Weather adds adventure for area Scouts

CNA photo by VALARIE ALLEN Steady hand: Kelsey Auten, Venture Scout from Villisca works on a template to make pin-hole cameras for a merit badge during a week-long camp held near Creston last week.

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A week doesn’t seem like a long time to camp in the wilderness, unless there is severe weather that turns the ground to muck and causes evacuations twice because of the threat of danger. None of these adverse conditions seemed to bother the campers at the Boy Scout cabin east of Creston about six miles from town. Earning their pioneering badge allowed the scouts to learn how to lash, which is fastening two objects together using rope as a fastener. To making rope to lash with. “They lash wood together to make a bridge or a fence,” said Boy Scout Assistant Scout Master Wayne Keeler. “ The scouts are assigned to patrols. A large white board on the cabin wall lists assigned chores in the camp to each patrol. “We cook using black pots,” said Keeler. “There are two stoves inside. The boys have made 90 percent of the meals, so they can earn their cooking badges.” The weather hasn’t cooperated, but everyone has adapted, he said. “We’ve got about 12 merit badges we’re working on,” said Keeler. “We’ve been pretty busy. They’ve had a little bit of down time. We’re trying to keep them busy. Busy makes them happy, keeps us happy.” Preparedness Twice, the campers had to evacuate because of weather. “We went to the Methodist Church basement,” Keeler said. “That’s where we have our meetings.” Keeler said Emergency Management Coordinator Roger Nurnberg was keeping an eye out for them. “Roger knows where we are, and we have a weather radio,” said Keeler. “We were involved with the disaster drill.” The weather doesn’t seem to bother the Scouts or leaders. “It seems like every time I go to a week long camp the weather plays a part,” said Keeler. “A tornado went through two years ago at Camp Cedars, and last year in Shendandoah it rained every day.” Evacuating didn’t seem to put a damper on the Scouts trip. “There was a big storm,” said Scout Avery Ibbotson a camper. “We went to the church.” Sleeping at the church proved much needed rest. “Last night was the best night’s sleep I got,” said Ibbotson. “We got to sleep on the pews, it didn’t even matter that the cushion came out from under me.” Secluded Set back in a timber, the cabin isn’t visible from the road. “There’s a lot of people that don’t know the cabin is back here,” said Keeler. “Quite honestly, we don’t use it as much as we need to because of the accessibility.” The amount of rain during the past week has made the camp even more inaccessible. “We wanted to redefine the word mud,” said Ibbotson. “We were muddy from head to toe. We got stuck in the ravine.” Keeler said they used the winch on the four-wheeler to pull the boys up out of the ravine. The only way in, or out, with the recent rains is by four-wheeler or heavy-duty four-wheel-drive pickups.

“A lot of the cabin is made from the old Skyline dance hall,” said Keeler. “The hardwood floors, the windows and some of the siding.” Work has been done on the interior by the scouts and leaders. Lofts provide sleeping accomodations for scouts for weekend camps, and bunks were built last year for the leaders. “Since Gordon Crawford sleeps outside, without a tent, the boys want to sleep outside, too,” said Keeler. “There are very few boys that sleep inside anymore.” Folding tables have been built so they can be folded up if they need open floor space. Donation A donor provided a generator for electricity and a wood buring stove supplies heat in the winter. “We brought the televison out because Mrs. Queener has a video that is part of the Citizenship of the World badge,” said Keeler. “I brought the computer out so I can keep track of their advancements and record them.” Flagpoles cut from the timber fly the flags. Ranks There are specific levels each scout must attain to move forward. Keeler explained there is the Trail to First Class, which is for boys who just came over from Cub Scouts. Scout, Tenderfoot, First Class and Second Class are the ranks that must be achieved. “If we do our job right, by the time we are done, they will have earned 90 percent of those four ranks done during this camp,” said Keeler. “The boys are starting to work on a hobo stove so they can cook breakfast on it in the morning.” Basketry, leatherwork, cooking, archery, pioneering, citizenship, hiking and camping are a few of the badges required, said Keeler. There is one girl camper, she is a Venture Scout from Villisca. She was bent low over a table working. “Kelsey is working on a template for making a pin-hole camera,” said Boy Scout Leader Jennifer Queener. “It’s for a photography badge.” All and all, its been a good camp said Keeler. ____________ Valarie Allen can be reached at 782-2141, ext. 233 or vallen@crestonnews.com