Program Launch

All unit leaders should mark their calendars now for Program Launch 2010.  Program Launch will be held at Camp Tuckahoe on Wednesday, June 2.  

We’ll be celebrating the 100th anniversary and helping unit leaders plan for a great 10-11 Scouting year. Great resources including the council calendar will be released at this great event. 

Registration will start at 5pm with special program sessions beginning at 5:30pm and being repeated until 7:30pm.  Exhibitions will be open throughout the evening, so Scouters can plan a schedule that is convenient to them.  There will be a closing at 7:30pm. A light dinner will be provided in the camp dining hall from 5 until 7pm. 

Additional details and registration information will be available online in April and will also be in the next issue of The YAAC.

Camp Open House and Pre-camp Meetings

Make plans now to visit Tuckahoe on Saturday, May 1, 2010 for a tour of camp and pre-camp parents and leaders meeting.  Senior Camp Staff will be on hand to answer questions and give group tours. 

Cub and Webelos Scout Camp tours are from 9-10 AM.  A Cub and Webelos Scout pre-camp meeting for leaders and parents will be at 10:30 AM. 

Boy Scout Resident Camp pre-camp tours will be from 1-2 PM.  The Boy Scout Resident Camp, pre-camp meeting for patents and leaders will be held at 2:30 PM.   

Summer camp leaders and parents are encouraged to attend the pre-camp meeting to obtain the latest information about summer camp.  Troop leaders will be able to turn in pre-camp merit badge schedules.

Boy Scout Summer Camp Highlights

The Centennial of Scouting has generated a heightened interest in the history and heritage of the Boy Scouts of America.  The BSA National Council has launched a number of initiatives to encourage this interest.  Many Scouts and Scouters look forward to summer camp as the most significant Scouting activity in their year, and it would be appropriate to incorporate opportunities to commemorate Scouting heritage into the summer camp program at Camp Tuckahoe. 

This summer, Camp Tuckahoe will begin offering the Kayaking BSA Award.  Learning to safely maneuver a kayak is  both fun and enjoyable.  Kayakers will learn how to swiftly move across the flat calm water of Camp Tuckahoe’s Memory Lake. 

The Fingerprinting merit badge does not have any prerequisites and all the supplies are provided by the camp for free.  Scouts will learn  the history of  fingerprinting, how to take different types of fingerprints and practice identifying  and matching  prints. 

Scouts taking Oceanography merit badge will learn about  ocean currents, waves, plants  and animals that live in the ocean.

Geocaching – Boy Scouts will  can  the new Geo cashing Merit Badge by navigate a geocaching course and pick up items and  collect stories at each cache related to Scouting history.   Each cache with “collector cards” of the Scouting founders. 

Historical Merit Badges – The National Council has recently announced that Signaling, Tracking, Pathfinding, and Carpentry will be reissued until December 31, 2010.  Following a review of the preliminary requirements, it seems unlikely that many Scouts would be able to complete some of the  badges at camp.  A final official list of 2010 merit badges will be posted in the Camp Leaders Guide or after official requirements are made public.

Back to back snowstorms left a wintery, white blanket over Tuckahoe.  Many thanks to Ranger Scott for plowing and maintaining the camp during the storm!

Enjoy!

Todd

Tuckahoe to Feature a Summer-Long Celebration of 100 years of Scouting Tradition

In 2010, the Boy Scouts of America will be celebrating 100 years of Scouting in the United States.  At Camp Tuckahoe, we’re getting things ready for our own summer-long celebration of 100 years of great BSA camping traditions.  

Going to summer camp is just as important today as it was for past generations of Scouts. Just as it did for your father or grandfather, Tuckahoe’s summer camp programs will inspire your son, teaching him Scouting’s values while he has fun with his friends.  During his stay at camp, he’ll also participate in programs that will help him advance toward his next rank badge. 

The long Scouting trail of history shows us that  Scouts look forward to summer camp all year long and Tuckahoe is a great place for every boy’s camping dreams to come true.  After investing more than $4.5 million in a new facilities in 2003, Tuckahoe is a state-of-the-art, 1,300-acre venue that still retains the feel of a “traditional” Scout camp. 

Since its first summer camp season back in 1948, Tuckahoe has been welcoming generations of York and Adams County Scouts and the camp has continually evolved to meet the needs of campers.  These ongoing changes have positioned Tuckahoe to offer an outstanding array of summer camp program opportunities – from the youngest Cub Scout to the experienced Boy Scout, Tuckahoe has something to offer boys of all ages.

During Boy Scout camp this summer, we will look back at our proud Scouting history to select fun and  challenging  activities from the past to include as part of this summer’s program.   

