From Scoutmaster Hank Manz:
If you aren’t going to camp, first turn green with envy, then hit DELete.
Just a few things for those who are.
I know that the camp asked for soft bags if at all possible, but let’s face it–if you usually take a trunk, then take it and we will deal with it when we get there. I like my small trunk because I can sit on it.
Be on time for the bus if you are taking it. NLT than 9:30 AM in the St Brigid parking lot. If you are driving, leave enough time to get there. The road from Hidden Valley to Bell is not a good one and you will want a LOT of time to negotiate it. The road in from Places Mill Road isn’t that good, either. 2.5 hours is my minimum driving time.
Once you get off 93, take it easy. Weekend tickets are a good source of revenue for the towns along the way. And once you turn off the main road in the vicinity of Crystal Lake, take it really easy. The camp gets a lot of heat about speeding drivers. 30 mph max. Slower is better, especially if so posted. The residents will like us better for it.
Class A uniform for pictures. Remember that day pack with a water bottle, your swim suit, and any meds.
Meds. Covered by a prescription with the Scout’s name on it. Original box or bottle. It will help to have it in a Zip-Loc bag with the Scout’s name sharpied on the outside with the meds inside. Inhalers and epi pens are covered by the same rules except that they will be returned to the Scout after they are logged. OTC medications are treated same as prescription medicines. THE SAME. Prescriptions must cover ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING. Including asprin.
Unlike some camps, we will not dash up to the campsite upon arrival. We will not be going to the campsite until 3 PM or later. So check in your Scout with the friendly Troop 160 adult standing in the parking area, make sure all gear gets to the drop points, and then make sure your Scout joins the troop at the assembly point. There will be two drop points for gear. One will be for all gear that cannot be carried up the hill by the Scouts. That will go to an area designated by the camp. Typically it is in front of the Admin building. The other will be designated by the troop and will be for all gear that we will carry ourselves. That will include any packs, soft duffles, fragile troop gear like lanterns, and the like. If you can carry it, don’t put it with the first pile. Put it with the troop pile.
Don’t leave your Scout with instructions to call home as soon as possible. There is just one phone and the use of it is restricted to adults. Cell phone coverage is just about nil and there is no Internet link. This is vacation. If there is an emergency, we will contact you just as quickly as possible.
If you haven’t sent a letter to camp yet, then do it first thing Monday. Mail takes a minimum of two days to get to the nearby town. Then it takes a day to get to camp and another day to get sorted and put in our mailbox. Then we may not see it until the next day and there you are at next Friday … and we are talking best case, not worst case here.
See you all Sunday! The weather looks great. The water will be nice. The food will be superb, I am sure.
-Hank