An apple a day keeps the doctor away - but it gets pretty boring eating an apple every day!

In Brazil, I was introduced to a plethora of fruits that I'd never tried - papaya, mango, cashew, and at least 3 others I can't write or pronounce. They were all wonderful, colorful, and tasty beyond belief. I didn't even know cashew had a fruit, and it tastes even better than the nut.

I'm used to apples, oranges, bananas, and grapes, with watermelon and cantalope added in season. They taste great, are healthy, and I know what to expect. But, just like having an apple a day gets boring, it can be monotonous cycling through the same small set of fruits month after month. By trying something new, I experience a unique flavor sensation. Sure, I might not care for some of the tastes, but I can only find out by trying.

Our troop has historically done a few campouts year after year - skiing, lock-in, kayaking, climbing, pioneering, okpik. The scouts enjoy them and annually add them to the calendar. But, I noticed that attendance appeared to be dropping on some of those 'common' events.

By adding a few new 'flavors' of outing in each calendar, the scouts have kept the events interesting and attendance has improved. The old favorites are good and healthy, but the new exotics add something different for the guys that "have been there and done that".

Now, we have a platter of enough different outings that a three-year cycle can have no repeats except summer camp. It's still up to the scouts to decide, but there's no excuse to do the same old thing - unless it's too much fun and tradition to miss.

Challenge scouts to come up with some new outing ideas and I bet your fruit basket will be overflowing with some wild choices.

Scout On