Kia Kima Work Weekend

The weekend of March 20th the Troop went to Kia Kima to help with Camp clean-up after the recent Ice Storm that rolled through the area. On our way to Kia Kima you could really see the damage outside of Hardy Ark. While going through Cherokee Village they were still plenty of downed trees and debris on the roads.

When we got to camp we setup in Dancing Bear and started to clean up that campsite and started to burn leaves and downed tree limbs. Some of the Troop went on a walk to see what damage had been done to the camp. The Handicrafts Pavilion was missing a huge section of the roof and a lot of the campsites had a lot of down tree limbs and debris. After the rest of the troop showed up we started to pull down hanging limbs and preparing for dinner.
The next morning after breakfast we got our assignments for cleanup. First we went to Eagles Nest and started collecting downed limbs and started burning them and took others to the wood chipper. During the day we all pitched in and cleaned. After lunch half of the Troop went to Copperhead and cleaned up that site. As the day went along we were getting tired and just wanted to crash.

After dinner at the Dining Hall the Kia Kima Staff had a small Birthday song for Matthew. The Birthday party was short lived because I had to rush Matthew to Salem Hospital for a reaction to cleaning chemicals.

Even though I had to leave Kia Kima early we all still had a great time and did some good service work to help get Kia Kima ready for Summer Camp.

Till Next Time

Camp Currier in Feburary

Back in February the Troop went to Camp Currier for a weekend of Hiking and fun. After we got to camp and started to setup for the weekend the temp started to drop. We had a good evening sitting around the campfire. The next morning after breakfast it started to rain a little but we still went on a five mile hike. Even though it was raining we still had fun on the hike. After lunch the temp dropped a little more and we worked on walling up the pavilion at Hamilton Meadows to block the wind and we used the grills to thaw out any frozen socks and jackets. During the afternoon the Troop worked on some fire building skills and just having fun. That evening when we were getting ready for bed we noticed that ice had formed on the tents and it was getting pretty cold.

When we woke up Sunday morning we had Ice on the tents and the ones who left their shoes outside their tents found their shoelaces had frozen into nice icicles. Before breakfast some of the boys started up the grill so that they could thaw out their socks.
I enjoyed the weekend even though it was cold and rainy, but we are Boy Scouts. We are always prepared.


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Troop / Pack Camping Recruitment Weekend at Camp Currier

The Troop set out for a weekend of fun and teaching the WEBELOS II form Pack 190 in some scouting skills. Little did we know that the temperature would drop down to 18 degrees over night. Most of us we're prepared to last through the cold night. One of the Scouts didn't bring a sleeping bag but he made due with using all of his clothes and with the help of a fellow scout had a couple of blankets and an extra pillow so that he could stay warm. The next day things started off slow because most of us were just slow because of the cold and the fact that we didn't want to leave our warm sleeping bags. During the day the Scouts taught some outdoor skills and essential knots. The WEBELOS also learned how to make a stretcher out of a sheet and two poles and other First Aid Skills.

Camping near us was another Boy Scout Troop from Memphis working on their Tenderfoot requirements. As the WEBELOS were engaged in learning how to cook on a tin can and fire starting skills using cotton balls and Fritos, the Boy Scouts from Memphis came over to see what we were doing. They had just as much fun as the WEBELOS.

That evening the other Boy Scout Troop joined us in a Flag Retirement Ceremony at the Council Ring. We entertained them with some really silly skits (Skit Happens and Guess My Line on The Toilet).

I think the weekend went well and we are looking forward to more weekends that we can learn and have fun.

Till Next Time