Troop 514 CampBlog

Legendary Chicago Cub Ernie Banks was so enthusiastic over the game of baseball that he took up a favorite personal expression: “Let’s play two today!”  I feel that way about Summer Camp.  My own youth experience was a two-week program (in Michigan) and we used the first week for Merrit Badges and the second for specific interests, hobbies and just hanging out.  We do the first week here and I’m always looking for that time to really relax and enjoy the camp – for leaders and scouts alike.   

The week went quickly – very quickly.  That means it has been a terrific (and typically busy) week.  All Scouts did VERY well during the week and it seems some friendships solidified and emerged through the week.  Please help these continue to develop by enabling your son in being continuously active in Troop activities.  We have some VERY interesting Troop activities coming up including:

Þ    Whitewater Rafter for First Class and above in August

Þ    An August Leadership Retreat for the new PLC to plan the 2009-2010 Calendar.

Þ    A soon to be announced “Advancement Day” for Scouts not yet First Class (so they can go on the First Class outing next year)

Þ    September Northstar CAMPOREE – patrol competition among local troops – with the patrols growing this week and learning all these Scout skills, our Scouts can do well at these competitions.

Þ    October Horseback riding campout (working on venue now).

Þ    November – really exciting “Scout vs. WILD” Campout (looking like Turkey Run right now).  We are looking for adults to help plan and support this event.  The concept is to (safely) land each patrol in different parts of the camp and challenge them with activities and outdoor puzzles  -- to find their food, to find their tents, to find their campsite.  To make this safe we’ll need more than the usual number of adults as observers for each of the patrols and to support any of the activities.  Rapellers and equipment sought for this.  Creative ideas sought as well.

Þ    December – MYSTERY OUTING. The Troop is looking for adult help here as well.  Typically our program is SCOUT-run, but one of the activities they wanted to enjoy was to have the adults (or older Scouts) plan out a MYSTERY OUTING.  The idea here is to create a themed outing that the Scouts have NO CLUE about until it reveals itself to them over the course of the weekend.  It’s a lot of fun and we’re looking for volunteers to plan and execute this one as well.  If you’re jealous of the Scouts doing their own planning and executing and you’d like a slice of the action, this is an event for you! 

Þ    For those last two, please contact the Scoutmaster to sign-up.  Or don’t be surprised if he places a hand on your shoulder at some upcoming meeting . . .

This will be it for Blogging this year.  Hope you enjoyed staying up to speed and somewhat connected to your Scout.    The Scoutmaster will be going on a mini-vacation this weekend, not returning with the Troop.  So see you all at the meeting on Monday.

We're hearing about checkout procedures.  Scouts are scrambling to finish merit badges and rank advancements.  We've had several more rank advancements.  I intentionally don't name names so your sons can reveal their experiences and stories on their terms without me giving all the punchlines.  There was another terrific campfire last night, and our new Scouts want to run tonight's Troop Campfire!  They've apparently been inspired by the older Scouts -- a good thing.

We arrive home at St. Monica close to 11:30 tomorrow.  I will be remaining in this area for a bit o' vacation, so please refer questions to Mr. Brady or Mr. Schmidt, if any.  Please be sure to collect all items from the trailers before you leave for home.  We are not lunching the Scouts so you can treat them to their favorite food at home or on the way -- they've all earned it!

We will get more pictures up on the Troop Website, which can be used to remind your Scouts of further stories over the next couple of weeks.  We do have a meeting Monday, during which we may begin to survey Scouts on the program they'd like for 2009-2010. 

Planning next year already . . .

Three out of four campfires have passed.  I include one of the pictures of the campfire song “If I Weren’t A Superhero” – a crowd favorite – in today’s picture upload.  Can you guess which Scout is playing the role of a constipated horse?   The Phoenix/Wolverines performed this hilarious song at the SPL’s campfire. 

