1998 North Arlington Friendship Projectoree
Staff Positions Instructions

Included are detailed instructions, including equipment and forms lists, for the following positions:

Catholic Mass Coordinator
First Aid/Communications/Timekeepers/Lost and Found/"Rovers"
Flag Ceremonies/Campfire Program Coordinators
Games Coordinator
Protestant Services Coordinator
Publicity
Registrar/Treasurer
Scoring and Awards Coordinator
Site Coordinator
Staff Food Coordinator

Troop assignments for the above positions were made at previous organizational meetings. Each Troop must internally assign these tasks, and ensure that all needed items are brought to the Projectoree, and also ensure that all tasks are accomplished in a timely manner. As with the competition events, these positions require effort well before the Projectoree - it is not possible to throw things together at the last second.

All Staff members are directed to the many handouts currently posted on the Projectoree website page - especially the "Remaining Timeline," "Projectoree Guide" and "Projectoree Schedule." Numerous other forms may also pertain directly to your assigned position(s), notably the various ordering forms.

Remember the Staff Coordination Meeting on April 2nd!

A final note when reading this section - as with all such events, the amount of paperwork and instructions is quite daunting when viewed "in total." That’s MY problem, not yours. Please concentrate on doing YOUR assigned tasks as well as possible, and things will come together just fine. Thanks!

- Dr. Bob

Catholic Mass Coordinator

 

Arranges a Priest to give Mass from 7:00 - 8:00pm Saturday evening. Arranges whatever equipment and/or xeroxes that the Priest needs (per his wishes.) Arranges an area for Mass; easy in good weather, a problem in poor. Gets a copy of the directions to the Projectoree to the Priest, well ahead of time. Brings a large tarp (or tarps) and set-up gear if moderately poor weather is expected. Establishes a "bad weather" policy for cancellation in the event of ridiculous weather conditions. Acts as a "lookout" for the Priest on Saturday evening, helps him set up. Assists in finding Altar Servers among the available Troops. Helps clean up afterwards, and assists the Priest as needed in getting items back to his vehicle. Disassembles and puts tarps away, moves picnic table(s) back to the camping area (if used.) Writes a Thank You letter on behalf of the Projectoree and mails it during the following week.

We have previously used Priests from both Arlington and Woodbridge. It is always best to use an Arlington Priest. If no-one is available, call the Diocesan Office and talk to the Scouting Chaplain; he may be able to help. Arranging a Priest needs to be done well ahead of time, certainly no later than April 1st. In general, we will have between 40 and 60 Catholics at Mass (note that this is usually right on the edge of viability with respect to getting a Priest.)

Thanks for your assistance!

-Dr. Bob

First Aid/Communications/Timekeepers/Lost and Found/"Rovers"

Primary Troop in Charge: __________________________

Primary Adult in Charge: __________________________

Secondary Adult or Senior Scout Assisting: __________________________

Rover # 1: ____________________________; # 2: _____________________________

This job primarily combines the Health and Safety Monitoring for the Projectoree with the "timing" coordination for Saturday. Although certain aspects of the position continue through the weekend, the primary time frame is all day Saturday. Because (except for the "Rovers") this is pretty much a "sit-in-place" job, it is recommended that these positions be held by Adults/Senior Scouts who are not interested in doing a lot of running around. At least one of the participants in this job should be currently certified in First Aid and CPR.

The "First Aid Central" point will be on the main competition field, under the tarp which was set up (unless it was raining heavily) for the Registration Desk on Friday night (it will still be in place all Saturday.) If it rained heavily on Friday night, you may need to work with the Registrar’s Troop to set the tarp up, since the registration point will have been in the Comfort Station instead of out on the field.

Note that this area is effectively the Projectoree Headquarters for all daylight hours on Saturday.

Materials Needed:

_____ (1) A full First Aid Kit, well equipped for standard "rough play" injuries (sprained ankles, scrapes and bruises, sunburn, etc.)
_____ (2) Cellular Phone, with spare batteries (a Car Phone is OK if you park the vehicle close to the main field.)
_____ (3) Map and Directions to the nearest hospital, plus phone numbers (Attached!)
_____ (4) Vehicle on-site and "On-Call" as needed.
_____ (5) Two Water "spigot" coolers (at least 5 gallons capacity.)
_____ (6) Chest with ice in it (both for drinks and for First Aid.)
_____ (7) Supply of disposable cups.
_____ (8) Supply of 1 quart sized zip-lock bags (for ice-packs.)
_____ (9) A large trash can with plastic trash bags.
_____ (10) Supply of sun-screen.
_____ (11) Troop Rosters (available from Registrar/Treasurer late Friday night;) this is for emergency phone numbers if needed.
_____ (12) 1 Walkie Talkie (available from Troop 647 or Troop 111 if you don’t have any, either Thursday night or on Saturday morning.)
_____ (13) 2 accurate watches
_____ (14) 2 Air Horns and replacement cylinders (available from Bob.)
_____ (15) Clipboard or (preferably) a briefcase for score-sheets and other paperwork; be aware, wind has been a problem at past Projectorees!
_____ (16) Projectoree and (Competition Schedules.)
_____ (17) If possible, a First Aid Flag (or large poster) for your campsite and the tarp area on the main field (switch as needed.)
_____ (18) A Large Poster marked "Lost and Found."
_____ (19) One or two medium size boxes, to toss lost items or other general junk into.

This job begins Thursday night before the Projectoree, when you should pick up the Air-Horns, replacement cylinders, walkie talkies, and any other pre-arranged items from Dr. Bob's House (email him for directions.) On Friday, once you have your campsite set up, please put up your First Aid Flag or Poster in an illuminated area so that anyone in need can find you. The Registrar/Treasurer will deliver the Troop Rosters to you once the Registrar shuts down; if you don't hear from them, please track them down during the PLC/Staff meeting Friday night.

