Keenan Loftfield woke up Saturday morning with plans to participate in some outdoor activity that would help him make an informed decision.
It wasn’t a college or career decision.
The 9-year-old, who is set to be promoted to the troop level in Scouting America very soon, wanted to find the perfect fit for himself. To do that, he needed to weigh the pros and cons by experiencing a little bit of fun with local troops.
On Saturday, Castaic BSA Troop No. 583 opened the doors of its “home,” Valley Trails Ranch, a place where they have campouts and gatherings, to 15 children for a “Get Outside Day,” with activities such as archery, a backpack relay race, and GPS scavenger hunt.
The goal was to show potential Cub Scouts, and some who weren’t in Scouting at all, what their experience would be like if they joined Troop No. 583. For the Castaic-based troop it’s not just fun activities but also a place where they work on their leadership skills and live by the Scout law, said Michelle McKown, committee chair of the group.
“Loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrift, brave, clean and reverent,” is the Scout Law, said McKown, “That’s what we teach the kids. You are a Scout, even when you’re not in uniform every week. They get up and they hold up their Scout sign and they pledge to follow those values we teach. Citizen in the community, in the nation, in the world.”
CJ McKown was fully engaged with his leadership skills throughout the morning as he directed the guests to their next activity.
He hoped the young boys present would recognize that with Troop No. 583 you’d gain confidence and develop skills applicable in other areas of life, he said.
As the group of current and potential troop members dispersed, a few went to the pellet gun range, where they were taught safety tips and given advice on how to aim for the bull’s-eye.
Loftfield was crouched down, looking through the scope, and glued to the target. After a few rounds he went to take a look at his progress, which had a few bull’s-eyes. He was having fun, he said.
His dad, Jefferson Loftfield, was present cheering him on and watching him enjoy his time outdoors with the troop.
When asked what factors the father and son duo were looking into when making a decision, “You might need to ask him,” he said with a chuckle. “The true decision really needs to be his, not mine … It’s important for me that he’s making that decision.”
As Keenan moved on to his next adventure, his decision remained undecided — he was looking for “how much adventure there is and how much you have to do on your own,” adding that he was looking for a place to build his leadership and independence skills.
But with each activity, he was one step closer to finding the perfect fit.