The 2010 summer camp theme for Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts will be “Safari of the Hidden Temple.”   The camp staff at Tuckahoe will bring the Safari Adventure theme to life with fun activities, games, campfire stories, challenges,  meal time activities,  skits and songs.    

For our Cub and Webelos campers, Tuckahoe features a Cub World – a specialized section of the camp that includes features like a Medieval Castle, a Western Frontier Fort, a Pirate Ship, and Underground Mine.  The Cub World also boasts a Swiss Family Robinson-style Nature Center designed to capture the imagination and create a sense of adventure for all Cub and Webelos Scout campers. 

We’ve adopted “A Trail of History – A Path to the Future” as our slogan for Boy Scout camp  this summer.  Hopefully, this will be a good reminder that the goal of the Scouting program is to use the outdoors as a unique classroom.  

Tuckahoe consistently earns high marks from campers and adult leaders for its outstanding  camp facilities and camp staff. At Tuckahoe, campers enjoy meals in the air-conditioned dining hall that can comfortably seat 500 campers at a time. Tuckahoe also features a 186,000-gallon swimming pool that invites boys to cool off on those hot summer afternoons.

In addition, Boy Scout campers can choose from more than 30 different merit badge opportunities during their stay at Tuckahoe.  Older Boy Scouts can  test themselves by participating in Project COPE (Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience).  COPE is often referred to as a “high wires” course built high up in the trees. 

Camp Tuckahoe has plenty to offer Scout campers of all ages and it’s close-to-home and affordable, especially when you compare the cost and value of the programs offered at Tuckahoe with other youth summer camp programs.    

We invite you to take a few minutes to read through this blog and learn about the great adventure awaiting your son at Camp Tuckahoe this summer.  

Todd Weidner

Camp Director

Did You Know?

The typical young person today spends six and a half hours in front of a screen (computer, video game, television or cell phone each day – adding up to more than 45 hours per week. 

York-Adams Area Council’s summer camp programs for Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts of all ages at Camp Tuckahoe are the perfect antidote to “screen time.”   Our goal at Tuckahoe is that “No Scout is Left Inside” this summer – we want every boy to experience the very best in fun and adventure  that Scouting can offer him. 

Tuckahoe provides opportunities for Scouts to enjoy a wealth of outdoor experiences that he’ll never get sitting at home staring at a screen.  He’ll learn new skills, get reconnected with nature, enjoy doing things together with his friends, and return home with great stories about all the things he actually did  (and not just watched on TV) during his stay at camp. 

Parents can help their son to star in his very own “reality show” by making a reservation for him to attend summer camp at Tuckahoe in 2010.  You’ll be helping him to create memories that will last a lifetime! 

Whether your son is a brand-new Cub Scout or experienced Boy Scout, we hope this insert (along with our on-line website resources), will get you and your son excited about him attending summer camp at Tuckahoe. 

Tuckahoe is your close-to-home Scout camp blessed with outstanding facilities, innovative programs, an enthusiastic and well-trained camp staff, great food and is an outstanding financial value.

Take An On-Line Tour

If distance, time or gas prices are keeping you from seeing Camp Tuckahoe in person, you can visit all of the camp’s major facilities right now without leaving the comfort of your home, office or wherever you are.

You can visit Camp Tuckahoe anytime on-line at www.yaac-bsa.org/tuckahoe.

Tuckahoe On- Line

If you want to keep up-to-date on all the news on summer camp 2010 plans or some of the upcoming summer camp events, start following the camp through one of these sources: 

Facebook: Became a fan of Camp Tuckahoe 

Twitter: Follow at twitter.com/camptuckahoe 

Camp Blog: Visit www.yaac-bsa.org/tuckahoe

What Parents Need to Know About Summer Camp

The camping experience at Camp Tuckahoe provides more than just fun. Scouts say summer camp offers physically and intellectually challenging activities, new and rewarding experiences, and supportive and caring relationships.  In just one session of camp, youth develop: 

Strong personal values and character by participating in thought-provoking activities such as making decisions and attending flag ceremonies. 

Positive sense of self-worth and usefulness through helping others by serving meals and cleaning, communicating positively with others and expressing their opinions. 

Caring and nurturing relationships with parents, other adults, and peers through group activities with peers and adults they trust as they mentor other Scouts, get advice from adults and form strong friendships. 

Desire to learn by exploring nature, doing things they have never done before, testing their thinking ability and earning merit badges. 

Productive and creative use of time through both physical and intellectual activities as they work with others on merit badges or tasks, work on camp improvement projects and become more self-reliant.  

