Home.17 March 1998
April 17th - 19th, 1998
Believe It or Not, This is Actually Informative (and different than last year's) - Please Read It!
Boy Scouts organized into formal Patrols, with between 6 (minimum) and 10 (maximum) Scouts/Patrol. Senior Scouts will be used as Staff. There is no separate Webelos Program, and Webelos Scouts should not be invited to attend (this does NOT mean those Webelos Scouts who have just joined your Troop as New Scouts; as New Scouts, they are Welcome!)
Short of a hurricane or perpetual heavy thunderstorms, this event is "Weather or Not." If extremely heavy weather mandates cancellation of the events, Troops are welcome to come and camp anyway - the entire site is paid for whether we use it or not!
All Troops are strongly encouraged to leave Arlington by no later than 5:30pm in order to take advantage of HOV-3 restrictions on I-95 South (which end at 6pm) and arrive at the campsite with at least an hour of light remaining. For Friday Afternoon directions, Click Here. Note that REGISTRATION STARTS AT 4PM AND ENDS AT 7:30PM, and that THE PLC STARTS AT 8:30PM. Please plan your departure from Arlington accordingly. For late night Friday or Saturday directions, please Click Here. Any Troop with a complex event that has to be ready to go first thing Saturday morning should make a special effort to get their personnel and equipment down to the site as early as possible in order to take advantage of the remaining daylight for pre-setup; it will be completely dark by about 8:15pm (but we'll have a half moon, if it's clear.) Note that Friday, April 17th, is an Arlington Teacher's Day (no public school); this may help certain Troops (or at least set-up personnel) get out of town a little earlier than might normally be the case. As usual, the Site Coordinator will have at least one sign at the entrance; we'll also have a road-guide or two with flares for late arrivers.
The registration "booth" will be set up either under a tarp in the open field near the entrance to the camp (fair weather) or in the small kitchen area at the Comfort Station (foul.) All Troops must stop, register and get a site-map. By Park Regulations, all Troops must have and present their Tour Permits to the Registrar, along with a copy of their formal Troop Roster marked to indicate all participants present or expected to arrive during the weekend. Note that handwritten rosters are unacceptable - give us a copy of your actual current Troop Roster. The Registrar will point you in the right direction; just follow the site map. Each campsite will have a small sign for individual Troops - this will be based on your estimated attendance, so please don't take someone else's site!
We have permission to park our vehicles alongside our campsites, but PLEASE DO NOT DO SO, as this will make things awfully tight. Note that we have 8 Troops and over 200 campers (expected) this year, and there simply isn't sufficient room to accommodate the Troops and their vehicles. Try to park essential vehicles only at your site (that is, vehicles with Troop gear packed inside) for UNLOADING ONLY, then move all vehicles to the parking areas just past the Comfort Station, the FAR SIDE of the old Dining Hall, or alongside (but well off) the access road. Please do not park in front of the Dining Hall; we'll need that area for the Scoutmaster's Chariot Race Saturday afternoon. When unloading vehicles at the campsites, please keep the narrow access lane around the camping area completely free of vehicles and camp-gear - we have had past problems with "trapped" vehicles due to parked vehicles in the road, and also due to tents and tarps, etc., being set up in the road.
The cost for the Projectoree itself is $6/participant, $14 for Registration and a T-Shirt, and either $19 or $22 for Registration, T-Shirt and Staff Food (open only to Staff.) The lower Staff Food price is for those Staff members who will only be staying for one or two meals/snacks; the higher Staff Food price is for those Staff members eating more than two meals/snacks. Please use the special Staff Food Ordering Form, AND RETURN IT TO TROOP 104 BY NO LATER THAN TUESDAY, APRIL 14th.
Note That All Participants Are Expected To Pay Registration Fees; the common Camporee ploys of not paying the Registration fees because "I don't want a patch" or "I'm only staying one night" are unacceptable for both Health and Safety reasons (we must know who's present) and for financial fairness (evading payment raises everyone else's fixed costs, and reduces/eliminates any possible rebate.) This event is run on a VERY tight budget, and absolute honesty is needed in order to keep the costs down. Each Troop should pay their combined registration fees with one check and include the Registration Form. All checks are to be made out to "Troop 111" and state "Proj. Regis." in the memo section. Please do not bring Cash!
