Overnight Campout

SpaceCanada · Post by **SpaceCanada** » Thu May 18, 2006 12:43 pm

So... I was meandering through the Space Camp website this morning and came across a form that I have seen before but never thought about until now - the overnight campout permission form.

What's that all about? How come Boy Scouts are the only MII/III trainees allowed to participate in this? I'm not trying to make a case against AC, I'm just curious why they don't give everyone the option...

I was in (Boy) Scouts in Canada when I was younger (it's co-ed up here), would I have been able to do the overnight thing? I know Space Camp (ASA) wouldn't let me qualify as a Girl Scout or a Boy Scout wen I was there in 1998 because I was not American, even though I was in both of the equivalent organisations in Canada.

Just curious...

Boomerang · Post by **Boomerang** » Thu May 18, 2006 1:29 pm

From what i understand its only for boy scouts because its part of the wilderness survival merrit badge which requires a night spent in an improvised shelter. Not sure that the girl scouts or canadian scouts have an equivelant.

MAYTAG · Post by **MAYTAG** » Thu May 18, 2006 1:54 pm

when i was there anyone with a permission slip could do it, i did it one year i think it was the first of my mach III's

SpaceCanada · Post by **SpaceCanada** » Thu May 18, 2006 2:58 pm

We do have equivalents, although they are not called the same thing. We regularly sleep in lean-to shelters and quinzhees (snow shelters) at our camps. It just seems like such a great opportunity to teach the kids about survival - making and sleping in a temporary (non-tent) shelter. I think it's a great idea to let the kids sleep outside!

I'm glad they let Maytag do the campout. It could just be a formality they overlook at camp. Then again, they have no way of checking whether or not you are a Boy Scout anyway, unless you're a girl.

Sandrat · Post by **Sandrat** » Thu May 18, 2006 5:57 pm

When we adopted that idea, the original intent was for it to be a completely voluntary activity to have trainees spent the night out in the Mach III E&E course in improvised shelters. Anyone could have been allowed to sleep out.....you can imagine the problems this might have caused, but our counselors were very responsible (for once

) and did a great job avoiding trouble.

Amazing....inside the fence is where all the trouble happens....hmmm....

ACluvR · Post by **ACluvR** » Thu May 18, 2006 6:59 pm

I tried to do this a couple times... Usually the shelters got made and then we weren't allowed to do it... ie. Christmas Camp, rain and injury in my case, lol. But was funny to try to make something... especially since I was the only girl a couple times... Haha.

Space Nerd · Post by **Space Nerd** » Thu May 18, 2006 10:53 pm

I had the option to do it but chose not to because I knew what my shelter looked like...

I'm glad I didn't. It was the only night of the week that it poured rain (of course the night before E&E) and from what i understand the roaming skunk was out that night too.

MAYTAG · Post by **MAYTAG** » Fri May 19, 2006 7:11 am

yeah it rained when i went to do it for mach II so no one did it

SpaceCanada · Post by **SpaceCanada** » Fri May 19, 2006 9:37 am

Ah, but a good shelter should protect you from the rain... right...

AC has a roaming skunk? That's awesome! Coming back from E&E you could be muddy and skunkified! Note to AC kids - bring a tin of tomato soup with you, just in case the skunk sees you before you see it.