself so immensely. Most boys don’t get to experience fun in a natural setting these days. Cub Scouts are lucky.

See you all that weekend!

Carl