We are all well into our routine here.  In five years it never ceases to amaze me how well and how quickly first year campers acclimate.  They are real pros getting around camp now and they’d all be able to give you tours of this camp at the drop of a hat.   They’re up at about 6:30 (depending on how clean of a campsite they left when retiring), dress, brush teeth (sometimes) pack their daypack, fill their water bottle and report for Troop Flag.  After flag raising, the SPL regales the Troop with the day’s announcements.  Today those included:

Þ    Campsite inspection today – all personal gear must be in tents, tents properly rolled, all picnic tables clear, all trash picked up.  Ravens have latrine duty

Þ    Tonight is the Ransburg Rendezvous (YAHOO!) for Scouts 13 and older.  All other Scouts are invited to a camp-wide soccer game

Þ    It’ll be hot today – drink the fluids provided at each of the patrol stations – and thanks to the leaders for providing ice.

Þ    We have iced Gatorade as a prize for the best patrols inspected today

Þ    Tonight’s Firecrafter fire will be at 8:30.  Until then all Scouts should be working on their advancements with the leaders and older Scouts.

Þ    Whose underwear is this?  We found it on the trail

More on pictures:  Today you have a full round of our six dining hall tables during breakfast.  Proof that we still have all our Scouts. . . at least we’re pretty sure.  Also, the picture on this Blog is something that came with the site – but to show you how close it is to Ransburg Reality, check out the sun-filtered woods shots I took just 30 minutes ago.  The peace and beauty of the great outdoors is true testament to God’s magnificence.    I uploaded all pictures numbered 21 and higher today.

In minutes, we’ll receive our advancement report.  It’s great having the other adult leaders in camp to help chase these down and be sure Scouts are getting to the right place and getting credit for their Merit Badge work.  The younger Scouts are making GREAT progress on their rank advancement.  We had three BOARDS OF REVIEW yesterday, and some Scouts who came to camp as “Scout” are leaving as “Tenderfoot.”  Today we’re looking at Second Class and First Class advancements and have another Scout that will have his Eagle Gold Palm award Board of Review.

Back to the routine – after breakfast, Scouts return to program, meet again for lunch at the dining hall, then back to program.  Before dinner they get to work on Troop activities such as map and compass, knife and axe safety and use, walking the monkey bridge, fire-building and safety, knots, whipping (rope) and today several scouts are going to cook over a campfire (and eat) a utensil-less meal.    I’ve heard no one bored – a pretty good sign. 

Then it’s off to dinner (or devouring 19 pizzas and a Dutch Oven full of home-made jambalaya as we did last night) and back to Troop Program.  A campfire (or three as we did last night) and then off to bed!   The Scouts are doing a nice job getting off to bed now.  Several have named the spiders in their tents and a couple may even be assisting these new-found pets with meal preparation.  There are some concerns about rabid skunks (imagined) and he have had night-time mammal visitors due to (aghast) candy and food in the tents.

Health and Safety Check:  It’s all good news.   Small finger cut from woodcarving, (“yes, I had my fingers on the wrong side of the knife.  Am I going to lose my Toten’ Chip over this?”  A couple of insect bites, and a bit of dehydration.  Really minor stuff. 

New Scout Update:  Several of our adult leaders have commented on how well the first year Scouts are doing.  I couldn’t agree more.  They are really pulling it together and are doing tremendously well.  Please continue to keep this emerging and cohesive group actively engaged in Scouting over the next year(s) and I’m sure the lot of them will enjoy a High Adventure Trek someday.

And speaking of High Adventure – today, the Crew of older Scouts are mountain-biking in the morning and enjoying their own High Cope (high wire) adventure in the early evening.  They have sailed, canoed, kayaked, biked, rock-climbed and enjoyed high COPE (Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience) -- all in a week.   

The older scout crew is rock climbing today, outside camp.  The younger Scouts are really getting into the routine of camp -- hardly any confusing looks today at all once they wake up.  Debit cards are up and down still, and some Scouts are surprised they are spending so quickly -- an interesting learning experience in and of itself.

