November 2004 - Merit Badge Campout
Merit badges are the lifeblood of scouting. They vary from basket weaving to white water rafting. Some take a day and some take months. No matter how long they take all of them need just one thing. To get done.
That's exactly what happened at the Hoover campout this November. Where scouts camped out, bundled up, then bundled down and got to work.
The outing started out as usual in the St. Raphael's parking lot with us all huddled together for warmth. After the grueling ride of about 45 minutes we were there. We got out, set up, ate our cracker barrel and eventually went to bed.
The next morning we were all ready for old man winter to show his face. But luckily for us he was a little shy and it turned out a beautiful 60-65 degree day.
After a hearty breakfast we all fell in for the flag rising and met our visitors for the day, the Cub Scout Second-year Webelos.
Soon after that we got to work. Everyone dispersed and started attacking their requirements like there was no tomorrow.
The personal fitness people were running. The camping people were learning about the Leave No Trace principles in a game involving 100 ft. of rope, a dozen visiting Webelos scouts, and their parents. The wilderness survival people were checking into their hotels for the night. And the emergency preparedness scout was being the perfect, handsome and intelligent scout that he is. Wonder who that could be? [Editor's Note: since we all know how quiet and humble our Troop Scribe is, we're puzzled, too.]
After cramming our brains with knowledge the scouts needed to let off a little steam so we all joined in a friendly game of football.
Then we all sat down for dinner and our last activity for the evening. That's right the one...the only...CAPTURE THE FLAG!!!!! It was a nail biter all the way through people were crawling and diving out of sight. Dashing and running all over into the wee hours of the night, when we stopped about nine o' clock. After being sufficiently worn out most of the scouts retreated to the lodge for some hot chocolate and a nice friendly game of cards.
The next morning we got up, ate breakfast and packed up. We cleaned the camp and went home.
