Bart614

My Troop does this every year. Our council has a huge summer camp program that we attended for years but then noticed that the scouts started getting tired of the same thing year after year. About 12 years ago, our Troop started running our own summer camp program and have not looked back. As of now, we have about four different places we camp and use in a rotation. This also includes a rotation to a scout camp in Canada (Haliburton Scout Reserve). Other than the Canada trip, we stay in state park group camping areas. Every once in a while we will throw an out of state BSA camp into the mix. Just about all of the adults involved are merit badge councilors. Each day we have time blocked off for this. We also plan mini trips away from our camp to visit. This can include visits to historical sites, zoos, caves, etc. We have also teamed up with local organizations who invited us to their group such has trap shooting and sailing. We even had a bass fishing club run an entire contest where each boat took a scout out for the day. Any camp we go to has a lake so we also have a waterfront program that usually includes swimming, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, rowing and motor boating. A few years ago, our council was questioning why we were not using the council run camp. A few new parents also jumped into the mix. We decided that since we had not been there for a while we would give it a shot. By Tuesday night, we literally had a scout run mutiny. Our scouts told us that if we ever went there again they simply would not go. Needless to say, we have not been back. Another thing that our troop tries to do is keep the costs down. A week at our council camp is usually a little over $300. Our 2013 summer camp budget will not be finished until the end of the month but right now I think it will be $170 per scout. This includes admission to three out of camp day outings. I truly think more troops should give this a try. (This message has been edited by Bart614)

I was just at Haliburton Scout Reserve in Ontario two weeks ago. Everyone who went had to get a passport or passport card and we didn't have any problems. In fact I think it was kind of a "novelty" for the boys to get a passport. Most people got the card and you can put it in your wallet just like a any other ID card. The process cannot be easier.