SummitCorps

[mikecummings157]

Anyone on here attending SummitCorps or sending scouts there? My son is down there now and I've been following the progress. These youth or doing great work building trails!

[eaglescout1996]

I attended week 2 with 9 other members of my lodge, we got back Saturday night and I just haven't got around to creating a post.

 

Week 2 completed close to 30,000 feet of trail that week, plus other projects for the NPS around their headquarters and Thurmond Train Depot.

 

The first three full days we were there (Mon-Wed) were HOT. Even those of us from the deep south were not expecting that type of weather in WV. The Park Service staff said that those were the hottest days of the year so far. By Friday, temps were more "normal" for WV standards, high of low 80's, low of upper 50's. High humidity as well...there were many Arrowmen from the South, which is what we are used to, but those from out west were feeling it.

 

Every morning the crews were on the buses and out of the Armory by 7am, back to camp around 4-4:30p. Philmont meals for breakfast and lunch, and the cook staff (who did a wonderful job) had hot supper at 5:15p for dinner A and 6:00p for dinner B. Opening show on Sunday, Ice Cream social/talent show/concert on Wednesday. Showers were trailers brought in, with porta-johns lined up around camp. The week 2 patch auction brought in a little over $4000, which went to two local charities.

 

Friday was our "fun" day, most went white water rafting down the New River, about a dozen went climbing, a dozen went mountain biking, and about two dozen did a canopy tour. There were so many Arrowmen rafting that about three or four outfitters were used. The New was a fun 3-4 hour trip, a bit of flat water that allowed us to get out and swim/float down the River. Plus there were about 4 Class IV's and one Class V, with some Class II's and III's thrown in. After the trip, they took everyone to one of the outfitters for lunch, where we had an lunch buffet and watched the videos of our trip. After that, they bused everyone to another outfitter who had a lake with a bunch of water toys (zipline, blob, slides, water trampoline, ect). Everyone chilled for a bit, had dinner (pig roast), and then went back for the closing show.

 

There are lots of outfitters in that area of the country, which many were suprised.

 

For the main rafting outfitter and the zip line, plus lunch, we used Class VI

 

The lake front and dinner was provided by Ace Raft

 

The contingents members received a patch (which was spelled SummitCorps Mermber), SummitCorps carabiner, a certificate, SummitCorps Coin, and a BSA/NPS patch. The weekly program was on the Evolution of a Leader, which was done well and I know our boys thought it was thought provoking.

 

I did not attend AC5, but one of the other adults who was on staff at a couple of sites and attended another as a participant, mentioned that "this is not AC5". The staff did a great job, but even some of them made the same comment. I also heard comments that the I-Corps staff wasn't as good as the I-Corps staff durring AC5...again, I can't compare.

 

Plus, a lot of the boys didn't realize that although the name is "SummitCorps", they were never going to the "Summit". You could see the quarry they are using for rock, which sits on the Summit propert, but the closest you could get was the sign at the "back door", which is around the corner from NPS headquarters. A lot of people ran over there to get pictures of their contingent, and the security guards are kind enough the take pictures for you.

 

All in all, it was a great week. The National Chief and Vice-Chief were there and they spent alot of time with the youth that were in attendance. Met alot of other Arrowmen from around the country.

 

Oh, the locals are very excited about the Summit and the BSA coming to WV. We had a briefing by the director of the Summit, which the BSA poached from the National Park Service, who has a great resume and seems like he's a good fit for the job. We got to see quite a few maps and videos. The contractor is apparently running two 10 hour shifts a day, seven days a week. They put in an 80/20 clause in the contract, being 80% of the hires have to be from WV and 20% have to be local. With 10+% unemployment, folks are excited. On our way out of town on Saturday morning, we went to "Biscuit World", which the locals call "Tudor's". The buses pass one every morning on the way to the trails, so it became a thing for the boys to yell out "Biscuit World" everytime they saw it. So we took them there for breakfast...lots of food and a lot of different ways they serve them. But what was great, was the fact that three diffent times, folks thanked us for coming out to help build trails and told us how excited they were that BSA was coming to their neck of the woods.

 

It is beautiful country with wonderful people. It's going to be a great place to go!

 

Oh, the OA is expanding the number and type of staff opprotunities for youth Arrowmen at the 2013 Jambo, which is being dubbed Project 2013. Along with the Service Corps and Indian Village, Trek Guides and Services Guides are being active. If you have youth that might be interested, check out Project 2013

 

There will be training at NOAC for Project 2013 participants next year.

 

*edited for some spelling errors(This message has been edited by eaglescout1996)

[skeptic]

Wow!! Wish I were younger. Love this positive Scouting stuff.

[eaglescout1996]

I just realized the links don't work, if you click on them, you can figure out what you need to do in bar on you browser.

 

Sorry!

[jtswestark]

Great to read! Love your enthusiasm!

Wonderful to see the OA pull off another great service event. More fodder to show the naysayers how great the OA is.

 

Question - you said others were saying it wasn't AC5. Was it better or worse in their opinion?

 

edited typos(This message has been edited by jtswestark)

[eaglescout1996]

The Scouters I've spoken thought AC5 was "better" run/organized. As I said before, I did not attend AC5, so I can not compare.

 

The OA is doing wonderful things this summer. Things like this, OA Trail Crew, NCLS, and Indian Summer weren't around when I was a youth 15+ years ago. If they had, I would have been WAY more active as an Arrowman as I got later in my youth. My lodge was very political and National programs would have kept my attention!