Fall Skills Camp

November third, 2006

The annual fall skills camp was once again a smash hit as camp chief scouter
mike gave scouting a good name. Not only was it fun it was a reason to
continue in scouts.

We arrived at camp and went down to the pines there we would be camping.
Everyone helped bring the gear down and helped set up there campsite. They
set up there shelters and tents and even know some had trouble they all got
it done. When they were done they had mug up and went to bed.

The next morning we woke up and got out of bed to a cold morning. The
patrols made breakfast then they cleaned up and got dressed each one was
getting ready for a long day of activities and fun.

The activities were a good hit with fire lighting, poisonous spiders and
plants, axes and saws maps and compasses and ropes. Each activity was an
hour which was more than enough time to familiarize the scouts with that
activity.

At lunch we had alphagetti with meat balls inside after the scouts were done
eating and all cleaned up they went back to their activities.

After all the activities were finished the patrols brought there table down
to the main site were we would be eating dinner.

Dinner was awesome it was a combination of roast and soup it was just
awesome. After that we all cleaned up and got ready for campfire. All the
patrols had to bring back there tables. Most of the scouts went over to the
campfire will the rest either went to bed or hung out at there site.After a
night of fun and laughter we all went to bed.

Sunday we all woke up and got packed after having breakfast which was egg
on a English muffin with cheese . after every patrol cleaned up and took
down there sites and got ready to leave

We all had to line up and do a pick up which was a good exercise for us
since it was cold .After we all had to line up for Lunch which was a pita
with meat on it. Once we were finished we were free to go and we all left .

PS: thank you Scouter Mike for making scouting fun


BY:SIMON H

Fall Skills Camp Review

I think that Scouter Mike did a very good job considering that he planned the whole thing. My patrol could use some improvement on working as a team, but we managed. The activities where informative and were helpful to the first years and the games where fun. The food was awesome (go Scouter Mike!) even though we had the small accident with the cake. In total, I think the camp was a success.

P.S. I think the fact that the groups were motivated by candy was a good idea, so do it again if we can.

By: Alec G.

Fall Skills Camp 2006

On Nov 3rd, we headed off to Camp Manitou for our annual fall skills camp. We had five patrols present for a weekend of fun.

We started the night by unloading all of the group gear out of the trailer. Then each patrol took there gear to there assigned site. We set up our tents, then our shelter. At this camp, our shelter was made from a tarp hung and tied off on trees. When we had that all done, we boiled water and had our mug-up. The lights out was 11:30pm, so after mug up we all crawled into our tents to go to bed.

Scouter Mike woke up the camp at 7:00am. It was cold, but nice out. As a patrol we all made breakfast together. It was hot cereal, cold cereal and apples. A quick and easy breakfast so we could get to the activities. After we cleaned up, got more water, we headed off for the morning activities.

There were 6 different activities. The activities were axes and saws, maps and compasses, ropes, firer lighting, stoves and lanterns, and poisonous spiders and plants.

We started the activities at 10:00am, with each activity lasting 1 hour. Each patrol rotated through two activities in the morning.

Lunch was also quick. We had alphagetizes and meatballs. While half cooked most patrols sent two people to get water. After clean up we went back to activities.

During the afternoon rotations, there were 4 activities for each patrol left to do.
During those activities, Scouter Mike was cooking a roast on a spit over a nice hot fire with a soupy stew brewing on the other side. It smelt really good.

After the activities we brought our table to the main part of the whole site and we talked for a while. Then the whole troop went to games field to play captor the flag. We split up into 2 groups and got an orange peg for the flag. We played that for a while then we went back for the big dinner Scouter Mike was cooking.

Dinner was really good. We started with the stew containing bacon, leeks, and potato. It was so good. After that we had the roasted beef that had been cooking all day over the fire with some caser salad.

When dinner was over and we moved or tables back to our sites we sat around the camp fire singing, laughing, and having fun. Between 11:00 to 11:30, everyone crawled into there tents waiting for tomorrow.

Sunday was the same weather it was all weekend. We all got up and had a big breakfast. It was an egg on a muffin with toppings of cheese, mushrooms, green peppers, and ketchup. For dessert we had a pie filling with whip cream. After breakfast and clean up all the patrols started to pack up there gear for the weekend. Once all the patrols were ready, we had lunch.

We made pitas with meat, lettuce, and some leftover toppings from our other meals. After we all ate, parents started to show up. I thought this was a great camp thanks to Scouter Mike and other leaders who helped plan this camp.

By: Connor T.