On Saturday morning, we'll need you to set up a formal First Aid/Water Station using the Registrar's Tarp and picnic table (these will be set up over the small concrete pad on the main competition field.) Please be ready to go by no later than 15 minutes before the opening flag ceremony. Also, keep in mind, you are also the first contact point for anyone coming to the Projectoree on Saturday morning - and there's likely to be a few at least (maybe even some District personnel (although that’s unlikely.)) You will need to run the air-horn for all activities on Saturday. For pre- and post-event time points, we’re using double blasts (see Projectoree Schedule.) For the events themselves (see Competition Schedule), use single blasts to start events and double blasts to end events; we'll discuss this with the Patrol Leaders at the Friday night PLC, so they'll know what's going on (plus we'll synchronize everyone's watches.) Remember that the cans need to be held level (in order to avoid blowing Freon all over everyone) and pointed towards the Dining Hall in order to help ensure that the Firebuilding and Obstacle Course people can hear it. Try not to waste the cans - they're very expensive! Note that the Fire Rescue Station is aware that we'll be using Air Horns, so don't worry on that score. Finally, try to stay right on the dime with respect to the times shown; we caused some confusion in previous years when we started everything earlier than the schedule that was listed on the competition sheets.

Use the walkie-talkies to communicate/confirm time changes with the Firebuilding/Obstacle Course people (they sometimes can’t hear the air horn blasts), and try to keep general tabs on things around the camp via the Rovers. As mentioned above, you’re pretty much the "Command Central" during the day on Saturday. We'll try to have one W-T at the Staff area, one at the Firebuilding/Obstacle Course area, one with the Service Project people (if any, which is where Bob will probably be,) and the last two with the Rovers.

The Rovers are our situation monitors, emergency response team, and fill-in helpers at Event sites where the Staff is overwhelmed or needs a break (bathroom or simple fatigue.) They’re also the early warning system to ensure that inter-Patrol rivalries don’t get out of hand during or between events, and are your "go-fors" if you need anything at the First Aid center (more water, ice, whatever.) Obviously, they should be spending their time walking around and checking things out - and not just "hanging out." If everything’s "perfect," they can help the Staff Food Coordinator and/or (if any) the service project. Finally, they can assist event staff members in setting up or taking down events, especially during lunch and before dinner, when speed is of the essence.

Please encourage all passing Scouts to drink water, and ask if anyone has any bruises or sprained ankles, etc. Note that the field was a mess in 1996 - apparently some rednecks used it for a jeep rally, and there was a lot of tire ruts in it, so sprained ankles were a problem. A super-size camporee is being held on this site two weeks before the 1998 Projectoree, so an even worse mess is possible. If we have another strong sun this year (we can only hope!), please also encourage the use of sunscreen, especially late morning/early afternoon.

At the 11:30 break, you should collect the scoresheets for the morning events (not the yellow Patrol Leaders' sheets, just the blue Event Scoresheets), and hold them secure for Neal Wood of Troop 647 (the scorekeeper.) He will probably get them from you during lunch so he can start entering data during the afternoon events. If not, try and track him down. At the end of the competitions, you should collect all the blue scoresheets for the afternoon events and the yellow Patrol Leaders' scoresheets also, and relay them to Neal as quickly as possible (so he can finish the data entry and establish winners prior to the campfire.) Please keep the First Aid Station open through the non-scored, late afternoon special activities - most likely, it is during these events, when the Scouts (and Adults) are most tired, that we'll have problems. After the late afternoon activities are over, please help the Registrar Scouts to take down the tarp and move the picnic table, then re-set up the First Aid Center at your campsite for the remainder of the weekend. Please return the walkie talkie’s to their respective Troops, and the Rosters and Air-Horns (and any other borrowed equipment) back to Bob (who should be somewhere in the Staff area.) If anything was turned in to the "Lost and Found" during the day, check for names/Troop Numbers and return if possible; if not, relay to Bob, who will try to get them back to their rightful owners at the campfire or (at least) will post them on the website post-Projectoree.

Thanks for your assistance!

- Dr. Bob

Note: Please feel free to annotate this as you're going along; this is a draft of the position description for future Projectorees - I would appreciate any and all input. Thanks!

First Aid Emergencies - Dial 911

Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Station just outside Camp Wilson - 339-5970
[Note: Firehouse does NOT want you to call them in an emergency - call 911 - because they may be out on call and therefore have no-one to help you! This number is provided only for lesser issues.]

Closest Hospital is apparently Mt. Vernon in South Alexandria
Take U.S. Route 1 North, turn right onto Sherwood Hall Lane, then right on Parker’s Lane. Important Phone Numbers are: General: 664-7000; Emergency Room: 664-7111

Flag Ceremonies/Campfire Coordinators

 

Primary Troop in Charge: __________________________

Primary Adult in Charge: __________________________

Senior Scout(s) Assisting: ____________________________________________________

This job is actually two jobs - which are essentially summarized in the Title. The jobs run all-day Saturday. In order to simplify the writeup, each job is described separately, starting with the Flag Ceremonies.

Flag Ceremonies

 

Materials Needed:

_____ (1) American, Virginian, and (if possible) Arlington Flags, with stands for each.
_____ (2) A 40 - 60 foot long piece of heavy-duty "cable" rope.
_____ (3) A dozen 1 foot long pieces of light rope.
_____ (4) A walkie talkies (available from Troop 111 or 647).
_____ (5) Air-Horn (Borrow from the First Aid Coordinator)
_____ (6) Copies of Suggestive (General) Flag Ceremonies (Attached!)

On Friday night, you should visit each Troops' campsite to arrange one of their Scouts to carry their Troop Flag at the opening and closing flag ceremonies the following day. The selected Scouts assemble on the main field at the FIRST double air-horn blast Saturday morning, so you can practice whatever ceremony you have planned. It is definitely preferable that these Scouts wear a full Scout Uniform for this event! - for this reason, you may want to use a Senior Scout who's not involved in a morning event (so he can go change at his leisure after the events start.) Remember, we may have news photographers present, so it's important to look sharp.