Please use the T-Shirt Ordering Form to order your Troops shirts, by no later than Friday, April 10th. NOTE THAT THIS IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF SPRING BREAK FOR MOST UNITS!!! - PLEASE PLAN ACCORDINGLY!!! Sizes will again be M, L, XL and XXL, and must be paid for in-full at the Projectoree. Note that XXL T-Shirts cost an extra dollar. Also note, there will be no post- Projectoree orders, and we will not be ordering any extra T-Shirts up-front. "Staff" T-Shirts (same design with a logo on the sleeve) will be distributed to each Troop for their Staff members, per your order. We recommend that you order over-size, which appears to be the "in" fashion these days. Note that you are "on-the-hook" financially for all pre-ordered T-Shirts. That is, you order, you pay, and you get. (It may be possible to arrange accommodation sales between Units at or after the Projectoree; we have done so in past years.)
If any, will be discussed at the post-Projectoree Debriefing. Being realistic, with the reduction in registration fees this year, I do not expect to run a significant surplus.
All Staff (both Shadow Adults and Senior Scouts) are invited (and strongly encouraged) to camp separately in the formal "Staff Area." Staff meals are being independently arranged by Troop 104, separate from the Troops. As previously discussed, there is a special Staff Food Ordering Form to help meal planning; please use it!
You've all doubtless seen these a hundred times; nonetheless, "for the record": No alcohol (or any other illicit substances), burning or burying of trash, cutting standing wood (alive or dead), fires outside existing firepits and fire-rings, fireworks, graffiti (either carving or spray-painting, etc.), littering, "fixed-blade" sheath or double edged knives, leaving Scouts unsupervised for extended periods, "midnight-hikes" (the area has rusty barbed wire fences along its perimeters), family pets, "trenching" of campsites, or midnight excursions to the 7-11 (Fairfax County Police will pick up any Scouts on Gunston Road! - and have done so at all three previous Projectorees!)
Camp Wilson still retains vestiges of its former Boy Scout Summer-Camp Hood, including the main Dining Hall and various outbuildings. Please warn your Scouts to stayout of all the old buildings, especially the old latrines, which are rotting to pieces and are extremely dangerous. Taking an 6 - 10 foot plunge into a 35 year old pit latrine would be both highly unpleasant and also (probably) highly life-threatening. In addition, Scouts should stay out of Pohick Bay, which will still be in the mid-50's temperature-wise during the event. We've had some Scouts who insisted on getting soaked at past Projectorees - not a good idea.
Warning!: As we are all aware, the District Camporees have been plagued with vandalism over the last ten years (particularly vehicles). Other than some isolated incidents in 1995 and 1997, we have had little of this nonsense at the Projectorees. Hopefully, we will continue to have no such problems; however, please inform your Troop that any Scouts caught vandalizing the campsite, anyone's vehicle or their fellow Troops will be turned over to the Park Rangers and/or Fairfax County Police, and may also be subject to Civil prosecution upon return to Arlington. You may rest assured, I do not hold with the "Boys will be Boys" theory apparently held by the District Staff - criminal behavior, Scouts or not, will be handled as such.
Assuming that a fire emergency isn't declared due to dry or windy conditions, fires are permitted in existing fire-lays and formal fire-rings. There are a limited (but sufficient) number of these in the Troop camping areas. HOWEVER, firewood may not be collected from the immediate camping area; therefore (unless you're coming very early), all Troops should bring some firewood with them for Friday night. We do have permission to take firewood from the areas beyond the old Dining Hall (about a three minute walk), so Saturday firewood should not be a problem. In addition, please be fire-safe; have sufficient water and fire-fighting tools on-hand.
The camp has a dumpster on-site. As was noted above, burning or burying trash is illegal; please use the dumpster or pack your trash home.
The park maintains a centrally located, modern comfort station on-site, with male and female bathrooms (4 stalls per), shower stalls (8) and kitchen/washing facilities. The comfort station is the water source for the camp. The water is potable (i.e., pure).