Social adeptness through team-building activities, including, meeting new people, helping others accomplish something, participating in patrol/troop decision making and participating in skits or songs. 

Most important, both boys (78 percent) and parents (96 percent) would recommend the Scout camp they attended to others.

Since 1948, Camp Tuckahoe has been welcoming generations of York and Adams County Scouts to summer camp adventures.

Tuckahoe is annually visited and accredited by trained volunteers and professionals to ensure that the camp meets health and safety standards as well as insuring that the camp has necessary program elements required to have meaningful learning experiences while at camp.

Tuckahoe Tops in Northeast  Region For Cub Scout Camping

The York-Adams Area Council has been recognized from 2005 through 2009 as the best BSA Council in the Northeastern United States for the highest percentage of its Cub Scouts that attended an overnight summer camp program. 

In addition, York-Adams Area Council is also ranked #7 nationally among the more than 300 councils in the United States for the percentage of Cub Scouts attending an overnight summer camp experience.  In 2009, 29.5% of all Cub Scouts in the council attended summer camp at Camp Tuckahoe.  

The York-Adams Area Council is leading the way among councils in attracting and maintaining Cub Scout attendance with exciting programs that bring boys back to camp year after year.  

Summer camp is more than just a place to have fun.  It also offers Scouts the opportunity to participate in new and rewarding experiences in a supportive atmosphere.  Cub Scout activity involved in summer camp aids in keeping boys active in Scouting and helps to create a seamless transition into Boy Scouts.

Camp Open House and Pre-Camp Meetings May 1, 2010

Make plans now to visit Tuckahoe on Saturday, May 1, 2010 for a tour of camp and pre-camp parents and leaders meeting.  Senior Camp Staff will be on hand to answer questions and give group tours. 

Cub and Webelos Scout Camp tours are from 9-10 AM.  A Cub and Webelos Scout pre-camp meeting for leaders and parents will be at 10:30 AM. 

Boy Scout Resident Camp pre-camp tours will be from 1-2 PM.  The Boy Scout Resident Camp, pre-camp meeting for patents and leaders will be held at 2:30 PM.   

Summer camp leaders and parents are encouraged to attend the pre-camp meeting to obtain the latest information about summer camp.  Troop leaders will be able to turn in pre-camp merit badge schedules.

How to Register for Summer Camp 

Scouts attend summer camp at Tuckahoe with their pack or troop as a group.  All campers from your son’s pack or troop will be assigned to the same campsite. 

Typically, each pack or troop announces to their members when the group is scheduled to attend camp.  Summer camp is usually placed on each pack or troop’s calendar.  If your son’s group has not yet announced their summer camp plans for 2010, parents should check with their son’s pack or troop leaders and let them know of your interest in having your son attend camp. 

Each pack and troop attending camp must provide adult leadership for their group.  There is a minimum numbers of adult leaders that are required for each camp program in order to maintain a proper boy-to-adult ratio while at camp.  

Please refer to each program’s Leaders Guidebook (available on-line at www.yaac-bsa.org/tuckahoe) for specific adult leadership guidelines.

Financial Assistance Available 

Camperships are available for families with a need for financial assistance for up to 50% of the camp fee.  All requests for camperships are kept confidential.   

To obtain an application form, please contact your son’s unit leader or download and print out the form at www.yaac-bsa.org/tuckahoe.  Application deadline is May 1.  Camperships are not available for adults or for a second week of camp. 

All campership applicants will be notified of the amount of any financial assistance awarded.

 

Camp Tuckahoe 2010 Boy Scout Summer Camp

Scouts look forward to summer camp all year long and Camp Tuckahoe is a great place for every boy’s Scouting dream to come true. 

During Tuckahoe’s four weeks of Boy Scout camp, our highly-qualified and enthusiastic camp staff consistently delivers first-rate instruction and program opportunities. 

Tuckahoe offers special advancement opportunities for younger campers through our Buffalo Braves program.  The camp also offers a diverse selection of challenging and fun merit badges for all ages.  Troops can also easily arrange for conservation and service projects while at camp. 

Scouts can go swimming, fishing, canoeing, rowing and snorkeling.  We’ve got rifle, archery, shotgun and black-powder shooting programs.  Our Scoutcraft, Nature, and Handicrafts areas offer a wealth of merit badge opportunities and other programs. 

Older Boy Scouts looking for a real challenge will enjoy testing themselves by participating in the camp’s Project COPE program. 

Tuckahoe also offers a unique Honor Camper program, where Boy Scouts can earn a series of patch segments that fit alongside the main Honor Camper patch.  Scouts can also earn hiking pins and attendance bars for each year they attend camp. 

