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BELGRADE — Scouts and leaders from across Kennebec Valley District, BSA, attended the Spring Camporee at Camp Bomazeen on the shore of Great Pond in Belgrade in May 17-19. The theme of the camporee was “Service to Camp.”
A planning meeting was held Friday evening, when project assignments were handed out to each youth leader for Saturday morning, when additional Scouts and leaders arrived. Together with the weekend campers, they put in over 400 hours of service preparing Camp Bomazeen for the summer season by cleaning up the campsites and clearing brush. Some leaders transported new tent platforms out to the campsites, while others cleared away trees felled by winter storms. Another group of adult volunteers started construction on a new staff cabin.
In the afternoon, several activities were held for the scouts as a thank-you for their service. Some of the more popular events included the Gaga Pit, a version of dodge ball; Catch the Snappah, where Scouts lashed together a fishing pole to catch mouse traps, each one marked with what they caught such as an old boot, shark, or large fish; and Hula Hoop Circle, where the Scouts joined hands in a circle and had to move one or more hula hoops around the circle without letting go.
While the service and activities took place, about a dozen new volunteer leaders completed “Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills” training to help them safely take youth out on future camping trips. At the Saturday evening campfire, there were songs and skits. Near the end of the program, 31 youth and leaders were recognized for being elected into the Order of the Arrow, the BSA’s national honor society.
Troops 142, 200, 207, 446, 454, 586 and 622, Crew 254 and Packs 603 and 622; Troop 199 attended Saturday. Kennebec Valley District provides support to young boys and girls, ages 6 to 20, in various Scout programs in five Maine counties — Kennebec, Somerset, Franklin, Lincoln and Knox. For more information, visit www.pinetreebsa.org/
Scouts clean up Camp Bombazeen at a recent Service to Camp camporee. (Submitted photo)
