Vitamin "R"

Summer camp can really wear you out. The fresh air, exercise swatting at insects, hard ground to sleep on, and no air conditioning means you need to get your vitamin R (Rest) whenever you can.

The first three days of camp set heat index records and it wiped out some scouts and adults. Even though they drank water, slowed down, and ate meals, a few were effected enough to need a quick trip to the health lodge.
As an adult volunteer on outings, it's crucial to keep an eye on all scouts to ensure they are taking care of themselves. Training the scouts to look out for each other is just as important. Even if it appears that everyone is being careful, remain wary for signs of heat or cold illness, depending on the environment. Someone doing all the right things can still become ill.

The lack of sleep while camping, especially for a week or more, can become a safety concern. Tired people make poor choices, are not as physically able, and tend to get injured more - besides, they just don't have as much fun. A sure sign of a 'tenderfoot', or inexperienced outdoorsman, is someone that stays up talking late into the night.

Taking time to rest and having reasonable Lights Out and are good ideas. We're fortunate to have an older scout as Bugler who is not afraid to enforce the quiet after lights out.

Scout On