Summer Camp 2013
July 7-14, 2013
Camp Yawgoog
Event Info
Breaking with long-standing tradition, Troop 54 attended summer camp this year at Camp Yawgoog, in Rockville, Rhode Island. The reservation has three camps: Camp Three Point, Camp Medicine Bow and Camp Sandy Beach; our site, James West, was in the last. The large scale of this camp made for long walks to some program areas - the Challenge Center, where they had Climbing merit badge, was close to a mile from the site. We had seven campers (five Boy Scouts and two leaders).
Pictures
Pictures by Joshua Froimson
Camp Picture
The camp sites for the nearest troops were immediately adjacent, with Troop 1 from Coventry, RI, in the Teddy Roosevelt Site and Troop 113 from Centerpoint, Long Island, in the Silver Buffalo site. Overall, during our week, Camp Yawgoog had 920 Scouts and 218 adults in 40 troops, 1 Webelos unit (provisional sign-up) and the Baden Powell troop (the provisional unit for Boy Scouts).
Dinner at Metcalf Lodge, one of three dining halls at Camp Yawgoog.
The camp facilities included 3 dining halls, 4 waterfront area, 4 amphitheaters, 3 permanent structures for worship (Protestant, Catholic and Jewish), a large climbing/COPE facility, a nature center featuring a large cabin, 2 volleyball courts and 1 basketball court. The crafts area (called the Stockade) featured four electrified pavilions, a large fire ring with a teepee, a crafts trading post and an indoor program area. The Campcraft area had four electrified pavilions, one set up for cooking. All together, there were four trading posts, and the camp had a very nice Scouting museum and Scouter lounge.
Most of the food was palatable, but that was about the highest rating any of it got. The troop-cooked dinner of kielbasa with mac 'n cheese was one of the best meals of the week. Scouts from other units insisted on singing the same song (I'm a Beaver) several times per meal, the Beaver being one of eight mascots of Camp Sandy Beach.
Our official camp photo.
Classes at the ranges were huge; our Scouts attended an Archery class with about 68 students. To get shooting time, everyone had to allocate a period for shooting during open range time.
The troop earned "First Class" each day during site inspections by the camp staff. Our Scouts competed in the Sandy Beach Ultimate Frisbee tournament but were eliminated in their first game. While in camp, Troop 54 was visited by our Unit Commissioner and our District Commissioner, both traveling from Worcester. Our Scouts earned 11 merit badges, and our Scoutmaster completed the Mile Swim.
The closing parade/ceremony, for the entire camp, was massive. Its speakers included the Reservation Director (Thomas Sisson) and the Narragansett Council Executive (John Mosby).
This was the troop's fifty-fifth consecutive month with at least one overnight camping trip.
