34 Merit Badges started, 24 completed, 2 finished from partials started last year, 21 Second and First Class rank requirements earned by each 1st year scout, a whitewater rafting trip, zip lining, dry and wet caving expiditions, archery and rifle competitions, a firebuilding challenge, a team Triathlon (really a Quadrathlon), a trebuchet building contest, two 6:15 am Polar Bear swims, and many games of cards and Settlers. It's a wonder our Scouts found any time to sleep, prepare their meals or keep our campsite neat and tidy but they did.
Waubeeka is one of three camps that make up the Curtis S Read Scout Reservation in Brant Lake NY and is the traditional destination for Troop 4 every August. Waubeeka is a Patrol Method camp where Troop Patrols are responsable for themselves for the entire week. Working together as a team, patrol members share the responsibility for the patrol's success. The Patrol method is at the heart of Baden-Powels vision of how a scout troop should operate and is at the center of how Troop 4 is organized. Our boys got their own food, did their own cooking, cleaning and camp upkeep and by and large were responsable for themselves and their patrol. They even managed to clean the latrines and shower house.
Every scout who attended camp grew and matured a little bit last week and they all should be proud of what they accomplished. I am.
A link to all the pictures from the week can be found here in the Troop 4 web album:
