April Camping at Buck Hill

ew56 Camping

The troop returned to our favorite campsite, Beaver Tail at Buck Hill Camp. This site has plenty of space for tents, fire rings, and is close to the water, restrooms, and hiking trails. Sometimes camping is perfect, and you can’t wait to do it again. Other times, things don’t go as planned. Unfortunately, this camping trip was one of the latter.

The troop planned to hold a flag retirement ceremony Friday night and a fishing derby on Saturday morning. However, a fire ban prevented us from building a campfire, and the cold weather kept the fish from biting. The scouts fished for 30 minutes without catching anything, not even their homemade minnow trap caught a single fish.

Despite these setbacks, the scout and scouters still had a great weekend. We went for a hike, ate good food, and cleared out some brush that was blocking a stream. The scouts were proud of themselves for clearing the brush and seeing the water flowing again and the impact it had downstream.

Here are some things the troop learned from this camping trip:

  1. Always have a backup plan in case of bad weather or other unexpected events.
  2. Don’t give up on your plans just because things don’t go according to plan.
  3. Sometimes, the best experiences come from overcoming challenges.
  4. It’s important to be flexible and adaptable when camping.
  5. Camping is a great way to spend time with friends and create lasting memories.

Camp Split Rock

ew56 Camping

The troop camped at Camp Split Rock, located in Ashburnham, MA.  This was our first time camping at this site, and what an adventure!.  The troop had to brave “Arctic” conditions, over a long and treacherous path, to arrive at their meager accommodations.  Upon arrival the scouts immediately launched into a game of tag/manhunt and explored the local tundra with only their wits and guts (and nearby adults) for survival.  The accommodations (cabin) were nice (heated and fairly new) but a little tight.  It was located next to a frozen pond – a nice view!  In addition, it snowed our first night there, so the next day’s scenery was even better. 

We had our normal assortment of grub:  pop tarts, ramen, sausage and pancakes; in addition Mr. Rajack delighted us with what is probably the best Dutch oven cobbler ever made.  This was followed by pizza provided by Mr. Hamilton.

Scout Sunday

ew56 Community Service

The scouts went in on Sunday to help out with an event that we like to do called Scout Sunday. This is the first time it has happened in a while so we were all very pleased by how well everything went. We attended an event and some of the scouts even helps with the service, doing things like going up to read off of some papers, and assisting with the candle.

After the service, the scouts helped to serve the church members and day care children breakfast, with a few scouts aiding with serving food, and others serving drinks like orange juice and coffee. After everyone had gotten something to eat and drink, they thanked us and we cleaned up.

Yawgoog

ew56 Camping

Each year, the troop attends Yawgoog for a week in the summer to take in all the activities and adventure Yawgoog has to offer. In addition, the scouts also like to attend Yawgoog in the off-season months for a weekend camping trip, where they essentially have 1800 acres to themselves. Although the Yawgoog summer activities aren’t running and there aren’t thousands of scouts, scouters, and staff, Yawgoog is still an amazing place to explore, fish, and hike. For those who attend Camp Yawgoog, you are probably aware of the Yawgoog segments. The Yawgoog segments are worn on a piece of felt that attaches to the left pocket of your uniform. Scouts can earn segments for participating and completing certain activities at Yawgoog. One such segment is the segment for hiking all the trails of Camp Yawgoog.

The troop camped at the Nature Center in January. The weather was mild for January, with no rain in the forecast. On Saturday, the troop set out to hike all the trails to earn the Camp Yawgoog Trail segment. The trails are laid out in a way that requires some back-tracking to make sure all of them are covered. The troop completed all of the trails except the blue trail. Although the troop has completed the blue trail in the past, some scouts have not. Therefore, the troop will plan a hike at Yawgoog this summer to complete the blue trail. Another successful camping trip, and a good time was had by all!

Freedom Trail

ew56 Troop Event

The troop took a train to Boston and then walked to the starting point of the freedom trail to get questionnaire scavenger hunt sheets and then started off. We walked through several very old graveyards along the way, and past many important historical locations, making sure to fill out the questions along the way. The troop then stopped for lunch, and continued along the way seeing many more important locations. Towards the end of the trail, we stopped to take a tour through a replica of the U.S.S. Constitution. We then headed to the Bunker Hill memorial, where we were able to go inside of it and climb the stairs all the way to the top. After descending the stairs, we then started walking back to the train station, concluding our day.

Veteran’s Day

ew56 Community Service

Several scouts from the troop were asked to participate in a Veteran’s Day ceremony at Tamarisk Assisted Living Residence in Warwick. The scouts made up the color guard and presented the colors during the opening ceremony. During the ceremony, we had a chance to hear stories from several veterans about their return home from war and the struggles they faced. The message that came through in all stories was to thank a veteran for their service and sacrifices. Besides the hardships of fighting in a war, they were away from their families and friends and when they came home, in many cases they were shunned.

