From Scoutmaster Hank Manz:
You old hands can just whip through this, ignoring most of it. Scouts and parents new to the process might want to give it a closer look. I have just come back from the pre-camp meeting for Camp Bell and I bring you the good news that the activities the patrols requested were all available except for one session of Foxfire Ceramics. OK—we tossed in an extra event for the Jazzachans to keep them from getting too rested. Act surprised when you see it. Come to think of it, you will be surprised.
I want to thank all those who were involved in the planning for camp this year. A fantastic job! David Belford and Franco Wong will receive Hero Medals for their excellent work on forms and signups.
Getting Packed
As we get closer to arrival day at camp, let’s take another look at our packs and trunks.
I am sure you won’t forget things like towels, T-shirts, shorts, underwear and socks, but don’t forget:
• Day pack
• Flashlight
• Eating utensils, plate or bowl, & cup
• Sturdy shoes
• One set of clothes that you don’t mind getting absolutely filthy
• Swim suit
• Sunscreen
• Bug repellent
• Rain gear
• A fleece or sweatshirt just in case it turns cold
• A pair of long pants of some sort
• A sleeping bag and your pillow
• Hat
• Pencil, pen, and paper
• Appropriate knife (small pocket knife)
• At least one Class A shirt and neckerchief with slide (shorts and socks, too, if you have them)
Label everything!
For those going to Camp Bell, use of a pack rather than a trunk or footlocker is encouraged. There will be limited transportation up the hill this year so we will be carrying more than we have in the past.
For Week 7, put a label on each trunk which carries the following information:
Your Name
Camp Bell
Troop 160 Lexington
WASHINGTON (in big letters)
Washington is the campsite.
For Week 8, the label should say:
Your Name
Hidden Valley
Troop 160 Lexington
WINNI (in big letters)
Silver or white duct tape and magic marker make fine labels.
Uniforms
Several Scouts have asked about buying more of those classy red Troop 160 Class B T-shirts. They are a good deal. They cost just $5 each. I will be at RFK Hall (where the troop meets during the year) next Thursday, August 3rd, from 2:00 – 4:00 PM and again from 6:00 – 7:00 PM. Stop in and purchase any you need. Checks made out to “Troop 160” are the best form of payment.
Class A uniform is worn for check-in and almost all evening meals. Bring at least one Class A shirt. Have it readily available at check-in. That means don’t pack it in your trunk or pack.
Check-In
Be on time for check-in at both camps. That means not later than 1 PM. For both camps, carry a day pack with any medications for turn-in, a water bottle, and a snack if so inclined. For Hidden Valley, toss in your swim suit and a towel. Wear Class A uniform because this is picture day as well as check-in day. Late Scouts really gum up the works so be on time! At Camp Bell you may be tempted to check out the campsite, but I will warn you that the hike to it can be daunting. After check-in at 1 PM, we will not be in the campsite as a troop until roughly 4:00 PM when we will start the process of cooking our first meal.
Electronics, Knives, and Other Items
Cell phone coverage is just about nil so you might as well leave yours at home. I will not place an outright ban on electronics, but walking down the trail with a set of earphones on is not something that happens at Scout camp. Never. In your tent while you are studying, fine. But not on the trail. Most Scouts and leaders bring no electronics to camp. There is no electricity in the campsites so there is no place to plug in a charger or anything else that is electric, by the way.
If you bring a knife, make it an appropriate one.
A Note About Medications
Remember that all medications MUST be available at check-in time and everything except epi pens and inhalers must be turned into the camp nurse. All medications including epi pens and inhalers MUST be in the original container and MUST bear the name of the Scout. The camp nurse must know about the epi pens and the inhalers even though the Scout will keep them. Nurse Helen is absolutely fantastic about getting to units on time for medications, by the way.
To make things easier, some parents repackage medications in those plastic Mon-Tue-Etc containers. Don’t. They must be in the original container with the Scout’s name on it. If a camper is taking an over-the-counter medication, it must be supplied and it must be covered by a prescription from a doctor. This is all New Hampshire law, by the way, so the camp will not waive the rules for any reason.
Just to be on the safe side, if a Scout has a food allergy or other medical condition that may affect him at camp or if he has any dietary restrictions for any reason, remind me one more time by return e-mail. There cannot be too much information in this regard. All medical information is confidential, by the way.
Showers and Such
All Scouts will be encouraged to take showers and to change clothes as they would at home, but I am not going to guarantee that parents will not find unworn clothes in the bottom of trunks when Scouts return home.
Miscellaneous Other Stuff
There is always the question of whether to bring stuffed animals to camp. Of course! It is a Troop 160 tradition to bring your favorite stuffed animal to camp and the Scoutmaster has his own favorite which always goes with him.
