Program area supply shortages

[RememberSchiff 3662]

Does your summer camp give a heads-up if their program areas are short on supplies? Does your camp have a "wish list" published?  Some means to inform scouters and parents who could hopefully rectify the problem,

 

Once again, our camp did NOT which limited and even canceled hands-on activities in handicraft and shooting. No fear, merit badges were signed-off regardless! Indian Lore was chiefly a week of Sit-n-Bull!

 

I had thought Council and Camp had learned from the 22 ammo shortage from a few years back, Just ask and ye shall receive.

 

Maybe we need to kit supplies ourselves for camp classes?

 

 

 

[Eagle94-A1 2687]

Back in the day, I was the one who ran the trading post and responsible for ensuring we had enough supplies. First year was hard as we had no stats to look at to make sure we had enough supplies. It was all guesstimation, and there were several times I had to make runs to the main Scout Shop or meet my boss 1/2 way to get supplies. Second and subsequent years were much better. I ordered what we sold and added 10% to the order. While I had to carry more stuff back those years, I never ran out of supplies.  

 

Now food was a different.

 

One thing that ticked me off to no end was the camp my oldest earned Basketry MB. They ran out of supplies. Supposedly the Scouts "shared" making the stuff, in my son's case, he made some items, his "buddy" made others.  Yep, he got the MB.  Mean father that I am, I told him he couldn't put it on the sash or use it for rank advancement until he made the missing item. I ordered the materials, and he finished it.

[RememberSchiff 3662]

It seemed, programs which required kits bought thru the camp trading post were in better shape than programs which used bulk supplies on site, e.g., modeling clay in Handicraft. Or stated another way, apparently the business manager ordered for his trading post and not for program areas which was different from past years. 

 

@@Eagle94-A1  hope your are enjoying your new wicker chair.

Edited July 24, 2017 by RememberSchiff

[KenD500 77]

After having a similar experience 1 year, I no longer schedule Summer Camp during the 1st week.

 

Approximately half of the program areas did not receive their supplies until Thursday.

[Back Pack 431]

We brought our own. We purchased them in the spring so we had them onsite. Same with MB books. We confirm in advance that program areas are operational. As part of our research our troop monitors camps 2-3 years in advance and questions camp directors about such things. We also call other troops to interview them. Camps that run out we don't go to. Our troop got burned many years ago and put this system in place. We're not spending $20,000 to send a troop to camp to have them run out of stuff.

[John-in-KC 311]

Our Council has a contract in place with vendors for the various program area supplies.  Supplies for arts and crafts are available at the trading post.  Ammunition is bought (ticket) at the trading post, and provided at the range ammo point.

 

I've noticed good troops have a routine supply of arts and crafts stuff they bring to camp, because frankly, the kits at the trading post are triple keystoned...

[ItsBrian 284]

Just found this now...

 

Worked at a day camp all summer... no cubs were allowed to go to the pool (we go weekly to the community pool for swimming requirements) due to Council not having a contract. The camp always had everything, you needed something they went right out and bought it. They don’t have vendors so to say, a lot from amazon and retail stores. New staff has no clue what to do their first week.

 

Highly suggest never go to any summer camp the first week.