Winter Camporee

[fboisseau]

Eamon,

 

There are two points I think you are over looking.

 

The first is, I think that since you do not like cold weather camping you are biased against it. That is something as Scout leaders we should be on the lookout for, since it can stop good, fun ideas in their tracks.

 

Second I think the following statement is backwards I question the wisdom of taking young Lads camping when it is like this. It is one thing to get caught in it. But to plan for it? I just don't see it being much fun.. Personally I would much rather take a group of Scouts in those conditions where I have planned for it and had an escape route for any Scout that was in danger of getting harmed, then to be caught in it. My son this weekend went to a district Klondike derby where the temperature was in the teens at night. I thought he was prepared, but was un-aware that he had not tried on either his shoes or boots with his wool socks, and neither fit. So he spent the weekend Fri-Sun switching between cotton socks with shoes, wool socks and shoes, and just wool socks. The two statements he made about the trips when I picked him up were 1) he was the coldest he has ever been and 2) it was the most fun he has had on a trip.

 

Just keep in mind which condition would you rather be in with a Scout in cotton socks, sneakers and having never been cold weather camping. At a Scout camp with nearby buildings and/or vehicles and the emergency crew 15 minutes away or on a day hike in the mountains during a freak snowstorm.

 

 

[Eamonn]

I mentioned my dislike of winter camping just to let everyone know that I do have a bias.

I totally agree that we should teach Lads how to prepare for camping in winter or when it is cold. I think that I did read "Be Prepared" in a few of the books. If I was a Scoutmaster, which I'm not and the PLC said that a winter camporee was to be then I would go along with it and do everything that I could to ensure the success of the event.However as this is to be a District event there is little that can be done to ensure that the Scouts that attend are prepared. Sad as it may be there are Adult Leaders in the district that are not that smart.These tend to be the adults that never attend a round table and are more then lightly to use what the district offers as the only outdoor program that the troop offers. I am almost sure that at the next district committee meeting a Winter Camporee for 2005 will become a reality. I will try to make sure that we do as much as can be done via handouts and maybe a shakedown to get the Scouts that do attend to have as safe and happy a time as can be had.

Eamonn

[fboisseau]

I understand where your problem is, you go to the District Camporee and see attendees that are not prepared for the current conditions. What you seem to forget is that the District Camporee is optional, and if the PLC votes to attend then it is up to the Troop to make sure they are prepared for the expected conditions. If there was not District Camporee, then most likely these same people would be out camping in the same weather, prepared in the same way and with less support. What I suggest is that you instead look at ways that you can provide more support and training to the Troops that attend the Camporee at the Camporee. Some suggestion.

 

1) Make sure the First Aid Station has the capability to warm up any attendee that is critically cold.

2) Include a training station at the Camporee that teaches/tests the Scouts about cold weather camping gear.

3) Make the focus at the First Aid teaching station on cold weather First Aid.

4) Lastly make sure that the Camporee staff is on the look out for cold weather health issues and will send an attendee to the First Aid Station if needed and the First Aid Station will send a attendee home if they are in real danger.

 

[Eamonn]

While I have to say that your ideas are good. It does seem to me that we would be bolting the door after the horse. It is a sad reflection on some of our Adult leaders that they rely on District Events to be the backbone of the program that is offered. So it might be that these Lads would not be out in the cold if there was no winter camporee.

Eamonn

[acco40]

Last weekend, WInter Camporee. Earlier, I (SM) brought in my gear for "show and tell." Next week, boys brought in their gear for review. Next week - go camping. Temperature 9F (High), -3F (low). Everyone stayed toasty! Good news, it was sunny and very little wind. My SM minute, in a nutshell, "Mother Nature can be VERY unforgiving to Scouts who are not prepared in the winter time. Be prepared."

[mk9750]

Well, Monday after Klondike, and the reports are in: A HUGE success!

 

Temperatures Friday night went to +4. Daytime temp on Saturday was @ 22, but it was -2 Saturday night. 450 registered Scouts and Scouters, of whom only 6 Cub Scouts and 1 Troop of 6 did not come. We had the following issues:

1 accidentally self inflicted knife wound (cutting frozen pepperoni is tougher for a 12 year old than you'd think!)

1 2nd degree burn (a Cub was running in his cabin, tripped, and caught himself on the pot belly stove in the cabin

1 boy who has a clostomy bag and didn't bring his maintenance equipment.

 

All SPLs reported on Sunday that their Troops made it through the weekend well. No apparent frostbite or hypothermia. A couple of hungry Scouts (I know my son was to prepare a meal of whole chicken cooked in a garbage can that never happened because he didn't consider that he had to protect his food from the cold just like he would have had to protect it from the heat!), but everyone was happy to have been there (well, maybe a few adults complained).

 

This was a great event. And the best part was it was the first District or Council event in the years I have been with a Troop that was largely left to youth to plan and run. Not many people in our District were convinced that it was a good idea to turn the responsiblity over to a 16 year old and a staff he largely recruited himself, but it came off well. There were just enough minor mistakes made to be valuable teaching oppurtunities. I can't believe how pumped I am about how this came off!

 

Insert what Barry says here.

 

Mark

[Eamonn]

Mark, I of course am happy that not only did the event go well. I did cringe a little on reading about the pepperoni. It has also restored and opened the eyes of many to "Boy Power".

Judging by the amount of E-mails that I'm getting from members of the District and the District Committee it looks as if the District Winter Camporee will happen. As you know Mark Camp Conestoga is imposable to get to if there is a lot of snow. So if we use a council facility it will be the primitive camp in Smithton Pa. Which is only ten minutes from our new house!! Yes it is tempting.

But putting all that aside. One great thing about this game is that every now and then something happens which is so good it renews your faith in mankind.

Eamonn