CAMP FRIEDLANDER

 You are probably asking "What is summer camp?"      The troop will be attending summer camp the second week of July  at Camp Friedlander in Milford.  Many of you have been down to Cub  World,  and Camp Friedlander  is just up the hill from the Fort and  Castle.    During the week the  scouts will have the opportunity to earn  up to 4 or 5 merit badges, some  being the important "Eagle" required  badges such as First Aid and  Swimming.    They will have time to do  swimming, climbing, and other  activities every afternoon after the day  of "classes" are finished.  Scouts will have their "day pack" with them  during the day holding  water, their Boy Scout handbook, merit badge  worksheets and booklet,   and pen or pencil to write  with.  Camp provides the tents,   three meals a day, and all the dust  (or mud) you can possibly want.    There is a "family night" the last  night of camp so the scouts can show their families what they have been  doing AND to take dirty clothes home, but not the scout.
 

Summer Camp Info : https://danbeard.org/attend-camp-friedlander-summer-camp/

Camp Forms Library : https://danbeard.org/camping/camp-forms/

Merit Badges: 

As usual we need to  have our merit badge  choices turned in Merit Badge Selections are due Feb. 26th, latest March  1st.  As some of  our scouts have discovered in the past some merit  badges fill up within  30 minutes.  There is a Scout Activity Schedule,  otherwise known  as a "wish list"  included with this email.  Please  fill that out using  the attached "merit badge offerings"  Current Merit Badge Offerings  https://danbeard.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2023-Merit-Badge-Schedule.pdf  The Wish List  http://legacy.danbeard.org/pubs/CF_Individual_Scout_Activity_Schedule.pdf

New scout parents, this section is for you:
The first year of camp is  a great  learning experience for your new boy scout and we want to make  sure  that scouts have a good foundation to start with, so we will place  new  scouts in the following merit badges:
 

First Aid - 9am (preferred)
Swimming – 10:30am (preferred)
Trailblazer (2nd Class/1st Class) - 2pm
 

What  is Trailblazer?  Trailblazer  is exactly as the name implies.  It is a  way to begin to blaze your  "trail" as you start your scouting  experience.  It is designed as a  great learning tool for first year  campers.   You will meet with other  new campers and learn basic scouting  skills to get your 2nd class and  1st class requirements signed off.     With those three classes selected  you can then pick one more merit  badge at 3:30 or 4:00 to fill your  activities.    The troop will be  teaching the scouts many of these  requirements before camp and then they will be completed while at camp.   

Scouts will bring their Boy Scout Handbook everywhere they go while  at camp.
 

Second year and other experienced  scouters, please pick one if not two Eagle Merit badges at camp.  Any  questions please ask Mr. Williams.  
 

Cost:
Dan Beard Council sets the price for camp at  $425.  The troop will add $5 to the cost so we can provide snacks to  the scouts during the week.     There are “camperships” that are  available from Dan Beard Council to  anyone who finds it challenging to  make the payments for camp.  Please  Mrs. Guilllermin, Mr. Banish or Mr. Williams for more information on  those camperships.

Campership Application: http://legacy.danbeard.org/pubs/2023_Campership_Application.pdf

Want to camp for two weeks?
Interested in attending two weeks of camp?   If so there is a $100  discount that is available for those scouts who  want an opportunity to  earn even more merit badges.  We have had many of  our scouts take  advantage of this and come home with eight if not more  merit badges.     Pretty awesome.
 

Swim Test:
Camp Friedlander wants to make sure that every scout can swim.   On  "check-in" Sunday, Camp Friedlander  conducts a "swim test" for all  campers to make sure that scouts can  safely enter the water.   To make  this process faster our troop will be  conducting the same swim test at a  local YMCA saving some valuable time  on Sunday.  If your scout can not  swim or is concerned about swimming  this will give you ample time to  get some swimming lessons scheduled.  Camp Friedlander also offers  Instructional Swim classes at camp and those listed on the Merit Badge  Time Schedule included on this email.   More details will follow about  that.
 

Medical Forms:
When you take your son to his well-care check-up, take a copy of forms  A, B, C, as well as the snorkeling release form with you to be filled  out.  Forms are good for one year. This way you can avoid extra fees for  a physical or you will be turned away at camp on  “check-in” Sunday.    The Annual Health and Medical Record form is now  an editable PDF which  you can fill out online and print, click the link  below to open the  current form.
https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/HealthSafety/pdf/680-001_ABC.pdf
 

Special Dietary needs:
If  any scout has some specific dietary needs there is a form that needs  to  be filled out for that.   This needs to be turned in a few weeks   before camp.
 

http://legacy.danbeard.org/pubs/2020_Special_Diet_Request.pdf
 

ACE/COPE and Climbing Consent Form
For those scouts who have camped for a few years, Friedlander is once  again offering both the ACE and COPE programs at camp.  This is a great  way to have a new camping experience at summer camp.   We ask that all scouts fill out this form that way you can climb the tower during your open/free time.  
 

http://old.danbeard.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/COPE_Climbing_Consent_Hold_Harmless.pdf

OA Members:
Brotherhood ceremonies are taking place at camp on  Wednesday night and  if you have performed over 4 months of cheerful  service since your  Ordeal you can participate in your brotherhood  ceremony on Wednesday  night.   Please contact me for more information on  Brotherhood  requirements.
 

Camp Guides:
Dan Beard has published their 2023 Summer Camp Guide and you can find  that by following the link below:   (Yes, the link says 2020, but it is  the 2023 guide)
 

http://legacy.danbeard.org/pubs/2021_Camp_Friedlander_Guide_12_1_2020.pdf