Monthly Archives: August 2008

Preliminary calendar for 2008-9

Posted on by

Hello All,

Attached is a pretty good calendar (always subject to change)  that will make its way onto web site and into guidebook

First Troop meeting of the year is this coming Thurs (8/28) at 7:30  and you will hear more about that soon.   Pls have your scout attend the first meeting of the year.

First committee meeting of the year will be Tues 9/2 at 7:30  PM, Kennedy Hall.   If you have responsibilities for Sept /  Oct activities pls come to that as well.   Parents wishing to join troop committee are also most welcome.

First camping trip of the year is weekend of Sept 19, so pls let your scout know if you already have family committments so he can decide if he wants to attend.  Info about the trip will come out this week

We would like to get all registrations (w/ Dues)  back to Lien Ho by Thurs Oct 2,  stay tuned for that info.

Some events that we still need coordinators for are:
Indoor Rock Climbing  12/13
Film Festival  12/30
Overnight Canoe  5/23

Welcome Back!!!!!

John Woodhouse
T160 Committee Chair

NOTE FROM THE WEBMASTER: We’ll get this into the Calendar page pretty soon, but for now you can download an Excel worksheet with the calendar here.

More camp photos

Posted on by

I have added to the photos in the camp slide show with some pictures from our week at Hidden Valley.  While watching the show you will see some pauses as photos are downloaded so they can be shown.  They are saved as high-res images so they will yield good prints.  If anybody has others, just send them to me on a disk or on a USB drive and I will add them … although I am going to have to purchase more space.

Many of the Hidden Valley photos are courtesy of Bob Foley.

The link is the same, but if you have forgotten, here it is again.  If I get a lot more photos I will probably split the show into two parts or perhaps even more.

Note that the photos may be downloaded or sent off to a photo printing service.  If you have problems viewing the show or figuring out how to print photos you want, let me know.

There are plans to change the soundtrack by having Scouts tell about their experiences at camp.

http://albums.phanfare.com/5069384/2528843_2753030#imageID=41829410

-Hank

First batch of promised Camp Bell pictures

Posted on by

Here is the first batch of promised pictures.  You won’t find them by searching so the link below is important.  Let me know if you have problems with access like needing a password.

http://albums.phanfare.com/5069384/2528843_2753030#imageID=41829410

Once you get to the photo site, just click on START SLIDESHOW to see the whole thing.  If your speakers are on, you will hear a sound track along with the pictures.

The weather was off and on the rest of the week, but the Scouts continued with their program, missing only an afternoon of swimming because there was so much to learn at Curlews.  And we didn’t get to see the helicopter participate in a search and rescue drill because the cloud cover was too low.

Saturday was marvelous so the transition to Hidden Valley was an easy one.  The good weather continued through Sunday evening so move-in was also uneventful.  It started to rain just before supper, broke for the campfire, then rained off and on during the night.  On Monday it rained hard to start the day, but that was expected to change to sun later in the day.  By that time I was on the road back to Lexington for a day or two.  There are four leaders in camp and all are experienced.  The last picture in this bunch is of the troop, less the 6 waiters, at Hidden Valley just before evening flags and supper.

You will find that you can download a high-res copy of any of the pictures or you can send them off to a printing service.  In a couple of weeks more will be added from Meg and Bob which will fill you in on some of the activities.

-Hank

A letter from Camp Bell

Posted on by

I had hoped to have pictures for you, but unfortunately my go-to-camp laptop has developed a glitch which won’t allow it to connect to my camera.  Look for some pictures early next week.

We have three patrols this week.  They are the mostly 11s in the Gluten Free PI led by Charlie Coburn, the 12-13s in the Gummi Bears led by Sam Williams, and the mostly 14s in the 3.5 Musketeers led by Sam Williams.  It should be noted that there are 5 Scouts in the 3.5 Musketeers.  The derivation of the name is too complex to explain in a short e-mail.  The SPL for the week is Nathan Coburn.

The rain held off until after we were checked in and moved into our tents.  Then it poured with some decent thunder and lightning.  Our feet were wet, but that didn’t stop the Scouts from preparing an excellent first supper of ham and scalloped potatoes.  All the patrols did an excellent job with the 3.5 Musketeers getting the Wooden Spoon award.  A wet all-camp campfire took place that evening after which we slogged back to the campsite.

I was a little afraid that the bugs would get to us in warm, wet, weather, but that night the temperature dropped a long way.  Everything started to dry out.  The stars Sunday night were nothing short of spectacular and of course shooting stars were visible.  There is very little light pollution at Camp Bell and the surrounding area so we got to see stars that we almost never see.

Monday was dry and warm.  The Gluten-Free PI patrol went to their first-year program followed by Challenge Valley in the afternoon followed by a swim in the lake to get rid of the worst of the mud.  That was a brilliant solution to how to clean off all the mud.  The Gummi Bears and the 3.5 Musketeers both ended up on the waterfront swimming, tubing, and water skiing.

