Summer Camp at Camp Barnhardt

Troop 130 headed out to Camp Barnhardt in June to enjoy a week of merit badges, sports, and fun programming. Camp Barnhardt did not disappoint.

Our scouts had a great campsite. We enjoyed many visits from a variety of creatures including a black rat snake, some cow killers and even a young turkey.

The theme of this year's summer camp was The Three Musketeers. (and other books by Dumas) Troop 130 participated in costume challenges, themed troop yells and other spirit challenges. We built our first ever troop gateway for camp this year. It took a few days of work, but we completed it. We even competed in the French cooking competition.

Many of our scouts ran the Musketeer Gauntlet. They ran a 1.5 mile course with a variety of tasks that needed to be complete along the way. The scouts had to save the queen's jewels. They also had to rescue the baby princess. They used water cannons to sound an alarm for the camp. They were given drinks and two scouts were poisoned (with lemon juice) and had to die a dramatic death. After proving themselves in a joust, they were allowed to join the Musketeers. They were rewarded with a pizza night in the air conditioned mess hall.

Three scouts went through the Night Hawk program for first year scouts. The others earned a variety of merit badges. Some scouts spent time in the waterfront working on kayaking and water skiing. Others were in the Ecology area earning badges like Geocaching, Archaeology, Camping. Others went to the Lone Scout area to work on Eagle Merit Badges like the Citizenships or Cooking. While others earned shooting sports or more hands on badges like Metalworks or Woodcarving.

During free time, the scouts participated in sports competitions, played Gaga Ball, went swimming and tried out the climbing wall and zip line.

All in all, we had a great time. Many of our scouts are asking to come back here next year. A couple are even coming back for the last two weeks of Camp Barnhardt as Counselors In Training so that they can be on staff next year. I think that says a lot about how great this camp was!

Yours in Scouting,

Laura Cripe

Scoutmaster