The 2009 Lost Valley Merit Badge Schedule is online. You can also find the link at: www.ssrlv.org or get it by clicking here.
Online signups by a Troop leader are first come/first served. The sign up site is not working yet, but we expect it to be working soon. SO, please e-mail a list of your preferred merit badges, times and schedule ASAP to:
bbsolberg@aol.com
Submitting a schedule that is not compatible with the camp’s schedule will delay your
registration. Also, if you have alternate choices, please include these.
Some thoughts:
**First year campers-a great program that I have used for the last four years has each of them taking swimming, and also First Aid MB (if they are willing to read the MB book ahead of time). We also work on rank advancement and have them doing some handicraft merit badges (including getting your basket kits from www.paulssupplies.com. You can make the baskets and the seat ahead of time at home, write your name on the bottom/put them in a sturdy box, and bring them to camp!).
We keep them busy.
**FIVE Eagle required merit badges that are great to get at camp:
- Swimming
- First aid (read the MB book before hand, and get the teaching quiz from bbsolberg@aol.com) or it can found on the blog by clicking here:
- Lifesaving (if you do not have emergency preparedness already, but of course you can get both!)
- Environmental science: Write or type up as much as you can before camp, and leave lines in-between to add things that the counselors teach you!. To download the worksheet click here.
- Camping: Same hint as Environmental Science. To download the worksheet click here.
**Climbing, horseback riding, and archery require strength. Lifesaving requires strength
and stamina in the water.
**The usual order of shooting sports is rifle, then archery, then shotgun. It can be tough to “Qualify” (shoot well enough), so “partials” are not uncommon. You must schedule out two sessions (see the MB schedule) for each of these merit badges.
**COPE is not a merit badge. It is a blast for older boys who have all of their merit badges for Eagle. Usually they take this and one other MB. Last year they did rappelling, high wire COPE, black powder muskets, and a waterfall cave!
**Check out the posts about Lost Valley from last year on the blog
A great resource for leaders (and ALL parents) about Lost Valley 2009:
http://www.ssrlv.org/forms/2009SSRLV%20Leaders%20Guide.pdf
Please read this and discuss with you son(s). More about gear will be sent as we get closer to camp. Many of your questions will be answered in this booklet.
Homesickness: there is a great article on homesickness. (Including preparation for camp, the no call policy, etc.
http://www.scoutingmagazine.org/issues/0805/a-nothappy.html
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Forms: medical and release forms are at:
www.ssrlv.org/forms/html
Adults over 40 must have a Class 3 within 12 months of camp.
Scouts need the class 1 and 2, as well as the permission for firearms (we try to get a Troop shoot, and Scouts can go with a buddy as well, even if they are not taking the merit badge(s)).
PHOTOCOPY THE FORMS AND KEEP A COPY!! These forms can get misplaced and/or may
not be returned to us after camp!