Transportation to Summer Camp

[fotoscout 15]

As a general comment, I see more and more of our troops using buses for summer camp and for long distance outings. When you add up the costs for all the automobiles or trucks, the difference isn't that great.

 

As an added benifit, you can often get away with fewer adults. The downside (maybe), is that everyone is captive for the duration of the entire outing so this option doesn't allow people to come late or leave early.

[scottteng 11]

What about loyalty to your local council's summer camp where a young scout may aspire to become a staff member someday? Maybe a couple of times in a scout's career should he seek to attend elsewhere Philmont or Sea base come immediately to mind. Should a scouting experience be built upon an increasingly difficult camping experience or upon an increasingly difficult leadership role in that experience?

[Lucy 10]

UPDATE:

 

we got transpo!!!

 

We have four cars going. Enough adults. INcluding the parent with the 12 passenger van.

I did look into buses, but they were all ridiculously expensive. I forgot to check out Greyhound, but since we only have 14 kids plus 5 adults, not really worth it for a big bus?

 

Yes, I have all that training. I got a lot done in Cub Scouts and have had all that done for Boy Scouts (well, some, I can only do so much since February when we crossed over). I got all the basic training.

 

My husband (ASM) and I have been named Camping Coordinators. So... I have started a prelim list for next year's trips. I will present at the PLC meeting to get it finalized by them. We will also look at summer camp options also. In the four years my son's been in this troop they always go "far, far away.....". This is the first year they've had problmes with summer camp b/c it's in transistion from new SM. They had most of their weekend camping trips cancelled too, I only remember them going on two camping trips last year!! TWO!!! So hopefully we can change that, most of the trips are local or one or two hours drive away that I have put in the choices list.

There's a Council camp here my son goes to Winter Camp every year as a provisional, he wants to be on staff when he gets old enough.

 

So... here's to hoping we have a great camping year this coming fall.

[John-in-KC 311]

Lucy,

 

Woohoo!!!! Sometimes we don't get to hear the good news come back! THANK YOU!!!

 

Getting a good camping program going will be a great thing, for both the youth and you. I'm very glad that the PLC will be setting the program. With gas a $3 a gallon, it's also an opportunity for you to teach them some conservation and stewardship

 

If you get a chance, go to your State Parks and Rec website, as well as your State Historical Society website. The PLC can have tremendous opportunities to leverage in merit badge requirements even while it is setting basic advancement opportunities be being out and camping.

[Lisabob 13]

Lucy - glad to hear you got it all worked out! I hope your son's troop has a great time at camp.

 

Scott asks about loyalty to one's own council camp. I wish we had a boy scout summer camp to be loyal to in our council! We have three camp properties. In the summer one is used for cub day camps and (1st time this summer)a three night 1st year/1st Class type program offered by council. One is used for cub resident camp. One is quite remote and rustic and is rarely used for anything. A couple of other councils in the area have camps. We went to one last summer. It was the most poorly run, badly administered camp I've ever seen and no one wants to go back. Too bad because it is a beautiful property too. The troop has gone to the other nearby camp on occasion but it is small and doesn't offer much in the way of adventure for the older boys who make up roughly 1/3 of our troop. We do typically alternate between a relatively local option (within a couple hundred miles) and a camp farther afield - that's part of the troop identity, though with gas prices unlikely to go down much I suppose that could change in future. So - while I have some sympathy for Scott's underlying point, keep in mind Scott, that not everyone has that option.

[Hunt 11]

"All the minivan parents don't want to relinquish their vehicles. We couldn't even rent it from them!"

 

A couple of year ago, I offered to let the troop borrow our family's minivan to go on a ski trip. When I told my wife I had done this, she was uncomfortable, but this answer occurred to me: "You trust them with our child, but not with our car?"