Raven Knob 2005
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Raven Knob 2005 #1 Troop 1131: Our trip to camp was one of the better journeys on I-81; the fourth of July weekend had the Virginia State police out in force. It almost seemed as if cars were being ticketed every few miles along the highway by both marked and unmarked police cars. However, we arrived safely and without a ticket. The traffic was light on all the roads. I want to thank all the parents who helped drive the troop to camp. When everyone arrived, we headed to our campsite, Piney Ridge A, B and C. It's the same site we have used for many years, and the camp automatically reserves it for us every summer. Check-in procedures although more automated, were not as smooth as in the past; it must have taken us 20 minutes as opposed to five or ten minutes as in the past. We went to our campsite. Our scouts stowed their gear, and changed into bathing suits. Our troop is so large that we had to ask the staff for a couple of additional tents. We walked to the old dining hall, now called the Program Center, for our health rechecks. The camp gave me a pager as they did last year. You can send messages to the pager by dialing 336-371-6001. Cell phones don't work well in camp, but the pager is quite efficient. Parents can call the pager number to leave a voice mail message. Alternatively, log into http:\\www.rcscom.com, and send a short email message to the pager. Use the pager sparingly, but it's the fastest way to contact us. For routine messages, just send me an email. I will try to check my email messages daily. A couple of years ago, the camp installed a wireless Internet for leaders to use with their laptops. The wireless connection is available in several locations around camp. Nathan Sherrard our returning college graduate logged into the network from the campsite. His signal was weak, but it worked. Our new Junior Leaders, Matt Abbott, SPL, and Dan Klinger, ASPL, have started out doing a great job. Some of our adults attended a Leaders' meeting the first night and passed a lot of information onto the Patrol Leaders later that night. This morning, I woke John and Matt and Dan at 6:30 a.m., then, in turn, they woke their Patrol Leaders and Troop Guides who woke the rest of the boys. The bugle sounds at 7:00 a.m., we gather at 7:10 a.m., and go to the camp assembly at 7:20 a.m.. Breakfast is at 7:30 a.m.. It's organized quite well. Waiters and assistant waiters set the tables, and clean after each meal. The jobs rotate daily. At the Leaders' Meeting, we signed up for a troop rifle shoot and for troop archery, and for the new "wobble shotgun range." We will go to the archery range tomorrow as a troop, and we will go to shotgun range onThursday night as a troop. This is the first year that we did not win the lottery for the rifle range. On Sunday evening after dinner the troop attended a nondenominational vesper service. Although, vespers are offered almost every evening, we have so many other activities planned that few scouts can attend any of the other services. The camp is offering a special God and Country Award that involves a variety of activities. Jay Miller and Antonio de la Pena have indicated an interest in working for the award. Our new scouts seem to be doing fine after their first day in camp, but a few have told me they are a little homesick already! It rained last night, but with only a few exceptions, everyone stayed dry. Philip Sternberg Scoutmaster |
Send comments to: philip.sternberg@verizon.net