Opening Flag Ceremony - Saturday morning, you'll need to stretch and tie off the heavy-duty cable rope on two trees, as tightly as possible, on the far end of the main field (the end closest to the campsites.) The shorter the run, the better (it will remain more taut.) Set up the flag stands evenly spaced below the rope, then tie the short ropes into the cable above the stands. Remember that the stand for the American Flag will be on the far left as the audience is facing the flags (so it will be on the speakers' right side.) This set-up should all be done well ahead of time. The flag ceremony should be done however you wish (a suggestive ceremony is attached), with the Scouts tying their respective flags to the cable after they post the colors. Remember that the color guard does not salute the flags or say the Pledge of Allegiance - please remind everyone of that fact. Whoever leads the ceremony should have a good strong voice, and be crisp and sharp in his commands. Once the flag ceremony is complete, we're going right into the morning events without pause, so please hand the assembly off to the Projectoree Organizer immediately upon retiring the Color Guard.

Closing Flag Ceremony - We'll be re-assembling in the main field just after dark (i.e., about 8:30) for the walk down to the campfire. The closing flag ceremony is a formal closure to the day activities. It is not a good idea to leave the flags, stands or ropes up after dark! - we don’t need any Scouts "clotheslining" themselves running around the field after dusk. Once the ceremony is over, the Troops are led down to the campfire circle.

Opening Flag Ceremony

These are typical Summer Camp Opening and Closing Flag Ceremonies. You can adapt them for use at the Projectoree. You do not have to use this ceremony; if you have something better, go ahead and use it instead.

[Note: It is best to practice this at least once before trying to do it in front of the entire Projectoree.]

You’ll have multiple flags - the U.S., Virginia, (possibly) Arlington and each Troop’s personal Flag. You'll need at least one Scout for each flag, plus one additional person to run the commands. The American Flag should be in the lead, with the others following in the order listed above, with Troop Flags in numerical order; remember, the American Flag must be positioned at the far left hand side with respect to the onlooking Scouts (that is, to the speaker’s right-hand-side if he is facing the audience.) You should have already tied in the support cable, and have positioned each Flag stand spread equally along (below) the cable; in addition, there should be a small piece of rope tied to the support cable above each flag-stand. This enables you to tie the flags to the support cable, giving them support and preventing them from tipping over.

You are talking to over 150 Scouts, Staff and Leaders; speak as loudly as possible (without screaming.)

Closing Flag Ceremony

This ceremony should also be practiced before trying to do it in front of the entire Projectoree. If you can use the same people as you did to open, things will probably go a lot smoother. Also, if it isn’t windy out, you can go ahead and untie the supporting ropes in order to save time during the actual ceremony.

Again, you’ll need enough Scouts to handle each flag, plus one to run the ceremony. They should again be positioned on the far right of the audience. The ceremony is essentially the reverse of the opening. And again, you are talking to over 150 Scouts, Staff and Leaders; speak as loudly as possible (without screaming.)

At this point, you’re done with the actual ceremony. Troops should head out (at your direction) down to the campfire circle (someone who knows where they’re going should lead them there.) Flag bearers should pick up their flag stands and return both flags and stands back to their campsites. In order to avoid later problems, the flags should be securely stored. You should handle the American, Virginian and Arlingtonian flags and stands, then head down to the campfire yourself.

Campfire Coordination

The campfire starts on Tuesday, April 14th, when the Scoutmaster of each Troop is supposed to email you to tell you what skit(s) his Troop intends to put on at the campfire program, how many flags he’s bringing to be retired, and the names of the young Scouts who will assist with the flag retirement ceremony, and the names of the Scouts who are supposed to be "tapped out" at the O/A tapout ceremony. This is done early for two reasons; first, to avoid getting repeat skits, and second, to get the Troops thinking about all these issues before late Saturday afternoon. Once you have this information, you can put together a program. You will be running that program at the campfire itself, so its a good idea to put a formal schedule together; a suggestive schedule is attached. We’d also like the Campfire Staff to put on a skit or two, just to keep the quality up.

Materials Needed:

_____ (1) 2 Coleman Lanterns, full of fuel (extra fuel and mantles, if needed)
_____ (2) The formal campfire schedule, written down, on a clipboard
_____ (3) Several good sized bow-saws
_____ (4) Several pairs of gloves (to prevent blisters)
_____ (5) Several (dry!) newspapers, for firestarters
_____ (6) A "brick" of wax (potent fire starters!, much safer than liquid fuels)
_____ (7) Pack of matches, with a Bic Lighter for a positive back-up
_____ (8) Several shovels and rakes
_____ (9) Several large water buckets, full
_____ (10) Several flashlights, with fresh batteries
_____ (11) A medium-sized tarp
_____ (12) Optional - megaphone (borrow from Bob if needed)
_____ (13) Flags to be retired
_____ (14) Song-sheets, if needed - at least 150.
_____ (15) Anything needed for the O/A tapout ceremony.

Next, on Friday night, you should collect any extra flags to be retired that were delivered to the Registrar, along with the rosters of the Scouts helping on the flag retirement ceremony and the Scouts to be tapped out. The duplication in information collection is to make sure you don’t get "burned" by last second no-shows.

Saturday morning (i.e., after the opening flag ceremony), the next activity is to clear the fire-ring and build a large campfire. You will need to walk some distance from the campfire to find acceptable wood; use the bowsaws to cut dead, downed timber - nothing too large; the biggest logs should be less than 6 inches in diameter. Use of gloves would be prudent. Remember, the entire fire is going to last less than 1 hour, so don't go crazy. The "teepee surrounded by a log cabin" seems to be best style for these type campfires. Use the newspaper as your base, with the wax blocks sitting above the base on actual branches - once the flames get hot, the wax melts into the rest of the wood and really gets the fire to take off in a hurry. Don't forget to have a free space to get a match in to start things up. Finally, if the weather is threatening, or if rain is expected later in the day, cover the campfire with a tarp to protect it (use rocks to hold the tarp in place in case the wind kicks up.)