 We've a lot of advancement going on and I've had the pleasure of a half dozen advancement Scoutmaster Conferences.  

Mail call today and we have the record for most mail in camp this week.  I've got to have 25 letters/packages to deliver today.  Today is hump day, and it's getting warmer, but we've no homesickness issues surface.   I'm sure they're there, but under control.  We're working to keep them very very busy.  The advancement stuff is key.

 I must say I'm impressed with the special accommodations they make for the Scoutmasters here.  Be sure to check out the pics and see how I sleep.  It'll show you why I get cranky if I don't get to bed on-time.

I've done better loading pictures (and closer range pics) during the day.  The file manager decides the order apparently, so you may have to fish around.  We'll have many pictures available over the website eventually, as we have five leaders taking pics this week.

That's it for today -- time for the afternoon nap . . . .

Four Scouts apparently felt their tents were too roomy, and elected to create their own shelters and slept in them last night.  Check out pics.

A note on pics -- I'd love to do more (and we have many more among the leaders) but it takes 30 minutes to go through three steps to publish pictures on this site.  You'll see them in groups of six as long as I can find the time.

Yesterday our first firecrafter passed the first of four graded campfires.  Three more tonight (and I will be officially exhausted).  It was a svelte 14 minutes and left all the Scouts wanting more.  With three tonight, they're gong to get it!

A lot of advancement going on and a lot of merit badge work continuing.  2-3 Completed Merit Badges is good work.  more than that and they are really attentive and active.  For just enjoyment, the Monkey Bridge is up and we'll have several crossings later today.  Tonight is also chapel service (mass) and the Scouts will all enjoy their pizza, warmed only by our 90 degree temp. 

Oh, about today's Blog title.  Just want to share some of the things we adults deal with along the way.  BSA is a program to develop our boys into young men capable of making lifelong decisions aligned with the Scout oath and law.  To do that we provide them with challenges to either choose to do that or not.  One such challenge is caming in your own space with your own friends, which we are doing with the second, third and fourth year scouts. 

Such a "challenge" -- being along with a peer group in this instance -- can lead to making wrong decisions.  Oh, we get the axe used out of the axe yard stuff, and the language stuff, and the disrespect of other Scouts.  But the one that grabbed my acute attention was the fire damage to a tree and their picnic tables.  This discovery was joined with the fact that despite clear requests to not bring aerosol cans, several Scouts apparently did.  And some made the choice to convert them into mini flame throwers.    It's why Scout leaders are adament about no aerosols.  And just because a particular Scout may not mis-use this object does nothing about other Scouts grabbing same object and mis-using them as well.

The really troubling thing is that none of the 16 Scouts in this area reported this misuse.  Not the one who's can was "stolen" and then returned (empty -- I have it).  Truly the culprits are great leaders, ensuring loyalty among their troops.  Unfortunately it is a misguided loyalty heading their peers down a dangerous path.  Thanks for listening to me practice a Scoutmaster minute I'll give tonght. I need to get this out of my system so that I present this in a balanced perspective.  All are safe and they'll learn.  But they'll have some bruised feelings from the one-sided discussion we'll have.  I grimace, hide the grimace with a smile and call it a "learning opportunity."  ;-)

Your Scouts are already accomplishing much.  This morning we recognized:

• Three Scouts earning Toten' Chip
• Two Scouts achieving the Mile Swim (on first attempts)
• Two Scouts are ready for Summer Camp Boards of Review for Advancement
• One Scout was recognized for his achievements over the past swim season (although he had to miss the awards banquet)  (Don't worry, Mom, I left out the mushy stuff when I made the announcement to the entire Troop)
• Nearly fifty percent of the Troop has brushed teeth
• Nearly fifty percent of the Troop has showered. (No telling correlations with the above)
• All Scouts have all the digits that they came to camp with

I currently sit in a rocking chair on the porch of the Scoutmaster's Lounge, preparing for morning nap.  (And yes, the adjective suggests an afternoon version as well.)  Noting the comment on the ASMs "sitting around" I wanted to clarify just how much help our ASMs are -- so I am posting an ASMs in Action Picture today -- a picture says a 1000 words.

