Summer Camp Highlights

By Dan

Ockanickon is the dirtiest place in the world. And that's what we were, dirty. Yet most of us were still having fun. Troop 5 was first in the Camp-wiade Volleyball Competition for scouts (And I'm supposed to mention that the injured and ailing -or was that injured and old - adults also beat the staff). Unfortunately, our rafting trip was canceled, due to over-flooding on the Delaware. Still we had a lot of fun... and rain, and mud.

I thought archery was the best way to pass the time. Others liked rifle shooting and the shot gun range (new to O.S.R.)

Even though we were only allowed to take three merit badges, some of the troop pulled off an amazing six merit badges. Also a lot of people git a rank advancement. Phil was voted Honor Camper and Andrew got the Paul Bunyon award. The honor patrol was the Buffaloes.

The food was actually good. We had such things as waffles, pancakes, egges, pizza, turkey, hot dogs - the list goes on. Our Parent Night was a funny, muddy success. Our leasder troop skit at the campfire was as usual the funniest.

Amazingly there were no hospital trips, no knee injuries, and only one serious illness (Just don't mention Doritos to Scoutmaster Gift).

Brett, who has been with the Troop for 15 years, first as a scout, then as an eagle scout, and finally as an assistant scoutmaster, will surely be missed. He leaves his hometown of Warminster to take a job as Process Packaging Engineer at Paramount Packaging Company which is approximately one hour outside of Nashville. Brett will be staying with his sister, Janet, and brother-in-law, Dan, for the first six months or so as he gets settled into his new job and the area. He already has been camping with his two nephews and expoloring new areas for rock climbing.

The event is being sponsored by the Delaware Valley Orienteering Association, which is a worldwide association competing in the US and in Europe. Troop 5 hopes to have a speaker from the association speak to us at a meeting prior to the trop.

Scouts are advised to bring a compass and a whistle if you have either. Also please bring $4 on the actual trip to pay for your orienteering map at the site.

Departure from the church is scheduled for 6:30pm Friday.

Please be prepared to sign up for the trip at the 9/9 meeting and to pay the usual $12 camping fee on the 16th.

Some of the activities that were available to the hikers as they reached that day's destination site were telephone pole climbing (Mr. E thought this was the "telephone phoning competition!) and rock climbing. One highlight had to be the burro race. A burro is a corss between a donkey and a mule. Each group picked their fastest runner who would grab hold of the burro's reigns and run alongside of the animal! The rest if the group's job was to run on the other side encouraging the burro to run faster. (Mr. E had been cruelly led to believe this was the burrito eating competition!).

During the shotgun shooting activity at one of the other sites, the participants made their own bullets with the help of a turnstile machine. Then they actually fired these bullets.

Not surprisingly the dehydrated food the adventurers packed was not up to our troop's nomral gourmet standards. In fact it had been described as "pretty bad and it gave you gas". The day's two worst offenders in this category would be relegated to the back of the hike line for the well being and safety of the other hikers.

The rest of you Troop 5'ers have two years to hone your burro racing skills before the next opportunity to participate in a Philmont High Adventure. It's the type of incredible adventure that only Boy Scouting can offer.

The dues are used to register each boy nationally, buy "Boy's Life", purchase supplemental accident insurance, buy merit badges, support advancement expenses, Court of Honor refreshments, fund a donation to the church, contribute to administrative costs (stamps for the illustrious ANthill Times, etc.), and last but most importantly, support our Scoutmaster's outlandish salary.

Kudos are also in order for Paul for completing the week-long Junior Training at Brown Sea Camp. Brown Sea Island is interesting because it is a recreation of the first boy scout encampment on Brown Sea Islan in 1906 which began Boy Scouting.

Highlights of the three day advnture included river canoeing for approximately three hours, mountain biking (even though Todd reportedly got the group lost) and toboganning on a concrete slide.

Redner's Warehouse, conveniently located in the "new" Pointe Plaza Shopping Center, Rte. 611 & Almshouse Rd. is a cross between a warehouse club and your local grocery store. Once again there will be abag stapled to the Boy Scout bulletin board to collect your register tapes. Thanks from Troop 5.