Feedback on Camp Davy Crockett Tennessee

[Buffalo Skipper]

Have any of you beeen to Camp Davy Crockett recently? Our scouts choose this camp, so I would like to hear about your experiences with this camp....

[Buffalo Skipper]

No one here has attended Camp Davy Crockett?

 

Wow. I guess that tells me a lot about the camp.

[Buffalo Skipper]

Well, as I never got any feedback from anyone, I figured I would offer some to others who may consider this camp in the future.

 

We attended for week 5, July 10-16. The camp is located in the foothills NW of Knoxville, in the town of Whitesburg, TN, and is on the Cherokee River, and consists of 2800 acres, almost entirely undeveloped. The camp facilities are average, at best, and could stand upgrading, but are not in disrepair. The campsites are nice and well shaded, which is nice in the summer heat. They have an old pool for swimming and utilize lakefront for boating. They pride themselves on their Shooting program, and I can say that they do run a very tight ship here. All our scouts qualified on Rifle and Shotgun; the counselors here were outstanding. Their COPE course is well maintained, and their instructors are top notch. The only other high adventure program offered is a Frontiertown, a period camp dating to the late 1800s with blacksmith, blackpoweder and related skills and badges. None of our scouts attended, but it appeared to be a well run program.

 

What we liked best about the camp was the staff and the program. There was almost nothing the staff would not do for a scout or your troop if asked. The program during flags (before breakfast and dinner) was particularly fun. In addition to a song (which was always executed with vigor and enthusiasm), they strongly encouraged troops to publically challenge one another to, well whatever! One challenge per meeting. The challenged troop (or staff) would either accept or decline. It really promoted inter-troop relations and everyone had a great time of it. Most challenges were serious, but others were creative and fun. We challenged several troops to a potato sack race, horseshoes and ring toss. We were challenged to ultimate frisbie and "slaps." One troop challenged the staff to "eat last," which was enthusiastically declined (staff eats first so they can return to program areas, both in the morning and for extra activities after dinner).

 

Our SPL and scouts really stepped up their game, and took on extra projects daily. Program at this camp did not require "waiter duty," but our scouts wanted to help out so stayed to sweep, mop and clean after every meal. I mentioned in an earlier thread that our PLC decided to stand at the table after going through the food line, until all members of the troop were present to sit in unison. By the end of the week four (4) troops were standing as well and several had scouts assist ours cleaning the dining hall. On Wednesday, we challenged all other troops to help us clean the dining hall. One or two shouted "Accept!" but several SPLs boldly replied "Declined!" only to be met with smacks on the back of their head by their SM. Most of those who declined approached out SPL to see how they could help.

 

It was great to see the scouts take these responsibilities upon themselves and make the troop really shine. Our scouts daily presented (at evening flags) an "Order of the Fork" award to their favorite staff member of the day. Then a special award at the end of the week. Any staff member who received it treated it like a badge of honor and boasted all week about how much it meant to them. By the end of the week, the kitchen staff made our troop a full pan of banana-peanut butter pudding, which was brought out to our scouts in front of all the other troops. It came with a "thank you" card signed by the entire kitchen crew. We also did several camp improvement projects which were well received by the ranger and his staff.

 

After MBs on Friday, the camp put on games at the pool, lakefront, shooting range, (scoutcraft) across the camp and a scavanger hunt. Our scouts and adults took 9 ribbons and ended up the the staff's "Troop of the Week" award (I suspect it may have been a unanimous vote!).

 

The scouts left with a genuine feeling of pride and a real sense of accomplishment. All are eager to return next year, and I am looking forward to the next few months to see how well they work together and grow. If our camp experience is any indicator, it is shaping up to be a great year for our troop and our scouts!

 

We would recommend Camp Davy Crockett to any troop looking for a bargin camp ($180 out of council) and a fun program.

[trainerlady]

Buffalo,

 

Thanks for the info on Camp Davy Crockett. I'm looking for a camp for my son next year, we'll be out of the country next summer when his troop camps. They go week one, 2 days after school here in Michigan gets out. To all of you that say let him go to camp - NO!!

 

If you guys can travel from teh Gulf Coast, we can come down from Michigan.

 

Thanks again for the info.

[Buffalo Skipper]

Trainerlady, there was a troop from Michigan there last week! All participated in the Frontiertown program. Talking to them about it on Friday around the campfire, it appears they had a great time.

[trainerlady]

Buffalo Skipper,

 

Any idea where they were from here in Michigan? I'd love to taalk to them.

 

Thanks again.

 

TL

[CA_Scouter]

We have a scout in our troop that is a direct descendent of Davy Crockett. Mom's side.

 

 

[Buffalo Skipper]

trainerlady, I am certain that if you contact the Sequoyah Council, they will be glad to pass along the contact information. It was Week 5, and now that I think about it, I believe they were from Detroit. If you contact the troop, be sure to let them know that "Troop 3" refered you; that'll raise an eyebrow.

 

CA_Scouter, there is a close connection to the camp and Davy himself, who was born about a dozen or so miles from where the camp is located. They spun a good ole Davy Crockett tale at the opening campfire, which set the tone for the week. Another historical point is that President Andrew Johnson spent his teenage years and much of his adult life in and around Greeneville, TN, some 20 miles from the camp.

[CA_Scouter]

I read Crockett's autobiography a couple of years ago. I gather he had a rather high opinion of himself. I think he considered running for president at some point. Interesting read....

 

 

[NC Scouter]

Skipper, a couple of questions please.

 

How many new scouts did you take to Camp Davy Crockett?

 

What is your assessment of CDC's new scout program? I'm referring to the one called the Baden-Powell program in the Leaders Guide.

 

I am particularly interested in the sizes of the groups in the B-P program and how interactive the staffers made the program. The camp our troop has attended the last few years has new scouts in groups that are very large (20-25 scouts). That makes it difficult for the scouts and for the staffers.

 

I visited another camp this week specifically to assess its new scout program. The groups there were patrol-size (6-8), but the instruction I observed was not very interactive and the staffers seemed to not be well engaged.

 

Thanks.

[Buffalo Skipper]

Sure thing. We had 7 new scouts attend camp. We did not participate in the BP program, but instead worked with "Operation First Class." The reason for this is that all our FY scouts had almost completed Tenderfoot. We had covered much of the "Health and Safety" with the troop, so they were enrolled in "Scoutcraft" and "First Aid" sessions. Classes were small and organized, and I can say that the requirements covered were done thoroughly and with discipline. That said, in 4 hours of Scoutcraft class, only FC requirements 1 and 7ab were completed; in "First Aid," only FC requirement 8 was completed, but several First Aid MB requirements were covered. No Second Class requirements were completed. For 8 hours of the week, the scouts were a little bored, and I do not feel that the time was ultimately well spent. I don't intend to tell the scouts that, as overall they had a great time at camp; but I will keep it in mind next year.

 

If you want a good first year program, I recomend either Camp Daniel Boone (Canton, NC) or Woodruff (Blairsville, GA). Each have a different approach, but both have great staffs and a well developed program.

 

Hope that helps.