Two Scouts have created their Wilderness Survival Shelters and will sleep in them tonight (film at 11).  Several Scouts have spotted a doe and her two spotted fawn that are not at all bothered by Scouts.  One has a good pic, I hear.  Our older Scout Crew paddled out on Lake Monroe and found a campsite off the lake "that looks like the entry screen on Troopmaster."  For those that haven't seen that scene, it is a peaceful view of a babbling brook in the middle of nowhere.  Only deer and critters around.  This morning they seek out Patton's Cave.  Later today they'll enjoy mountain biking as well.

Tonight we have our first big Firecrafter Campfire, with the theme of The Great Outdoors.  We have four FC candidates this year.

Comments, questions are welcome on the Blog.  Yes, Mrs S, we have received mail.  Ruben looking forward to seeing you later this week -- we're buying bait later today for several Scouts. 

Dinner was lovely mystery meat loaf and we were again reminded that seconds are good because they are hotter than firsts.  Waffles and bacon for breakfast this morning.  We continue to watch hydration, and several Scouts are aware of it themselves.

Quote of the day.  "The wind took my Firecrafter Camper card away."

 Lastly, this morning the Camp Program Director said he need to see an adult from Troop 514.  Usually not a good sign, particularly when one has Scouts in the field.  I went to him and he reached into his pocket and gave me one of our Scouts debit cards.  He said "someone turned this in and we though he'd want it back."  I love it when a system works.  -- oh, and debit system was fixed by noon yesterday.  Feel free to track your son's expenses online!

Trivia first:  (advantage to experienced parents).  What is the MOST ASKED QUESTION by Scouts upon arriving at summer camp?   Answer down below. 

Arrival, check-in, no issues.  Weather:  WOW.  Dinner:  Ham, potatoes, green beans, yellow cake.  Milk is icy cold.  Salad bar now has spinach.    Your Scouts really enjoyed a fine Campwide Campfire last night.  There are about 600+ Scouts in camp.  We eat in two shifts (and we have second shift) so it doesn't seem crowded.  But we pretty much filled the firebowl last night.

Sleep last night -- I know two Scoutmasters (who sleep in hammock tents) got a bit chilly, but the canvas tents are much warmer and there were no complaint.  Only issue was that the Scoutmaster was kept awake by an excited group of 2-4 year Scouts who seemed to find it difficult to fall asleep . . .

 Now the answer to our trivia, question.  The most asked question was "When do I get my debit card."  That was closely followed by "and can I then go to the Trading Post."   I'm suggesting BSA begin Procurement Merit Badge with all this interesting in stimulating our economy.  Debit cards were distributed in the afternoon and Scouts were able to visit the Trading Post after dinner BUT. . .

The company that provides the debit card service was (is) having network problems IN COLORADO.  So because of that the debit cards have not yet been usable.  I try to tell them all, "it's okay -- there's five more days you can buy stuff."  Yeah, logic doesn't work for me any better than you.

Breakfast (Yes, we're pre-occupied with food here) was sausage McMuffins.  Really unlimited refills of everything too.  A good deal.  Most of the Scouts are even eating.  Just kidding -- they all looked good this morning. 

Right now they are in morning Merit Badge (MB) session.  Several changed their schedules last night, so don't be surprised by changes when they get back. 

Tonights game is "Indian Quidditch" played with a large pole, a goalie, a large hoop and 200-300 Scouts.  I'm looking forward to seeing this one.  Talk to you all later.

Okay, I've never done this before.  This Blog thing.  So with a little "A Scout is Brave," I amble down the technology road presented to me.  Using my best Paul Harvey voice: "From The Oaks at Camp Ransburg . . . Standby for NEWS!"