Be Prepared!

Sturges Park came alive with 14 third and fourth grade Club Scouts as they learned how to "Be Prepared" in the outdoors.  Part of their training involved learning the 10 essential items to pack for a day hike, why "cotton is rotten", and how synthetics and wool are better, especially when worn in layers.  After decorating hiking sticks, they went off on an adventure in the woodlands.  Learning trail blazes was secondary to being prepared for anything that might be lurking among the trees.  Maybe a bear or wolf would jump out at any moment!  They were all in agreement that their new hiking stick could be used as a defensive weapon and not just a helpful balancing tool.  Disappointingly, only two toads and a very large snail were sighted.  They went on to learn the “Rule of Threes for Survival” which is in any extreme situation one cannot survive 3 minutes without air; 3 hours without shelter; 3 days without water; 3 weeks without food.   The two dens then went on to experiment in constructing debris huts using only the natural materials they could find.  They discovered that smaller shelters were warmer and quicker to build. They decided that this is an important survival technique in case one is lost or caught in bad weather. No outdoor training session would be complete without proper campfire building and safety lessons, which culminated in feasting on hot dogs cooked on a stick.    Somehow it just seems they taste so much better this way.     By the end of the session, everyone concluded that thanks to the volunteers at the Discovery Center, they were better prepared for the great outdoors.