Troop 407 Summer Camp

Quick Index

Summer Camp Forms - In a Nutshell - Homesickness Prevention - Historic Merit Badges - Food service - Merit Badge Selection - Central Registry Clearance - General Information - 2009 Wrapup

Summer Camp Forms and Resources

In a nutshell

Homesickness Prevention

Homesickness is an issue every year at summer camp. Usually it affects first-year campers. It need not be a problem if you properly prepare your Scout, and you observe certain precautions yourself. Please read the following articles:

If this is your son's first time away from home for this length of time, please read these articles and discuss the issues with your son. Note the reasons in the article why we discourage scouts from having or using cell phones at camp, and while it may seem cruel to cut off communication with home, a homesickness situation can actually be made worse by a phone call home. The adults spending the week at camp with your son have handled homesickness before, both in our own kids and in others. If there is a serious problem that warrants a call home, we'll contact you, but nearly all cases are handled right in camp. It's important to ensure that your son has the positive camp experience he deserves and that you expect (and have paid for!).

Sometimes, physical discomfort can lead to feelings of wanting to go home. This is why we encourage certain behavior at camp, which you can support during your time preparing with your son. Some of these are:

  • Drink plenty of water - Dehyradation can lead to stomach aches, lethargy or headaches. Drink before becoming thirsty! Tasty water is plentiful and readily available everywhere in camp. Your son should have a water bottle with him and drink water frequently.
  • Eat nutritious food - Three meals a day are served in the dining hall. If your son has any food allergies, is a vegetarian or has other dietary restrictions, let us know as soon as possible so we can make arrangements with the camp staff.
  • Wear comfortable shoes and change into clean socks each day - If shoes don't fit or socks are dirty, walking will be uncomfortable, and there will be plenty of walking during the week.
  • Take a shower - This can help lift his spirits. There are modern, private showers a short walk from our site.

Historic Merit Badges Offered

Two of the four Centennial historic merit badges are being offered at Camp Rotary: Carpentry and Tracking. They each meet in the evening Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. They are now available for selection on the Summer Camp Merit Badge Selection page. If you already submitted your selections, submit the online form again choosing just the desired historic merit badge.

Summer Camp Food Service

Camp Rotary has published the menu for the week we are at camp (Week #2). You can download it here.

The following is from Camp Rotary about food service: "Camp Rotary continually strives to make your dining experience a positive one during your stay with us. Great care is made to ensure quality, quantity, & variety in each meal we prepare. However there are also people who require special attention to their diet. We make it a practice to work with those who have special dietary needs. This can be done by contacting us at least 2 weeks prior to your arrival at camp."

If you have dietary concerns (allergies, vegetarian or religious, for instance), please contact Mr. Roney, who will include your information in our report to Camp Rotary. If you would like to discuss food service with Camp Rotary staff, please contact Camp Director Brad Murray at 989-386-7943.

Merit Badge Selection Now Available Online

Scouts: You can now select and register for your desired merit badges through our website!

  • You should visit the Camp Rotary website and download the Leader's Guide to review the merit badges that are available, pre-work requirements, and program costs, and choose the merit badges that you wish to take while at summer camp.
  • Check out the requirements on BSA's Merit Badge Requirements page, and discuss your choices with the Scoutmaster or an Assistant Scoutmaster.
  • Pre-requisites (work to be done prior to camp) for those merit badges that require it can be found on the additional information page along with information on program costs for certain merit badges.
  • When you have decided which merit badges you wish to work on at camp, visit the Summer Camp Merit Badge Selection page, make your selections, and submit your choices online.

Merit badge selections should be completed prior to June 17 so we will have time to resolve any issues or problems and generate Blue Cards prior to summer camp.

See Mr. Heslop or Mr. Hawkins if you have any questions about merit badge selection.

Central Registry Clearance

Camp Rotary has stated that all adults attending or visiting summer camp must have received clearance from the Michigan Central Registry. The registry, mandated by the Child Protection law, is a list of perpetrators of child abuse and neglect. This clearance is obtained from the Michigan Department of Human Services. Complete the DHS-194 form and submit it, along with a copy of your driver's license for identity verification, to the nearest DHS office (for Novi residents, 195 Ladd Rd., Walled Lake 48390). Clearance takes up to one to two weeks to receive by mail (though some have received theirs in a couple days), or you can appear in person and receive your letter on the spot. Once you receive the clearance, give a copy of the letter to Mrs. Mazer for the troop health and safety records. For more information, visit the DHS Central Registry site.

Get ready for 2010 Summer Camp!

It's time to look forward to Summer Camp 2010. Our dates this year are June 27 to July 3 and again we will be at Camp Rotary just north of Clare.

