Do other troops skip the merit badge camp during the summer?

[JerseyScout]

Each summer, my troop heads to a different location (the only rule is it must be out of state) for a week long camping trip to places such as the Smokey Mountains, Vermont, Western Pennsylvania, etc. We usually split into groups, one for a 50 mile backpacking or foot/afloat and a "base camp" that does day trips each day (canoeing, kayaking, rock climbing, hiking, a one night backpacking trip, etc). None of these trips has been to a Boy Scout camp (although we were fortunate enough to send crew to Philmont five years back), and we've been doing this each and every summer for over 40 years.

 

My question is, do other troops in other parts of the country do this, or was the guy who founded our troop just nuts? Just a survey to satisfy my own curiosity.

[Ford0273]

Our troop does a long distance trip every 2 years. This year the whole Troop went to a neighboring council Scout Camp. (Merit badge camp) Next year there are 3 options for the boys.

1. Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness trip. (including the Canadian side)

2. Sid Richardson Scout Camp, the Chisholm Trail Adventure camp. (a lot of the boys went there

last year)

3. in district summer camp, for those not old enough to travel.

We are in the Denver, Co area so you know.

I also remember growing up in FL., we did the same thing. By having an "off" year, the boys can get a lot of badges knocked out in one weeks time. It also helps the wallet also.

 

[scoutldr]

Nuts? It sounds exciting! There's nothing preventing you from ALSO attending the council summer camp. In fact, I know of several troops who send the younger guys (first and second year) to summer camp while the older guys do something more "high adventure". The younger guys can't wait to become "older guys".

[ntrog8r]

Nuts? I don't think so.

 

Are the Scouts enjoying the program? If yes, this genius. Some Troops develop traditions with their Scout camp, others develop traditions away from the Council camp. Both are great as long as the Scouts are enjoying the program.

 

We've been involved with Troops that were Scout Camp devotees - even had their "own" site and their "own" week, Troops that did the younger Scouts to Souncil camp and older Scouts to wherever they planned, and even one that had their own campsite and own MBCs to run their own summer camp. They all worked.

[bacchus]

Nuts? No, it sounds great. This is a super way to keep the scouts interested, involved, and looking forward to next year.

 

Now what do I do about the guy in my unit that is 17 3/4 years old and has his eagle project done, but needs 8 more merit badges?

[scoutldr]

"Now what do I do about the guy in my unit that is 17 3/4 years old and has his eagle project done, but needs 8 more merit badges?"

 

You tell yourself, "this isn't my problem." The SM should have a SM conference with him and lay it all out...could be it's not even possible at this point. This was his choice, not yours.

[bacchus]

So true. And I didn't mean to take this thread off-topic, but I was just commenting to the SM less than a week ago about how this Life Scout could have gone to the regular summer camp instead of his high adventure activity and would probably be done right now. Well, I guess the boys need to have some fun while they are still young.

 

The 8 merit badge shortfall is true, but it's a half exaggeration too since he's working on about 6 of them that are almost done, and his mother has him working with a couple specialists in the areas for the other 2, so he will be o.k. I just wonder how he has avoided summer camp for 6 years.

[Eamonn]

" and his mother has him working with a couple specialists in the areas for the ..."???

Eagle Scout???

Ea.

[Basementdweller]

Jersey

 

Sounds like you are part of a great program. There is nothing wrong with not going to merit badge camp.

 

Everyone should experience BS resident camp at least once. But they are not all equal. The best resident camp I had attended had a great program but the table chats and singing in the dining hall were fantastic.

 

 

[eghiglie]

bacchus and eamom

 

I have seen quite a few Eagle scouts earn it because the mom's do much of the work for the boys. They don't call the MBC's but quite often they fill out one copy of the worksheets and then have the boy copy it over in their writing. One time I was reviewing a worksheet and when I asked the boy what this meant or what that meant he just looked at me, I told him that the requirements would get signed off when he could explain them to me. His mom blew a cork. I still wonder if she does all his school homework?

 

The family wants the boy to have Eagle quite often to enter college or join the military with two stripes.

 

 

[shortridge]

Worksheets?

 

To answer the O.P., troops holding their own summer camps was the way "it used to be done." Check out some of the older PL and SM handbooks for ideas and examples.

 

I've never encountered a unit that does it that way now, though.