The NW Scouters' Club is a co-operative of Scout Troops. Representatives of member Scout Troops gather to share ideas and experience, plan joint activities, and pursue other projects of mutual benefit.
The group discussed the annual winter camporee. A number of groups will be attending included some Venturer Companies. This is the first year Venturers have been invited to attend. Those attending should remember that campfires must be off the ground.
Six troops from North Waterloo ventured through a blizzard to snowy Owen Sound on the last weekend in January. Their destination was the annual Owen Sound Winter Camp. Four hundred Scouts and Scouters from Ontario and Ohio were in attendance.
The snow in Harrison Park was a metre deep, an ample supply for building quinzhees, snow trenches, and other sorts of shelters. Activities on Saturday included an obstacle course, log sawing with two-person saws, fire lighting, orienteering, a knots and lashings challenge, and the rescue mission. On the rescue mission, patrols with Klondike sleds must rescue an injured person, giving first aid and being tested on Scouting skills along the way.
The 21st Waterloo Scouts won the knots and lashings trophy with a final time of 4 minutes, 15 seconds after the addition of a one minute penalty for a poorly tied timber hitch. This result shows what can be done when a patrol works together, everyone doing their part.
On Saturday evening, after a barbecue dinner provided by the camp committee, the 11th Kitchener and 21st Waterloo went bowling.
Sunday was a sunny day, great for sledding on the old ski hill and looking at the birds in the nearby zoo before heading home.
The members discussed the idea of having a winter skills day event in preparation for next year's winter camp. The day would include snow activities and winter Scouting skills. The requirement concerning fires and being off the ground must be emphasized. Mike Smith can obtain washing machine drums for anyone wishing to have a fireplace container.
Report by Scouter Ted Claxton.
The snow was 65 cm deep. It took about an hour of digging to get an area cleared for a troop site. With approximately 450 in attendance, the 40th anniversary of the Winter Camp was a great success. The NWSC was represented by the 11th Kitchener, 33rd Kitchener, 43rd Kitchener, 4th Waterloo, and 21st Waterloo. A large contingent of about 150 came from Miamisburg, Ohio. This is the Sister City of Owen Sound. Their Scouts have been coming to the Winter Camp for 15 years.
Harrison Park, on the edge of Downtown Owen Sound, is a beautiful site in a deep sheltered valley with the Sydenham river and a subsidiary stream flowing through. The organised activities included log sawing, compass game, fire lighting, obstacle course, and lashing challenge — raise the flag. There was also a five station Emergency Rescue Challenge where the scouts went around a course taking a "casualty" on a sled. The course took about 01:15 h to run. The 21st Waterloo had its own creation while the rest of our groups had to beg or borrow (but not steal) a sled. Participants are encouraged to build and bring a sled constructed in accordance with competition specifications.
On Saturday night we all went to the Owen Sound Arena to see the Owen Sound Attack take on the London Knights. Frank Mahovlich, Leaf's No. 27 and Canadian Senator, was the game celebrity. At the intermissions he signed autographs on the Post Canada souvenir postage stamp sheets and first day covers depicting hockey legends. Senator Mahovalich was very gracious and had a word for everyone who sought his autograph.
This event is well run, has great facilities, and is a worthwhile experience. The cost was $11.00 per participant plus $5.00 for a hockey game ticket. The Owen Sound Scout Shop had a wide selection of items for sale with specials on a number of items.
The Camp will be with the Owen Sound 40th anniversary winter camp. This is an international camp with members from the BSA in Michigan attending. The groups that have committed to going are 11th Kitchener, 33rd Kitchener, 4th Waterloo, 21st Waterloo, and probably 10th Waterloo.
17th Cambridge was the only Club troop to attend South Waterloo District's ANIK winter camp. Three reasons were cited for the low rate of attendance: information about the camp was received late, in some troops Scouts wimped out of winter camp, and the date was not good for some troops. A winter camp has been scheduled for next year, February 7-9, 2003.
