back from Camp Minsi

[OldGreyEagle]

So, back from camp. Actually, I am back from home as I feel my real home is Camp Minsi, its just that economic forces dictate I must spend 51 weeks of the year in exile.

 

Great week of Camp, some mis-steps along the way but with a group of 33 youth, that will happen. Did see some growth in unexpected places and that was great.

 

At the Sunday Introductory Campfire the staff presented a series of skits and songs and cheers. One poor guy came out and read "The Cremation of Sam MaGee" with as littke heart as could be imagined. Turned out for my "Scoutmaster merit badge" a program the Camp offers to get scoutmasters interacting with staff and the program areas, I had to earn a merit badge, so I got set up for public speaking. For my final speech, I did the "Cremation of Sam MaGee" as my alter ego Pierre Aloyoiuis DeMonde, the French Voyageur. And I did it from memory. The counselor for the badge was the staffer who had read it Sunday night, he gulped and said he hoped he would some day reach the level I did it at.

 

The best part was Friday night, for my 6th year Scoutmaster merit badge, I had to participate in a skit at the Troop Campfire, so I did "Boat 99", the gist is the waterfront director comes on stage, demands boat 99 come back in and has a succession of people talk to him, only to find out there are only 72 boats in camp, the last line is "Boat 66, is there an issue?"

 

This years Waterfront Director was a guy who has been on staff for 6 years, and this was his first as Waterfront Director. He is also the personality of the camp. Always running around, yelling at the top of his lungs and carrying on. So, for the final campfire I borrowed a staffers polo shirt and hat and went on stage imitating him. Basically it was me running back and forth on the campfire stage yelling "Woooooo" at the top of my lungs. A few staff members came up and we did lines until I got to the end, said "Boat 66 is there an issue" and ran off the stage. The place went up for grabs, after the campfire the Trading Posts rang with "WOOOOOO's" whenever the Waterfront Director walked in. I saw him afterwards and he was laughing and shook my hand. He loved it and the "WOOOOOOs" continued up to the final ceremonies.

 

While at Camp I assisted the Range master, as a Camp School trained Shooting Sports Director (I did Camp School at the same place and time as the resident Rangemaster) we doubled the open Shotgun and Rifle Free Shoots, he did one and I did another rather than just having one a day. Many kids got the badges because they had a chance to shoot more.

 

The senior youth planned a luau for Thursday which worked well.

 

Great week, did I say that? And also exposed some weaknesses but if the troop was perfect, what would we have to do?

[OldGreyEagle]

Pictures just posted from Summer Camp

 

 

http://www.troop362.com/pictures/?dir=.%2F2008_pictures%2F08070_summer_camp%2F

 

Not sure why the link doesnt work, but copy and paste does(This message has been edited by oldgreyeagle)