2009 Summer Camp Highlights

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="06c8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <B>Member of </B><B>Buckskin Council #617</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Charter</B></div> <div> <B>March 29, 1917</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Founder</B></div> <div> <B>Don B. Lowe</B></div> <div> <I><B>1891 - 1975</B></I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Scoutmaster</B></div> <div> <B>Tom Dukas</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Boy Scout Troop 3 in Parkersburg, West V"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=120 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="06d8dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>Boy Scout Troop 3 in Parkersburg, West Virginia </B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Boy Scout Troop 3 in Parkersburg, West V"><U><I><B>Home</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id97.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2008 Summer Camp Highlights"><U>2008 Summer Camp Highlights</U></A>   |   <B>2009 Summer Camp Highlights</B>   |   <A HREF="id56.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2010 Summer Camp Highlights"><U>2010 Summer Camp Highlights</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id59.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2011 Summer Camp Highlights"><U>2011 Summer Camp Highlights</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id75.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2012 Summer Camp Highlights"><U>2012 Summer Camp Highlights</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id90.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2013 Summer Camp Highlights"><U>2013 Summer Camp Highlights</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id85.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2014 Summer Camp Highlights"><U>2014 Summer Camp Highlights</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id89.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2015 Summer Camp Highlights"><U>2015 Summer Camp Highlights</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id92.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2016 Summer Camp Highlights"><U>2016 Summer Camp Highlights</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id95.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2017 Summer Camp Highlights"><U>2017 Summer Camp Highlights</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id96.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2018 Summer Camp Highlights"><U>2018 Summer Camp Highlights</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id98.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2019 Troop 3 Summer Camp Highlights"><U>2019 Troop 3 Summer Camp Highlights</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id99.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2020 Troop 3 Summer Camp Highlights"><U>2020 Troop 3 Summer Camp Highlights</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=360 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="06d8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>2009 Summer Camp Highlights</I></div> <bR> <div> <B>2009 Summer {-</B><I><B>Less</B></I><B>} Camp – The “Coldest Ever”</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Troop 3’s 91st annual summer camp took place the week of July 18-25, at Camp </div> <div> Smitty on the beautiful Hughes River in Wirt County, West Virginia. This year’s </div> <div> wilderness outing took place in a unique setting with an abundance of wildlife, </div> <div> and thoroughly tested each camper’s Scouting skills.</div> <bR> <div> July turned out to be the <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000CC" FACE="Arial" ><I>coldest in history for the area</I></FONT> and some record lows </div> <div> were set during the week. While this kept the bugs away and made for good </div> <div> sleeping, <I>we could have used a little more “</I><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><I>Global Warming”</I></FONT><I> during the day</I>, </div> <div> especially in the mornings.</div> <bR> <div> From sunup to sundown, timely bugle calls kept the daily routine running like </div> <div> a “finely oiled” watch. In addition to preparing their meals, learning many new </div> <div> Scouting skills, and competing for the daily inspection award, the campers </div> <div> also enjoyed an athletic meet and watermelon “scramble. string burning </div> <div> contests, orienteering, and separate hikes using topo maps and compasses </div> <div> to Camp Kootaga, and Lyda’s Cave.</div> <bR> <div> Lyda’s Cave, which can easily sleep as many as 70 Scouts, was a big hit </div> <div> and impressed the hikers so much that everyone said they’d like to return </div> <div> for a campout later this year. </div> <bR> <div> Down at the waterfront, the clear river provided refreshing swims and an </div> <div> opportunity to enjoy supervised use of the canoes and kayaks. Many </div> <div> fun-filled hours on the river were provided via two canoe and kayak trips </div> <div> that tested everyone’s boating skills.</div> <bR> <div> Evenings were spent around roaring campfires enjoying skits, laughter, </div> <div> and “How Hows”, while singing old favorites that that kept everyone in </div> <div> good spirits. This year saw the emergence of a ”duo” called the </div> <div> “Bob & Ron Show”. This” act” put on by two “ancient campers” each with </div> <div> over fifty years camping experience, produced encores and laughs </div> <div> while regaling everyone with stories and old songs.</div> <bR> <div> Friday night’s “closing” campfire program with the Scout’s families in </div> <div> attendance, included singing, presentation of the “best of the best” skits, </div> <div> and recognized each of the Scouts for all the advancement they </div> <div> accomplished during the week. Several campers earned various merit </div> <div> badges and advanced in rank to Second Class, First Class, Star and/or </div> <div> Life Scout. The highlight of the evening occurred when a special Court of </div> <div> Honor was convened to award the coveted rank of Eagle Scout to </div> <div> Donovan Kidwell. Mr. Kidwell is Troop 3’s 123rd Eagle Scout.</div> <bR> <div> In the “Special Patrol Award” category, the Stags, in a tightly contested </div> <div> race with the Otters, won the Annual “Inspection Award” for consistently </div> <div> maintaining the cleanest patrol site during the entire camp.</div> <bR> <div> While our 45th year at Camp Smitty is now history, planning is already </div> <div> underway for next year. Right now, we are in need of several troop alums </div> <div> to serve as adult leaders at our upcoming summer camp, which will be </div> <div> held the week of July 24-31, 2010. </div> <bR> <div> Troop 3’s annual summer wilderness camp is a rare experience </div> <div> “like no other”! Plan now to join us for a week of fun, fellowship, learning, </div> <div> and laughter, as we once again make our pilgrimage to “roughing it” in </div> <div> the great outdoors in one of the most beautiful and isolated places </div> <div> in West Virginia.</div> <bR> <div> Now that you have been invited to serve, the next step is up to you. Your </div> <div> favor of a positive reply via email, to help us out by serving as an adult </div> <div> leader next year, to <A HREF="mailto:scouting@troop3wv.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:scouting@troop3wv.org"><U>Scouting@Troop3wv.org</U></A> will be much appreciated!!</div> <div>  </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>