Pre-Camp Meetings for Day Camps and Resident Camps

Camp is just around the corner and to best prepare your boys and parents, we have set up pre-camp meetings for each of our 17 day camps and resident camps. We highly recommend that any leader or parent that will be attending camp this summer attend their specific pre-camp meeting. There is a lot of pertinent information explained about camp to help you prior to your arrival. It is also a chance to meet your camp director and program director and ask camp specific questions that you may have.Visit our website for the dates, times, and locations of the meeting for the camp(s) your Pack or Troop will be attending this summer.

Don’t Forget to Register for Summer Camps

Scout Troops, packs and crews – have you signed up for Summer Camp or Winter Lodge yet?

 

http://www.cpcbsa.org/camping/summer-program/reservations/make-a-reservation

Packs, remember that registration opened for resident camps June 1st this year, not in November as before. So those resident camps are filling faster.

Troops, remember to fill out an independent camp form if you are not camping at a council camp.

Don’t hesitate to call Karen Gill if you have a question. 503-325-2990

Camp Clark All Pack Camping 2014

In 2014, June 29-July 3, Camp Clark, on the Oregon Coast, is making available the extraordinary opportunity for the entire Pack to come to resident camp together. Campers at Camp Clark will experience all of the exciting and traditional experiences of Scout camp including shooting sports, camp songs, games, and hikes.

Tigers, Wolves and Bears will spend their time experiencing what it might have been like to be a boy on the Oregon Trail. Webelos will spend their days at camp learning skills and activities that a young brave might have learned during the days of the Corp of Discovery with Lewis and Clark.

Everyone at Camp Clark will have time to spend on the beach exploring the tide pools, searching for that special sand dollar for the smallest sand dollar contest, take a night hike on the beach to search for bioluminescent plankton, sing camp songs and watch skits at campfire.

Your visit to Camp Clark is a Scouting experience that your Pack will never forget. See you there!  Register your Pack today!

ESCO Corporate Adopt-a-Project Rejuvenates Butte Creek Scout Ranch

This past week twenty employees of the ECSO Corporation dedicated a portion of their weekend to greatly improve the adirondack campsite for our Scouts. Led by their CEO Cal Collins, the volunteer team built new benches, installed new fire rings, shoveled and spread five truckloads of gravel and built two stream crossings with culverts. These campsite upgrades will improve the usability of the site especially for the fall and winter campers who can stay overnight when they sign up for group horse rides at Butte Creek Ranch.

As a part of the volunteer service, ESCO not only provided the labor but also purchased all of the material, rental equipment, brought the necessary tools and provided delicious meals for their employees. They also donated the hand tools and excess construction materials to the camp. The company which started out as a steel manufacturer is celebrating it’s 100th anniversary. They fabricated the heavy duty fire rings right here at their world headquarters in Portland. Not that fire rings are a regular product for the company, they make specialty equipment for excavation buckets and mining. Click here to find out more about the interesting work the company does.

Prior to arriving in camp only about a third of the volunteers had any personal connection to Scouting. ESCO has a long tradition of sponsoring projects in our camps and enjoying a weekend of building both relationships and camp facilities. All of the Scouts who use the improved campsites will surely appreciate the volunteers, but I could tell that the camaraderie and fellowship that was experienced working together and connecting around the campfire provided them an experience difficult to find in any other setting.

If you are interested in finding out more about corporate sponsored projects or how your company can build enthusiasm and relationships contact Andrew Herold at the Scout office aherold@cpcbsa.org, or 503-225-5723.

Ft. Clatsop Day Camp Daily Flag Ceremonies

While attending Ft. Clatsop Day Camp, dens will take turns raising and lowering the flag. There will be a “prepare for flag” session at the end of each day where the den lowering the flag that day as well as the den raising the flag the next morning will review the ceremony. We will start with Webelos dens, most of whom have either witnessed or participated in flag ceremonies before, and work down to the Wolves and Tigers.

