We have a great group going to Summer Camp this year – 15 Scouts and 5 Adults in total.
For the Scouts participating in Merit Badge and Brownsea Island programs, the final schedules have been emailed to you; please let me know ASAP if you see any issues with your schedule. There are no merit badge course supply costs due this year from anyone.
MEDICATIONS:
All Scouts that will need or be taking any medications while at camp, MUST put those in the possession of our Medical Officer for Summer Camp, Art Paquet. This includes both prescription and non-prescription medications (such as Advil, Pepto Bismol, etc.), medications to be provided at specific times as well as those to be provided only if/as needed, etc.
BEFORE THURSDAY, June 23rd – please email the Scoutmaster and Art Paquet with a list of all medications you intend to send with your Scout, with instructions on when and how much to administer, and all other pertinent information. There is a medication chart on Page 14 of the Overall guide from the camp (see below), which you are free to use; or you can make up your own version.
ON THURSDAY, June 23rd – when we load the trailer, please bring with you a copy of the instructions you email before Thursday, and all medications in zipper locked bags, or other re-closable/re-sealable bags or containers.
Our suggestion for preparing your medications, if possible/feasible for you, is as follows:
– Use small zipper bags for each dosage, and write on the outside the date and time the medication is to be taken (for example, Monday, with breakfast)
– Use a medium sized zipper bag to hold all of the medications for a given day (that is, put all of the Monday dosages in a bag labeled Monday)
– For any “as needed” medications, include those in one medium sized bag labeled “as needed”
– Use one large zipper bag to hold all of the daily bags (all medications) in one single bag with your Scout’s name on the outside.
– If the idea of having to get snack/sandwich, quart, and gallon sized bags is too much; or you only have a few medications, Art and I will work with you for whatever system works best in your situation to have all the medications clearly separated and labeled.
PACKING LIST:
The camp has developed two guides for leaders and families, that have an overview of the camp, schedule, and other useful information:
– Overall Guide (Link)
– Camp Ottari Guide (Link)
– Brownsea Island Guide (Link)
– NYLT Guide (Link)
There is packing list provided in the overall guide on Page 18. This does provide a good summary of what is needed; but feel free to adjust to suit your Scout. I would suggest including Gold Bond powder or similar, as most of the boys will, at some point, experience some chafing in the groin due to the amount of swimming, sweating and walking. For BSI, there is a short supply list on Page 3 to look over; in particular, there will be a 5-mile mountain hike, so appropriate shoes are important.
I’m also often asked about cash – there is a trading post and a snack shop. It is entirely possible for a Scout to have a great experience and not spend a single penny; but many like to get a rootbeer float, or something from the trading post. Send whatever amount seems reasonable to you, but I would strongly suggest there is no reason for them to have more than $50; in fact $20 is probably plenty.
TRAILER LOADING:
We will meet at Cork UMC on Thursday, June 23rd at 7:30pm. We will load all of the Troop gear needed on the trip (stove, lights, poles, flags, etc.) as well as personal gear that will not be needed to be kept in Vans with the Scouts during travel. (Any items they want or need with them in the van should be included in their “Go Bag” – a backpack or smaller sized bag – pillows may be separate).
Personal gear to be included in the trailer can be contained in trunks, duffel bags, backpacks, etc. Sterilite footlockers (available at Wal-Mart for $25, as well as at other places) make a good choice for summer camp but are not required. Consider whether a combination or key padlock might be a good idea (if you do send them with a lock; please consider sharing the combination or a copy of the key with the Scoutmaster, just in case they forget/lose it). While any electronics will be kept and locked up by the Scoutmaster while at camp, other valuables can also be locked away by the Scoutmaster, so it may not be necessary to lock your truck or duffel bag.
CLASS A UNIFORM – should NOT be included in the Trailer. Rather, ALL SCOUTS should arrive at Cork UMC on Saturday morning to load into the vehicles IN UNIFORM. That is, they should be wearing the uniform, not just have it with them.
DEPARTURE:
We will meet at 4:45am on Saturday morning, June 25th for a 5:00am departure. Our goal is to get them directly into a vehicle as quickly as possible and leave as soon as everyone is loaded up. We do not intend to have to do anything other than get the boys from their cars into the van. They can be as sleepy as you like and they do not need to be pre-fed: we will be stopping for breakfast a few hours into our trip.
CLASS A UNIFORM – All Scouts MUST arrive at Cork UMC on Saturday morning IN UNIFORM. That is, they must be wearing the uniform, not just “have it with them”.
Electronics will be permitted in the vehicles during the drive, but so will books and other non-electronic forms of passing the time. The Scoutmaster will take possession of ALL electronics for the week of camp and they will be locked away. However, even so, we cannot and will no be responsible and we will not be signing receipts, etc. to log them. That said, we don’t expect we’ll have any loss or theft issues, but if we do, neither the Scoutmaster or the Troop will replace any lost or stolen items.
I will send messages at times during the trip to confirm our safe travels to Camp.
AT CAMP:
I will attempt to send messages at times during the week at Camp, but communications will be infrequent and any communications directly between Scouts and family at home are strongly discouraged (except in extraordinary circumstances), as homesickness and such is a natural part of going away and working through it is a major achievement for young Scouts (and one that they don’t get if they call home, or get calls from home).
RETURN:
We will depart Camp very early on Saturday morning, July 2nd, and will be targeting arrival at Cork UMC around 9:00pm. I will send messages at times during the trip to confirm our safe travels home from camp, and to provide an updated ETA as we get closer to home.
Electronics will be permitted in the vehicles during the drive, but so will books and other non-electronic forms of passing the time. The Scoutmaster will return electronics at the breakfast stop.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please call me at (813) 703-1665. I will be in New York again for much of the week, but will do my best to either answer your call, or call you back as soon as I can. I will also be back Thursday and at Cork UMC Thursday night to load the trailers.
In order for me to be sure you have received this information, I request you reply confirming receipt as I will begin following up with texts for phone calls on Friday to confirm all families are aware of the above.
Thank you for the confidence and trust you place in me and my fellow adult leaders to allow us to take your Scouts to Summer Camp. It’s a confidence and trust we don’t take lightly.
Yours in Scouting,
// Jackson