Once this is done, take a look at 1995's and 1997's service projects (the rebuilding of the log-rings around the campfire to sit on.) Some of these will have been moved out of place by the winter floods, so spend some time to get them back in place. We're going to have over 150 people at the campfire, so lots of seats are needed. Once this is done, you’re free to take a break, help with the service project, help the Staff Food Coordinator with lunch, or spend some time participating in the events (the obstacle course is always a popular free-time event for Staff members.)

The campfire basically begins with the closing flag ceremony on the main field. This is discussed in more detail below. Several members of your staff should be already in place at the campfire ring when we get there. Please wait until the first Scouts are entering the campfire ring before starting the fire (or have some impressive starting ceremony.) Try to get everyone to sit on the hillside to the left of the campfire - avoid having people behind the campfire. I will be asking the Staff to spread out with their Troops to maintain order, and I will also ask them to enthusiastically lead the cheering for the skits and awards. Hopefully, this will avoid some of the behavioral and disciplinary problems we’ve had in past years.

Again, I expect you to lead the campfire. I’ll make some preliminary announcements and plead for some decorum before we start, then I’ll hand it off to you. (We’ll announce the individual event winners during the prelims.) Call out the skit names and Troop/ Patrols, ask for absolute quiet (and don't start until you get it for each skit), and ask the skit people to speak as loudly as possible. Remember, we don't have all the electronic gear that the Camporee has, so things have to be quiet and the Scouts have to be loud in order to be heard. Monitor discipline carefully. Once the skits are done, the Scoring and Awards Coordinator (and you) will handle the awards. Once the awards are given out, we'll close with a song and send the Scouts back to their campsites. Once everyone is gone, please kill the fire with the water in the water buckets, using the rakes and shovels to make sure everything is stone-cold dead. You may need to go get additional water to make sure of this - and please, make sure. Once this is finished, clean up and bring everything back up to the staff area, or (preferably) return it directly to whichever Troop brought everything.

On Sunday morning, please work with the assigned cleanup Troop to do a final recheck of the entire campfire area to recover lost tools, flashlights, jackets, etc., that the Scouts will have left behind. Also, police the area - there'll surely be a couple things and plenty of trash lying around. Relay these to Bob, unless names/Troop numbers are obvious (in which case, give them to the respective Troop.)

Thanks for your assistance!

- Dr. Bob

Please feel free to annotate this as you're going along; this is a draft of the position description for future Projectorees - I would appreciate any and all input. Thanks!

Suggestive Campfire Program

NOTE: The Catholic and Protestant Masses are scheduled for 7:00 - 8:00pm; the Protestant Mass is usually done well before 8:00, but the Catholic Mass, as often as not, will run over.

8:10 - Double Blast on Air Horn as warning for Closing Flag Ceremony

8:20 - Second Double Blast on Air Horn to reassemble Troops

8:30 - Run Closing Flag Ceremony (Suggestive Program attached); Begin Walk to Campfire Circle

8:45 - Start Campfire

8:50 - Opening Remarks by Projectoree Organizer, Flag Retirement Ceremony; Announcement of Event Winners, Event by Event, Begin Skit/Song Program

Opening Song (?) "God Bless the USA" during the flag retirement ceremony???

Staff Skit I (?) ________________________________________________

Troop _____, doing ___________________________________________________

Troop _____, doing ___________________________________________________

Troop _____, doing ___________________________________________________

Troop _____, doing ___________________________________________________

Staff Skit II (?) ________________________________________________

Troop _____, doing ___________________________________________________

Troop _____, doing ___________________________________________________

Troop _____, doing ___________________________________________________

* O/A Tapout Ceremony
* Recognition of Staff
* Announcement of Patrol Winners, in Reverse Order (Fifth to start, First last), with Patrol Leaders coming up to collect Flag Streamers as announced.
* Closing Remarks and Announcements
* Stand for Scout Vespers
* Troops return to their campsites

Flag Ceremony and Campfire Coordinators then put out the campfire (or leave it going for the Staff, whichever you prefer.) Fire must be left "drowned," and dead-out. If necessary, get extra water to ensure that it's truly dead.

Games Coordinator

This position was specifically developed to monitor (and enhance) the readiness status of all Units in fulfilling their event and staffing requirements. This was a notable problem in 1997, when many events were being set up and staffed willy-nilly with minutes to spare. No equipment is needed per se; information exchange is the most critical aspect of this job. This person should essentially run the final Projectoree organizational meeting.

  1. Develops Master List of all Primary Adults and Scouts for each staffing job and event.
  2. Develops Master List of available "extra" Adult and Scout Staff (and when available!)
  3. Coordinates available "extra" Staff with staffing requirements; ensures that all events are properly staffed heading into the Projectoree. Maintains a list of "emergency" staff for last second replacements, if needed.
  4. Coordinates equipment needs with available equipment from prior Projectorees (needs Master List of Troops who ran the same events at past Projectorees.)
  5. Acts as a resource for Troops having problems developing their events - suggests modifications or sources of equipment, develops new protocols or scoring procedures if needed, recommends new, replacement games in worst-case scenarios.
  6. Maintains an active liaison with Troops during final week to ensure that last second disasters are avoided; works with Units to ensure timely set-ups and take-downs of events on Friday afternoon/Saturday.
  7. Assists the Projectoree Organizer in developing and assigning Late Saturday Afternoon "optional activities." Again, coordinates staffing and equipment as needed for these activities.
  8. Makes recommendations to the Projectoree Organizer for future events (helps develop "institutional memory."

Protestant Services

Please review the information under "Catholic Mass Coordinator," and modify as needed for Protestant Services. Note that you can expect around 100 attendees at Services, based on past Projectorees.

Please draft up proper instructions after the Projectoree, so that they can be posted for future events.

Thanks for your assistance! - Dr. Bob

Publicity

Primary Troop in Charge: __________________________

Primary Adult in Charge: __________________________

(If needed) Secondary Adult or Senior Scout Assisting: __________________________

This job involves attempting to get the Projectoree into several of the local Arlington newspapers, and is specifically pointed at presenting Scouting in a positive light (i.e., by showing Scouts having a good time.) It involves some rather low key work before, during and immediately after the Projectoree.