If we have a significant number of female campers in residence with us, we will leave the female bathrooms as "female only;" however, if not, we will allow male participants to use both sides, with all campers instructed to act as "guards" for females using the bathrooms. In the latter case, one stall in the female bathroom will be designated for female use only. All campers are instructed to maintain cleanliness in the comfort station - the maid will not be in, and we have to clean the facilities before departure on Sunday. The kitchen/washing facilities are OFF-LIMITS to all campers - no dishes are to be washed at the comfort station. The shower stalls are individual, and are open to all campers. Note that they are open to air, so they won't be too pleasant if the weather is cold. Again, all campers are asked to keep the facilities clean.
All Troops should bring their standard First Aid Gear and all participants' Medical Forms. All Troops should also have the standard BSA Insurance policy in effect. A First Aid Station will be set up near the competition area. Note that the Fire/Rescue squad at the entrance to the park is less than 1 minute away and is manned 24 hours/day.
The primary program will consist of 11 competitive Patrol events on Saturday morning and afternoon; these events have been covered in detail in previous Projectoree handouts. Each Patrol's Schedule and Scoring Sheet will be given out at the Patrol Leader's Conference on Friday night. Patrol schedules are arranged to "mix" Patrols from event to event - you will not be competing against the same Patrols all day.
We will also attempt to have a variety of activities late Saturday afternoon for otherwise unoccupied Scouts. Possibilities include keeping the Obstacle Course open, building the campfire, doing the service project, taking a hike to Pohick Bay, a patch-trading session, a soccer and/or an Ultimate Frisbee game, or junior Scout advancement (firebuilding and/or lashings/camp gadget.) Scouts are also welcome to "hang out" and relax in their campsites. NOTE THAT CONTACT SPORTS OR SIMILAR HIGH-IMPACT ROUGH-HOUSING WILL NOT BE PERMITTED! ALL TROOP LEADERS ARE ASKED TO MAKE THIS CLEAR TO THEIR UNITS, AND TO HELP ENFORCE THIS POLICY THROUGH THE ENTIRE WEEKEND.
Following dinner, Catholic and Protestant Services will be help at opposite ends of the main field, starting at 7pm. Assembly for the Closing Campfire begins at 8:15pm, at the flag poles on the main field. The closing Campfire marks the end of the formal program for the weekend. [Note additional remarks on the Religious Services and Closing Campfire below.]
All Participants will receive the Projectoree Patch. All Troops will receive the Projectoree Flag Streamer, and additional Flag Streamers will be awarded at the closing campfire to the First through Fifth Place Patrols.
The competition area is a moderately sized open field; if the date of the event is sunny or mostly sunny, it is highly recommended that all participants be fully protected with sun-tan lotion (the mid-April sun can be fierce!) The First Aid Center will be located on the main competition field. Water will be available both at the First Aid Center and at the Comfort Station (a 30 second walk). In another concern, our unusually warm Winter and early Spring suggests the possibility of a tick infestation. Veterans of the recent District Camporees at Claude Moore and Goose Creek/Rt 7 will recall Scouts returning to camp covered with 5, 10 or even more ticks - come prepared to handle this problem, and be sure to have your Scouts perform numerous self-inspections through the course of the weekend.
A major intent of this event is to have fun and foster inter-Troop friendships; although Patrol rivalry is healthy, it should be in the spirit of friendly competition. All participants - especially Adults, Senior Scouts and Patrol Leaders - are asked to beware of negative, hyper-competitive interactions between the Patrols - name-calling, pushing and shoving, verbally denigrating another Patrol's performance, etc., are unacceptable and non-Scout-like behavior. "Problem Patrols" will be removed from the competitions and sent home, and may jeopardize their Troop's status for future Projectorees.
All Scouts, including Staff Members, must wear either their full Scout Uniform or their Projectoree T-Shirts with acceptable gym-wear type pants, in order to participate in the Patrol Events. To Repeat (unless inclement weather is a problem), Scouts not visibly wearing one of these two options will not be allowed to participate - period. This is a Scouting event, not a fashion show, "bad attitude" statement or gang rally. We have had problems in the past with this issue, especially after lunch on Saturday. All Scoutmasters are asked to monitor this situation - policing uniforms is not a particularly pleasant task for the Projectoree organizers, and we'd prefer not have to worry about it at all. Wear a full Uniform, or wear the T-Shirt - Simple enough, right?
