A change in attitude about summer camp

[gwd-scouter 11]

Troop had a great time at summer camp. Unfortunately because of my health issues, I had to leave after Wednesday night campfire, but I did get the pleasure of spending time with the families that came up for family night, watching our Scout and adult get called out for OA, and seeing my sons participate on the Dance Pageant - older son was narrator and younger son is learning traditional style dance.

 

The themes the boys planned were fun. Hawaiian theme worked the best: just before the PD called for attention at lunch assembly, we all ran up to the assembled staff and presented them with the leis. The Scouts had big smiles and were very proud when staff members complimented them on their cool shirts. Afraid the Monty Python thing didn't work out as well as hoped, but they will try again next year.

 

We had a Scout with us from a Troop in another District. Husband met the Scout's father at OLS and became friends. Husband mentioned we'd have plenty of room to take Scouts from their Troop if they wanted to come. Throughout the week, the visiting Scout kept saying things like, "our Troop never does stuff like this," and "this is fun, our Troop doesn't have any spirit." I was told by one of our Scouts that the visiting Scout thought it was cool that "you're Scoutmaster let's you do stuff like this." Can't think of higher praise for our Troop.

 

I met everyone on their return on Saturday and all were happy and excited to tell me about the rest of their week. All the boys enjoyed the merit badges and free time activities they chose. One Scout gleefully showed me the tree frog he brought home to care for as part of reptiles and amphibians (his mother was not too pleased, but was a good sport about it). Husband reports that two of our Scouts were dragging their feet when it was time to pack up - they didn't want to leave.

 

Two events stand out personally for me: 1) the terrific surprise of meeting Packsaddle himself. And, yes folks, he does sleep with a Little Mermaid pillow! 2) close to the end of Wednesday's campfire, I was feeling very dizzy (blood pressure had been quite low all day). So, I walked out quietly, not wanting to cause a scene, and began walking down to the health lodge. Buster, our camp ranger, came up to me and said in his usual non-PC way "you get in this golf cart or I'll kick your ass." We raced down the hill in what I now call "Buster's Wild Ride."

 

Camp Old Indian is my favorite place on Earth. Spending time watching and listening to the Scouts, just hanging out with them in the campsite, meeting other Scouts and leaders, and sharing stories and jokes with the awesome staff, I always come away with renewed spirits and wonderful memories. Come on 2009!

[packsaddle 753]

The pleasure was mine, gwd-scouter. Buster is a hoot, isn't he? Perhaps next summer if I'm not teaching that week...

And I will now reveal another secret...my towel is Winnie-the-Pooh. I just really enjoy the nervous glances from the boys...

 

Edited part: about the camp - This unit also had a great week. Steered 'em away from the 'classroom' MBs, one boy was the only scout in the whole camp doing Rowing, he loved the attention!

My most memorable moments: 1) the pleasure of meeting (and surprising) gwd-scouter and 2) having a scout from another troop blow breakfast all over the floor in front of me in the dining hall on the first morning. The expressions on faces around me were priceless. I love the smell of vomit in the morning, it smells like....summer camp. On second thought that might have been lunch - anyway, the thing that kept running through my mind was a mass-balance problem, how can all that come out of a boy that small? (This message has been edited by packsaddle)

[Vicki 11]

What timing on stumbling across this thread! We're heading for Camp Old Indian Saturday. Glad to hear the kudos.

 

And that "ELP" song is actually England's unofficial national hymn - words by William Blake in 1804 as a preface to his novel, Milton. Became a hymn when C. Robert Parry wrote the music in 1916.

 

Your father smelled of elderberries!

 

Vicki

[ASM915 90]

It's only a cuddle bunny rabbit. Argh!!!

And for the hard core Pythons: Who was Sven, where was he from and what was his primary occupation, (not the part time job)?

 

We leave for camp Sunday. Our camp offers most of the Eagle required MB's except Hiking, Bicycling, Communications, and the Personals. The camp does run the Citizenship's and Emergency Preparedness at the same time in the afternoon. That way the Scouts can't opt to sit in a classroom all day.

 

And packsaddle, the rest of the wardrobe? Hopefully no Lion King boxers?

[packsaddle 753]

ASM915, I wear the 'class A' everything, every day, all day. Like I've said before, I've always liked the uniform. As for the undies, wouldn't YOU like to know....hee,hee,hee.

[BrentAllen 10]

What... is your favourite colour?

 

Blue. No, yel...

[packsaddle 753]

Hi Brent, if I had to pick a favorite it would have to be green or maybe that crystalline blue of glacier ice and of some really clear mountain streams that I mostly see in the Rockies or Cascades, but I mostly think in terms of rainbows...you'll understand.

 

Vicki, I am so sorry I wasn't able to stop by. My work took me to Oregon (where I still am) and it just wasn't very convenient. Perhaps another time.

[gwd-scouter 11]

Hey Vicki, how was your week at COI? What campsite did you stay in?

[Vicki 11]

GWD - got back Saturday rather late, back at work today (sigh).

 

Can't say enough good things about COI! The staff was absolutely wonderful - polite, knowledgeable, fun, all the good stuff. The great majority of the MBs were done well and our first years really enjoyed the Pathfinder program.

 

The Dance Pageant was incredible - those folks went to a lot of effort to learn authentic Cherokee dance movements and drum and it showed. It reminded me of a Pow Wow I went to in South Dakota. The OA callout was kind of disappointing, but I was unable to make it to the Thursday pre-ordeal ceremony, so maybe that made up for it. Being out of council, our candidates didn't go, so we brothers elected not to either (it was also really hot and humid and we were getting up early Friday to go white water rafting).

 

Dining hall food, which was pretty good, although I really appreciated the salad bar. I continue to have a problem with the concept of serving high fat, high salt meat dishes in high temp, high humidity situations, but that seems to be the norm - the camp we went to a couple of years back in Arkansas (Kia Kima) had the same sort of menu. As a recent vegetarian I gave away the meat on my tray and really noticed the difference in my own well-being.

 

We were in Underwood - upside, good breezes, downside, the entire campsite is one long, steep hill. We nicknamed it Mile High. The climb got really hard for everyone toward the end of the week. But the flush toilets and showers were a definite plus. I understand it took $2 million to put all the infrastructure in. What an investment!

 

Also went white-water rafting - now THAT was fun!

 

Thanks for asking,

Vicki

[Vicki 11]

Hey, Pack, no problem.

 

Safe travels,

Vicki