The Tuesday meal fell into the section in my Bell Cookbook called “Big Hunk of Turkey.”  All three patrols prepared a delicious turkey stew with potatoes, onions and carrots with biscuit dumplings topping it off.  The Wooden Spoon Award was a real toughie, but given their excellent inspection report, their stellar performances at breakfast and supper, and their pretty decent cleanup, it went this time to the Gluten-Free PI patrol.

There was a little certification rain starting around 4 AM Tuesday, but by the time breakfast rolled around the rain had stopped.  Breakfast was bagels, eggs, sausage, oatmeal, juice and milk.  It is always fun trying to figure out what to do with a ZipLock bag of some oat-like substance which isn’t in the cookbook.  We figured out this was instant oatmeal, boiled some water, threw in the oatmeal, then went looking for some brown sugar and cinammon.

The Gummi Bears are at Mountain Man today.  The 3.5 Musketeers have gone sailing.  The Gluten Free PI are working on Swimming merit badge.  I suspect they will all be a tired this evening.

The leaders are holding up well.  We are trying to limit the number of times we have to walk up that hill, but we are probably averaging four trips a day.  That just HAS to be reduced …

I see the sun is starting to emerge so I think it is time for a swim.  I’ll post pictures as soon as I can.

-Hank

Last minute notes about camp from the Scoutmaster

Posted on by

For both Weeks 7 and 8, if you are driving to camp, make sure you will be there not later than 1 PM. Every minute after that can delay check-in for the troop. Late arrivals cause all sorts of problems including gear which must be hand-carried to the site. Note that Camp Bell is beyond Hidden Valley and is reached by a gravel road. Allow plenty of time to make the drive.

If you plan to pick your son up early, we have to know about it in advance. If the pickup person will not be a parent, then we will also need a form signed by the parent before the Scout can be released. Early pickups are as difficult as late arrivals, by the way. It means that gear must be hand-carried off the hill and if you have ever tried the hike to Washington or Winni, you will understand.

Pickup for both weeks is 9:30 AM. It is especially important to be there on time for Week 7 so we can get our gear moved to Hidden Valley and that campsite set up.

All Scouts must be out of camp from 9:30 AM until 4 PM on the Saturday between the weeks. If you are not planning on being there, then find somebody for your son to buddy up with and make sure that the parent handling the transportation has a note to that effect.

If your son is staying with the troop on the Saturday night/Sunday morning between weeks, supper will be served around 5 PM on Saturday with a brunch the following morning. Supper will be courtesy of the Rolfsons whose son is receiving his Eagle at a Court of Honor Saturday night.

For Week 7, label all baggage:

Troop 160 MA
Washington

For Week 8, label all baggage:

Troop 160 MA
Winni

Duct tape written on with a Sharpie makes a fine label.

When arriving at camp, look for the SPL who will be standing by the troop flag. At Bell we will be near the parking lot. At Hidden Valley we will be by the dining hall.

Have a Class A shirt handy for check-in and pictures. Scouts should have a day pack with a water bottle. For Hidden Valley, have a swim suit and towel in that day pack.

Re-read Jeff’s and my earlier notes about medication. Every year there is at least one Scout who packs his medications in his footlocker or who does not realize that vitamins and aspirin are considered medications. Everything must be in a ZipLock bag with the Scouts name written on the outside in Sharpie. What is in the bag should be in the original container and should be covered by a prescription. Include a note telling me what each medication is and when it should be taken. Make every effort to tie it to mealtimes, especially breakfast and supper. When the Scout gets to camp, I will take each of the bags and turn them in to the nurse. Epi pens and inhalers can stay with the Scout, but they must be declared. Don’t send medications in anything but the original container.

If you must get me a message during camp, I suggest texting my cell phone. Go to www.verizonwireless.com and look for the Send Text Message option. You do not have to login to use the free service. Even with that, I can almost guarantee a long delay between message and any return. Note that phone numbers are entered without any spaces or dashes. My cell phone is 617-620-5011 or 6176205011 in text talk.

Please obey the speed limit when driving to camp, but be really cautious once you hit Crystal Lake Road. The road is narrow and there are pedestrians. Moreover, the camp is very sensitive to the impression residents have of us. DRIVE SLOWLY. For Week 7, bear LEFT at the fork shortly after turning onto Crystal Lake Road and leave camp the same way. For Week 8 bear right at the fork onto Mountain Road and leave the same way. Whether to bear left or right is not a choice. The camp has represented to residents what the traffic patterns will be and we want to support the camp.

I will be around Lexington until 7:30 AM Sunday when I leave for the early meeting at Camp Bell. I will be back for one day on the 11th for a meeting. During the weeks at camp, I am sure my voice mail will fill up because I won’t have much chance to listen to it. There simply isn’t any cell coverage. You know my cell number–617-620-5011.

One last thing–leave the electronics at home. Cell phones won’t work. iPods and radios are a distraction. The troop does not carry electronics on outings. Ditto for video games. Just in case anybody missed that last, I will repeat it … LEAVE THE ELECTRONICS AT HOME. Bring a good book. Bring a little money and note that the DWC cash cards now work at both camps. They must be purchased at the trading post, but can be checked and refilled online. Scouts should bring their handbooks and if they have merit badge books for the badges they signed up for, bring those.

-Hank