We will have both an opening and closing Flag Ceremony on Saturday. Please bring your Troop Flag and a Stand!
We're running only one campfire, on Saturday night. Each Troop is expected to have a skit or song. All skits and/or songs must be cleared in advance with the Campfire Coordinators (Troop 149.) Scoutmasters are cautioned to leave adequate supervision with their Troops at the campfires to prevent some of the behavioral problems observed during the last two years. As was instituted in 1997, Problem Patrols at the campfire will forfeit any and all of their Troop's Patrol Awards. This will be stated at the beginning of the campfire, and will be rigidly enforced, with no appeal process. Fair warning....
In addition to the normal campfire program, we will be also holding an American Flag retirement ceremony and an O/A tapout. Each Unit is asked to provide two of their youngest Scouts, in full uniform, for the flag retirement ceremony. This will (probably) be done mid-way through the campfire. IF YOU ALSO HAVE FLAGS THAT NEED TO BE PROPERLY RETIRED, PLEASE NOTIFY TROOP 149 OF THAT FACT, AND BRING THEM TO THE CAMPFIRE COORDINATORS AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE ON FRIDAY OR SATURDAY. The O/A tapout ceremony has been limited to 10 minutes max, and will (probably) be run near the end of the campfire; ONLY ELECTED MEMBERS WHO ARE PRESENT WILL BE TAPPED OUT; EACH UNIT MUST PROVIDE THE NAMES OF THE INDUCTEES WHO WILL BE PRESENT AT THE CAMPFIRE TO TROOP 149 AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE ON FRIDAY OR SATURDAY.
We may have local newspaper reporters or photographers in attendance (we had in both 1995 and 1996.) Please conduct yourselves accordingly. Remember to refer to this campout only as a "Projectoree" - not a Camporee. And in particular, DO NOT make any denigrating comments about or negative comparisons with the District Camporee or the Scouting on the Mall Show - Be positive about us, not negative about anyone else.
Catholic and Protestant Services will be provided on Saturday Night, at 7pm, on opposite ends of the main field; if inclement weather is a problem, we'll attempt to use the comfort station kitchen area and the biggest tarp we can find - or (if too ridiculous) cancel them altogether. Due to the small number of participants, no provisions have been made for other denominations (and no other services were requested.)
Anyone wishing to visit the site for planning and familiarization purposes - I will try to arrange a visit on Saturday, April 11th, starting around 9am. This is particularly useful for staff or event personnel who have not been to Camp Wilson on any previous occasion. The total time round-trip should be less than 3 hours. We will establish firm times and attending personnel at the (final) April 2nd meeting.
One of the means by which we keep the Projectoree cost to a minimum is by performing a service project for the park, usually on Sunday morning (although Saturday afternoon is a distinct possibility this year.) Troop participation at the last two Projectorees was "sporadic; I would like to see a more vigorous effort by the Scoutmasters to involve their Scouts in doing a project for the park this year - "A Scout always leaves a campsite better than he found it." Possible projects are still being discussed with the Park Ranger; I will relay his thoughts and/or suggestions to all Scoutmasters during the final April 2nd meeting.
Click Here. Note the use of double air-horn blasts as five minute warnings for significant time points. Also note the PLC/Staff Meeting on Friday night, starting at 8:30, in the Staff area. Listen for the first double air-horn blast around 8:20pm, and be ready to move. Attendees should bring notebooks and pens. Snacks and drinks will be provided. The formal competition schedule, scorecards, and other pertinent information will be disseminated at this meeting. Please leave adequate supervision at your Troop sites while attending the meeting.
We will hold a final meeting on Thursday, April 2nd, from 7 to 8:30pm, at the St. Agnes Parish Center (or, if unavailable, an alternative site.) Each Unit MUST send the Adult and Senior Scout Representative for each of their program events! The primary intent of the meeting is to divvy up excess staff, ensure that each event is properly equipped, firmly establish set-up schedules, and review scoring protocols. An agenda will be provided.
Any Immediate Questions, Need for Clarifications, or Other Concerns: Please email me.
PRAY FOR GOOD WEATHER! SEE YOU ON THE 2nd, AND/OR THE 17th!
- Dr. Bob, SM-111
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