Summer Camp is always an adventure with Troop 581. For the summer of 2020, headed for West Virginia to take part in the James C. Justice National Scout Camp which is co-located with the Summit High Adventure Base. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this was the first opportunity to do some outdoors camping in many months. COVID mitigation efforts were in full force with health checks upon entry as well as social distancing and sanitization efforts throughout the camp. Everyone was safe and had a blast.
The James C. Justice National Scout Camp provide Scouts a unique opportunity to participate in a wide range of activities. It offered a great first year “Brown Sea Island” program that focuses on new Boy Scouts attending their first Summer Camp. It provides a chance for Scouts to learn the skills identified in the ranks of Tenderfoot through 1st Class Scout and to accomplish many of these rank requirements. For the older Scouts, there were plenty of opportunities to work on Merit Badges or simply attend one of the many available program areas. Scouts picked the merit badges they wanted to work on ahead of time. Over 35 merit badges were offered including Rifle Shooting, Climbing, Plant Science, Archery, Fish and Wildlife Management, Kayaking, Fishing…the list goes on and on. There were also opportunities to go zip lining, mountain and BMX biking and white water rafting.
It was another successful summer camp for Troop 581. For 2021, the Patrol Leader’s Council has picked Camp Rainey Mountain in the mountains of northern Georgia as our destination. This promises to be another epic adventure.