Materials Needed:

_____ (1) One or two cameras, loaded with black and white film.
_____ (2) One or two notebooks (for taking quotes.)
_____ (3) Several fresh pens.

Before the Projectoree - To have any chance at getting any kind of article/photo spread into a local paper, it's vital to contact the papers' editors well ahead of time. The three papers of particular note are the Arlington Journal, Northern Virginia Sun Weekly and Arlington Courier. Some of these papers may be willing to send reporters and photographers down to the camp on Saturday, so be prepared to give directions. In such cases, you should act as the primary point of contact both before and at the Projectoree.

More likely, you will have to act as both reporter and photographer. It’s useful to pre-write the bulk of the article before the Projectoree; certainly the introductory comments are well established before we ever begin! If you want, ask for copies of prior articles that we got published, as a suggestive starting point.

At the Projectoree - If the papers do not send anyone down, it's up to us. You'll need at least one person to take photos, which must be in Black and White. Note that the film must be the type that can be processed under C-41 processing in order to get One Hour photo developing. Take action photos - Scouts doing things are interesting; don’t bother with flag ceremonies, camp scenes or campfire programs. If you take 36 photos, you should have about a half dozen or so that will be of interest to the papers. In addition, try to interview some of the Scouts - both Patrol Scouts doing and Senior Scouts running the events - on how they're enjoying themselves. Remember to maintain extreme discretion with respect to negative comments on the Camporee or the Scouting on the Mall Show - be positive about us, and leave it at that. Incorporate the best quotes into your existing writeup. Note that you will need to coordinate your quotes with your photos, so it’s a good idea to list the corresponding photo numbers in your writeups as you’re working and taking photos.

After the Projectoree - You'll need to get your photos and articles to the papers as quickly as possible Sunday afternoon. All papers will have standing deadlines to make the next issue. You'll need to get the photos developed at a One Hour Photo Shop first, and do a quick "triage" to pick the best ones for the papers. You’ll need captions for your selections - hopefully including the names of the Scouts or Patrols which are the focus of the shot. Even if the papers sent down reporters, it's worth the effort. Save all your receipts, the Projectoree will reimburse you for your expenses.

**********

Phone Numbers (NOTE - haven’t confirmed these for `98!):

Arlington Courier - 821-5050

Arlington Journal - 560-4000 (Sports Department, for BSA events: 846-8334, ask for John Keim.)

Northern Virginia Sun Weekly - 204-2800, ask for Scott McCaffrey

Thanks for your assistance.

- Dr. Bob

Please feel free to annotate this as you're going along; this is a draft of the position description for future Projectorees - I would appreciate any and all input. Thanks!

Registrar/Treasurer Position

Primary Troop in Charge: __________________________

Primary Adult in Charge: __________________________

Senior Scout(s) Assisting: __________________________

This is essentially a Friday Afternoon/Evening job only, with a little additional work late Saturday Afternoon. It can be run with two Senior Scouts, or 1 Shadow Adult and 1 Senior Scout; in the latter case, the Adult is strongly advised that the intent is to assist the Scout, not take the job over and do it for him.

Because of the nature of the job, the participants need to be in place and ready to go by about 4pm Friday afternoon - thus, you need to leave Arlington right after school in order to go down and set up. Directions to Camp Wilson and a map are posted on the website.

Materials Needed:

_____ (1) A medium sized tarp setup, including all poles, stakes, ropes, etc.; this is absolutely critical if the weather is going to be less than perfect.
_____ (2) A large poster-board listing "Registration," plus a staple gun or some other means to attach it to a stake post (the stake-post should be in place when you arrive at the site.) Note - this may be done by the Site Coordinator - check!
_____ (3) Picnic Table to work on (many are available around the site, but one will have to be moved Box of into place.)
_____ (4) Flares (available from Bob.)
_____ (5) All necessary Forms, available on the (website, or from Bob if necessary), in a briefcase or small box (for safekeeping.)
_____ (6) T-Shirts, Patches and Projectoree Ribbons (available from Bob), presorted by you (if desired) into individual Troop "bags."
_____ (7) Cash Box or briefcase for completed registration forms.
_____ (8) Clip-Board, i.e., a flat surface to write on. (The picnic table doesn’t work.)
_____ (9) Several Pens.
_____ (10) Large Magic Marker and 8 heavy-duty, medium sized plastic bags or boxes.
_____ (11) 2 medium sized buckets.
_____ (12) A calculator, with fresh batteries.
_____ (13) A stapler.
_____ (14) A couple of strong flashlights, or a Coleman Lantern (with fuel)
_____ (15) Two small boxes, for flags to be retired and other items.

This job begins Thursday night before the Projectoree; go to Dr. Bob’s house (email him for directions) and pick up the box of flares, all forms, T-Shirts, Patches, Ribbons and anything else you need that you've prior-arranged with Bob. You can save a lot of hassle Friday afternoon if you spend time Thursday night pre-sorting the T-Shirts and Patches into individual plastic bags or boxes, each labeled with its respective Troop number - however, this will create more bulk for you to transport Friday afternoon. Up to you. If you decide not to do it Thursday night, be sure to bring the bags/boxes and a large magic marker so you can do it Friday afternoon while you're waiting "between Troops." Note that there’s usually plenty of time "between Troops!"

On Friday, you'll need to leave as quickly as possible for the site in order to set up. You should eat a good meal on the way, and have some drinks and snacks with you, since you'll be pretty much isolated once you begin. Hopefully, you will have accompanied us on the pre-Projectoree site visit (the prior weekend), but if not, this is what you'll see: When you enter the camp proper, there will be a long, rather narrow field on your right hand side; this is the main competition field. About 3/4's of the way down the field, there's a small concrete pad about 15 feet off the road on the right hand side; this is where you'll set up. Please erect your tarp, then move a picnic table (from the camping area) under it, then staple your "Registration" sign to the provided stake (or to the picnic table if your prefer), then organize your forms and T-Shirts, Patches, Registration forms, etc. Realistically, you won't see the first Troop `til about 5:15 - 5:30, so if you get done a lot earlier than that, go ahead and set up your gear in the Staff area (see map for Staff area "A.") Remember, there's less only 8 Troops coming, plus maybe some District people (Carl Doughman, Bill Hunt, maybe some others), so you'll have long stretches where nothing's going on, then 10 minutes of sudden frenzy.

