Central, western Maine Scouting gears up to get kids outside this fall

PHOTO: Augusta Cub Pack 603 plays Gaga Ball at Bomazeen Day Camp. (Submitted photo)

AUGUSTA – Scout troops across central and western Maine are inviting students to join them as they “Escape the Inside” this fall.
“Escape the Inside” is a way of informing youth and their parents that Scouting delivers fun programs in outdoor settings.
“A boy is not a sitting-down animal,” said Scounting founder Robert Baden-Powell.
That still holds true for the boys and girls who can benefit from Scouting, today’s leaders say.
“Scouting works best when we bring the Scouts into the outdoors,” said Kennebec Valley District of Scouting Vice Chair Chuck Mahaleris, of Augusta. “Our Cub packs, Scout troops and Venture Crews have been busy all summer long having adventures. Scouts in this area spent their summer camping, hiking, shooting at the archery range, biking, canoeing, kayaking and challenging themselves. They didn’t get a lot of time to sit down.
“They learned about cooking over an open fire and how to save someone’s life in the woods. Some of our Scouts went white water rafting and many spent part of their summer helping their community,” Mahaleris said. “In September, our Cub packs, Scout troops and Venture Crews will be opening their doors to new members- youth who are tired of sitting around and want to get outside and have fun and do things.”

The three largest parts of Scouting are:
Cub Scouting, which is fun for the whole family and is for boys and girls kindergarten through fifth grade. It includes hands-on learning and achievement that puts kids in the middle of the action and prepares them for today – and for life.
The next level is Scouts BSA which is for boys and girls ages 11 to 17 and is the traditional Scouting experience for youth in the fifth grade through high school. Service, community engagement and leadership development become increasingly important parts of the program as youth lead their own activities and work their way toward earning Scouting’s highest rank, Eagle Scout.
Venturing is for teens age 14 to 20 and perfect for those kids looking for the next mountain to climb.
The Kennebec Valley District of Scouting, which covers Somerset, Lincoln, Knox, Kennebec and Franklin counties, will also be adding Sea Scouting and Exploring programs later this year.

Local Scouting contacts are:
Franklin County
Farmington Area Cub Pack 585 Walter Fails 450-8848 peacekeeper11467@gmail.com
Farmington Area Scout Troop 546 Gerry Judkins 778-9665 gearry@sunnysidehome.net
Jay Area Scout Troop 199 645-2384 twig271@gmail.com
Strong Area Scout Troop Sheila Butterfield 639-4785 butterfieldsheila4@gmail.com
Kennebec County
Augusta (East Side and Windsor) Cub Pack 603 Michael Fortin 462-1993 michaelwfortin@gmail.com
Augusta (East side and Windsor) Scout Troop 603 https://www.facebook.com/groups/kvtroop603
Augusta (West Side & Area) Cub Pack 684 Shawn McFarland 242-1605 shawn.amber@outlook.com
Augusta (West Side and Area) Troop 631 Russell Cahn 685-8020 rcahn2@nyc.rr.com
China Area Troop 479 Christian Hunter 568-3068 cajimter1999@gmail.com
Gardiner/Pittston Area Cub Pack 672 Scott St Amand 321–1103 ssta,amd87@gmail.com
Gardiner Area Scout Troop 672 Ryan Avery 841-5663 ryan_avery@hotmail.com
Hallowell Area Scout Troop Glen Glidden 408-3337 gglidden754@gmail.com
Manchester Area Scout Troop 622 Tom Bartol 621-0787 bartolnp@gmail.com
Monmouth Area Cub Pack 654 Jamie Blundon 240-9969 jamie.blundon2815@gmail.com
Monmouth Area Scout Troop 654 Shawn Schultz 933-2484 sschultz@kidsrsu.org
Oakland Area Cub Pack 454 Willie LeHay 649-7385 lehayw@yahoo.com
Oakland Area Scout Troop 454 Stephen Craig 649-6411 oaklandtroop454@yahoo.com
Sidney Area Scout Troop 401 Eric Handley project19@msn.com
Waterville Cub Pack 436 Sarah Bradley 356-7496 sbradley819@gmail.com
Waterville Troop 436 Dan Bernier 873-2927 dan@bernierlawoffice.com
West Gardiner Area Cub Pack 613 Erica Soiett 212-3713 esoiett@roadrunner.com
West Gardiner Area Scout Troop 613 Jeff DeHart 582-7178 jwdehart@aol.com
Winslow Area Scout Troop 433 Bryan Harriet 649-7216 bryanharriet@yahoo.com
Winthrop Area Scout Troop 604 Greg Solomon 485-7577 gsol271@gmail.com
Venture Crew 2713 Shelley Connolly 207 487-1277 shelleyaconnolly@gmail.com
Somerset County
Skowhegan Area Cub Pack 485 Shanna Brown 696-5458 srbrown1980@yahoo.com
Skowhegan Area Troop 485 Darren Files 877-4242 dfiles@wm.com
Jackman Area Cub Pack 497 Kimberly Danforth 668-9211 kimberly.danforth@hotmail.com
Jackman Area Troop 497 Karla Talpey 668-4420 ktalpey@myfairpoint.net
Venture Crew 2713/ Troop 428 in Pittsfield Shelley Connolly 207 487-1277 shelleyaconnolly@gmail.com