October 2000
October 2000
By Lynda Natali
Thirty minutes before Cavalcade 1999 kicks off, Boy Scout Rick Weiss is coordinating his troop's efforts at the Short Rope Railroad.
"We need to sort all this rope out," Rick announces, pointing to the spools of red, white, and blue cord blanketing the ground where Troop 431, from the Roswell, Ga., United Methodist Church, is setting up an activity station. The scissors-wielding Scouts begin cutting the rope into sections, organizing them in piles by color. Soon, visitors will use the strands to make colorful "monkey tails," Rick says, adding that it is a perfect Cavalcade activity.
"They are easy to make," 13-year-old Rick explains. "And you can wear them on your uniform, which shows that you know how to make one."
The annual event is hosted by the Atlanta Area Council's North Fulton District, just north of Atlanta. The location, Wills Park in Alpharetta, is a scene of much last-minute activity.
The park's basketball courts have been transformed into the "Alpharetta Turnpike." Kevin Strika, 10, of Pack 699 in Alpharetta, is sweeping off the area where Cubmobile pushcarts will soon race, following the directions of handmade traffic signs that warn of tricky corners to navigate.
In less than an hour, hundreds of Scouts, with their mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters, will be taking pushcart rides, tying monkey tails, and participating in more than 25 other Scout-run activities.
All events fit Cavalcade 1999's theme, "SCOUTOPOLY—Games with a Purpose." The park has been turned into a setting inspired by Monopoly, the classic board game from Parker Brothers, complete with "Marble Gardens" and the "Starvin' Gardens Trading Post." Participants "play" by visiting the activities and completing the minigame boards tethered around their necks.
First held in 1994, the Cavalcade has evolved from a small, two- or three-activity event into an all-day affair that is part carnival, part Scouting experience, and part family fun day.
"It's so much more than a Scout show," says district executive Jeffrey McNair. "It's a chance for the entire district to come together as a whole for a day of fun and excitement rooted around advancement."
Back in 1994, organizers of the district pinewood derby event were noticing a discouraging trend. As the day progressed and more racers were eliminated, the number of participants fell sharply until only a few Cub Scouts remained.
Then some people read in Scouting magazine about a district "all-derby day" in the Sam Houston (Texas) Area Council, which offered a variety of activities for visitors who were no longer involved in the pinewood derby. Scouters in North Fulton figured that such an event could both enhance their district's pinewood derby finals and encourage Cub Scout advancement.
The first Cavalcade featured a visiting exhibit from the Atlanta zoo and demonstrations by local emergency rescue squads.
Each year, organizers added more activities, as Boy Scout troops expressed interest in sponsoring such attractions as a rope bridge and a model campsite, to recruit new members.
A theme that appeals to both Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts is selected annually. Recent ones have included "Tournament of Knights" (1996), "High Seas Adventure" (1997), and "Exploring America's Frontiers" (1998).
Units from Webelos dens to (then) Exploring posts have been encouraged to sponsor activities, and by the fourth year, the concept had grown far beyond an "all-derby day." Attendance jumped from 200 to 900, and the number of units running activities went from five or fewer to more than 16.
"By our fourth year, we had developed the model that we use today," said Marilyn Dunsmore, one of the event founders. "In 1997, we turned the corner."
Turning the corner meant an annual organizing challenge of putting on an event with more than 30 activities, run by Scouts and attended by Scouts and their families. Not an easy task.
"We find once a unit participates, they will come back," said Dunsmore. "Getting them back is not a problem. Getting them here in the first place is a challenge."
Organizers found that a key to getting units to participate is to give each one personal attention. Individuals charged with this responsibility are called "unit liaisons."
A person serving as a liaison will contact a unit and invite it to participate in Cavalcade. The liaison answers any questions unit members might have, offers suggestions for activities, and provides encouragement right up until the final weeks.
According to Cavalcade organizers, this personal attention is the single most effective means of promoting unit participation.
If they need it, first-timers are given additional help planning and executing their activity. Organizers keep a few simple events ready for those units struggling to come up with one of their own.
Giving units a "turn-key" operation with many of the materials needed to run the activity alleviates anxiety about participating. It also boosts each unit's chance for success.
When Scouts walk away feeling good—not discouraged—they are more likely to come back the following year ready to tackle their own ideas, organizers agree.
The fact that entire families can participate is another reason for Cavalcade's rising attendance. Cavalcade 1999 was definitely a family affair.
"It is fun," said an excited 12-year-old Heather McDaniel while waiting her turn to catapult treasures into a sea chest at "Men-in-the-Sea Avenue." "We get to learn a lot, and we get to do it as a family. So it's extra family time we spend together."