With each Troop’s arrival, use the provided check-off list to make sure you get everything taken care of - first, collect their rosters and tour permits and have them fill out their Registration Forms (if not already done.) Confirm that their T-Shirt and Staff Food orders have not been changed from their original orders (which will be provided to you on a master list.) Collect their checks, made out to "Troop 111," and staple the check, roster and tour permit all to the registration form, and place it in your briefcase or some other safe spot. Next, give them their T-Shirts, Patches, Troop Ribbons (Flag Streamers), maps to the site and any other paperwork they need. They should count their T-Shirts and patches as a double check. Explain where their campsite is, and where the Staff site is, using the map you gave them. Remind them of the PLC and Staff Meetings in the Staff Area at 8:30 that night (and let them know we’ll have a double air-horn blast as a 5-minute warning for the PLC.) Get their collection of flags to be retired (if any) and copies of their rosters of flag retirement ceremony and O/A Scouts. Put these latter items in one of your spare boxes. Check off everything on the list as a double check that you got it all done, point them in the right direction, and let `em go. Virtually every Troop has been to prior Projectorees, so they shouldn’t need any help finding their campsites.

If all Troops have not arrived by dark (roughly 7:55pm), two Scouts should go out to the road entrance and set up a few flares. Set up another flare in the road in front of the registration desk also. If you need to do this, ask some of the Staff already on site for some assistance (you should keep two Senior Scouts at the Registration point, two more at the road.) Since flares are cool, you should have no lack of volunteers! Obviously, be very careful with the flares; keep them in the road, and have your bucket (filled with water) available to extinguish them if necessary. If you're unsure on how to light them, please ask an Adult for advice. The Scouts should have flashlights and stay off the road as a safety precaution - bright colored clothing is definitely preferred!

Please avoid going crazy on flares if you use them - the Registrar’s "assistants" burned an entire box in 1997 basically for fun; awfully expensive!

Once everyone has arrived and been registered, you're almost done. Leave the tarp and picnic table in place (it will be the First Aid/Water/Timekeepers/Lost and Found/"Rovers" Station on Saturday,) and clean everything else up. Hopefully, you should have little or nothing left over except some forms and patches. If there were any problems or shortfalls, write everything down and include that list with the registration forms. If necessary, kill the flares in the buckets, then head on back to the Staff site. Relay the Troop Rosters to the First Aid Coordinator, the flag/O/A Rosters and the flags to be retired to the Campfire Coordinator, and everything else to Bob, who should be somewhere in the Staff area.

On Saturday, after the late afternoon events are over, go ahead and take down your tarp and move the picnic table back where you got it. The First Aid people should help you!

Please feel free to annotate this as you're going along; this is a draft of the position description for future Projectorees - I would appreciate any and all input.

Thanks for your assistance!

- Dr. Bob

Scoring and Awards Coordinator

Primary Troop in Charge: __________________________

Primary Adult in Charge: _________________________

Secondary Adult or Senior Scout Assisting: __________________________

This job is essentially summarized in the Title, and represents the guts of the weekend program as far as the Patrol competitions are concerned. Although certain aspects of the position apply post-Projectoree, the primary time frame is Saturday afternoon and evening. Because it is pretty much a "sit-in-place" job, it is recommended that these positions be held by Adults and/or Senior Scouts who are: (A) Patient and meticulous; and (B) Not interested in doing a lot of running around late in the day.

The "Scoresheet Central" collection point will be the First Aid Station on the main competition field, under the tarp which was set up for the Registration Desk on Friday night (it will still be in place all Saturday.) The personnel running that station know that they are to collect all the scoresheets and relay them to the scorekeeper. It is recommended that the scorekeeper keep in touch with the First Aid personnel through the course of the day, especially at lunchtime, when the morning Event Scoresheets (the Blue ones) will be available. In addition, the scorekeeper should keep in touch with the campfire coordinators, since the award presentations will be the highlight (and pretty much the finale) of the evening.

Materials Needed:

_____ (1) First through Fifth Place Patrol Award Ribbons (available from Bob)
_____ (2) Laptop Computer with scoring program installed, plus backup batteries (Note: There are several 110 volt lines active at the Comfort Station.)
_____ (3) In case of hardware or software failure:

_____ (i) Several calculators with fresh batteries

_____ (ii) A dozen sheets of notebook paper, in one or two clipboards

_____ (iii) A couple of fresh pens

_____ (4) Megaphone (borrow from Bob), and whatever other props you feel are needed are necessary for the campfire award presentations.
_____ (5) (Optional) - Individual Event Awards (First Place Ribbons for all 11 Events)

This job begins Thursday night before the Projectoree, when you should pick up the Awards from Dr. Bob's House (email him for directions.) Please be very careful not to fold, spindle, mutilate or otherwise trash the Awards! On Friday, about the only thing necessary to do is make sure you hit the PLC and Staff meetings, so you hear the instructions given to the Patrol Leaders and Staff members on the scoring protocol (and can make any additional comments you feel are necessary.)

Scoring is done on both a primary and backup system. The primary is the Blue card-stock "event scoring sheets," which the Senior Scouts at each event will be filling out during the course of the event. With luck, this is all you will need to do all necessary data entry into the laptop. The backup system is the yellow card-stock "Patrol scoring sheet," which the Patrol Leaders will be maintaining through the course of the day. The "Patrol scoring sheets" are used for scoring only in case of need (undecipherable entries or - Heaven Forbid - lost "event scoring sheets.") Their primary purpose is to determine the average age of the Patrol for the age normalization protocols. However, note that we have had virtually undecipherable event scoring sheets for several event at past Projectorees, despite our repeated verbal and written pleas for legible entries. Be prepared to "wing it" if needed on certain events (or toss them out altogether if you can’t make heads or tails of the entries.)