The scouts of Troop 8 continue to support our veterans through Eagle projects and community service events like Honor Flights and flag placing at Veteran’s Memorial cemetery.

Be sure to take the time to thank a veteran for their service and thank their families for the sacrifices they made while a family member in the armed forces had to be away from home.

Honor Flight

ew56 Community Service

Once again, the troop had the privilege of taking part in a RI Honor Flight event by providing the war veterans a warm welcome home. Veterans from WW II, the Korean War, and others were flown to Washington, DC to visit the memorials and have dinner with dignitaries. They flew out early on October 15, spent the day in DC, and returned late in the evening. The scouts showed their respect by holding to salute, with many of the veterans saluted back as they passed by the troop. Several people approached the boys to give a sincere thank you for being there.

Troop 8 received an honorable mention in an article about the event entitled “Honor Flight ‘Thunderbolt’ Connecting New Bonds for Life”, by John A. Cianci.

Canoeing at Camp Aquapaug

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This past weekend, the troop went out on our first camping trip of the season. We camped at Camp Aquapaug where we spent the day canoeing down the Chipuxet River to Worden Pond. We put the boats in around 11a and slowly started down the slow and winding river. Along the way we saw various signs of nature including turtles and one person spotted a beaver or muskrat in the water. We also saw several beaver damns where we had to carry the canoe across. 

This time of year the brush on the side of the river is overgrown which can make it difficult to pass at certain spots. However, despite the dams and winding river, the troop arrived at the mouth of the Chipuxet River where it flowed into Worden’s Pond. At this point, we rowed across the pond to get back to our campsite. The water was extremely calm although the headwinds made getting back a little challenging. 

Over the past couple of years, approx 10miles of trails had been blazed at Camp Aquapaug. So a few of us headed out for an afternoon hike to do some exploring while others either went fishing or relaxed by the fire. 

In the evening, the scouts cooked an amazing chicken stir fry dinner for the troop and we finished dinner off with apple pie. Already looking forward to the October camping trip!

Fort Ticonderoga

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The KHEGF organized and sponsored a trip to Ft Ticonderoga for the scouts and recent alumni of Troop 8. With two rented passenger vans, the scouts packed in and headed out to Ticonderoga, NY on Saturday morning. We arrived around noon and gathered for a picnic lunch before starting the program arranged for us at Ft Ticonderoga. 

Around 1p, we gathered and were introduced to our chaperones for the weekend. We were told that we would be living the life of soldiers over the course of the next 24 hours. We would be marching, raising and lowering the flag, eating the meals of soldiers, and sleeping on the same types of beds the soldiers would have back in the late 1700s.  

We started out by learning some marching drills, making sure our marching was precise. We learned how the guns were loaded and fired and how we would stand if we were lined up for battle. The guides also provided a lot of history of the area and why the waterways in front of Ft Ticonderoga were so critical. The troop also hiked the grounds around the fort and learned where certain battles took place. In addition to all the guided portions of the tour, there was much to see and learn on our own as we visited the museum on a self guided tour. 

Before heading home on Sunday, the troop boarded the Carillon to get a tour of the fort and surrounding area on Lake Champlain.

Saco River Camping Trip

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Troop 8 returned to the Saco River after 4 long years of having to miss out for various reasons. Upon first arrival, it felt like it was only yesterday when we were last there. Not only did we miss Saco, apparently the mosquitos missed us. We were greeted with swarms of mosquitos who were clearly out for blood. Those who arrived earlier warned us to use bug spray as soon as we got out of the car. Between the bug spray and the temperature drop in the evening, the mosquitos were no longer a problem.

The scouts setup camp, built a fire, and the troop hung out for a few hours by the fire before turning in for the night. Everyone wanted to get a good night sleep for the 11 mile kayak trip the next day. 

Morning came quickly and the scouts were up early preparing breakfast which consisted of pancakes and breakfast sausage. The troop then packed lunches and we headed out for our trip debriefing. The troop entered the water around 10:30am and started our journey down river where we would end up back at camp around 3:00pm.

The conditions for kayaking were absolutely perfect. It was clear skies with air temps in the high eighties. The Saco River was slow moving, crystal clear, and the water temp was in the fifties.

Along the river, the scouts found their usual spots where they like to hop out of the kayak and stretch their legs. We stopped at a few “sandy beach” areas and the sand dunes for a break. We also stopped to have lunch at the dam where we had to portage our kayaks over to the other side.

Even for those scouts who have never been, Saco continues to live up to the reputation as one of the camping trips the scouts most enjoy. We are already looking forward to seeing you again next year Saco River!