The Amazing Race Camp

From December 16-1 8 the troop was invited to a camp planned by, Devin, Jack and I based around the Amazing Race. We did have several problems but managed to work around them on the Friday night the gates where locked so we walked all of our gear up to the site. One the bigger problems was the menu I don't need to mention what went wrong but for the next camp that I plan I would make sure that I have given you all of the information that you needed
well ahead of time. On Saturday the clues went okay but not everyone was really willing to do the shelter building so they spent more time tobogganing and skipped that. On Saturday night the water froze and so we couldn't do dishes for breakfast next time I would get water during the day. For the people that went to the camp especially the lst year's I think that we opened up an entirely new type of camping. Even though we made some mistakes I think that the camp was a success and I would do it again.

BY: Alex S

15th Burlington Hawaii In Winter Camp

On January 20 we made our trip down to Camp, witch was in the theme of Winter in Hawaii, though it turned out to be more of a winter in mud. This was 15th Burlington’s all section camp theme for this year. We started the night by hiking in our gear and packs. The first years and second years stayed in the older Adirondack while the seniors and girls stayed in the double one. We had crackers and hot chocolate as we sat in the misty rain waiting for a fire to start. Then lights out at 11:30 and just in time because a heavy rain set in.

In the morning we woke up to a snow covered land, but over the day blue skies and the sun made an appearance and turned the snow ground back to mud. We set up activities after we had a good meal. The obstacle course was spread out on the back side of Rotary field by council rock. It contained, a scuba diving match up game, finding your way threw hot lava blindfolded, a coconut toss in silly Hawaiian grass skirts, Chicken limbo and more. Other events in the field were volley ball and surfing. The day went by quickly with lot of smiles. For snack we had cookies and juice then back to the fun and games.

After the activities it was time to back up the field and get ready for the big dinner. We were given leis and seated our selves to wait upon a delicious turkey, and boy was it good. We also had vegetables, ham, potato’s and cranberry sauce and not to mention lots of gravy. After the main course we had Hawaiian decorated cake and fruit cups.

Then it was time to gather around the camp fire and enjoy the day’s meal and fun. Here we listen to scouts, own sung songs and watched skits. After campfire we went and had mug up. Then we ended our long day with sleep.

Sunday morning a select few scouts cooked breakfast for the beavers and scouts. We had bacon, sausage and pancakes. Then we headed back to the Adirondack to pack up our stuff. Or lunch we aye in the Mac lodge. We gad hotdogs, pop and chips. Soon our parents were there to pick us up. All in all it was a good camp, I looking forward for the Carlisle camp.

Britt

Haliburton 2005

In our group Haliburton is a yearly week-long camp. Once, every year 60 of us go up to Haliburton Scout Reserve for a week at the end of July and beginning of August. This is a report of this year's camp.

Saturday, June 30 - Everyone has to get up early today, we have to beat the Burlington GO station for 6:30. We board the bus and leave around6:45. We have started the trip to Haliburton. After a couple hours of driving we stop at the New Dutch Oven. This is where we have breakfast. Breakfast is a buffet with all the regular stuff and a glass of orange juice. After a while we get back on the road and we don't stop until we get there. When we arrived, we found that the truck with all of our equipment has not yet arrived. We waited around for a couple of hours for it to arrive. When it did arrive we unloaded all the stuff and put it on barges and headed over to our site. Our site this year was Beacrobra Bay. Beacrobra Bay is on the far side of thelargest island on the lake from the Hub. The Hub is where most of the activities are and where the store is. When we got to our site we set up the group shelter and kitchen and then we all found campsites and set up our tents. After we were done that we came back and ate the dinner that theScouters had prepared for us. We all hung around and talked and playedcards until we had mug-up and went to bed.

Sunday, June 31 - This morning after Breakfast we were divided into our Patrols. There are six patrols, each of which has one day on which they make all the meals for that day. Each patrol is paired with another and thosetwo do all their activities together for the week. We also have the boardexplained to us. At our campsite there is a large board that has poker chips with numbers on them hanging on it. There is one for each person. Each person has a number. What we do with these is if for example if you wantedto go swimming and there was a leader supervising swimming, you would take your number off the board and bring it to the leader who is supervising swimming, give it to them and go swimming. When you are done you take your chip back and put it back on the board. This way the leaders know howmany heads they should see in the water. Also, if you want to go to the Hub, have found a canoe partner to go with and have asked a leader if you can go,what you have to do is put your chip on top of your partner's and then you can go. A little while later barges come and pick us up and take us to theHub for canoe lessons and to get a canoe. After the lessons we canoe backand play capture the flag in canoes. They way this game works is everycanoe has one flag. The flags and pieces of wood painted orange attached to a string. The person at the stern of every canoe attaches their flag to the sternof their canoe and lets it drag in the water. When a whistle is blown the game starts and everyone tries to get as many flags as possible without losing their own. If you lose your flag you keep playing and when you getanother one you attach it to your stern. At the end of the game the canoe with the most flags wins. After the game we had free time until supper and bed.

