Troop 797: Fort Utah District Fall Camporee 2011 – - September 23 – 24 at Camp Maple Dell

As will be noted below, during this campout my camera had no memory card – - no photos in this report!

Preparation

As Scoutmaster, I sent e-mails to the parents and Scouts (20110921 E-Mail to Parents PDF).  Shawn Hoopes, our assistant Scoutmaster and quartermaster, bought the food for the campout.

Friday, September 23

Shawn and I met the Scouts at the chapel at about 4 pm.  We were both sick, Shawn moreso.  The Scouts who participated were Hans Cosgrave, Bennett Harvey, and Tanner Rife.

We headed south on I-15 toward Payson and Camp Maple Dell, and several miles north of Payson we were delayed by a truck that had spilled hay all over the highway.  It was at this point that I discovered my camera did not have a memory card.

We checked in at the Camporee, and were given a booklet for Saturday’s competition, as well as badges for participating.

At registration we signed up for the Washo campsite (See Camp Maple Dell Map).  After trying to set up camp, we realized that we had forgotten the tent poles for the springbar tents – - we improvised, and the tent became a tarp under which the Scouts put their sleeping bags and other gear.

After dinner, the Scouts prepared for the next day’s “Survivor” activity by reviewing skills identified in the Camporee booklet.  At this time we receive a visit from members of the Grandview Stake, President Scott Cherry and Dan Gagon.

We went to a campfire program, where there were numerous skits.  One troop did the “We are the Boy Scout singers” skit that our troop at done for summer camp at Camp Hunt, with one Scout saying he would be a post (which meant that he simply yelled the word “post” over and over again, which at first struck our Scouts as rather dumb, but unfortunately it gradually grew on Tanner Rife), and another Scout said he would be a preacher.  Our troop did a skit about ducks and nails:

skit - - do you have any duck food

A leader gave a message about gossip, the district provided hot chocolate, and we then went to a Grandview Stake activity.  We caught the score of the BYU football game being played that evening, had cider and cookies, some older Scouts took a younger Scout on a “snitch hunt,” there was a spiritual thought on bravery, Scouts began telling Chuck Norris jokes, and our troop was in bed by about 10 pm or so.  In good Boy Scout tradition, one of the Scouts (Bennett) threw up, and the Scouts were up talking until about 3 am.

Saturday, September 24

The troop got up at about 7 am, and discovered that animals had gotten into the troop trash.  The troop gathered up the trash, ate breakfast, then went for the Camporee “Survivor” activity.

Troop 797 handled the flag ceremony, and then participated in a variety of activities that tested skills such as fire building, first aid, and lashing.  The troop’s score was the eighth highest (out of 16 troops), but we had the smallest troop, and the Scouts did all the skills without assistance from the adult leaders.

District Commissioner Morris Maurice let the Scouts in singing “The Song of the Sewer” (if you don’t know the song, check out a performance here – - Art Carney – Song of the Sewer 1955 – YouTube).  Troop 797 handled the closing flag ceremony.

We then packed up, cleaned the campsite, drove home.  During the ride home I learned a new joke (“Justin Bieber would die if Chuck Norris could hit girls), and Video:Kid History – Episode 4 – by BoredShortsTV – Kid History Wiki.

Back at the chapel, we unpacked, and Sister Rife gave all the Scouts a ride home.

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