Cub Scouts mix learning, fun at Camp De Soto
The De Soto Area Council’s Cub Scout day camp took over Camp De Soto for a week at the end of July, bringing the Scouts back into action after cancellation last summer due to COVID-19.
Cub Scout Pack 18 - ranging from kindergartners to 5th graders - enjoyed a week of swimming, games and interesting activities at the camp.
The camp had a STEMfocused “Weird Science” theme, according to Scoutmaster and council board member Candy Phillips.
The Cub Scout camp came after the weeklong, overnight Boy Scout camp wrapped up, and campers came prepared to have a good time and - perhaps without fully knowing it learn.
On Thursday, July 29, a canceled visit from a Survival Flight helicopter did nothing to throw off the day’s schedule, and campers dove right into the day’s activities.
The Cub Scouts first took part in a CPR and defibrillator demonstration by Dr. Robert Olive, who has long served as camp doctor for the Scouts.
Each group of Cub Scouts were able to test out their skills on CPR mannequins. On the other end of the camp, a group of Scouts learned, with the help of a few of the many teenage counselors-in-training, to make paper “robot hands.” Several of the groups then went on to learn about knot tying, just a few of the activities that made up the next-to-last day of camp.
The camp operates with a mix of youth and adult staff, with counselors-in-training helping out the Scoutmasters, who are there to offer “supervision and guidance,” according to Phillips.
Throughout the week, campers also enjoyed a visit from the Union County Sheriff’s Office, where deputies taught campers about “stranger danger” and how and when to call 911. The El Dorado Fire Department also paid a visit.
Phillips said Camp De Soto includes a pool, three lakes, a dining hall with capacity for 200, 635 acres with 35 used for camp programs and ranges for shooting sports including archery, BB guns and rifles.
Cub Scout troops consist of both boys and girls until after 5th grade, when they split into Boy and Girl Scouts. The De Soto Council, which pools scouts from across the south-central Arkansas region, has a Boy Scout troop and is currently still gathering enough participants for Girl Scouts.
“Scouting is more than just camping. They learn to camp, cook, catch food and they learn about environmental science and conservation,” Phillips said.
Cub Scouts participate in a different event almost every month of the year, Phillips said, and new participants can sign up at any time of the year.
The Scouts self-fund through events such as their popcorn sale which, according to Phillips, helps teach responsibility and appreciation.
Possibilities open up even more as the Cub Scouts move up into Boy Scout programs, ranging from camping and canoeing trips to the famous merit badge challenges.
“You go in to [Cub Scouts] as a kid and come out skilled… We strive for youth protection here with a fully trained staff. We focus on safety, a good, quality, fun program and teach them to give back. All Scouts do community service in their regions,” Phillips said.
On Saturday, August 21, Camp De Soto will host “De Soto Goes Wild,” and welcome representatives from Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Both Scouts and non-Scouts can attend, according to Phillips, and enjoy a day complete with educational programs, hiking and more.
Tickets can be acquired at cub-scouts-pack-18. ticketleap.com/de-sotogoes-wild/details.
The De Soto Area Council’s headquarters is located at 118 W. Peach St. in El Dorado.