Hi Mary,

I will also include the rest of the troop because others may have similar questions that you want to know as well.

Let me try an answer all your questions:

Summer camp is for one week – the boys stay in a dedicated site for our troop. Leaders / parents will stay in the adjacent site. (about 50 ft away) with a shared latrine that has an adult side and a seperate scout side. Each summer we have a number of leaders / parents attend. Some people stay the entire week, others come up early or later in the week depending on schedules. Parents are welcome to attend and they can stay as long as they want/need. Adults have a lounge with power, AC, internet access and coffee that is available during most of the day/evening.

Campers have a full schedule of activities (which is defined partially before attending and then modified when they get to camp). Our goal is to group the boys as much a possible. So if you are taking cooking merit badge for example, we get all the boys looking for that MB to go together.

Adults have very little to do during the day. A good book, hiking, biking are normal stuff for them to do. We do get involved at meal times and after the day ends to supervise/check in with the boys.

In terms of having someone come up – that is really up to you. You know your son better than I do saying that I have seen every option from new scouts going by themselves, to a parent coming up to start the week or come up later in the week to having them spend the entire week. Generally the boys are very busy and enjoying themselves too much to care about being home. There is some homesickness that I believe comes more from the parents than the child. Most often this will be the first time they are away from home/parents and rather enjoy the real sense of freedom. (no one tells them to change their clothes) – I say generally – you know your son better. Often they will surprise you.

You will register though the troop – we will be starting to talk about it at the next court of honor.

It really is a great time for the boys – they really bond with each other and develop their friendships at this camp (even if they don’t go the first year – it turns out OK). There is a lot of shared experiences, silliness, some bad things and and some great things. I will tell you this – they will remember it for the rest of their lives and I am sure they will have some great stories to tell.

Thanks

Joe Aiello