Ben announced that the South Waterloo District would hold their winter camp, ANIK, the same weekend as the Club camp. ANIK will be held at Peacehaven Scout Camp near Drumbo. The Club members decided to join in that event. The Club will participate in the Saturday challenge program organised by SWD. On Sunday, each troop will bring and run a native game for the other troops. Games of northern origin are encouraged. Possibilities for native games include snow snake and high kick.
The registration fee is $10.00 per participant. The fee includes a badge. Ben will provide the information and Ted will have it distributed to the Scouters' Club. The camp runs Friday evening to Sunday at 13:00.
A sunny January weekend greeted about two-dozen Scouts at the NW Scouters' Club's first event: a winter camp. Scouter Ted Claxton gave Scouts a lesson on how to pack gear on a toboggan before they headed to their campsites in Everton Scout Forest. The next task was piling up snow for quinzhees (snow caves). After some tobogganing, Scouts returned to hollow out their homes for the night. The Scouts brought the Bill Evans campfire circle to life with songs and skits before having mugup and heading into the snow for the night. As the temperature dropped, some Scouts wondered if Scouter Liam was telling the truth about snow's ability to insulate. Come morning, any doubt was gone. It has gone down to minus 13.5 degrees Celsius overnight. In at least one quinzhee, it was plus 1. After a Scouts' Own, Scouts rotated through several activities and packed up to head home. At closing, the entire camp gathered for a photo on top of one of the quinzhees, demonstrating its strength. The camp gave Scouts the satisfaction of having met a challenge and proved for Scouters that great programs come from co-operation.
The winter camp at Camp Everton was discussed at length. Four troops will participate with a total of 25-30 Scouts. Liam gave a short lesson on quinzhee construction and will do the same at camp. Troops should bring small tarps, firewood, and shovels. Small shovels with short handles are excellent for digging out quinzhees.
Wheeler Lodge (the barn) will be available as a headquarters. The kitchen can be kept warm with the stove. Ted will investigate ways to heat the large downstairs room. Hot water will be kept available in the kitchen. Troops wishing to come up on Friday may set up tents in the new wood shed, use Wheeler Lodge, or stay in Adirondacks. The 4th & 17th Waterloo have booked Seneca and Oneida Adirondacks (near the east pump). Troops should book as their use of Camp Everton as if they were tenting. Straw is available from Camp Everton for $2 per bale. Paul Frieberger (Camp Ranger) will bring some plastic kybos to near the barn.
January 19-20, 2001 was confirmed as the date for the winter camp. The camp will be at Camp Everton. Troops may arrive at camp on Friday, though the camp will officially open on Saturday at 10:00. The camp will focus on winter Scouting skills, in particular, shelter building. A conference approach will be used, allowing Scouts to choose what and how much skill learning to do. Troops should include the Winter Scouting badge in their programs leading up to camp to prepare their Scouts for it. Several requirements can be completed at camp. Jim suggested that some less experienced troops may want to come to camp for the day.
Other program ideas included: toboggan packing, cooking, baking, fire starting, wide game, hot air balloons (made from dry cleaning bags, tether with fishing line), boot hockey, snow pitch (baseball in the snow), ice snake (pole sliding game), GT Derby, tobogganing, pioneering, and snowshoeing.
The use of hay as a shelter flooring was discussed. There was the concern that it would be difficult to get rid of. Burning was suggested; others thought it would not burn well. It might be acceptable to leave hay in the Adirondacks. NWD's Santa Claus Parade float was suggested as a possible source of hay. Diane to investigate. [Note added after meeting: Camp Everton can provide hay for $2 per bail.]
Ted will book the Activity Shelter as a headquarters. The tarp walls will be put up and propane heating used. Propane will cost about $100 for the weekend. Ben can provide a propane heater. Camp Everton has 100lb. propane tanks that can be rented. A fee of $2 or $3 per person will be required to cover the cost of the propane and the Activity Shelter. The fee will be set at the next meeting and should be paid at camp.
Troops are to make their own arrangements to stay at Everton, based on the kind of terrain in which they would like to camp and how close to the shelter they want to be. Troops should keep in mind that a group, probably a Cub Pack, will be in Lion's Lodge.
Details of the camp will be finalised at the next meeting. All troops who plan on attending the camp should be represented at that meeting.
