Re: Super Summer Camps (National Guide Book now underway)
Ed Henderson (BigEdBSA@AOL.COM)
Sun, 29 Dec 1996 00:14:58 -0500
In a message dated 96-12-28 21:07:00 EST, Ed Darrell writes (in part) in
response to an earlier posting of mine:
<< It would help most of us to know more about all camps -- is there a
semi-definitive list of all camps operated by U.S. BSA Councils? Would it
help troop planning to have such a thing? Would it help the camps and
councils?
Few things are as closely a guarded a secret in BSA land as the national
database of all BSA camps (if even they keep up with it that well). If you
ask your council, they can't give you the list because they don't have a
national list. Some regions have a regional list but it may be a few years
old and it is not intended for release to the average scouter but rather for
professionals.
>From my observation, I get the impression that there are some who would like
to keep all of us "barefoot & pregnent" naieve to other scouting camps
located elsewhere, so that we will plod back to the same local camp year
after year no matter how lame the program gets. It has become a fairly
recent occurance that some councils have boldly begun advertising in the
pages of Scouting Magazine, setting up web pages, and mass producing videos
promoting their camp that they will send to all who ask. Word of mouth also
plays a huge factor in finding good camps. Let one well respected troop have
a great time at an out of council camp and soon half of the district's troops
will be on the phone getting next year's leader's guide.
Many OA lodges for years have undertaken the task of a "Where to Go Camping"
guide which often, at least, provides state listings of camps. Many
excellent efforts have been undertaken on the Internet. Visit places like
Mac Scouter, the US Scouting Internet Service Project, Troop 24 of Berkley
California's web site, and Netwoods Virtual Campsite for regional and
national listings of camp properties.
Unfortunately none of the above lists is very complete or accurate yet this
information is important to many of us. For example consider the benefits of
troops from up north traveling to the Florida Seabase who could pick up a
guide and read that there are several camps in Georgia less than two miles
from the Interstate which would make excellent overnight low cost stop off
points and set the troop of for an excellent final day of travel on down to
the keys (I-95 check out Camp Blue Heron of Coastal Empire Council) (I-75
check out Camp Ben Hawlkins of the Central Georgia Council) (I-85 check out
Camp Pine Mountain of Chattahoochee Council).
There are other uses for a national BSA camp guide, more and more councils
are in the BSA Family Camping Program and many have sites (some even with
water & electric hook ups for RV's). A Scouting Family going cross country
could use a guide to plan their stays and provide councils with a new source
of revenue for their camps.
I know there are many on this list who could provide a host of other reasons
why this information should be readily available but now I have some
WONDERFUL NEWS...
Chris Jenson of the Streamwood Company has done a ton of research on this
issue and is nearly finished with a rather thick book listing hundreds of BSA
camps from all over the country. I have made a number of contributions to
the project and have read through several drafts of the text which is close
to final editing. When finished we will make sure that the word gets out on
the net. Writing the book has not been easy, some councils will not return
letters or calls about their camps. Calls to many council offices are
answered by Secretaries who have never even visited these camps so it is kind
of hard for them to be very knowledgable about places they have never scene.
A large number of Scouts-L participants are on AOL and in our own Scouting
Foruim (at KEYWORD: SCOUTS) there is a directory set up for any user to
contribute information about their home camp. While it has around 50 camps
in the directry now it is just scratching the service of what is available.
I would hope every Internet Scouter would do their part by sharing with all
of the rest of us at least the basic details of your council's camping
properties.
YIS,
Ed Henderson
16 Year BSA Summer Camp Staff Veteran
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
