Boy Scouts Of America

Camping - The Atlanta Area Council owns two camping facilities, Robert W. Woodruff Scout Camp and Bert Adams Scout Camp, and operates Allatoona Aquatics Base. In addition to summer camp and resident camps, Scouts are encouraged to use these facilities throughout the year for overnight camping and day trips. Camping offers an outdoor classroom providing Scouts the opportunity to participate in physically and intellectually challenging activities. Positive outcomes of camp occur because the environment and activities incorporate all of the elements of healthy youth development: strong personal values and character, positive sense of self-worth and usefulness, caring and nurturing relationships, a desire to learn and creative use of time and social adeptness. Bert Adams and Woodruff Scout Camps served over 6,300 Scouts BSA youth and 100 Cub Scouts in 11 sessions of Scouts BSA Camp and one session of Cub Scout Camp. These resident programs provide fun, adventure, learning and memory building opportunities for youth and families as they enjoy dozens of activities at summer camp. Winter Camp held in December at Bert Adams served over 400 participants and offers Scouts BSA Youth the same great summer camp programs coupled with unique merit badges and camp programs like the polar bear plunge in the lake and klondike derby games for fun. Youth are guided toward the mission of Scouting America of teaching youth to make moral and ethical choices throughout their lifetimes.

Activities - council activities include leadership and instructor training, cpr, first-aid and lifesaving training, cub adventure, venturing and exploring activities. Each of the council's 13 districts held activities ranging from training, volunteer recognition banquets, camporees to day camps. Training activities provide leadership skills to both youth and adult leaders. It empowers leaders to provide enhanced and exciting program activities for all youth served by the council. Activity programs embrace the theory of "fun with a purpose" by teaching a variety of skills and values through activities designed for fun. The youth are guided toward the mission of the scouting america of teaching youth to make moral and ethical choices throughout their lifetimes. In 2024, winter family jubilee was attended by 250 participants for a one-day "snowman extravaganza" of fun. Scouters winter campout had 160 participants and volunteers over a weekend where scouters from across the united states came together to strengthen their winter camping skills and fellowship. Civil rights heritage hike was held at ebenezer baptist church/ king center, with 441 participants and community members taking tours with national park service and hiking from ebenezer to civil rights musuem in atlanta. Spring family international cub-a-ree over 2 weekends had 2,400 participants where participants could write post cards to scout units overseas, learn how to hula with polynesian dancers, and get up close and personal with ginger the python & scaly adventures. University of scouting was held at life university with over 250 scouters & youth learning new skills, nylt, den chief training, dutch oven cooking, position specific training and more. Fall family spooky-ree held on 3 weekends included over 4,500 participants and over 200 volunteers who enjoyed the theme of "witches & wizards" with pack gateway competition, magic stem castle (science creations & booth museum), pumpkin carving, glow party, and other activities. During the summer, stem academy is a program that facilitates both scouts and non-scouts, providing an experience for 60 high school students on a weeklong program to visit various stem related businesses and organizations to learn what they do, the career opportunities, and the education that is required for those positions. We provide older youth programs including three merit badge summits each year that have themed badges: eagle rank, stem, stranger things (uncommon badges) hosting a total of 882 youth for those summits. Twice a year, we do special merit badge days with porsche offering automotive maintenance for 60 scouts and asfip/cfa society offering personal management for 140 scouts. During the summer, we offer 9 weekends of aquatic badges at the allatoona aquatics base at lake allatoona serving 461 youth. Badges include: swimming, lifesaving, cannoeing, kayaking, fishing, fly-fishing, small-boat sailing, stand-up paddle board, and rowing. During the fall, we offer a first year scout skills for 70 brand new scouts to get acclimated with the scouting program. Learning; first aid, knots, knife/ax/saw safety, fire safety, map and compass, cooking, and basic camping skills. Towards the late fall, we host a minature weekend summer camp called conservation weekend. We put on a program for 668 youth and adults that provides various merit badges, opportunities to do conservation projects, learn how to use tools on the trail. There are even adult class options such as certified angling instructor training and leave no trace train the trainer. There are four national youth leadership training courses that we offer throughout the year that accommodates 56 youth each course. Nylt is a six-day advanced leadership course designed to teach scouts the tools, techniques, and skills they need to be better leaders - not only in their units, but also at home, in school, and in their daily lives. We also offer adult training porgrams as well. Wood badge occurs twice a year for a total of 89 adults. Through wood badge, adults will gain valuable tools in listening, communicating, conflict management, project planning and leading change. They will learn to better understand and leverage diversity and the generational differences in society. Learn to lead with a vision and learn skills that will make them a better leader. There are introductory training courses for leaders who wish to take their unit camping. Twice a year, we facilitate an iols and baloo course for 120 leaders. Iols (introduction to outdoor leader skills) is for scouts bsa and venture leaders. Working as patrols, this hands-on course provides adult leaders the practical outdoor skills they need to lead scouts in the out-of-doors. Baloo (basic adult leader outdoor orientation) is for cub scout leaders who are interested in adding a camping component to their pack activities are to have at least one baloo trained adult on every cub scout den or pack overnight outdoor event.