Camping & Outdoor Programming
Service Project Opportunity
Heather Brownell of the Heart & Soul Clinic in Westfield, Indiana has contacted volunteer organizations with the following plea for help:
The Heart and Soul Clinic is desperately in need of a group or organization to pull some weeds and cut back some bushes. Depending on the number of individuals that help, I am guessing this should only take at most 2 hours.
Heather can be contacted at (317) 804-5782. I am not going to post her direct email on the internet, but the information email for the clinic posted on their website is info@heartandsoulclinic.org.
Thank you to Troop 56’s Bill Cherry for this lead on an article.
Camporee: 2 Days – Report from Chairman Stu
Here is the latest from District Camporee Chair Stu Bowes on preparations for the Zombie Apocalypse Camporee:
Dear North Star Scouters,
Keep our fingers crossed, but it looks like the weather is cooperating for us this weekend.
We have a lot planned and a few surprises that should be fun. Con Sullivan, our multi-talented DE, will be conducting a group evacuation activity at 4:00pm on Saturday. This will help the Scouts with a difficult to coordinate aspect of the E Prep merit badge.
I am still looking for a few troops to report back to me on head counts and their plans for patrol competitions. We only have 6 activities on the books which includes my quiz and that’s a little on the light side. [Roster form is available here to download.]
The south gate will be open until 11:00 PM on Friday, from 8:00 to 11:00 on Saturday and 8:00 til noon on Sunday.
The west (main) gate can be triggered internally (via sensors) if needed, but discouraged.
YiS,
StuSign Up Sheet
Troop # Scouts Adults Total
Troop 56 20 5 25
Troop 35 5 4 9
Troop 269 20 4 24
Troop 343 11 6 16
Troop 73 10 5 15
Troop 514 10 4 14
Troop 358 20 4 24
Troop 804 7 4 11
Troop
Troop
____________________________________
Total: 103 35 138Campsites are available first-come, first served.
Willie Cap eligible Scouters:
Ron Wells T343
Andrew Himebaugh T343Patrol Competitions:
1- T343 “Zombie Down”
2- T586 “Zombie Escape – Chart a path to safety” Cory Christensen
3- T69
4- T269 “Zombie Death by Water Balloon”
5- T35
6- T804
7- T73
8- T56
9- T358 Tomahack Toss
10-T35 String Burning
11- [North Star Firecrafter Ember – “Burn the Zombie”
12-] STU “Will You Survive the Zombie Apocalypse?” quizInterest In Adult Training:
T269- 2-3 adults for training [Please post RSVPs to cacnorthstar.org/]Other Needs:
Flag Raising – T358
Flag Lowering – T69
Scouts Own –
Campfire – T269
Bathroom Cleanup – T514
Fireman/Police Officer needed for Skit at Flag Raising- T269 and/or35Campfire Skits:
All Troops are asked to organize at least one skit based around the Zombie theme for the Saturday Campfire.
As a reminder, here are the dates for our other upcoming camporees:
1/22-24/16 – Camp Kreitenstein
4/22-24/16 – Camp KikthawenundStuart D. Bowes
317-696-7569
sbowes@indy.rr.com
Why is Attending this Emergency Preparedness Camporee so Important?
Camporee is important because Emergency Preparedness is important.
I am often interested in receiving ideas for articles that are interesting and timely. This article is due to a suggestion from Troop 343’s John Ruggles. The link he sent demonstrates that the general public is most prepared for emergencies if they have practiced emergency preparedness skills.
In 2009, FEMA conducted the Citizens Corp[s] National Survey of “Personal Preparedness in America ( http://www.citizencorps.gov/down… ).
The Citizens Corp[s] Preparedness survey highlighted several aspects of “preparedness”:
- Having disaster supplies
- Having a household plan
- Familiarity with community systems
- Volunteer experience with a community safety organization
- Knowledge of immediate response
- Participation in drills
- Preparedness training
It seems obvious when you say it, but research shows that people who receive preparedness training are more likely to be prepared.
And involvement in related projects demonstrably increases actual preparedness, more than just about any other factor:
Individuals who had been involved in a community safety program (74%) or a disaster response team (71%) were significantly more likely to have disaster supplies in their home as compared to those who had not volunteered (52% and 50%, respectively).
