Raven Knob 2005 Journal

Raven Knob 2005 # 5

Troop 1131:

This is our last full day at Raven Knob; a few people will leave camp today to make it to swim meets and other commitments, and the rest of us will leave camp tomorrow morning around 9:30 a.m. We should arrive back at St. Stephen's around 3:30 p.m., depending on traffic. Dave Nugent, John Barnhill and Tom Farrell arrived yesterday, and it looks like we'll have enough seats for all on the return trip tomorrow.

As you undoubtedly know, it rained a little yesterday, but our troop managed quite well. We did have a few damp sleeping bags, but we were able to either dry them or provide alternate bedding. The wall tents have held up surprisingly well considering how heavy the rain was. The lake is far above its normal level, and scouts were amazed to see water so high. During the storms, sediment running off trails looked like a yellow river.

Some merit badge activities were canceled. The boys in the RKORES, auto mechanics/four wheel drive program did not get to go onto the trails at night. Wilderness Survival and Camping did not take overnight trips either. Some of the boys will probably have to complete requirements at home for the badges that just couldn't finish all the work at camp.

On the other hand, we held seven more Boards of Review for our scouts. Nick Abbott and Wes Barnhill passed their Second Class Board, Andrei and Aldrin Magalong, John Graham, and Caleb Sevier passed their Tenderfoot Boards, and Sai Iyer passed his Star Board. That makes eleven scouts who have advanced in rank at camp this year. Others are very close to completing requirements for their next rank, and several need only one requirement. Some of the new scouts need only do the five-mile hike requirement to complete that rank. We'll schedule another five- mile hike around Burke Lake in early September.

Last night, despite the rain, we cooked two of our famous "Black Forest Cobblers." Zachary Stephens, Jay Miller, Randy Froehlich and several other scouts helped cook and build the fires, and manage the Dutch ovens. Topped with Vanilla Ice Cream, our scouts devoured the delicacy and several asked for the "secret" recipe. This cobbler has a long history, and the "secret" recipe is one that only scouts in our troop learn about. I'll never tell, but rumor has it that the recipe may be hidden on the troop's web site.

Dan Klinger, our Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, was selected to get the Raven Knob Honor Camper award at the closing campfire this evening. Dan and the other junior leaders have done a nice job this week. Matt Abbott, Zachary Stephens and Danny Galvin along with other scouts really did a fine job running the troop. The Junior Leaders completed youth evaluation forms for the camp, and several adults also had a chance to write evaluations of the camp this week. Overall, the boys and leaders like our campsite, which despite the hills, is fairly central to most merit badges and the dining hall. The troop has scored well on our daily inspections getting scores in the 90's the first two days, and 100's thereafter. The score's means we have kept our campsite clean, and have done our job cleaning the shower house and latrines.

This year is the 50th anniversary of the Camp Raven Knob, and our troop has attended the cam for the past 21 years. Each year we see improvements in the facilities, and this year was no exception. The new class rooms for handicrafts and Trail to Eagle merit badges are exceptionally well done. A large indoor climbing wall room is under construction in the Program Center.

Our adult leaders attended a special luncheon in their training center yesterday. We got to hear about plans for the future of the camp, and we heard the Old Hickory Council Executive talk about scouting membership issues. It seems that because of the drop in Cub Scout participation nationally over the past several years, the Boy Scout population took a down turn this year too.

Next weekend, the troop will hold its annual Planning Camping Trip for Junior Leaders. This is a very important trip for the troop as we conduct Junior Leader Training and plan our calendar for the coming year. I have invited Junior Leaders here at camp to join us next weekend, and several have said they will ask their parents permission. We go to Cape Henlopen, DE, for the planning camping trip, and the boys have a lot of fun at the beach, and on the boardwalk at Rehoboth. There is a limited amount of space in the dormitory, but we have room for a few more people. Scouts should bring sunscreen, insect repellant, boogie boards, and small fans. Video Gaming equipment is OK. We leave for the beach Friday morning, 10:00 a.m., from St. Stephen's.

Until next summer . . .

Philip Sternberg
Scoutmaster