Monday, August 1- Today is the first day of activities. There are a lot of activities. The patrol groups split off to where they need to go and do their activities. Each group gets to do each activity once, unless it is rained out.The activities at Haliburton are Trappers Cabin, where we learn what it was like to be a trapper, about their traps and the animals, Survival Island, where we learn how to survive in the wild, sailing, kayaking, snorkelling, climbing wall, rappelling, archery and rifely. At each of these activities the instructors there teach us something, instruct on how to do the activity and keep us safe. Each activity except for sailing is one hour long. Sailing is two and a half hours long. These activities are spread out over Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. On these days, if you're not at an activity, eating or on duty you have free time. These times are when you can go swimming or to the Hub. After our morning activities we come back for lunch and the head out forafternoon activities. After those we come back for supper and then head to bed.

Tuesday, August 2- After our breakfast we all head off for our activities. We come back for lunch and then head out again for activities or free time. We all get back for dinner and early bed. Tomorrow is a big day.

Wednesday, August 3- After Breakfast today we break off into two groups. The larger group of people is those who are going on the Pikes Peak hike and trail clean up and the smaller group of people is those who are not. Those on the hike paddle to the entrance and from there begin their trip. They split up and hike on two trails. They hike for a few hours, picking up every piece of litter they see and clearing the trail. After a gruelling hike they make it to the top of Pikes Peak. They rest there for a little while, eat their packed lunches and then start back down the trail. Those of us who stayed behind however have a much different job. Ours is to take down and move the temporary kybos. We dig a hole just a few feet from the old one and fill in the old one. We set the tarp back up. After that our job becomes a little bit more like the job of those on the hike. We have to pick up all the litter on the campsite. After that is done we have to wipe done the tables. After all this we eat and then have free time until dinner, when those on the hike get back.

Thursday, August 4- Today's breakfast is a little bit different than usual. Today we are having what is called a Monk's breakfast. During a Monk's breakfast you cannot talk. If you do, you lose first your fork, then spoon, then knife, then left hand, then right hand, then the table, then the seat, then you have to eat your meal kneeling down and licking it out of a bowl. After breakfast we go back to activities. After lunch though we all paddle over to the Hub, and so does everyone else in camp. This afternoon there is the regatta. All the camps participate in the regatta and all try to win.There are a lot of activities in the regatta. One of these is the Queen Boat race where there are two boats each with eight scouts paddling and one scouter steering racing at a time and being timed against all the boats. Another is the canoe race. Another is the swimming medley where four different swimmers using different strokes from each team race in relay race.Another is the matchstick race, where you are given a match on one side of the dock and have to swim it to the other side without getting it wet and be able to light it on a rock on the other side. Another event is the in and out canoe race. In this event two scouts are in a canoe race, except whenever the event supervisor blows their whistle they have to jump out and get back in as fast as they can and keep paddling. Another event is the sculling race. This event is a canoe race with three scouts in each canoe, except they have to use their hands to paddle. The regatta was going well, and it was lots of fun. But, then all of a sudden a thunder head blew in and it started raining.That cancelled the rest of the regatta and we had to sit around inside for along time before it was safe to go back to camp. When we finally got there,we ate dinner, played cards, had mug-up and went to bed.

Friday, August 5- Today after breakfast everyone headed off their activities. When we all came back for lunch we were told that anyone whodidn't have an activity to do could go to snorkelling again. Lots of people did this because there are two contests going on at Snorkel island. One of this is that if you can catch a fish with your bare hands and bring to the instructor alive you get a Coke. The other is that somewhere is the swimming area there is a bus. If you can go all the way down to this bus and discover the licence plate number and tell it to the instructor you get a 24 pack of Coke. Because of these contests lots of people wanted to go back.After our activities we came back and ate supper. After supper we all paddled over to the Hub. Again the whole camp was there. This time it was for campfire. The instructors started a huge bonfire and we all did skits,songs and cheers for the rest of the night until we were taken back to our campsites on barges.

Saturday, August 6- Our last day at camp. And it starts early. We are all woken up at 5:00 A.M. and we have to start packing right away. We packup the whole campsite and clean it until it is spotless. At 9:00AM the inspectors arrive. Their job is to make sure that our campsite is spotless. If we fail inspection we will be the last people to leave camp. The inspection includes checking the whole campsite for litter and testing to see if the firepit is hot. If it is, it could start a ground-fire and burn down all the trees on the island. After we pass inspection barges come to pick us up. We load all of our stuff onto them and then go over to the entrance on barges. We load the stuff onto the truck and get on the bus and go. We stop at the cottage that one of the Venturers parents have kindly volunteered to let us use and they cook us lunch. After lunch we get back on the road and go home.

- by Max P.