I also found the comment from Daniel Smith particularly useful. He reminded me of the 2012 Baylor University study of the impact of scouting on the scouts. Daniel sums up the study rather succinctly this way,
In short, the study discovered a trend between those involved in the Scouting program and their future successes in life. Some of the noted trends include “higher levels of planning and preparation skills,” a higher chance to “be in a leadership position at their place of employment or local community,” and they “report [to have] closer relationships with family and friends.” So, one can infer that Scouting alumni are better prepared than the average citizen for many aspects of life.
The BSA has done a nice job of reducing some of these findings into marketing brochures that you may have seen in the past.
Please make sure to consider some of this material as you prepare Scoutmaster Minutes, skits, and games for Camporee and in the immediate follow up. Reinforce a great message.
Thanks again to John Ruggles for the lead on a good story.
Camporee 5 Days and Pack Overnight 12 Days: Encouraging unit attendance
Remember that one of the most important parts of any scouting his boys in tents. Boys will not remember much of the meetings that they attend. They will remember many details of campouts.
The lessons we seek to impart are about finding a scout’s part in a community. Campouts are where they have the best chance to look at themselves and how they fit together with their buddies in their unit.
Often it is not the scout that we need to persuade to attend the camp out. It is the reluctant parent who finds excuses why the campout is not a necessary part of their son’s participation in scouting. A confident scout leader will always address concerns with the parent about why a Scout is not attending the camp out.
This is often an opportunity to teach a reluctant parent about why scouting works and what makes it unique as a program. It is often the best chance to explain how campouts teach citizenship and leadership better than almost any other opportunity in the child’s extracurricular activities. Confident scout leader will not look at this discussion as a problem but as a chance to build retention. Educating parents about the program is one of the best ways to make sure the scout stays in the program for an extended period of time.
This means that we, as scout leaders, need to be confident in offering camp out programs in the fall and asking questions of parents when their sons cannot participate. We need to be understanding when there are athletic or family conflicts on the schedule. But we need to help the parent find alternate opportunities to participate.
The district offers Camporees and Pack Overnights in order for units to have an easier time offering campout opportunities. Take advantage of this opportunity not just for your unit but for each of your boys.
If you take the time for sleepy boy’s parents that their attendance is important, your participation rates will increase dramatically. In larger units this can be a time-consuming proposition for a cup master or scoutmaster. It becomes very important to delegate those responsibilities to assistant cubmasters or den leaders or assistant scoutmasters to make the Ask more successful and timely.
Camporee: 9 Days — Fire Truck
Assistant Camporee Chair Rick Aker has arranged with a retired Indianapolis Fire Department officer to have an old fire pumper truck at the Camporee.
Just another item to share with your scouts.
Camporee: 10 days — Eagle Project
Bill Cherry and Rick Aker assumed shared responsibility as District Co-coordinators of Eagle Projects on August 20, 2015.
Both gentlemen will be attending the Fall Camporee.
Throughout the Camporee, these gentlemen will make themselves available to discuss Eagle Scout binder and project training to any adult (including scoutmasters, troop advancement chairs, troop Eagle advisors, and Eagle-candidate parents) who would like to hear more about what it takes to have a successful project and a proper binder.
Rick Aker serves as assistant Camporee Chair and will be around the Scout Cabin most of the weekend.
Bill Cherry will have some Camporee training commitments but will likely be floating around the Camporee more.
Camporee: Is your SPL Prepared?
UPDATE 10/7/15: Retitled.
This Fall Camporee is going to be fun but very busy. It may require a special emphasis on preparing your SPL.
Does your SPL know about these items:
- The Friday night meeting at 9:00 pm.
- The new Commissioner’s Awards for patrols and SPLs.
- Encouraging older scouts such as OA and Firecrafters to be involved in managing troop events.
- The requirements of the Willy Award.
- His adult leaders’ plans to attend District Training at Camporee to better manage contingencies.
- The time and place for the Saturday SPL meeting.
- His troop’s contribution to the Saturday night campfire.
The goal of all of these events is to offer opportunities to lead while having fun. Help your SPL focus on the fun and avoid unnecessary stress. If he is prepared, it will work well.
If problems arise, at least he will have stories to tell.
Camporee: 11 Days — Emergency Mobilization
District Camporee Chair Stu Bowes announced yesterday, “Con Sullivan, our District Executive, will be conducting a mass casualty and mobilization drill with our Zombie theme at 4:00 for the Scouts. This should help some of the boys (and motivate others) who are working on their E Prep Merit Badge.”
