From: Tom Lynch (woodsliv@TMINET.COM)
Date: Wed Jan 12 2000 - 13:27:36 CST
"Now, wait a minute. The Des Plaines Valley Council Camps have, in my
> experience of the last 7 years, always been inspected while camp was in
> session. Is this not the practice nationally?
>
> mailto:ronfox@mindspring.com
> Scoutmaster, Troop 69, Des Plaines Valley Council (W&SW Chicago Suburbs)
> Pachsegink Lodge 246 | <------<<< |
> "... and a good old Eagle, too" (C-19-96)
Ron,
I know that our council summer camp is and has been a safety hazard for
some time. The only entry to the camp is by boat, across a lake. I think
when it comes to inspection, it is probably done by binoculars from across
the lake. I moved back here in 96, and attend all the O/A events at the
camp. We put the camp together in the summer, and take it down at the end
of the season. Every year I do an inspection of the camp and every year it is
worst. I have given the Council Exec. a copy, he tells me what a good job
I've done and that's that. The excuse they have is that the council doesn't
own the camp, so they can't be dumping a lot of money into fixing it up.
Don't get me wrong, there is a dedicated team of scouters that try to fix it
up with what's available. The problem is if you just have used junk to fix
with, then you still have a bad camp.
This camp has been in use for 70+ years, and some of the buildings are
original. Like I said, it is on accessible by boat, It is at 7200 feet, with
a heavy snow fall
I know this fall, when we closed it down, that the place was filthy. The
water had been shut down, but people continued to use the bathrooms. That
stuff will be there for us in the spring. The commercial stoves in the
Kitchen are in bad condition, and the fire suppression system is fake, not
even hooked up to anything..
Personally, I don't understand how it is allowed to open, with the health and
safety problems that it has. I'm going back again this spring, to do it
again, but this time I'm turing it over to the state and local health
agencies.
This really bothers me, and I know, that if I turn it over to the state,
that will probably be it for the camp, and our boys will lose a good camp. I
would rather do that then to attend a funeral.
Thanks.
--
YIS
Thomas Lynch, woodsliv@tminet.com
Tehachapi,
Land of Four Seasons
Vigil (Nimbleness) W/O Bobwhite & Stiffer
Silver Beaver & many years left for Scouting
Scoutmaster Troop 135, Tehachapi, CA
Southern Sierra Council, Trailblazer District