The program entries would, I think, best be done with one person reading off the data point, and the other entering it into the system. You'll need a formal mechanism for differentiating Patrols (we'll have a Master Sheet equating Patrol Names to Patrol Numbers, which will be relayed to you Friday night or Saturday morning.) A double check system once each data set is entered would be prudent. We need:

(A) The outright winners of each event of the day (We MAY have award ribbons for this, too, this year.)

(B) The First through Fifth place overall winners for the day.

At the campfire, I would recommend first listing the winners of each individual event (maybe this could be done early, to whet everyone's appetite???); then later announcing the overall winners in reverse order, making the award to the Patrol Leader, who should come down to the fire-circle to receive his ribbon. P.S.: Whoever makes the announcements should do so in a loud voice, trying to build up some suspense.

After the Projectoree is over, I will need a formal printing of the results to publish in the post-Projectoree newsletter. People are always very interested in this, so please get it to me within a reasonable time frame. That's it.

Thanks for your assistance!

- Dr. Bob

Please feel free to annotate this as you're going along; this is a draft of the position description for future Projectorees - I would appreciate any and all input. Thanks!

Site Coordinator

Primary Troop in Charge: __________________________

Adult(s) in Charge: ____________________________________________________

Coordinates with Bob and the Camp Rangers to get the camp opened early Friday morning. Ensures that the electrical and water utilities are "on" at the comfort station, and that the dumpster is unlocked. Visits the Gunston Fire Station to let them know about the event. Works on Friday morning and early afternoon to lay out the entire site - posts signs on the main road and throughout the camp, delineates event areas, establishes camping areas for each Troop, works with Staff Food Coordinator to set up the Staff Area, places instructional signs at the Comfort Building, directional signs to the campfire circle and camping areas, ensures that the access roads through the camping areas are kept free of tents and vehicles. Acts as Staff Coordinator through the weekend; assigns "free Staff" (if any) to salient tasks. Helps mediate (or if necessary, arbitrate) disputes (if any) arising from programs and events. Assists with the service project. Assigns Troops to individual clean-up tasks on Sunday morning. "Breaks Down" the camp with respect to all signs erected Friday afternoon, relays recovered materials to the Projectoree Organizer. Acts as backup to the Projectoree Organizers in dealing with Park Rangers and Staff, Gunston Fire Station (Fairfax County # 20), Fairfax County Police (if needed) and Patawomeck District personnel (if any, and if needed.) Does final "sweep" of entire campsite to ensure that we left it better than we found it, and notifies Park Rangers that we have departed (so they can come back and lock up the site.)

Materials Needed:

_____ (1) Signs and Posters, pre-made or collected ahead of time from the Projectoree Organizer (SEE ATTACHED LIST FOR SUGGESTED SIGNS AND EQUIPMENT LIST!)
_____ (2) Clipboard and pens, for Staff Duty-Rosters (if any)
_____ (3) Directions to the Site, Map of the Site (from Bob), and Competition Schedule to assist initial layouts
_____ (4) Schematic of suggested sign layouts

This position begins the weekend before the Projectoree, when the individuals involved should both meet with the Projectoree Organizer and go down on the Site Visit. The meeting should review the proposed layout of the camp, plus collect from the Organizer any remaining signs and posts from last year’s Projectoree that still apply to this year. It may be necessary to purchase additional sign posts and poster boards during the week prior to the event. While on the Site visit, the Site Coordinator should also visit with the Park Ranger at Pohick Bay for final coordination (Brian Henessey, 339-6104.)

Don’t forget to save all your receipts!!!

Please feel free to annotate this as you're going along; this is a draft of the position description for future Projectorees - I would appreciate any and all input.

Thanks for your assistance!

- Dr. Bob

Projectoree Organizational Signs

(For the Site Coordinator to prepare and install)

  1. Gunston Road Entrance - Large Projectoree Sign, with left arrows, placed on the right hand side of the road 50 - 100 yards or so before the entrance. We have also used orange and yellow surveyor tape attached to the signposts in the past in order to increase visibility. Sign should be double-posted and firmly stapled - the wind can be quite strong out on the road.
  2. Registration Point - Depending on the weather, this will either be on the small concrete pad near the end of the competition field, or in the Comfort Station kitchen area. You will need to judge this with an eye towards the weather. Normally, a large sign, marked "STOP!" and "Registration Point" with an arrow is sufficient for this point. You may also wish to put "Saturday First Aid Station/Water Point" on the sign as well - up to you. Note that the ground on the main field is very hard; save your sharpest and toughest stakes for these sign(s).
  3. Main Field Competition Areas - You will need to subdivide the area into three subareas for the morning and afternoon events. The log-raising relay and spider-web escape will be located in the woods on the opposite side of the road, and also need signs. Each sign should list the morning and the afternoon events to be held at that subarea. Refer to the competition schedule for the list of events, and divvy the area up as you see fit. If windy conditions are expected, these signs will also need to be double posted and heavily stapled. As noted above, the ground on the main field is very hard; save your sharpest and toughest stakes for these signs.
  4. Camping Areas - As in years past, we want people to use the further entrance point to the main camping area, and also want it to be one way from that point to the exit point (i.e., the exit near the comfort station.) We also want a sign for the staff area. Thus, we need one sign with left arrow and listing "STAFF," plus a "Do Not Enter" sign for the egress point of the access road, and finally a "Camping area" with a right "one way" arrow at the entrance point of the access road. Inside the camping area, we need to put up signs (Troop #’s on paper plates are fine) for the individual Troop camping areas, based on the sizes of the respective Troops. We should have good numbers for this at the 4/2 meeting. We also need one or two "NOTE: No Parking allowed in the Camping Area - Unloading Only!"
  5. Two "Campfire Circle" signs, one with a left arrow off the main road, the other with a right arrow at the trailhead leading down to the campfire circle.
  6. Comfort Station - one sign at the kitchen area: "Off-Limits - Absolutely No Dishwashing!" Another sign behind the building (at the sinks/water spigot), also stating: "Water Only - Absolutely No Dishwashing! Inside both toilets, posted prominently - "Keep this area Clean! Absolutely No Dishwashing in Sinks!" Inside the Women’s toilet: "This Stall Reserved for Female Campers Only!" (pick one.) On the Outside Door of the Women’s Toilet - "OK to Use if No Female Campers Present."
  7. Ancillary Competition Area - On the main road leading down to the Dining Hall, one sign "Obstacle Course/Firebuilding" with a straight-ahead arrow, and another at the access road to the ancillary competition area with a right arrow.
  8. Sign in front of the Dining Hall Area - "No Parking! This area needed for the Scoutmaster Chariot Race!" (Note - this will change if the field is level enough to run the race there - but if the field is all rutted (again), we’ll do it at the Dining Hall.)
  9. (Only Somewhat Tongue in Cheek!) - One last sign at the exit point, facing into the Projectoree, stating "Scouts, Warning! - Fairfax County Police will pick you up if you try to walk to the 7-11! Stay in Camp!"