Tuckahoe makes it possible for Scouts to experience the ultimate Scouting environment, filled with more program possibilities than can be accomplished in just one week at camp.  But Tuckahoe will also help boys grow as a person, not just in the number of merit badges they’ve earned. 

At Tuckahoe, we’re committed to making outstanding memories that will last a lifetime.

Camp Advancement

Advancement may not be the only reason to attend summer camp, but it’s an important one.  A week of Boy Scout camp at Tuckahoe offers many merit badge opportunities that can assist every boy in his ascent along the trail to Eagle Scout. 

Tuckahoe offers more than 30 merit badges available to campers each Boy Scout week.  To assist Scouts and leaders in planning individualized camp schedules, Tuckahoe makes it possible for troops to pre-register Scouts for merit badge sessions.  

This is particularly helpful those Scouts with ambitious plans for their summer camp experience.  By being able to pre-register for their merit badges beforehand, Scouts arrive at camp knowing what their daily schedule will be and can plan other activities around those sessions.

Merit Badges Available at Camp Tuckahoe

• Archery
• Art  
• Astronomy
• Basketry
• Camping **
• Canoeing
• Citizenship in Nation**
• Cooking    
• Emergency Preparedness **
• Environmental Science **
• Fingerprinting  NEW in 2010
• First Aid **
• Fish & Wildlife 
• Fishing
• Forestry
• Geology
• Golf  
• Indian Lore
• Leatherwork
• Lifesaving **
• Mammal Study
• Nature  
• Oceanography  NEW in 2010
• Orienteering
• Personal Fitness **
• Pioneering
• Reptile/Amphibian
• Rifle Shooting
• Rowing
• Shotgun Shooting
• Soil & Water
• Space Exploration
• Swimming **
• Weather
• Wilderness Survival
• Wood Carving

** Eagle required merit badges

Coming In 2010

New Kayaking BSA Award Program

This summer, Camp Tuckahoe will begin offering the Kayaking BSA Award.  Learning to safely maneuver a kayak is  both fun and enjoyable.  Kayakers will learn how to swiftly move across the flat calm water of Camp Tuckahoe’s Memory Lake.   

No additional fee will be charged, but all participants must be approved as a swimmer before starting.

New Merit Badges – Fingerprinting and Oceanography 

Camp Tuckahoe will begin offering two new merit badges this summer, Fingerprinting and Oceanography Merit Badge. Both merit badge are great for   Scouts of all ages.  

The Fingerprinting merit badge does not have any prerequisites and all the supplies are provided by the camp for free.  Scouts will learn  the history of  fingerprinting, how to take different types of fingerprints and practice identifying  and matching  prints.  

Scouts taking Oceanography merit badge will learn about  ocean currents, waves, plants  and animals that live in the ocean.

Project COPE Challenges Older Scouts

COPE is an acronym for Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience. It is comprised of a series of outdoor challenges, beginning with basic group initiative games, and progressing to more complicated low-course and high-course activities. Some of these events involve a group effort, while others test individual skills and agility. Participants climb, swing, balance, jump, rappel and think through solutions to a variety of challenges. 

The objectives of Project COPE include building confidence, developing leadership skills, and attaining a sense of common cooperation among group members. The course is designed to build more self-confidence in a shorter length of time than anything most people have experienced. 

Participants work together as a group throughout the COPE experience, to learn teamwork and trust. In addition, COPE participants develop leadership skills, improve their self-esteem, communications and problem solving skills. And even as they develop these important skills, participants say Project COPE is an absolute blast! 

Low-course activities present a series of challenging low activities. These activities require group cooperation and problem solving to succeed. Because many of the obstacles are elevated, group members work together to spot each other to prevent falls and injury. Individual agility and commitment are required to negotiate the events. 

High-course activities include eight aerial challenge elements. Participants negotiate a series of log, rope, and cable obstacles 35 feet off the ground. These activities require effort beyond the routine and encourage participants to pursue new experiences and exercise sound risk taking. 

At all times while on the course, a participant is attached to a belay line to prevent accidents. Everyone within the high course area must wear a safety helmet. Safety is most important for all aspects of COPE. 

Boy Scout participants must be a minimum of 14 years old and a First Class Scout at that time of participation.  There is a $20 COPE fee per participant (in addition to basic summer camp fee).  All participants must be prepared to bring jeans or long pants, tennis shoes, clean or new leather gloves and a bandanna or neckerchief with them each day when directed by the staff.  

Each participant is awarded a COPE patch.  Special COPE t-shirts may be purchased for $10 at the camp trading post.

