Every Wednesday is a trip to the local post office to mail out weekly worship packets to parishioners without email. Small enough community to park right out front, except this summer when the village tore up the post office side of the main drag to replace underground utilities. Working from west to east, the crew closed down block after block and denied side street access. Do I park in the alley again? Do I come around from the "other side"? Never knew from week to week.
It was no bother for the grandsons when they accompanied me. They'd race around from the back parking space (reserved for the employees) with a different agenda: scale the pipe railings along the ramp, climb over and jump, then do it again. Their routine was never "endangered." And, they could still draw something for the postal team and see it displayed when they returned the following week.
Creatures of habit that we tend to be in Scouting, we have seen a few new events this summer replace those long attended, almost ritual-like, weekends at camp. New energy, new activities, new excitement awaiting. What used to be a Dad & Lad event on this coming weekend is now Wood Badge leadership training, the Northern Camporee at Camp Hiawatha, and Wausau Whitewater. Just last weekend was the Family Fun camping weekend at Bear Paw (rain and all), the second of two NYLT Pack and Paddle Families Fun weekends at Camp Hiawatha, the Kon Wapos Lodge Gathering at Gardner Dam Adventure Base, and a Scout sleep over with the Timber Rattlers.
For many, rituals and routine keep us grounded. Scouting invites us to loosen up a bit and try new activities. The calendar is full of both. Click on the graphic at the top of this newsletter and follow the link to the Bay-Lakes Council's calendar of events. You won't regret it one bit.
See you on the trail, and of course, at camp!
Warren Kraft
Program Development
guide@baylakesbsa.org