Year-round camp programming

[shortridge]

Does anyone have experience with council summer camps that also offer year-round programs? I'm not just talking about campmasters teaching dutch-oven cooking or fancy knots on weekends, but am interested in camps that might market their facilities and program expertise to schools, companies, other youth groups, etc., during the week and otherwise.

 

Does your local camp open up its rifle range, canoes or nature trails to local high schools or Upward Bound programs? How about offering its COPE course to companies doing teambuilding exercises? Do they usually pay folks come in to run them, or just volunteers? And do they have many takers?

 

Thanks for any insight, input and examples.(This message has been edited by shortridge)

[scoutldr]

Our camp is rented out to other groups, and sometimes we're asked to volunteer to help. I don't think the council offers "program", though. We do have a series of "specialty weekends" for scouts, usually resulting in a MB.

[Hal_Crawford]

I do not have any direct contact with it but I believe that NCAC does this with Camp Snyder in Haymarket, VA. http://www.boyscouts-ncac.org/openrosters/ViewOrgPageLink.asp?LinkKey=24713&orgkey=1933 They site talks mainly about renting to scouts and families but the wording regarding COPE is vague and suggests that they may rent to others. Probably worth a call or e-mail to get further info.

 

Hal

[Eagle92]

Both the Bonner Scout Reservation and Pamlico Sea base in NC offer year round programming oppotrunties. Heck PSB just created a new program for CS called "Cub Scout on Demand"

[John-in-KC]

Let's see...

 

Bottom Line: If a group wants to do COPE at either of our Scout Camps, Council will take the money and arrange for COPE people to open the facility. Ditto the ranges. Ditto the climbing towers.

 

If you want to do an offsite seminar, one of our camps will rent staff cabins and an office complex.

 

At the other camp (closer in to town), if you want to have your wedding reception in the dining hall, we'll accommodate.

 

Money talks.

[Scouter&mom]

Our council rents the entire camp facilities for a Jr ROTC program every summer. I understand the profits from that are what allows the council to break even on the other camp programs. They have recently put in some RV connections (volunteer labor) and rent the camp for a couple of other events each year. They are all usually something at least somewhat related to outdoor activities.. like a huge trail ride that brings in horses and riders from several states. I know sometimes it is difficult to schedule around, but it sure helps with camp costs.

[scottteng]

We have a regular yearly reenactment event that goes on and they used to have the camp rented out to young marines for a week in the summer I helped with the range a couple of times volunteering. There was some kind of ROTC thing I was asked to run the range for but had another commitment but I think I heard the DE bragging about signing up ROTC units as venture crews. We had and now have again with the new certification stuff a cope course and climbing wall. I don't think they have enough staff trained yet to meet boy scout demand let alone hire it out.