Golf Merit Badge 

Golf merit badge is offered just a short drive away at Range End Golf Course (which is about a 8-minute drive from the camp).  Last summer, 70 boys  took the merit badge. An additional $30 fee will be required to take this merit badge.  The fee includes two 9-hole rounds of golf and a golf lesson by a PGA professional golf instructor.  

Parents and leaders are also welcome to register and play golf with their Scouts.  Scouts can bring their own golf clubs or use the golf clubs provided by the camp. 

At the Handicrafts Lodge, There’s Always  Activity 

We teach skills of various merit badges for hobby interests or just for the fun of knowing how to make use of nature’s materials.  This program answers the creative urge to make something.  

Tuckahoe offers Art, Basketry, Indian Lore, Leatherwork, Woodcarving and Space Exploration merit badges.  Kits are available for all crafts from the trading post.  Try one of the handicrafts merit badges and you could have a hobby for life.

Shooting Sports  Ranges

Tuckahoe boasts three excellent shooting ranges where Boy Scouts can learn safe handling methods  and shooting accuracy in rifle, archery and shotgun.  Rifle Shooting, Shotgun Shooting and Archery merit badges are offered.  

Shotgun Shooting Merit Badge and Sporting Clays 

Camp Tuckahoe offers Shotgun Shooting merit badge.  This is a good badge for older Scouts  who have an interest in improving their shooting skills. Camp Tuckahoe has a  great shot gun range with new automatic clay throwing traps .  The average Scout spends $25 on ammo to earn the merit badge.  

Camp Tuckahoe is also pleased to be partnering with Central Penn Sporting Clays, located in nearby Wellsville, PA, for a challenging new activity that will test the shotgun shooting skills of participants.  

Central Penn is a very popular venue for avid  shooters in the local area, with 20 different shooting stations on its course.  On the course, clay targets fly in all different directions making it much more challenging and fun for the shooter.  The fee for the activity is $30 and includes 50 rounds of ammo. 

Scoutcraft

The outdoor skills that have long set Scouting apart from other youth programs are highlighted in Tuckahoe’s Scoutcraft program.  

Some have suggested that the way to judge a Scout camp is by the quality of its Scoutcraft program.  Our highly-qualified staff of instructors will help you learn essential and advanced outdoor living skills.  

Our quality program features Camping, Cooking, Orienteering, Pioneering and Wilderness Survival merit badges, along with Paul Bunyan Woodsman.

Special Programs Offered for Newer Boy Scouts

The Buffalo Braves program is designed for first- and second-year campers to provide instruction for many of the Tenderfoot through First Class requirements.  

By creating this special opportunity for younger Boy Scouts, we hope that these boys will be able to learn important Scouting skills, advance faster in rank, gain confidence and self-esteem and as a result, stay active in Boy Scouting. 

While members of the camp staff conduct the Buffalo Braves sessions, Scouts are then directed to demonstrate to troop leaders the skills they have mastered so leaders can actually “sign-off” on the   requirements completed. 

This is a great way for younger Scouts to learn skills including knots and lashings, outdoor cooking, use of wood tools, making campsite gadgets, map and  compass, and first aid.  Boys participating in the Buffalo Braves program will also be able to participate in swimming and basketry merit badges as part of the Buffalo Braves schedule. 

There’s even a special overnight outpost program offered as part of the Buffalo Braves experience.  Don’t miss out on this special opportunity for younger Scouts.

Aquatics Program 

Program features offered at the swimming pool include instructional swim, Swimming merit badge, Mile Swim,  Lifesaving merit badge, Snorkeling, free swim and campwide games.  The boating area at Memory Lake features Rowing and Canoeing merit badges, as well as open boating and kayaking.

Polar Bear Swim 

Each day in the early hours of the morning, a few Scouts and leaders slowly make their way to the pool to earn recognition as a Tuckahoe Polar Bear.  Jump in the pool two of the three days at 7am and earn the Polar Bear swim ribbon. 

BSA Lifeguard 

The BSA Lifeguard program is offered to Scouts (age 14 and above) and adults (over age 18).  This program is designed to support units that plan to conduct aquatic  activities on their own.  Adults planning to earn BSA Lifeguard should plan to spend the week in the aquatics area.  BSA Lifeguard certification is difficult to earn, requiring its    participants to be in very good shape and also be excellent swimmers.

Nature-Ecology

The nature program offers a full range of nature/ecology merit badges including  Environmental Science, Soil and Water Conservation, Fish and Wildlife Management, Geology, Nature, Weather, Reptile and Amphibian Study, Forestry, Astronomy and Mammal Study. 

