Contents

1. General information
2. What you need to do
1. Fees
2. Permission form
3. Medical form
4. Come to camp with your schedule completed
5. What to pack
6. Travel to Camp Read
7. At Camp Read

General information

Week 1 is July 8-14, 2001.  Week 2 is July 15-21.  Week 2 is our primary week.  We will use the Ranger site at Camp Buckskin.  This site is shared with Troop 164.

Our Venture Patrol will go on a week-long canoe Trek during Week 1.

For scouts at least 14 years old there is also the Adirondack Challenge: full day low and high COPE courses, two days climbing challenging rock faces, and two days of wilderness hiking.

At the Curtis S. Read Scout Reservation website --

See the General Information page for

• Rules of the Reservation · Troop Leadership · Troop Rosters
• Mail · Telephone
• First Aid · Medical Exams · Insurance
• Parking/Automobile Use
• Suggested Equipment List
• Leaving Camp · Visitors
• Alcohol/Drugs
• Firearms/Archery Equipment, etc.
• Taps · Lights · Equipment · Valuables · Camp Quartermaster
• Religious Services · Troop Pictures
• Troop Camping Honor Award

• The First Day in Camp
• Daily and Weekly Themes
• Rainy Day Programs
• Best Of Scouting Skills
• Camp Newspaper · Trading Post
• Flag Ceremonies
• Showers
• Trash Separation
• Campsite Inspection
• Meals · Siesta
• Camp Map
• Merit Badge Schedule

• Dan Beard: Tenderfoot to First Class
• Merit Badge Program
• Camp Buckskin Merit Badge Schedule

What you need to do

Fees

See Patricia B. for form to total up your camp fee and optional troop activity fees.  Give a check to Patricia B., payable to BSA Troop 174, and write in the memo section: Week 1, Week 2, or Both Weeks.  Turn in final total by May 17.  After that you have to take the money to Council, and fees increase after June 1.  Some details follow.

Pay by May 17 a camp fee of $205 for one week or $400 for two weeks.

There are additional fees due May 17 for some troop activities: white water rafting and horse trail ride.  The troop photo (information, Troop 174 2000 photo) costs $6.

Merit badge materials are purchased at camp (see Handicraft for Basketry, Leatherwork, Woodcarving).  The scout's money will be locked up at camp.

Permission form

Medical form

Come to camp with your schedule completed

2. Find the program that is right for you.

First-year scouts should sign up for the Dan Beard program their first week.  It is designed to help the first-year camper "hit the ground running."  Outdoor requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class are covered.  There are two sessions each day.  Scouts attend one or the other each day, but should try to take all morning or all afternoon sessions, because sometimes the morning and afternoon sessions are a little out of synchronization.

• First-year scouts should attend the entire Dan Beard program from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon or from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. to meet requirements for three ranks at once.  This program consists of:
• Tenderfoot: 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. or from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Second Class: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. or from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• First Class: 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon or from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

First Class and above scouts suggestion: required Eagle merit badges and waterfront merit badges.

3. Find merit badges programs that will minimally conflict with the troop schedule below, for those troop activities you wish to join.  Some conflict is OK, since 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. is reserved for making up merit badge activity missed during the day.  Also, in the second week you may go to only one of the two COPE courses, two rock wall sessions, or two horse trail rides to give everyone a chance, since enrollment in these activities is limited.  In any case you cannot go on both the afternoon rock wall and horse trail, since they conflict.  If you go for two weeks, you may do some troop activities just once in the two weeks to ensure everyone gets one chance to go.

For prerequisites for merit badges see the Advancement in Camp page, which also identifies difficult merit badges for older scouts.

The zip line is only for scouts who pass the Camp Buckskin swimming test.  The zip line is a trapeze slide down a steel cable that ends with a refreshing plunge into Lester Pond.
 
 
 

Troop 174 Activity Schedule: Week 1, July 8-14, 2001

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
8:00	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast
9:00 - 10:00
10:00 - 11:00	COPE course 10:30-12:00	Climbing wall 10:30-12:00
11:00 - 12:00	COPE course 10:30-12:00	Climbing wall 10:30-12:00
12:30	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch
2:00 - 3:00			White water rafting 2:00-5:00
3:00 - 4:00		Horse trail ride	White water rafting  2:00-5:00	Zip line 3:30-5:00
4:00 - 5:00			White water rafting  2:00-5:00	Zip line 3:30-5:00
6:00	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner
7:00 - 8:30	(Merit-badge make-up)	(Merit-badge make-up)	(Merit-badge make-up)	(Merit-badge make-up)	(Merit-badge make-up)

 
 

