Boy Scout Troop 1001

  Date: Tue, 29 May 2007 09:30:10 -0500
Subject: Hello from Summer Camp!
From: JD Miller

Hi folks,

Just a note to let you know things are great here at Hale Scout Reservation (HSR). We had a great bus ride up, enjoying the scenery as we rolled along... And we stayed high and dry in the rain.

Check in was easy, they didn't let us hike our packs to the campsite, as they had something else in mind, a three hour hiking tour of the the camp and all its facilities. Well, we might have missed our backing experience on the way in, but we did get to hike, and hopefully, we can backpack out.

Our troop is one of the largest in camp. Only one other troop arrived by bus, and they were from Texas too. It seems most of the troops here are from Texas. Maybe the folks who run this place took a page from the OU Football recruiting manual? Needless to say, we are being treated very well. The CAMP DIRECTOR comes by our breakfast table EVERY MORNING and ask how we are doing, and if we need anything. Amazing.

We also notice the boys here are much more polite and respectful. When scout signs go up (calling for quiet) it usually only takes a moment or two to shush the whole group... Inside or out!

Staff here is awesome! They are all college age kids, and really know their stuff. One mentioned he was recruited from Texas camps, where he started staffing at a very young age. Anyway, they are very helpful, and know their stuff too. They are also very organized. Things just seem to always go right, except when they took our bags to Troop 1001 --Longhorn Council-- campsite during check in. Well, they got that fixed in short order too, and we were not missing one piece.

  The weather has been awesome too. Sure, we have had all that rain you guys are getting in Dallas, just a few hours later, but it is so cool in the evening that one MUST sleep under some covers to fend off the cool air. What a switch from Constintin, where one just couldn't get cooled off anywhere.

 Well, in closing, a couple of photos are attached. One is a "form up" moment where the troop is preparing to depart camp to go to dinner (notice the Class "A" uniform?). The other is a shot down a long sidewalk going down a steep hill toward the lake, and the Aquatics area. This will give you some idea as to the terrain- very hilly, and quite lush and green.

More to come...

Troop 1001 @ HSR

Date: Thu, 31 May 2007 10:00:53 -0500
From: JD Miller
To: "Summer Camp '07 Parents"

Today's news is a mixed bag...

 Yesterday one of our adult staff--Mrs. Van Hamme--went down with a broken right foot. All the rain created some slippery conditions, and she slipped and broke the bone that runs along the outside edge of the foot, just behind the small toe. I took her to the Choctaw Indian hospital in Talihina, where they did x-rays, and pronounced it broken. Soon, we were back in camp, her foot in a cast, and we loaded up in her car and drove back to Dallas. As of 11:00pm last night, I believe she was in good spirits, and not in pain.

 Mr. Kinnard arrived on the scene yesterday to take the place of Mr. Kannarr who had headed home, and thus we are down two adult staff members. All agreed that they could still effectively run the camp with five adults (only two are required), so I choose to drive Tana home, rather than let her attempt it with a broken foot. I doubt the scouts will notice, since we are working hard to keep it "boy led".

Remaining in camp are 5 adults. God bless adults who volunteer their time for such a worthy cause- our boys- and keep them in your prayers.

Now what you really want to know is how are the boys doing. We did have two confirmed cases of strep throat in our camp. The first has been removed from camp, and is on antibiotics at home, and the second is on antibiotics, and quarantined to his quarters while he waits out the contagious period. After using this as a teaching opportunity regarding cleanliness, not sharing food or drink, the spreading of infectious diseases, etc... we had a rash of campers yesterday morning who suspected they too had become ill. All were marched down to the camp health lodge, inspected thoroughly, and pronounced fit, though many had allergies working, or froggy throats due to the cool damp weather. Our adult staff is monitoring the situation closely, and as of the time I left camp yesterday afternoon (5:30 pm) we believe the situation to be contained with NO additional problems. They are working hard to keep the boys warm and dry.

Otherwise, it is the usual bumps, bruises, scrapes, etc... The normal stuff that we expect in camp. We are well equipped with first aid materials and training, plenty of OTC meds to take care of the little stuff, and of course the health lodge is staffed with a qualified nurse and often a doctor too, and the hospital is just down the road in Talihina. That is to say, your kids are in good hands, and for you to not worry. If you have not been contacted directly, your child is not one of the strep throat victims.

Whew! Now for the good news... Camp continues for the rest of the campers, and they are having fun and doing fine. There are so many activities the scouts can engage in, it is impossible for me to keep up with it all. They offer open classes during free time for Totin' Chip, Firem'n Chit, and many of our campers have taken advantage of this training. As well, they can go swimming, boating, sailing, water sliding, blobbing, etc... During free time (assuming they are qualified for each activity) or just chill out somewhere is this beautiful camp.

Yesterday it appeared things were drying out for a bit. Hopefully that trend will hold for a while. The ground here is sort of a mixture of sand and clay, so it can be slippery when wet (clay) it does tend to soak in quickly (sand) when it stops raining. Please pray for dry weather so they don't have to load wet canopies, have any more slips or falls, etc...

I am throwing in a few more photos. Yesterday, it was more of the camp, and today it will be more of the boys. I hope you enjoy them as much as I was enjoying taking them. And if anyone happens to be driving up that way today or tomorrow, I would love to catch a ride back to camp!

Doug Miller, Troop Committee Chairman
Troop 1001

Date: Fri, 01 Jun 2007 13:04:17 -0600
From: Troop 1001 Scoutmaster
Subject: Arrival Time from Camp has changed

 

Hello all parents of Happy Campers,

We have had a wonderful, eventful week of fun in the woods, rain, strep and all. Everyone is healthy I am happy to report. The smiles on the faces of the boys (who are not sunburned or dehydrated in any way) tell the story.

The purpose of this message is to inform you that it appears now we will return earlier than planned due to some schedule changes here at camp which will allow us to depart earlier than we thought initially.

Please plan to pick up your son, his stories and gear at approximately 1:00pm on Saturday at the same location from which we departed.

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Yours in Scouting,
Scoutmaster Coon

 Date: Sat, 02 Jun 2007 07:41:07 -0500
From: JD Miller
To: "Summer Camp '07 Parents"

I hope this letter finds you all well. I can personally report the Scouts of Troop 1001 are all doing fine!

This is the last letter from camp. Thought I would throw out a few more photos.

Please Enjoy!

Doug Miller, Committee Chair

Troop 1001