For families new to Boy Scouts, summer camp is an essential part of the Scouting program. In the week spent at camp, boys not only work on Scouting advancement and merit badges and have the opportunity to take advantage of activities that may only be available to them at a Scout camp, they bond with their fellow Scouts, learn how to function as a Patrol, and learn personal responsibility, self-reliance and the meaning of compassionate leadership. Boys who experience summer camp advance through the ranks sooner and are more likely to stay active in Scouting than boys who don't. There is plenty of adult and peer support, and the boys will be so busy at camp, there won't be time to think of anything else. Scroll down this page to read last year's camp report and see what the boys are in store for!

About our camp: Our scouts have returned to Camp Rotary for the past four years. They like the program, camp spirit, dining hall, campsite, counselors and staff, and facilities. The parade ground and waterfront area are breathtakingly picturesque. Almost half of all the available BSA merit badges are offered. The first-year camper program (Primary Ability Training Huddle, or PATH) is one of the best. Our site is comfortably wooded and shady, with running water and central latrine facilities, located close to camp program areas. Tents, supplied by Camp Rotary, are two-man canvas tents with wooden floors, equipped with mattresses and springs for each scout. Camp Rotary, operated by Lake Huron Area Council (Bay City), has been in operation for over 80 years. Troops from LHAC and many other councils return to Camp Rotary for many of these reasons. In short, Camp Rotary is everything a Boy Scout Camp should be!

  • This year's summer camp cost is $320
  • The early-bird rate is $280 (registration and one-half payment was due in February)
  • The early-bird rate also applies to Webelos crossovers and new Boy Scouts without having to meet the February sign-up date
  • If you registered and paid half ($140) in February, the final payment of $140 is due by the April 27 troop meeting.
  • Those who register after February 23 pay the full rate of $320, with half ($160) due on registration
  • Final payment ($140 early bird, $160 full rate) is due by April 27.
  • Registration and payment for Webelos crossovers and new Scouts should be received by April 27. If circumstances don't permit meeting that date, please speak with Mr. Roney.

Information was e-mailed to the troop, along with links to important documents at LHAC. There will be a short presentation on summer camp during the parent meeting on April 20. You can also visit the Camp Rotary website to obtain the leader guide, merit badge information, schedules, forms and other documents. If you have any questions, get in touch with Ed Roney.

Report from 2009 Summer Camp

Photo of Troop 407 at Summer Camp 2009

Congratulations to all of the scouts who camped at Rotary this year! We had a great week (Wednesday's weather notwithstanding).

Thanks to all the parents who helped throughout the week. We could not have done it without all of you.

For the week, we received the Silver Award. We earned 68/70 points. 70/70 are needed to get the Gold Award. This gives us something to shoot for next year.

The boys worked well as a troop, and we all learned a lot-both scouts and adults. They completed an in camp service project and hosted some counselors at a joint campfire with another troop. It was a quite a large bonfire in the road between the two troops' campsites. Our scouts told various stories & performed some short skits.They completed their daily duties and kept the campsite clean for the most part. By the end of the week most scouts had learned to keep their bunks/tents clean. We will need to work more on this for next year. We didn't have to cook, but the boys should all know how to set and clear a table.

When they weren't at PATH or merit badge classes, the boys took part in many activities which I am sure you've heard all about: fishing, climbing wall, canoeing, kayaking, rifle, shotgun, archery, open swim, just to name a few. And the trading post was a big hit, running daily specials on clothing and sweets.

Wednesday's activities were cancelled due to the rain, but overall the weather was pretty good for the week. Mr. Maynard and Mrs. Roney entered the chili cook off, and although they didn't win, it was delicious nonetheless. (It also hit the spot following the cold water in the dunk tank!) T407 had two excellent skits Friday night, one by the first year scouts and one by a group of older scouts. The scouts also chose their 3 favorite counselors for the week and gave them T407 T-shirts as gifts, which were greatly appreciated by the counselors.

Other highlights:

  • We had 43 scouts in camp along with 14 adults at one time or another during the week.
  • A total of 140+ Merit Badges were completed at camp. In addition, there are many partials that will be completed in the near future.
  • We had 12 scouts complete the P.A.T.H. program.
  • Three scouts completed Wilderness Survival.
  • Four scouts completed five rank advancements
  • One scout and one adult completed the Mile Swim
  • Sixteen scouts and five adults participated in the Polar Bear swim
  • Our adults served in various capacities to assist camp staff, including teaching a merit badge;
  • One scout and one adult participated in the Spirit of the Eagle Ceremony, recognizing all of the Eagle Scouts at the Friday campfire. It was an impressive ceremony and should give all of our younger scouts something to strive for.
  • Seven scouts and one adult were called out for Order of the Arrow Friday night, having been elected by their fellow scouts last January.
  • The boys overwhelmingly chose to return to Camp Rotary again for summer camp next year!

Thanks again to all of you for your help during the week, summer camp would not have been possible without you.

Mr. Heslop, Mr. Roney and Mr. Fadanelli

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Site content last updated on July 14, 2010