Scoutmaster Musings

The troop heads for summer camp in 19 days for a new experience - We'll be sharing a campsite with another troop for the first time ever. For another troop's experience on campsite sharing, check out this entertaining post.

We've got 39 scouts going and the other troop has only 3 so it will be a lopsided 'integration' and we're probably going to be the 'troublesome' troop. But, we've done what we can to smooth the road.

• I met with the other SM at lunch last week to discuss how she'd like to have camp run. They sound like they're doing a good job, so I don't think we'll have any "Yellow Shirt Day" scenes. :-)
• We reviewed the campsite map and she showed where they usually have adults tent and then scouts tent by patrols the rest of the place. Good.
• They have a different patrol plan campfire each evening. Good.
• I'm sending her the merit badges our guys are taking so the scouts can use that connection to get to know each other. We'll probably do troop activities together as well.
• Both SPLs will be at camp. Our SPL is at NYLT this week and I'll talk with him when he gets home about how he'd like to integrate troops. We've already talked and he's excited to run camp. Us two scoutmasters felt having the two SPLs tenting close would be good so they could talk as needed, but we'll see.

We'll do our best to be good neighbors and campers! :-)

If you're wondering why we're sharing a site, it's because of the reservation policy in our council and blunders. A troop has first dibs on a campsite every year F O R E V E R as long as they reserve it in the spring. The other troop has used the site F O R E V E R so they get it, even though it holds 70 people and is the largest site in camp.
Last summer, our SPL saw the site was open and reserved it but the reservation folks had made a mistake so the site was double-booked. By the time we found out, there were no other sites available to hold our troop and the other troop was expecting a small turn-out so they decided to share with us. It will be a fun week and a good opportunity to be good neighbors.

Scout On