Equipment Needed:

A) At least 20 campaign-sign style stakes. 30 would be more prudent; you’re going to have some break on you. Pre-sharpened to real points (not just the usual slant-cut) are best; otherwise, they’ll break while you try to pound them in.
B) One or two small (hammer size) sledge hammers for pounding the stakes into the ground. Note that regular hammers and/or rubber mallets do NOT work well.
C) One or two staple guns, with plenty of extra staples. Staples should be at least 4 inch, and pointed, for best (and easiest) results.
D) One roll of yellow or orange surveyor’s tape; this is an optional item, but really helps people see the signs, especially on Gunston Road.
E) One roll of duct tape (or equivalent) for signs at the comfort station.
F) One small bowsaw, maybe a hatchet, for repairing/sharpening broken stakes.
G) All signs, pre-prepared. Old campaign signs (white on the back side) are the best for this purpose - they’re stiff enough to handle some wind, and are semi-waterproof. I have a bunch if you need them!
H) A few extra blank signs, "just in case."
I) A super-size black magic marker (available at Ayers or some hobby stores), for creating or modifying signs.
J) Work-gloves (unless you enjoy splinters in your hands.)After Sunday Cleanup, Please keep all signs and still-useable stakes for future Projectorees!

Staff Area/Staff Food Coordinator

Primary Troop in Charge: __________________________

Adult(s) in Charge: ____________________________________________________

In brief, primarily responsible for developing a menu for the staff, buying the food, and setting up the cooking/eating area at the Staff Site. Works with the Site Coordinator in developing a Staff Duty Roster for cooking and cleaning. Works with the Projectoree Organizer to determine the total number of Staff eating at the Staff Site. Not a glamorous job, but a critical one for the success of the Projectoree.

Materials Needed:

_____ (1) Menu (emphasizing quality meals, easy to prepare and police), multiple copies, published in the area.
_____ (2) List of Staff eating in the Staff area, by meal (provided by each Troop via email)
_____ (3) Food, commensurate with the number of Staff, by meal
_____ (4) Additional "Snacks and Drinks," for the Friday Night PLC/Staff Meetings
_____ (5) Food Lockers and Coolers (with block ice as needed)
_____ (6) Cooking Equipment commensurate with the amount of food to be prepared
_____ (7) Stoves and Fuel to run them
_____ (8) Lanterns and Fuel, extra mantles
_____ (9) Disposable eating ware (plates and bowls, utensils, cups, paper towels, etc.)
_____ (10) Cleaning equipment, as needed
_____ (11) Trash cans, heavy-duty plastic trash-bags
_____ (12) 2 - 4 Large Tarps, plus additional gear needed to erect; critical if poor weather is expected.
_____ (13) Walkie Talkie, for communications (if don’t have, borrow from Troop 111 or 647)
_____ (14) Optional, Duty Roster, developed in cooperation with the Site Coordinator

This position starts well before the Projectoree with the development of a quality menu. One of the draws of being on Staff is how good the food is compared to what the Troops are eating (and how much more convenient, also!) Convenience, that is, how easy/fast to prepare, consume and clean up, are all issues to keep in mind when designing the menu. The other critical issue is how many Staff members will be eating at each meal - something which has been wildly overestimated at past Projectorees. The problem is that many of the Senior Scouts only come on Saturday, run their events, and leave immediately; this is how they’re able to shoehorn in the Projectoree around Sports, work and weekend parties. Past experience suggests that the only major meal will be the Saturday lunch, with less than half that number of people eating Saturday breakfast or dinner, and only about a third eating Sunday morning breakfast. In a change from past years, each Troop is supposed to email you with their Staff Food estimates early the prior week - however, being realistic, you’ll have to track most of the units down for their numbers. I will try to remind each unit via email, but.... (flexibility will be crucial to reducing frustration!)

You will need to plan to be at the Projectoree fairly early - preferably early afternoon at the latest, in order to do some set-up. Obviously, you will be able to call on Staff members to help you set up as they arrive - but that will be fairly spotty (and won’t happen `til late in the day.) The Projectoree Organizer (myself) and Site Coordinator(s) may be available to help during the day. However, you’re best if you come with sufficient assistance to get the place set up without your having to do everything yourself.

Finally, if your Troop is unable to loan everything you’ll need to set up the Staff area, you’ll have to call around Troop-by-Troop in order to borrow things for the weekend. Some Troops will have lots of extra gear they can loan - others will have little or nothing; it’s hit-or-miss. If you have real problems, talk it over with me.

Sunday morning, you will be designated sufficient Staff assistance (or a free Troop) in order to break camp quickly. At this point, you should be a coordinator, not a "do-er." If possible, it’s best to relay borrowed materials directly to the respective Troops while they’re still on-site - certainly easier than having to do it later in the week.

Don’t forget to save all your receipts!!!

Please feel free to annotate this as you're going along; this is a draft of the position description for future Projectorees - I would appreciate any and all input.

Thanks for your assistance!

- Dr. Bob

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26 March 1998