COMMUNICATIONS FROM CAMP

There was a piece in the Sunday Boston Globe a week ago about parental expectations on communications from campers. One of the points made was that many camps now have ways for campers to communicate and, of course, there is always the cell phone. Much of it does not apply to Camps Bell and Hidden Valley. This is not a bad thing.

There is a well-known effect called, among other things, the Wednesday Effect. A new camper is away from home for the first time. Along about Tuesday, homesickness, if present, is peaking. By Thursday it will be very much lessened and by Saturday, your Scout will look at you when you arrive and complain about having to go home. But then, every now and then, a parent shows up at camp, has a nice chat, then goes home. The process of getting to really enjoy camp now starts over again for the new camper and you have an example of the Wednesday Effect. Calls to and from home are often constant Wednesday Effect triggers.

Camps Hidden Valley and Bell have a wonderful attribute–cell coverage is pretty much non-existent. Moreover, there is no Internet connection and a telephone line is very hard to come by. Camp Bell has, literally, one telephone line and even Scoutmasters have trouble getting permission to use it. This really is a wonderful attribute because it allows all the adults to say to their offices “I’m really sorry, but I will be very hard to reach during the next week.” And it allows the Scouts to forget about everything except having fun for an entire, unconnected, week.

So don’t expect a call home and don’t expect an e-mail. Troop 160, like most Boy Scout troops, has always been a troop which is light on electronics anyway.

USPS Mail is encouraged, however. Unfortunately, snail mail is slow. It can easily take five days for a letter to get there so if you want a camper to be sure to get mail, I suggest mailing it before your Scout goes to camp. The addresses are:

Week 7 (Camp Bell)

Scout’s Name
T-160 MA Wk 7
Camp Bell, GSR
2-B Eileen Shore Drive
Gilmanton Iron Works, NH 03837

Week 8 (Hidden Valley)

Camper’s Name
T-160 MA Wk 8
Hidden Valley Scout Camp, GSR
2-A Eileen Shore Drive
Gilmanton Iron Works, NH 03837

Moreover, I will attempt to post some early pictures from camp in a place where parents can see them.

WHAT TO BRING TO CAMP

I was just going to point you to my post from last year which is archived on the troop Web site, but enough has changed that I will edit and re-send in a couple of weeks. Just to get you started, though, you will need a few basics. Scouts will be staying in two-person tents on wooden platforms and sleeping on canvas cots. I take a small trunk to camp (about 1′ high x 20″ wide x 14″ deep) for two weeks and everything fits in there except my sleeping bag and pad. Here are some things that might not be just lying about the house that you will want to locate so you can take them:

- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping pad
- Mosquito net (I don’t take one and have never had problems, but tastes vary)
- Small day pack
- Water bottle
- Reasonable rain gear (try to avoid the easily torn plastic ponchos)
- Good walking shoes

For the old hands, don’t start labeling your trunks with the campsite names. We may not get Washington at Camp Bell. Wait until I go to the pre-camp meetings.

SUMMER ADVANCEMENT

For the next couple of weeks any who wish to can meet from 6:00 – 7:00 PM at RFK to finish up First, Second, and Tenderfoot requirements. In additions, Mrs. Caples has asked for any who wish to finish up E-Prep to contact her. At least read the requirements before you show up!

I have set the time a bit earlier because I have some Thursday meeting conflicts.

And, as always, the presence of older Scouts/Guides/Instructors would be helpful since they are the ones who actually do the teaching in a Scout-run troop.

NALGENE WATER BOTTLES

As you are probably aware, a couple of my Scoutmaster Minutes have concerned the controversy about certain water bottles. Those notes are available on the troop Web site and do not need to be repeated here.

There are rumors that NalgeNunc, the manufacturer of the popular Nalgene water bottles, but not the only ones which are now suspect, has recalled all hard plastic Nalges. That does not appear to be correct. Their Web site still says that they believe the product to be safe but will no longer manufacture that line of bottles.

Here is a notice pulled off a California Boy Scout Council Web site:

———————————————————–
NALGENE WATER BOTTLES RECALLED

Nalgene Nunc International has directed vendors to withdraw Nalgene® water bottles made with bisphenol A from sale.

Accordingly, Boy Scouts of America’s National Supply Group is immediately withdrawing all Nalgene® brand water bottles from sale at Scout Shops, online, and through its retailers across the country.

Safety is our top priority. Any parent or consumer who has previously purchased Nalgene® bottles at our stores should stop using the product and wait until arrangements are made by Nalgene® to receive an alternate product.
———————————————————–

Given that the headline appears to be inaccurate, you should be careful about accepting the rest without a bit of checking. However, several other councils have an almost identical message on their Web sites, usually with the headline more accurately reflecting that NalgeNunc is withdrawing, rather than recalling, the product.

Nalgene now has a line of BPA-free bottles which look pretty much like the previous ones. While they are BPA-free, they will still carry the number 7 inside the triangle. They will, however, also carry an imprint which says “BPA free.” As I mentioned earlier, there are many other manufacturers of the suspect hard plastic, brightly colored, bottles. There are also other manufacturers of BPA-free bottles. You can check out the new bottles at:

http://www.nalgene-outdoor.com/

Canada has declared the old plastic bottles to be toxic, by the way.

REI advertises that all of the bottles they sell are now BPA free. EMS is pushing several metal bottles as a way to reduce plastic. The only plastic bottle they had was by Camelback and a sign saying it was BPA free was prominently displayed. LL Bean hasn’t gotten the word yet. They are selling Camelback BPA-free bottles, but with no mention that they are the latest and greatest. They continue to sell the old Nalge and do not yet stock the BPA free model. Of course, LL Bean isn’t a hardcore camping store. Hilton Tent City also has not gotten the message although they are selling the old-style Nalges through the Bargain Basement department. Of course, until they cleaned out their top floor a few years ago, Hilton Tent City was the place to go whenever you needed parts for that forty year old piece of equipment you had in the basement.

For my own part, even though my age group appears to be well outside the group most at risk, I have gone back to my old soft Nalges and I have a nice new water bottle which is BPA-free and, at the same time, allows me to project that younger image. I also have a replacement for my old plastic-lined car mug. The new one is made out of stainless steel with a padded sleeve which slips off when washing the mug. It came to me courtesy of the new bank in town when I went to the ribbon cutting. And I never did make the switch to #7 eating ware–I’m still using my old stainless plate.