Over the river and through the woods

I recently made it to camp to get some things out of the dining hall for the rangers. There was not as much snow around the buildings as I thought there would be, but on the road to camp, even after several days of warmer weather and a bit of rain, some of the drifts were as tall as the van. The drifts were melting down some and now more snow. It has been snowing lightly without much wind for over 2 days now and we are nearly as deep as we were. I am hoping for a slow thaw, we don't need people in flood water in 40 or below temperature. Clifford and I celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary in January. Spring must be on the way because the deer are moving around....

Happy 100th birthday, Boy Scouts of America

The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated on February 8, 1910 and chartered by Congress in 1916. Its purpose is to provide an educational program for boys and young adults to build character, to train in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and to develop personal fitness. We at Camp Cedars are proud to be a part of this tradition and excited to contribute to the next century of Scouting.

According to the national office, as of December 31, 2009, there were 2.9 million youth and 1.1 million adults active in the program through 124,425 units.

If "all roads lead to Rome" ...

...they don't lead to Camp Cedars. Both highways 109 and 77 have been closed for several days due to snow and ice. The situation should improve by midweek when temperatures are forecast to be around the freezing mark. Until then, we just throw another log on the fire.

Happy Holidays

Seasons Greetings from Camp Cedars. It has been a snowin' and a blowin' around here - at least 15 inches with drifts approaching 4 feet. We will dig out eventually. Winter camping anyone?

Fall @ Cedars

The leaves are beginning to turn, and there is an unmistakable crispness in the air. Fall is a beautiful time of year. Cedars is no different, but then again it is. Sure, there is OA conclave and NBZ festival, but few see camp during the off season. For the staff who have so much invested in Cedars, it feels strange to visit camp in the fall. It is eerily quiet, empty, void of the energy associated with summer. We thrive for that missing enthusiasm, the fellowship of our peers, the commitment to Scouting, and the chance to impact the lives of thousands of young men - future leaders. We eagerly await June 2010. Whether as a Scout, leader, or new member of staff, come join us. If you aren't there, we will be diminished.

Meal Count

With one Webelos session to go, I am projecting 76,306 meals served this summer. The all-time record is 81,358 set in 2007. As Papa Koz once said, "You use a lot of groceries woman." Indeed, we could fill a warehouse with the tons (literally) of food that it takes to feed hungry campers. Beyond groceries, stop for a minute to think about washing over 75,000 plates, cups, knives, forks, and spoons, plus 25,000 cereal bowls.

Acknowledgements

As the summer nears an end and I begin to reflect on the past few months, in addition to those individuals who have already been mentioned, acknowledgements are deserved by the following:

Staff and Camper Volunteers: To those who have helped in the kitchen in any way--washing dishes, sorting silverware, plattering food, etc.--you have our deepest thanks for making life in the kitchen easier for us and better for the campers.

Aquatics Staff: They have been the serving staff for family nights all summer, entertaining the campers and families with song while serving dinner. Their contributions have been so significant and sustained that Chuck drove to Hockenberg's in Omaha on his day off in order to be able to present them with a special sloppy joe scoop and "AQ" stamped serving spoon for baked beans. Both will be kept in the dining hall in their honor.

Marty Kirchmeier: Though I have spoken of him before, the progress that he has made and the leadership he has provided during his second year as a cook merit additional recognition. Marty has mastered the fine art of red sauce and pasta, become the king of macaroni and cheese, learned the nuances of fine salad dressings, and wowed the staff and campers with meatloaf. This summer he became Keeper of the Sacred Bundle Nourishing Trader. We are proud of Marty, wish him the best in his academic and culinary endeavors, and look forward to his drinking a big horn next summer when advancing to Shaman.