Scouts in Central Oregon adapt by going digital

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Many groups in Central Oregon and across the country have gone digital amid this coronavirus pandemic. The latest one to make the switch are the Scouts.

"I don't get to see Ren, and Jackson, and Nolan, and they're my best friends," 8-year-old Caleb Jordan told NewsChannel 21 Thursday.

That’s how Caleb summed up his thoughts about being away from his fellow troops right now. However, like many other Cub Scouts, Caleb has still been earning badges through a new program called the 30-Day Cub Scout Challenge.

It was created by the Hawkeye Area Council in Iowa, encouraging Scouts to keep their skills sharp at home. Items on the checklist include planning a one-mile hike, making a healthy meal with your family, and…

"Creating a thank you card for your local police and fire departments,” Caleb said.

Thomas and Marlee Keefer, two more Bend residents, have also been busy with Scouting in quarantine.

Thomas is a merit badge councilor who's been teaching classes online through Zoom. His daughter Marlee, a sophomore at Summit High School, is a student in Thomas’s classes.

“There has been actually good engagement,” Thomas said. “Plus, they're also seeing it as an ability to interact with the other kids in the troop, which they're not able to do anymore."

Thomas has led five online meetings so far on photography and weather.

“I actually like them -- they're pretty fun,” Marlee said. “You can sit in bed with a nice shirt on, but then have your pajama pants on, so that's pretty fun."

Thomas said a few other Scouting leaders in Central Oregon are teaching online classes and will welcome anyone in the community interested in progressing as a Scout.