Con is an Emergency Preparedness merit badge counselor. More importantly, he has a Master’s Degree 
from Ball State in Government Affairs, with an emphasis in Homeland Security. He will make himself available to scouts who wish to do some counseling with a counselor having a professional insight into this world. (As always, scouts should bring their blue cards with scoutmaster signatures.) Check in with the scout cabin to keep up to date on Con’s schedule.
Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge Requirement #7 states, “Take part in an emergency service project, either a real one or a practice drill, with a Scouting unit or a community agency.”
Requirement 8 further requires,
Do the following:
A. Prepare a written plan for mobilizing your troop when needed to do emergency service. If there is already a plan, explain it. Tell your part in making it work.
B. Take part in at least one troop mobilization. Before the exercise, describe your part to your counselor. Afterward, conduct an “after-action” lesson, discussing what you learned during the exercise that required changes or adjustments to the plan.
C. Prepare a personal emergency service pack for a mobilization call. Prepare a family emergency kit (suitcase or waterproof box) for use by your family in case an emergency evacuation is needed. Explain the needs and uses of the contents.
What can you imagine for your scouts can be done to prepare for Con’s exercise to complete these requirements!?
Camporee: Final Checklist
UPDATE 10/8/15 at 10:05 AM: Retitled.
As of Monday, September 28, 2015, we had 12 days until the Fall Camporee! [As of October 8th, we are down to one day!]
Make sure that your troop has kept up-to-date on their task list:
- confirmed your reservation with District Camporee Chair Stu Bowes, including a headcount;
- communicated the event that your Troop plans on offering during the Camporee (and considered whether one or two Firecrafter or OA members could run the event rather than an adult, to better serve the Aims of Scouting), including some troop meeting dry runs;
- considered your Troop’s contribution to the Friday night campfire, including some troop meeting rehearsals;
- identified your scouters who are eligible for receiving the North Star Red Cap;
- reviewed the criteria for the coveted Willy Award with your Senior Patrol Leader (or the acting Senior Patrol Leader for the Camporee) and determine what the patrols’ contribution to your campsite theme will be;
- reviewed the criteria for the new Commissioner’s Awards with your Senior Patrol Leader (or acting SPL) and determine how it will affect your patrols’ preparations for the Camporee;
- contacted your scouters who have received their Wood Badge or current candidates to advise them that District Chair Steve James is interested in rebuilding the District’s Wood Badge Association known as the “Willy Gillies,” and there will likely be a discussion at or after Cracker Barrel on Saturday night about the Willy Gillies;
- talked to your newer or untrained scouters (whether they are camping out or not) about the long list of trainings that will be offered at Camporee that will be necessary for Rechartering, including
- Youth Protection Training – Friday night
- District Committee Training – Saturday 9:00 am to 1:00 pm
- Troop Committee Challenge – Saturday 9:00 am to 11:30 am
- Training the Chartered Organization Representative – Saturday 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
- Scoutmaster-Specific Training – Saturday for 4 hours (2 segments: 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm and 6:00 to 8:00 pm).
This will be a busy and wonderful Camporee. With the theme being interesting to the boys and amount of training offered, we will likely need an unusually high number of adults present to be able to run the programs and serve the boys simultaneously.
In any case, we look forward to the camaraderie of scouting in North Star!
Reservations for Camporee
Stu Bowes sent this message on September 21, 2015:
The 2015 Fall Camporee is rapidly approaching in three weekends (Oct 9-11) at the Indiana School for the Blind. Our theme is “Zombie Apocalypse” based around the emergency preparedness merit badge. We are working on some special attractions to spice things up a bit.
Listed below is what I need form you:
YiS,
Stu
2015 FALL CAMPOREE
Sign Up Sheet
Troop # Scouts Adults Total
Troop 56 20 5 25
Troop
Troop
Troop
Troop
Troop
Troop
Troop
Troop
Troop
____________________________________
Total:
Campsites are available first-come, first served.
Willie Cap eligible Scouters:
Patrol Competitions:
1- T343
2- T586
3- T69
4- T269
5- T35
6- T804
7- T73
8- T56
9- T358 Tomahawk Toss
1-Youth Protection
2-Scoutmaster Specific
3-OtherOther Needs:
Flag Raising –
Flag Lowering –
Scouts Own –
Camp Fire –
Bathroom Cleanup –
Fireman/Police Officer needed for Skit at Flag Raising
Campfire Skits:
All Troops are asked to organize at least one skit based around the Zombie theme for the Saturday Campfire.
Interest In Adult Training:
1-Youth Protection
2-Scoutmaster Specific
3-Other
CAC North Star Unofficial Website 
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