CAMPING IN THE PAST -- CHERISH THE MEMORIES!

BOY SCOUT FALL CAMPOREE -- PIRATES OF THE BIG MUDDY We had a fantastic camporee in October at Riverside Park.  Pirate-themed games included a treasure-hunt (geocaching), making homemade soda, battleship, tomahawk throwing, pirate trivia and a "walk the plank" obstacle course!  Scouts watched outdoor movies in the park too! Thanks to Fall Camporee Adviser Danny Kaufman and Youth Campmaster Levi Nellis for a great program!

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SUMMER CAMP Summer camps have ended, making way for fall camporees, Fun with Son programs and even Klondike derbies in the not-too-distant future, but the memories will last a lifetime!  Cub Scouts attended Dad & Lad or Mom & Me (Wolf Scouts), Webelos Mini-Camp (first-year Webelos), Webelos Camp (second-year Webelos) and Adventure Camps (all Cub Scouts).  Boy Scouts from southern Illinois attended summer camps in Missouri, Arkansas, Indiana and Wisconsin!  Venturers attended a week at Swift Base.  Said one Boy Scout leader attending summer camp, "They were able to experience activities that they may never have the chance to do again."  The camp staff appreciate this and the other comments received.  Next summer's programs are sure to be even better, but don't miss out on the great opportunities between then and now! (Photos courtesy of Troop 66, First United Methodist Church, Carbondale.)

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WEBELOS MINI-CAMP Webelos Scouts attended mini-camp in Missouri and southern Illinois, where, among other things, they handled snakes and lizards, shot BB guns, practiced archery, swam with their pals, used power tools (yikes!), played cool summer games and camped under the stars.  Locally, we thank Bob Crews and his volunteer staff for the great experiences at Pine Ridge Scout Camp!

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SPRING CAMPOREE -- 99th SCOUT OLYMPIAD Approximately 420 Boy Scouts from six districts attended the spring camporee at Camp Lewallen!  Activities included "Gateway-We" (campsite gateway building), Iron Chef, rope making, knot races, tug-o-war, triathlon, obstacle course, ultimate frisbee, carpet ball, kickball, 3-on-3 basketball, soccer, drive-in movie, climbing tower, riflelry and a huge campfire.  Thanks to the Order of the Arrow Anpetu-We Lodge, and the leadership of Youth Campmaster Matt Ahlfield and his adult adviser, David Boren, for a camporee we will never forget!

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WEBELOS WEEKEND -- THE GREAT RACE Webelos across southern Illinois joined together for The Great Race at Pine Ridge Scout Camp at this year's Webelos Weekend campout!  To make it to the end, they had fun learning about the many methods of communication, reading and using a compass, maneuvering through obstacle courses, gathering clues for a scavenger hunt and working on their precision with slingshots and the super launcher!  Thanks to Gerry Bozman and his volunteer staff for another great camping opportunity!

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