[Bsa-troop85] Day 1 Camp Tom Hale

[David Harder]

Camp Tom Hale:  Day 1,2015 Well, we arrived safely at Camp Tom Hale.  It started to sprinkle just a touch as wearrived.  But the weather has beenabsolutely beautiful.  Cool.  Sunny. With just a touch of clouds.  Goodsleeping weather—for any of you who might want to come next year! Of course, last week it was like it was in the days of Noahhere.  The camp director got stuck in thecamp behind a flooded creek on the day his staff was scheduled to arrive.  So he had 42 people, in a tiny town, withouttheir leader and no place to sleep. Fortunately a nearby Baptist camp had some space for them.  But they didn’t have any food for them.  No problem. A local Mexican restaurant was able to step to the plate (pun intended)and provide several hundred tacos.  On tocamp! Speaking of food…there have been no complaints.  Perhaps that’s because the trading post wasopen the first afternoon we arrived so the intrepid scouts could spend some ofyour hard earned funds on post-lunch junk food. At dinner I sat next to one scout who, as soon as we sat down, ate hispiece of cake first and then not much else on his plate.  Perhaps it was because he ate a giant cookiein the afternoon and only had room left for more dessert.  Well, you know what they say: life isuncertain, eat dessert first.   Jonah White wins the award for best entrepreneur.   He’s making those survival bracelets and hasalready sold several.  And he made evenmore money when we found a $20 bill lying on an empty trail.  Technically, I saw it first but I didn’t thinkI should shove a younger scout out of my way so I could pick it up.  He might need it anyhow to spot another kidsome additional funding to buy more desserts.  Everyone slept well, they say.  When they did, finally and eventually, fall asleep.  One tent reported killing a black widowspider in their canvas abode.  Noevidence was seen of the alleged venomous spider.  But, I won’t tell you which tent it was in soall the moms can worry equally.  Two ofour smarter scouts, Trey and Colton, have very fine mosquito nets set up. Their moms don’t need to worry at all.   Last night we had the campfire put on by the Halestaff.  This year, they actually managedto light the campfire.  My personalfavorite entertainments of the evening included:  The original song “H-A-L-E” put tothe tune of “Y-M-C-A” and including some lines about not falling out of acanoe.  I also enjoyed thepseudo-documentary “life of a rain-drop” in which some six camp counselors saton the ground with their legs pulled up, looking peaceful.  Suddenly, the “raindrops” started screaming insheer terror for several seconds. Then, lastly, they “splatted” out on theground.  Quite original.  I’m the Camp Chaplain this week.  And I must say the morning chapel services wentwell.  A preacher can always tell amessage is going over well when a kid in the second row starts vomiting.  Hopefully my message wasn’t too revolting.  At least it will be memorable forothers.  (note:  he wasn’t one of our scouts, and I did prayfor him to recover from my sermon…and/or whatever had been bothering hisstomach the last day or so). The scouts are all off in their classes this morning.  The course range includes:  rowing, metalwork, plumbing, environmentalscience, lifesaving, first aid, wilderness survival, archery, communications,citizenship in the world and basic knot tying. That certainly covers a lot, and that’s just from the first of fourteaching blocks. More updates to come!
Yours in Scouting,
David (on behalf of our Scoutmaster Paul and Asst. Jeremy)


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