Astronomy

Explore the stars.  While required for Astronomy Merit Badge, the astronomy program is open to all.  No pre-registration is required to attend.  All interested Scouts are to meet at the Nature Lodge for a one-hour astronomy study.  Scouts will have an opportunity to learn about the night sky and different constellations.  A few telescopes will be on hand for Scouts to share.  No equipment or gear is needed.

Tuckahoe Iron Man 

To be a Tuckahoe Iron Man, a Scout must be 13 years of age or older and completed several program events.  Challenges include the Mile Swim, two-mile running course, super orienteering, and Project COPE events. During the course of the week, challenges will be posted for those Scouters who dare to become one of the few.

Honor Camper Award 

The Honor Camper Award is for participation in the camp program.  Scouts earn log segments that fit each side of the honor Award patch.  Scouts can also earn trail hiking pins to place on the center of the patch and summer attendance bars are added each year a Scout attends camp.

Camp Tuckahoe 2010 Cub Scout Summer Camp

Cub Scout Resident Camp sessions are three days and two nights in length and parents are welcome and  encouraged to attend camp with their son. 

If your son is currently a Tiger or Wolf Cub Scout, then Cub Resident camp is the age-appropriate summer camp experience designed for your son to enjoy .

While earning various advancements should not be the only goal for boys at summer camp, Cub Resident camp participants will complete requirements that will qualify them for rank advancement and leaders will receive a form to assist in tracking their advancement.

Cub Scouts travel as a den to the program areas. The camp staff provides the entire program throughout the day.  Leaders and parents are asked to maintain discipline within the pack and are always welcome to help if they are so inclined.  Some of the projects you work on may take more than one day to complete. 

 Webelos Resident Camp 

If your son is currently a Bear or Webelos 1 Cub Scout, then Webelos Resident Camp at  Camp Tuckahoe is the age-appropriate summer camp option designed for him .  Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend. 

This five-day, four-night experience features archery, campfires, hiking, camping skills, fishing, boating and more.  Webelos Resident Camp participants will able to earn a number of Webelos activity badges during their stay at Tuckahoe, as well as other advancement items.  Leaders and parents will be given a tracking sheet to help keep records on those advancements that each boy completes during camp. 

Each boy learns a tremendous amount about both Scouting and himself in the pristine setting of the Camp Tuckahoe mountains. Our top-notch staff ensures that there is never a moment without activity during a boy’s stay at camp. 

Not only will the Scouts go home a great memories, they will also have earned advancements and new friends!

Parents and Leaders – No Prior Experience Necessary 

Summer camp for Cub Scouts?  No way!  Many parents may think that bringing their Cub Scout sons to summer camp is too much work or that a lot of prior camping experience is necessary.  

Many Cub Scout parents have never camped before and aren’t too sure how to even get started.  At Camp Tuckahoe, we’ve designed things for the most inexperienced campers and we’ve made things as easy as possible. 

Just bring yourself and any pack gear you may want, along with the required medical forms and camping spirit and let Tuckahoe take care of the rest.  All food, programs, camp staff, tents, bunks with mattresses and even private modern hot showers  and restrooms (including the ones that flush!) are all ready and standing by for your pack at Tuckahoe. 

Last summer, 923 Cub and Webelos Scouts attended summer camp at Tuckahoe, along with 738 adult leaders and parents.  Now, it’s your turn! 

Your son’s time as a Cub or Webelos Scout will flash past and be over before you know it!  Taking a break in your hectic schedule and attending summer camp with your son is a great way to spend quality time together without having to do all the work yourself. 

Let our camp staff show you a great time as your son works on advancements that will help him on his way to his Arrow of Light award.

Why Should You Send Your Son To Summer Camp ?

Ask your son if going camping is important to him.  Tuckahoe’s summer camp programs for Cub and Webelos Scouts will inspire your son, teach him Scouting’s values while he has fun with his friends, and participates in programs that help him earn numerous advancements toward his next rank badge. 

Tuckahoe’s facilities, including our outstanding Cub World, provides packs with the ideal setting for campers of all ages.  Your son can experience outstanding Cub Scout summer camp programs close-to-home and at very affordable prices. 

The campsite is your son’s home while at Tuckahoe. It’s a great place to roast marshmallows and sing songs around a campfire.  Scouts will raise and lower the American flag in their site each day.  

Private, individual shower facilities are available at the bath house at the swimming pool.  All camp facilities are thoroughly inspected to insure the safest possible experience for campers. 

While at Tuckahoe, boys enjoy an action-packed adventure from arrival to departure.  Each day’s        activities are age-appropriate and include archery, camping skills, shooting BB guns, fishing, swimming, boating, handicrafts, nature, hiking, and games. No day at camp is complete without lots of singing and skits around the evening campfire. 

