Campmasters

[SctDad]

Sounds like you have a great campmaster lodge. Ours has wireless internet. I think it alslo has satellite TV.

 

I guess some bonus perks help to recruit.

[Eamonn]

We don't have a Ranger.

The Campmasters come under the Council Camping Committee.

Most of the guys are super nice guys, who really do have the good of the Scouts at heart.

Sad to say we have a couple of miserable old goats. The type that not only want to see each and every rule, no matter how silly the rule might be? Followed, but at times add a few new rules or their interpretation of the rule.

I'm on the Campmaster list. Living near one of the camps, when no one signs up for a weekend. I open up the site, turn on what needs turned on. Meet the unit when they arrive and try to be there when they depart.

Most of the Troops that use the site have used it a lot. So there really isn't much to do. Not enough to make me want to stay for the weekend. Every now and then the Council Camping Chairman and myself will sign up for a weekend and will spend the time cooking and righting all the wrongs of the world. We are very close friends and I enjoy the time we spend together.

He really is just a big kid who loves kids and goes out of his way to do what he can for them.

But I have seen him after he caught some young Scouts out in the rain late at night in their underwear, because their tents were flooded and the SM was sleeping!! Not be so nice to the SM!!

We are trying to make the camp more Patrol friendly. The aim is to get more Patrols camping as Patrols. The Campmaster will be tasked with keeping an eye on theses Patrols while not interfering.

We have seen that most of the Patrols that do come don't come with anything to do! No real program, just coming. This tends to lead to problems when they have too much time on their hands.

We are trying to get together equipment that the Patrols (Or Troops) can sign out that will help avoid this.

We have a fairly good orienteering course and the Scouts can use compasses that we have provided.

I'm trying to get a pioneering store, where we have plans and the stuff needed to build different projects. The problem is that the Scouts don't have the skills needed and if we are not careful the Campmaster will become a little too close to the Patrol almost like a provisional Scoutmaster. It's a very fine line.

We do get some out of Council Troops, mainly in the winter. They are coming to use the ski resorts that are close and just need a cheap place to stay.

The big thing for Campmasters are knowing the site, what is where and how it works. Knowing what to do in case something goes wrong. Study the emergency plans.

Follow all the points of the Scout Law.

While of course the safety and well being of the people in camp is always number one. It is important not to be too judgmental! Just because the Troop or the Patrol is not doing something the way you think it should be done, doesn't mean that they want or need you to go sticking your nose in.

I was in camp one weekend when a Troop did nothing but toss a football around in the camping lot.

I seen it as a waste of time, but when I talked with a few of the Scouts, they seemed to be having a wonderful time!

Eamonn.