Packs going to resident camp may wish to practice their flag ceremonies as well. Your group may have the opportunity to participate in a flag ceremony either for the entire camp or in your own campsite (leaders may get extra points toward their leader award for this…)

Also, be mindful that in the Pledge of Allegiance…there is no comma in the phrase “One nation under God”, therefore there should be no pause between “On nation” and “under God”…

 

To preview the ceremonies we will be using, download the following…

Flag Ceremony – Lowering

Flag Ceremony – Raising

Camping and Properties Update

Several key announcements were made at the Top Team Meeting last Tuesday night including news about the creation of a strategic properties plan task force; the future of Scouters Mountain; and about a Cub Scout camping task force being organized to discuss Cub Scout camp programming throughout our council.
An in-depth property planning task force is being mobilized to study all council properties, their current and potential uses, and to develop a long range property plan to focus our resources to the things most important and most needed at each of the eighteen properties. This effort is led by former board chairman Gene Grant, supported by staff advisor Jim Hill. Nearly sixty volunteers will be engaged in collecting data, developing recommendations, and conducting member surveys to ensure that every detail is considered for this important project, and that every member has opportunity to share opinion and suggestions.
Scout Executive Matt Devore announced at Top Team that the board has approved an agreement to sell Scouters Mountain. He felt that he owed it to the key volunteer base that regularly attend Top Team Meeting to inform them of the potential sale face to face.
Matt made several key points including:

• Back in 2004, the council began a study and held discussions throughout the council to consider a potential sale of the property. Then in 2007 the board approved a sale and had a purchase agreement in place. Shortly thereafter, the recession hit and the deal fell apart.
• The present sales agreement is conditional and based on several contingencies. We will know more this fall, and will keep the group informed as things progress.
• There are no guarantees that this sale will be finalized, evidenced by the fact that the council had a sale agreement to sell the property several years ago that fell through when the recession hit.
• Selling a camp comes with sadness and mixed emotions as it is something dear to many of our volunteers, alumni and youth members. However, we are excited about a future of great programs and better facilities.
• Scouters Mountain will be open this summer for Cub Scout camping programs. It is virtually certain that the camp will also be open through the summer of 2014 and possibly for a few additional summers.
• The council has for years been blessed with great properties and at times inadequate facilities. Minimally, the council has struggled for decades to handle the vast deferred maintenance needs that come from operating eighteen properties. This sale has the potential to help with some of our most pressing issues.

Matt shared four key questions that he thought could be of interest to many of our volunteers. These questions and responses to the questions are as follows: 1. How does the proposed sale of Scouters Mountain affect my unit?

• In the short term, there is no effect as we will continue to operate through the summer of 2014. There is even a chance that camp will be operational beyond that.
• A volunteer group is forming to discuss the future of Cub Scout day and resident camp programs and program progression. Gilbert Ranch and Adventure Cove have enough capacity to handle current and future capacity needs. The volunteer group will explore strategies about how to deliver day camp programs throughout the council; for example, most councils do not own their own day camp properties. Rather, they deliver day camp at community sites that are accessible to greater population bases and provide greater visibility for Scouting within neighborhoods and communities.

2. What is next and when could the sale occur?

• During the next six months the buyer (a homebuilder) will conduct engineering studies and other due diligence measures. We will know more about the timing of the contract later this fall. We expect to be able to operate camp minimally through the summer of 2014.

3. How will the money be spent if the sale goes through?

• Our volunteer board of directors will decide how the money is spent. It is quite likely that the majority of the funds will be placed into the long-term endowment fund to support Scouting for many years to come. While the amount of money is currently confidential, we anticipate being able to share the amount eventually, and plan to be very transparent as to where the money is invested. We will take a close look at property priorities that come out of the strategic properties plan. The health and sustainability of Scouting, our programs and properties is vital and if the sale goes through, this resource would provide the funds to strengthen our many programs.

4. How long will camp be available and open?

• Once again, camp will be open this summer and quite likely through the summer of 2014. Future years (2015 and beyond) are not yet certain. We will know more this fall.

