2014: Year of the Pirate

So, here at Adventure Camp we're getting ready for the summer of 2014.  The theme will revolve around pirates...

NO!  Not those kind of pirates!

These kind of pirates:

This is one of our two new promotional posters.  Available in 11 by 17 inch size, we have this poster hanging at Adventure Camp and at the Scout Service Center in Richmond.

This week, a new Webelos Mom from Pack 1845 was in the Scout Shop.  She saw the poster and asked for a copy to hang in her son's bedroom.  We here happy to oblige!

The Pirate King is planning to launch the Guidelines for Pirate Captains (aka 2014 Planning Guide) in about a week, so keep a lookout in the crow's nest for that document.

In the meantime, get your sea legs under you and keep a fair wind at your back.

Camp is in full swing!

We are currently in the midst of our largest session at Adventure Camp.  Scouts are having a blast!  Here are a few quick pictures taken at camp this week...

Red Raspberries are in season right now at camp, and blackberries aren't far behind them.  This handful of red raspberries was picked this week and enjoyed by a group of Scouts at the Nature Lodge.

Rising Bears earn their Whittlin' Chip in our Campcraft Area.  Here is a young man practicing his whittling skills on a bar of soap.

The infamous obstacle course in our Sports Area.  A Scout tackles "The Wall," with an Adventure Guide standing by ready to assist.

If you have a great Adventure Camp photo you'd like to share, email it to bill.givler@scouting.org.  I'd love to put the best ones up on this blog for all to see.

We have the cure for Registration Procrastination

We know you're not perfect.  You've been debating about signing up to have an awesome experience at Adventure Camp this summer with your son.  It's a commitment of time and money...we know.  There are so many reasons to take the plunge and register, but you just haven't done it yet.

So, we're going to help you out.  We are sweetening the deal.  Literally.

Effective starting 12:01 AM in the wee hours of the morning on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 and running for one week, ending on the evening of Tuesday, May 14 at midnight, every brand new registrant for Adventure Camp will receive a complimentary Blue Raspberry Slushy at the Camp Trading Post this summer.

If you have not yet experienced the incredible delight that is a Blue Raspberry Slushy wolfed down in June or July, preferably fast enough to cause a mild and temporary "ice cream" headache, then you truly have not lived.  And all you have to do is sign up for Adventure Camp in the next 7 days.  It's a huge win-win.

Now, once you sign up, to get your Slushy Coupon, come back here to the Adventure Camp blog and tell us, "I want my Blue Raspberry Slushy" in the comment section below.

...and remember, Blue Raspberries are super rare and super delicious.  These amazing semi-frozen fruit slushies are a treat you don't want to miss this summer.

Help Plant the Camp Garden on Sunday!

Looking for a free family activity to do this Sunday afternoon?  Want to have a hand in planting a garden that will be an outdoor classroom this summer?  Need an excuse to get outside?  Adventure Camp can help.

This Sunday, April 21, from 2 PM to 4 PM, we will be preparing seed beds and planting seeds at the newly-tilled garden at Adventure Camp.  No experience necessary, although we ask that everyone who comes out bring some sort of work gloves and their own water.  Sunblock might also be a good idea.  If you own and can bring garden rakes, shovels, trowels, or spades, that would helpful, but we will have some on hand.  Scouts should be accompanied by a parent, and siblings are welcome.  

If you've never been, directions to Adventure Camp can be found here.  We will gather at 2 PM at the Welcome Pavilion, the first building on your right once you enter Adventure Camp.  Please email me at bill.givler@scouting.org if you can help out.  It looks like Sunday will be a little above 60 degrees and sunny...great weather for gardening.

Bring the King to Your Next Pack Meeting

Over the past 4 months, King Arthur has visited a lot of pack meetings.  The most recent one was a visit to Pack 2877 at Chester Presbyterian Church on Tuesday night.  The king forgot to have his picture taken at the Pack meeting, but here's a shot of him at his Winter Retreat, planning Adventure Camp for this summer:

Two fun facts about King Arthur:
1. Loves Diet Coke.
2. Has a tough time keeping the crown level on his head.  It's just a tad awkward.

So, has King Arthur visited your pack meeting yet?  No?!?  Why not?  Here's what usually happens if you invite the king to a pack meeting...right after the opening ceremony, the Cubmaster says, "Folks, we have a special guest with us tonight to talk about Adventure Camp."  King Arthur appears, brandishing Excalibur, and invites everyone to attend Adventure Camp this summer.  He gives a short, 5-minute presentation about Adventure Camp and then departs immediately so you can get back to skits, songs, and awards.  He brings a few hand-held visual aids (very low tech), and leaves a few handouts behind.

There is no excuse for not inviting King Arthur to a pack meeting.  Send an email to bill.givler@scouting.org to bring the king next month!

Early Bird Gets the Worm!

The "early bird" also gets a substantial discount on the cost of attending Adventure Camp.  If you know that you will be attending, now is the time to register and pay half your fees, because the "Early Bird" rates end on March 18.  After that date, regular camp fees will apply.  Check the Leader's Guide for full details.

OK, for bonus points, can you name the type of owl in the picture?  At night, it is not uncommon to hear this owl's call at Adventure Camp...a reminder that we are just visitors in a place where wild things live.

Adventure Camp Patches Arrive!

Today, Connie, our Scout Shop Manager, called me, and said, "A couple boxes arrived with your name on them this morning."  In an office environment, there's few words that are quite as magical as the ones that came out of Connie's mouth.  I got down to the warehouse, and ripped into box #1.  Patches have arrived.  Above is the patch that campers will receive for attending, and surviving, Adventure Camp this summer.

This is the complete set of Adventure Camp patches.  On the right is the Adult Service Award patch, which Adult Campers can earn by actively participating in the program at Adventure Camp.  We'll post the requirements later.  On the left is the Staff patch, earned and worn by paid Camp Staff, Counselors-in-Training, Auxiliary Staff, and anyone who volunteers to be on the Adventure Garden Team.  At the top is the "I'm Going to Summer Camp" patch that any camper can earn just by registering to attend Adventure Camp by January 31, 2013.

It's a pretty neat set of patches.  So, who's already signed up?  I'd love to hear from some Scouts and Parents who are stoked to be getting this cool patch.