Expertise like no other camp.  When it comes to Cub and Webelos Scout summer camp programs, we aim to be the very best. Tuckahoe’s facilities were specifically designed to support Cub Scout camping programs.  

Our enthusiastic, highly-qualified camp staff is carefully prepared to provide outstanding, age-appropriate Cub Scout programs. 

The Program Facilities and Equipment can’t be duplicated by your pack on its own.  Tuckahoe’s Cub Scout camping facilities are world-class and few other council camps can even try to compare. 

Advancement Opportunities are available as a part of all camping programs at Tuckahoe.  All campers can earn a wealth of advancements while at camp. 

We Make Memories.  Be sure to bring along a camera because you will want to take a lot of photos during your time at camp. 

No young man will forget the memories and experiences from summer camp, especially from a truly special place like Tuckahoe.

Answering Those Frequently Asked Questions

WHERE DO WE EAT? The air-conditioned dining hall, of course.  All your meals are prepared by the camp’s food service staff.

WHERE DO WE SLEEP? All campsites have large tarps for shelter in case of rain.  Campsite washstands provide convenient drinking and wash water. Campers sleep in large two-person, fire-resistant, wall tents that are set-up over raised wood platforms.  

All tents are a spacious 9’ by 7’ in size so campers will have no problem storing their gear.  Each tent has two metal cots equipped with foam mattress pads. 

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A PARENT AND/OR LEADERS IN CAMP? Parents and leaders are responsible for the conduct of the pack while at camp. It is important that the parents and leaders escort the Scouts throughout the daily program routine.  

HOW CAN OUR CUB PACK ENHANCE THE THEME AT CAMP? All packs are encouraged to participate in the theme through costumes, songs, skits and cheers. 

WHAT ABOUT ADVANCEMENT AT CAMP? Cub Scout summer camp is designed to be fun so the emphasis is not only on Scout advancement. However, a Scout can complete certain electives for advancement just by participating at each of the program areas. Leaders are encouraged to review the activities at camp to see what has been accomplished in the way of requirements. The Program Director at camp will provide your pack with a check list of some of the most common electives that can be completed at camp. 

WHAT IF OUR PACK IS NOT ATTENDING CAMP, CAN INDIVIDUAL SCOUTS GO? At Cub and Webelos Resident Camp there is not a “Provisional” camp for individuals Scouts to attend without their pack. We recommend that you try to find a sponsor pack from your local area that can take your Scouts.  

Of course, the best option is to plan to have your pack or at least a den from your pack attend camp together.

Another great, fun-filled weekend at Tuckahoe as Scouts enjoy the Halloween festivities.

Enjoy,

Todd

 

It’s always nice to see Tuckahoe this time of year enriched with the warm colors of fall.

Happy Fall,

Todd 

Another Great Summer! 

Camp Tuckahoe had another great summer!  Scouts from throughout south central Pennsylvania, as well as other states, enjoyed some awesome summer camp adventures!  Check out this insert to read about some of the things that made this summer memorable. 

The theme for our Cub Scout and Webelos Resident Camps was “Pirates” where everyone enjoyed a swashbuckling good time.  Boy Scouts campers were able to take part in some traditional programs plus participate in some brand new activities. 

 

Camp Attendance 

Over 3050 Scouts, leaders,  and parents attended camp during the eight week summer season.  The number of Scouts from our own council attending camp increased for all three resident camp programs. 

The York-Adams Area Council is leading the way among councils in attracting and maintaining Cub Scout attendance with exciting programs. The council has consistently been recognized as the top council in the northeastern United States for the highest percentage of its Cub Scouts that attended an overnight summer camp program since 2005. 

As well, we are especially pleased to note that 91% of our Cub campers and  63% of our Webelos Scout campers attended camp with one of their parents.  Spending part of summer vacation time at Tuckahoe with their son is a great way to spend quality time together. 

 

Special Camp Wide Events 

There was a lot of excitement at this year’s camp wide events. The camp was filled with the sounds of cheering and laughter every evening! 

Cub Scout and Webelos camp wide games included, tug of war,  a version of the game Simon says called “captain on deck,”  sit down tag, dodge ball, alligator wars,  Frisbee games, volley ball, ring toss, and more.  There was also a Pirate hunt at the boat docks, were campers got to launch water balloons at the camp staff who were dressed as pirates.  Parents and leaders also participated in hilarious belly flop competitions at the pool to the delight of all of their Scouts.

 

New Boy Scout Program Opportunities Were Offered in 2009 

Four new merit badges were added for Boy Scout Camp:  Art, Cooking, Golf, and Nature. 