Members with questions about the potential sale of Scouters’ Mountain may contact Matt Devore (mdevore@cpcbsa.org / 503.225.5756) or Jim Hill (jhill@cpcbsa.org / 503.225.5753)

A Cub Scout Camping Task Force has been formed and will soon begin discussions about the future of Cub Scout camping in Cascade Pacific Council. Its main considerations are how to best provide age-appropriate programming for each age level at resident camps, and how to provide outstanding day camps in every community. Several experienced day and resident camp volunteers have been engaged in this important topic; others who would like to be involved may contact Jennifer Mooney (jmooney@cpcbsa.org / 503.225.5712)

Cub Scout Summer Camp Information

Summer camp is right around the corner. A lot of information is starting to show up…

1. Ft. Clatsop Day Camp is June 24 – 28.  For TONS of information please go to:  http://www.cpcbsa.org/leader-resources/download-forms/category/62-day-camp-leader-guides#

2. For information on other fun summer camps for Cub Scouts go to: http://www.cpcbsa.org/camping/summer-program/cub-scout-camps

3. Registration for Day Camp happens as a pack – not individually.  Please connect with your Pack Day Camp Chairman or your Pack Committee Chairman.

4. Kiwanis Tiger Day – a free 1 day adventure at Day Camp for all boys entering 1st grade in Clatsop County – provided to the District by an endowment cared for by the Astoria/Warrenton Kiwanis – is Thursday, June 27 from 10 – 2.  The boy will need to attend with his parent.  There will be a free t-shirt, archery, bb-guns, wood project, fishing and a chance to cook lunch on a stick!  Registrations will be available at each packs Spring Roundup and will be passed out in the schools in May.

Don’t Forget…New Location and Day for District Roundtable

Don’t forget, starting this month Ft. Clatsop District roundtable meetings will change to the 2nd Thursday of each month.

We are also changing the location to the First Lutheran Church – 725 33rd St, Astoria. Meeting time will remain 7pm-830pm

This month we will cover…

* Boy Scout topic will be

• Safety
• Information on Camporee’s
• National Youth Leadership Training: NYLT signups are now open.  Units are required to send youth to NYLT for GOLD level Journey to Excellence status.
  Make sure your units are getting their youth signed up before all the spaces are filled. Visit www.cpcbsa.org/NYLT for more information.
• Boy Scout Camp information:
  • A fourth session of Camp Cooper has been opened, July 15-20, a Monday start; to help add more availabilty for our Scouts to get to camp!
  • There are ONLY 188 spaces available at Boy Scout camps and that is after adding a fourth week to Camp Cooper last week.  Baldwin and Pioneer no longer have any room available for 2013,  and most sessions are already full at the other two camps.  Get your units signed up now before all the sessions become unavailable.
  • Meriwether is a BARGAIN WEEK for the week of June 30-July 6, with savings of $20/Scout during these sessions!

* Cub Scout

• Pinewood Derby evaluation
• Day Camp Information
• Program ideas for Spring
• Spring Membership Recruitment

 

Cub Scout Day and Resident Camp Information:http://www.cpcbsa.org/camping/summer-program/reservations

Opportunity Fund application (first come first serve):

http://www.cpcbsa.org/camping/summer-program/reservations

Please, all of you, come ready to share the great (and not so great) things going on in your troops, crew and packs!

Can Tiger Cubs Attend Resident Camps?

The answer is yes. And Cascade Pacific Council has an awesome resident camp that’s perfect. Cub World at Scouters Mountain, just a few hours drive from here.

For more details on guidelines for camping with Tigers, Cubs, Webelos, as well as older youth, check http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2013/02/22/can-tiger-cubs-attend-resident-camps/

For more information on our council camps, including pictures, check out http://www.cpcbsa.org/camping/camp-properties

Did you know Webelos age girls can attend Gilbert Ranch at Butte Creek?

Girls Camp-Sign up today

Have you ever asked yourself: “It sure would be nice to have my daughter go to Gilbert Ranch! The program is so much fun!” Girls Camp is the answer! In August, Gilbert Ranch is opened up to girls (ages 8-13) for the same great fun-filled program that the Webelos go through. Gold panning, pioneering, horseback riding, and range shooting are just a few of the many activities the girls can participate in while learning how to be a cowgirl. Extra activities, including a half day trail ride, have been added for the 11-13 year old girls. Those encouraged to attend include siblings of Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, American Heritage Girls, and Campfire Girls. To find out more and to register,

click here! http://www.cpcbsa.org/camping/summer-program/cub-scout-camps/gilbert-ranch