A veteran of previous Cavalcades, Heather came to Wills Park with her parents, Lisa and Mike; her brothers, Jason, 10, and Ryan, 8, both members of Pack 430 from St. David's Episcopal Church in Roswell; and her 5-year-old sister, Shannon.
Heather's parents echoed their daughter's appreciation for what events like Cavalcade offer families. Mom and Dad also appreciated the fact that the McDaniel clan paid a single $5 entry fee for access to all the activities for the entire day.
Organizers, who spend six months planning for Cavalcade, are gratified by the number of families who attend. And they see other payoffs, as well.
Scouts who sponsor activities get a chance to master many skills—from basic Scoutcraft, like the lashings and knots needed to put together the giant catapult, to others that are not so obvious, such as planning and leadership.
Older Scouts have an opportunity to serve as role models for younger participants. In turn, the younger Scouts get an idea of what they might expect when they advance in rank.
"It is important for the young guys, because it sparks their interest," said McNair, about the role Cavalcade plays in recruitment and retention. "They get to see some of the things that older Scouts are doing."
Zack Spurlin, 7, from Pack 845 in Roswell, got to do just that when Matt Shirey, 16, a member of Ship 2000 from Duluth, took the Cub Scout for a simulated "ride" in their makeshift boat through a sea of grass.
"Don't worry, Mom," Matt called out while Zack slipped on a life jacket, "we will be back by dinner."
After giving the youngster a lesson in boating safety, Matt explained why he participates in Cavalcade.
"I like to give something back to the community," he said. "Also, I enjoy teaching younger kids."
Cavalcade serves as a dry run of sorts for the council's giant Scout Show held each year in downtown Atlanta. Units participating in the show get the opportunity not only to try out an activity but also to work out any bugs.
No bugs were in sight on the beautiful fall day that Cavalcade 1999 was held.
As 4 o'clock approached, a couple of stragglers wandered through the registration area, even though less than an hour of activities remained.
Two young Scouts were in intense competition at Marble Row, while a blond-haired little brother looked on. The line at Monkeyworks, the rope bridge, was about five-deep, and seven or so waited their turn at the Alpharetta Turnpike.
Business was also still brisk at the Ruby Mine, as fathers leaned over their sons who carefully sifted for gems. And at the Short Rope Railroad, they were happy to report that by 2 o'clock they had gone through more than 200 pieces of rope.
In the parking lot, the Paris family was loading their minivan, preparing to leave. A tired Keith Paris, 14, with Troop 2000 from Church of the Hills in Duluth, was more than ready to depart.
He had spent the day working at the Starvin' Gardens Trading Post. "I was back there running the concessions all day," he noted. "It was huge."
Linda Natali is a freelance writer who lives in Savannah, Ga.
Using the Internet as a ResourceOne of the ways Cavalcade organizers got the word out about the event was through the district's extensive e-mail group. Fliers, press releases, and other materials were sent to all the e-mail group members as part of the promotional blitz. Once the unit leaders were hooked, critical planning information—like what units that were sponsoring activities were responsible for—was distributed via the e-mail group. In addition, any questions, concerns, or comments that participants may have had could be sent through the e-mail group. "The e-mail group was super," noted Mary Strika, who has two boys in Scouting and was involved in organizing the pushcart races. "I had a question about something, and within a couple of hours it was answered." —L.N. |
Expecting the UnexpectedMarilyn Dunsmore stands with walkie-talkie in hand, ready to take on whatever comes her way. She has been involved with Cavalcade since it debuted in 1994 and knows to expect the unexpected. "In 1996, the temperature was only 16 degrees," said Dunsmore, who became involved in Scouting in 1992 when her son, Dale, signed up to be a Tiger Cub. "Even the ink in the ballpoint pens at registration froze." Dunsmore, who has served as event chair, publicity chair, pack liaison, and activity chair, is one of the many volunteers who have helped shape Cavalcade throughout the years into the success it is today. She jokes that she has gotten "reeled in" a little at a time. The license plate on her car, she tells with a laugh, reads, "One hour a week." It takes a little more than that to pull off the event with more than 30 activities that in 1999 attracted more than 1,800 participants. But she wouldn't have it any other way. After getting a report that the Cavalcade had run out of patches early—which meant more than 900 Scouts had gone through the gates by 1 o'clock—and reuniting a "found" boy with his parents at the trading post, she looks over Wills Park and likes what she sees. "This is what Scouting is all about." |
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