Over 100 campers took to the links to earn Golf merit badge this past summer. Boy Scouts took a  short drive to Range End Golf Course two days each week to play golf.  In addition, each week, the PGA golf pro attended summer camp to give the Scouts a professional golf lesson.  Golf was very popular with older Scouts who have already earned many of the traditional summer camp merit badges.  

Sporting Clays was another new program at Camp Tuckahoe for the first time.  Camp Tuckahoe  was pleased to partner with Central Penn Sporting Clays, located in nearby Wellsville, for a challenging new activity that tested the shotgun shooting skills of participants.  

Central Penn is a very popular venue for avid  shooters in the local area.  Scouts went to 20 different shooting stations on its course.  Each station offered a different challenge to the shooters to test his skill. 

 

Top Merit Badges 

Scouts at Camp Tuckahoe were able to choose form 34 different merit badges this past summer.  Camp Tuckahoe also offered eight Eagle Scout required merit badges.   Boy Scouts earned full or partial credit for 3,593 merit badges this summer.  

This summer top merit badges were:

• Swimming:  398 participants
• Environmental Science: 176 participants
• Rifle Shooting: 160 participants
• Leatherwork: 154 participants
• Basketry: 134 participants
• First Aid: 125 participants

 

Cardboard Canoe Race

One of the most popular annual summer camp events is the Cardboard Canoe Race.  Boy Scout troops plan all spring on how to build  the fastest two man canoe out of only cardboard and duck tape.  This past summer was no exception,  wild and crazy entries came forth weekly to paddle out into Memory Lake and around a buoy of camp staff set on filling their canoes with water.   Those that survived and made it back to shore in the fastest times  were rewarded a plaque for efforts.

 

Tuckahoe’s Project COPE Course 

This summer, 36 boys per week could sign up for Project COPE.  COPE is an acronym for Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience. It is comprised of a series of outdoor challenges, beginning with basic group initiative games, and progressing to more complicated low-course and high-course activities. Some of these events involve a group effort, while others test individual skills and agility. Participants climb, swing, balance, jump, rappel and think through solutions to a variety of challenges. 

While many COPE courses today are built on poles,  Camp Tuckahoe’s COPE course is built in the trees in an isolated area of camp.  Participants at Camp Tuckahoe’s COPE Course have a unique experience climbing among the tree tops.   The National COPE Inspector remarked that Camp Tuckahoe has one of the nicest COPE courses he had ever seen.  

 

Meal Time…

The Camp Tuckahoe dining hall served over 50,000 meals this summer.  Campers enjoyed great tasting family style meals in air-conditioned dining hall. 

Unit leaders, parents and campers all remarked on camp surveys, how good the camp food was this summer.  There was always plenty of food to eat at camp with seconds almost always available. The camp salad bar was keep will stocked, and the “left-over” bar offered a another helping for those who really enjoyed a pervious meal.    Each week, campers had any opportunity to make their own special sundaes at our outdoor ice cream sundae festival.   At the end of the week we had our fantastic family chicken BBQ night.  Hundreds of parents a week enjoyed our camp BBQ followed by the closing campfire show.

Today marks the last day of our second Cub Scout Resident camp – and ALL of our summer program as well. We have had a good run these last 9 weeks, and many scouts of all ages have graced the trails of our camp, Cubs, Webelos, and Boy Scouts alike. Tonight is the final campfire for the year, the final chicken BBQ, and the final departure of scouts from this camp. But, for the staff, it is the beginning of their newest, and biggest task yet -  tear-down. In the next five days, our dedicated staff will proceed to take down all of the Pirate decorations, pack away their program area’s supplies, take apart the tents that our residents normally occupy, and any other items that we use to make our summer camp such a success year after year. For one last time, I would like to extend a big thank you to all of the scouts for coming, and especially to you dedicated parents  and leaders, withou you, none of this would be possible! Thank you all, and we very much look forward to seeing all of you next year!

Well, the end is in sight, folks. There is only one Cub Scout Resident camp left for this summer, and it begins Sunday. After that, it is time to tear down our beloved camp and move on to pursue different goals; college and high school for our teen staff, and back into the “real world” for the rest of us. Each year, I find this is the saddest part of the entire summer, leaving the camp that we have called home for over 2 months, the friends we have made with other staff and campers alike, and knowing that we have 10 months until we will once again gather at its gates, ready and bursting full of energy to take on another summer’s worth of Cub and Boy Scouts. So on that note, thank you to everyone who has made this an amazing summer, and to the Cub Scouts who are coming next week, get ready, because our staff is going to put every last ounce of energy into making this the best week we will have this summer! Thank you all yet again, and we will look forward to seeing you next year!