Troop 174 Activity Schedule: Week 2, July 15-21, 2001

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
8:00	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast
9:00 - 10:00
10:00 - 11:00	COPE course 10:30-12:00	Climbing wall 10:30-12:00
11:00 - 12:00	COPE course 10:30-12:00	Climbing wall 10:30-12:00		Horse trail ride
12:30	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch
2:00 - 3:00	COPE course 2:00-3:30	Climbing wall 2:00-3:30	White water rafting 2:00-5:00	Zip line 2:00-3:30
3:00 - 4:00	COPE course 2:00-3:30	Horse trail ride	White water rafting  2:00-5:00	Zip line 2:00-3:30
4:00 - 5:00			White water rafting  2:00-5:00
6:00	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner
7:00 - 8:30	(Merit-badge make-up)	(Merit-badge make-up)	(Merit-badge make-up)	(Merit-badge make-up)	(Merit-badge make-up)

 

4. Print out and fill in your merit badge schedule card.  This requires a PDF reader.  Otherwise, obtain a card from the troop.

5. Bring your completed merit badge schedule card to camp.  Scouts should have schedule cards with troop activities filled out before merit-badge sign-up.

6. Merit badge sign-up will be done by Scoutmaster Long or by an Assistant Scoutmaster.

7. Scouts should do merit badge prerequisites before arriving at camp.  They can sign out merit badge booklets from our troop library.

What to pack

Camp Read has a suggested equipment list.

Add to that:

• Do not bring either aerosol or pump insect repellent, because of problems with scouts spraying them in the fire.  A strong repellent is recommended, such as Deep Woods Off or Cutter.  Leave mild repellents at home.
• Avoid luring insects:  Bring only unscented soap and shampoo.  Use unscented laundry detergent to wash clothes before camp and to wash between the first and second weeks.
• Mosquito net. Consider this a requirement, not optional.  This is a rectangular net big enough to cover a cot and be tucked under the mattress to make a sealed enclosure for sound sleeping.  BSA sells one through their catalog as item Y01490 for about $12.  If in stock one may be obtained at the Scout Store at the Westchester-Putnam Council Office 41 Saw Mill River Rd. (9A), Hawthorne, NY.
• Four poles to hold the mosquito net up over your cot.  These can be any kind of sturdy, straight sticks or 1/2 inch wide PVC pipe.  Best would be 2 poles 3.5 feet long for the edge of the bed by the sloping side of the tent and two poles 4 feet long for the edge of the bed near the center of the tent.  You might want to come prepared to adjust the length.
• A roll of duct tape is important to tie the cot legs to your poles, so they do not fall down, and for other uses.
• A hanger for your official uniform.
• Clothes line for outside the tent and inside.  Use the inside line for your official uniform and swimsuit.
• Extra pair of broken-in shoes (bring sneakers and hiking shoes) and either pool shoes or sandals.
• More extra batteries for your flashlight beyond what you might imagine.
• No electronic games, no radios, no Walkman, no Gameboys, but do bring books and other games, such as cards, board games, chess, checkers, etc. with pieces that can be found if dropped among leaves.
• T-shirts do not have to be scout t-shirts.
• Optional mesh laundry bag.  Airtight invites mildew.
• You may bring a costume to wear Thursday for the weekly camp theme: week 1 is Halloween, week 2 is pirates.
• You may wish to pack some money for snacks from the Trading Post near the dining hall, no more than $20 per week.
• Do not expect to phone home from the pay phone.  There is one phone for 450 scouts.
• Swimsuit, big beach towel, and pool shoes or sandals should be packed on top, because the swim test will be given early upon arrival Sunday.
• For scouts who want to write home, self-addressed, stamped envelopes with paper.
• Storage is under your cot.  A duffle bag or a trunk works well.
• OA members should bring for Wednesday OA T-shirts worn during the day, and sashes for retreat.
• Everyone should bring a comfortable folding chair.
• Label everything with your name.

Travel to Camp Read

See the Getting to Camp page for

• Council transportation by bus.
• Driving directions to Read Scout Reservation and Brant Lake area map.

Then, see the camp map that gets you from the entrance to Camp Buckskin and also the map for the Ranger site at Camp Buckskin.

Arriving At Camp Read

• Arrive at 10:00 a.m. Sunday and meet at the Ranger site at Camp Buckskin.
• See The First Day at Camp on the Camp Buckskin page.
• The Trading Post by the dining hall will be open Sunday when parents arrive, so they may buy if they wish camp t-shirts, merit badge kits, etc.
• Always use the buddy system.  Scouts do not wander off alone.
• A bathing suit may be worn during showers.

Between the first and second week

• There is no adult supervision over the weekend.  Parents are responsible for their son.
• Parents and their son may sleep Saturday night in tent platforms.
• No meals are provided.  No Saturday lunch through Sunday lunch.  The next meal is Sunday supper.

Picking up scouts at Camp Read at the end of the week

• Before 10:00 a.m. Saturday scouts should have completed checkout, be picked up, and on their way home.