2014 Camporee!

Wow is the only thing I have to say!  Just wow!  Troop 134 did a fantastic job at this year’s Camporee event.  Camporee is one event on the schedule that is everyone always looks forward to and why not?  You get to spend the day doing all of your scout skills in competition! 

The run up for this year was a bit frantic with three packs bridging into the troop this year and the last one at the end of March.  That and spring break pushed the New Scout Outing to the end of the month and gave us only two weeks to prepare (and no time to practice) for Camporee.  The boys did spend a meeting planning for the event, making cheers, flags, shirts, and plans for the gateway. 

 We weren’t sure we would be returning to Lake Sonoma this year.  Budget cuts forced onto the Army Corps of Engineers meant that as of last year all of the recreation facilities at the lake were shut down!  That included the picnic area by the foot of the dam that the Pomo District had used to host their Camporee for years.  Luckily, the Corps found enough funding to reopen the facilities just in time.  A good thing as it is just about the loveliest place to hold a Camporee. 

The troop arrived in good order, checked in and set up their campsite.  This year we were the second troop from the parking lot.  This was good and bad.  On the good side, the camp site was very close to the parking lot and that made loading and unloading easy.  On the bad side, the site was just about equally far (and I mean far) from all of the water sources at the park.  As dark set in, the troop pitched their tents and then started work on the gateway getting the major parts put together. 

The next morning, after breakfast, the troop put the finishing touches on the gateway and then it was off to the fun of the competitions.  This year in addition to attending the competitions, the troop also ran the teambuilding event as well.  The patrols cycled through the events from the obstacle course to the astronomy booth, to the leave no trace booth, to the orienteering course, to the nature booth, to the shooting sports area.  At noon, the patrols returned to camp for lunch and then it was time for the Troop 134 annual tradition.  We pulled out the tug-of-war rope for the annual Camporee lunchtime tug-of-war.  The troops lined up and took turns pulling each other into the dust.  After that  it was time for the patrols to do their afternoon rotations.

When the competition was done, it was time to return to camp for dinner and to prepare for the awards campfire, and what a campfire it was.  It started as always with skits from the packs and troops.  This year we ended up doubling up our skit with the staff.  It may be time for the troop to come up with another signature skit.  Still the Troop 134 offering was hilarious!  Then it was time for the ribbons.  Troop 134 always drags down a share of the awards, but this time the troops number was called again and again and again!  We even earned two second place awards in a three way tie for one of the events.  We still don’t know how that’s possible, but we did it!  When all was said and done, the senior patrol had dragged down 14 ribbons including the coveted Spirit award (for which they had to do their cheer for the whole crowd).  The junior patrol even got a half dozen ribbons in their first time out!  Finally the troop was awarded the ribbon for best gateway!  A great result for a great team effort!  After that the Order of the Arrow had their tap out ceremony for all of the newly elected members.  While the OA was greeting the new recruits, the troop headed back to camp and dug into the apple cobbler that was waiting.  Then it was off to bed!

The next morning, the troop broke camp and headed back to home after a fun and successful Camporee!

Participants: Zack A., Daniel, Gerrit, Devon, Matt, James, Bryce, Owen, John, Eric, Evan, Mitch, Landon, Sebastian, Diego, Ewan, Quinn, Josh

Leaders:  Mr. Polkinghorn, Mr. Baier, Mr. Reese, Mrs. Reese, Mr. Perez, Mr. Simmons, Mr. Talbot, Mr. Franceschi, Mr. Franceschi, Mr. Bell, Mr. Jacobs

Lessons Learned:  Let the scouts do everything!  They do a great job!!!!