If you are planning on working on any merit badges like E-Sci and E-Prep, do some of the work at home, especially the essays. Camp Bell has de-emphasized merit badges, by the way. There are no merit badge classes although Scouts will be able to get requirements signed off and we will try to stay abreast of the partials that will result. For the last two years after our return from camp we have had a special meeting where all we did was finish up partials and we will do that again this year. Camp Bell is a place to learn broad skills without that teaching-to-the-test problem when there is an overlay of a merit badge class. Scouts will end up learning more about a wider variety of topics this way and we will take care of the merit badges in the troop. Some of the Camp Bell program offerings have no merit badges associated with them.
Counselors are available, however, and will sign off on requirements when asked. If a merit badge requires you to do something like build a rain gauge, you can satisfy the requirement by doing it at home and then taking a picture of it to show the counselor.
All Scouts should be aware that the election for SPL for the term starting in will be held toward the end of Week 8. If you will not be at Camp for Week 8, but would like your name to be put into the hat, let a Scout know so he can do it. If you aren’t going to be at camp at all, you can still nominate somebody. Just send the name to me and I will put it before the troop at the appropriate time. Hurry, though.
So … you ask … who can be a candidate for SPL? The most important requirement is an ability to lead. Somebody who will put your interests ahead of his own. Somebody who is organized. Somebody who has the confidence to tell the Scoutmaster to step back. That person should be at least a Star Scout because he may not have as much time as the rest of you to work on his own advancement during the year. He is probably 14, but that is not mandatory because we have had some fine 13 year old SPLs.
Leaders
There will always be at least three qualified leaders in camp. We are fortunate to have longtime Scoutmaster Gerry Abegg returning as one of the leaders for Camp Bell. I will be missing for a few days in the middle of each week—my bout with poison ivy and a few other crises have put me behind schedule a bit—but unless there is an emergency, I will be there at least for the first and last day of each week plus the weekends.
I will not be there when you gather to load the bus and truck because I will already be in camp. There will be other leaders there to answer questions.
Money and Mail
Money cards to replace cash for use at the camp store at Hidden Valley are available again this year. They must be purchased with an initial payment of $35 and each purchase must be for at least $2 which is the price of a Coke and a candy bar. They cannot be redeemed, but can be rolled over year to year. I understand that cash cards are still not available for Camp Bell. To find out about them call 603-364-6340. Balances may be checked and cash added at http://www.dwcbsa.org/camps/HiddenValley/cmprcash.htm.
While on the subject of money and other valuables–Scouts need to take care of whatever they bring. Large amounts of cash are not needed. For the last two years at Camp I have spent a total of $14 over two weeks and that included a camp T-shirt one year and a hat the next. On the other hand, the average spent per camper is considerably more than that. If a Scout is not comfortable with the cash he has on hand, the Scoutmaster will be glad to safeguard it for him. Most Scouts prefer to keep their money with them, but they must exercise reasonable caution.
Mail takes forever to get there. I suggest that parents mail a card or letter today to make sure it actually gets there while we are at Camp Bell. Mail it next week for Hidden Valley. The mailing addresses are:
Camp Bell
Scout’s Name
Troop 160, Week 7, Washington
GHVSR – Camp Bell
2B Eileen Shore Road
Gilmanton Iron Works, NH 03837
Hidden Valley
Scout’s Name
Troop 160, Week 8, Winni
GHVSR – Hidden Valley
2A Eileen Shore Road
Gilmanton Iron Works, NH 03837
More Information
There is handy information, including the leader guides for both Bell and Hidden Valley, available at http://www.dwcbsa.org/camps/index.htm In the leader guides you will find all sorts of things like what to bring to camp. Click on Griswold Scout Reservation once you get to the DWC Web site and then look for the two camps we will be attending.
Contact
If you want to leave me a message during camp, don’t use e-mail because there is no Internet and don’t expect me to pick up the phone because there is no cell phone connectivity at camp. I will try to check voice mail messages to 617-620-5011 once a day, typically in the mid morning. If you want a callback, please leave a number where you can be reached. An SMS text message might get through. Make it short, though.
Parents should not expect phone calls from Scouts during camp. There is one phone at each camp and it is both hard to get to and restricted to adult use. “Be sure to call me every day” is not a good idea. First time campers go through a normal cycle of excitement for the first and second day, and then missing home on the third day, but there is a lot to do and by the fourth day they are really into life at camp.
If there is a real emergency, the camps may be contacted at the following numbers:
Camp Bell: (603) 524-0436
Hidden Valley: (603) 364-2900
It takes awhile to get word to the units so expect a long delay between your call and a return.
‘Tween Weeks Layover
Much has already been written about the Saturday-Sunday gap between sessions. If your son is staying for both weeks, make arrangements for you or another adult to take your Scout out of camp from Saturday early morning through Saturday evening. The troop will host a joint 119-160 light supper Saturday night followed by a brunch the next morning. Many Scouts don’t bother with much of an evening meal on Saturday, having eaten with their parents earlier in the day, and then they like to sleep in on Sunday. If you are a one-week camper and you are coming to Hidden Valley, make sure you get there no later than 1 PM on Sunday.