Newtown Scouting America Troops are finalizing plans for a special open house immediately following this year’s Newtown Labor Day Parade on Monday, September 1.

The event will be held on the lawn in front of Newtown Middle School from noon to 2 pm. Scouting is open to boys and girls from kindergarten to high school. Scouts participate in activities such as camping, hiking, biking, whitewater rafting and more, while also training to become community leaders.

Community members of all ages are invited to enjoy an afternoon full of activities while they also learn the benefits of Scouting.

Many different stations will be set up, each with their own unique game or activity for people to play. These include inflatable archery, a gaga pit, backyard bass fishing, a Lego race car derby, a popcorn sales table, and more.

All stations will be run by Scouts from local Troops. There will also be a registration and information booth on Scouting run by local Scout leaders.

The open house is a joint effort from all five Scout Troops and two Cub Scout Packs in Newtown: Troop 70, Troop 270, Troop 370, Troop 770, and Troop 870, as well as Cub Scout Pack 270 and Pack 470.

Troop 770 Assistant Scoutmaster Ryan Slater said the goal is to get potential Scouts interested in what they do, see what fun activities they offer, and learn about the community and excitement that comes with Scouting.

The nice thing about having all of the Troops work together, Slater said, is that each unit has their own culture.

“Even though they meet at different times or locations, they all have the same general purpose,” Slater said. “We encourage everybody to mingle with each other and work together.”

Planning

Scoutmasters and Assistant Scoutmasters from all five Troops and Cub Scout Packs, as well as Scout Senior Patrol Leaders, met on Monday, August 18 to finalize plans for the open house.

While Slater said they had “a lot to finalize” before the annual Labor Day parade, everyone was excited to iron out their plans and discuss logistics, supplies, and promotion efforts for the open house.

There was also some back and forth discussion regarding what Troops would run which station, as well as plans for the Scouts to march in the Newtown Labor Day Parade.

Slater said they wanted to host a recruiting event because there are a lot of units in town and, looking at the long term, not enough kids coming into Cub Scouts. He, as well as his fellow Scoutmasters and Assistant Scoutmasters, want the community to see the value Scouting has to offer.

They want everyone to be able to come, not just people who are already registered in the Scouts. After the Newtown Labor Day Parade, everyone is welcome to learn what the Scouts are doing and have fun with archery and fishing.

Bill Reynolds, the District director for the Connecticut Yankee Council, said that youth who go through Scouting develop strong and effective leadership skills, learn the value of volunteering in their community, and perform better in school.

Seeing Scouts build traits such as kindness and helpfulness, all while going on adventures with their Troops, he said, is a community like no other.

Reporter Jenna Visca can be reached at jenna@thebee.com.