2001 Spring Camporee - Conquering Everest

    Spring Camporee this year was held @ Delmont Scout Reservation on March 30, 31 and April 1st.  The theme was Mount Everest.   Everyone who attended had a lot of fun!  Friday night all SPLs had a meeting to discuss Saturday's activities.  Then afterwards the meeting, OA members met and discussed plans for the call-out Saturday night.  The Saturday morning activities began with a movie that was originally an IMAX movie called; "MOUNT EVEREST".   Directly after the movie a test was handed out to each of the patrols.  The Patrols then had to answer the test which was made based on questions taken out of the movie.  Our troop did very well on this and the Aimless Wanderers scored: 18/22, while the Wolf Pack tied with 4 other patrols for the high score: 19/22.  The Patrols were then sent off to different stations.  Each station dealt with a scenario that you might encounter if you climbed Mt. Everest.  Both two patrols did well, but did not manage to gain first.  Good Job anyway guys!  That night campfire started @ 8:00pm.  It was held inside as it was too wet to hold outside.  OA members built the fire, which was might I add... was a good one; even though it had rained a long while before Saturday night, they still managed to collect some "fairly dry" wood and get the fire going.  I acted as Master of Ceremonies for the campfire.  It ran smoothly and some good songs/skits were performed.  Among those was one of the Australian songs the Pyro Patrol taught the troop called; Home Among the Gum Trees.   I also did a quick Australian cheer (Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie).  It caught on fast because the next morning before we left we could hear other troops yelling it out.   Immediately after the fire, the call out began.  It was great.

    The lights were dimmed... a drum from behind started to beat... slowly... Boom............Boom Boom...then the Chief and Vice Chief walked in dressed in an Indian ceremonial costume...with torch bearers on either side... the drums suddenly stopped... all you could hear is the soft crackle of the fire... then the chief stepped forward and spoke... He stepped back then Vice chief stepped forward and spoke... Their words were crisp and loud... then quickly the drums started again... but this time growing faster.. Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom...Boom Boom Boom Boom Boom.... the runners dressed in Indian skins then ran and collected all the elected...only an outline of their body shown as the lights were out and the fires embers were dim... they gathered the elected in the front and proceeded to call out their names... then after the last newly elected was there.. the drums stopped... silence fell over everyone and everything.... then the drum from behind started to beat slowly again... Boom............Boom Boom... the chief, vice chief, newly elected, and runners then walked out.

    This concluded the Spring Camporee.  The patrols for the weekend were as follows:

Overall Camp Score: 9/10

~Andy R.