It’s summer, and that means one thing for Scouts across Central Illinois. Summer camp! For Cub Scouts (grades K to 5) it’s day camp — five days jam-packed with archery, BB guns, games, crafts, silly songs, demonstrations, and tons of outdoor fun. For Scouts BSA (ages 11–17), it’s seven days and six nights of camping in tents, swimming, archery, fishing, rifle shooting, hiking, merit badges, and much more. A pack or troop’s calendar is not complete without summer adventures.

Summer resident camp is where young men and women fall in love with the outdoors, discover the limits of their physical abilities, and put their Scout skills to the test. It’s where boys and girls have fun with new friends and see that Scouting is for everyone. If they do it right, it’s where they learn about teamwork, taking care of themselves, and managing their time. 

What parent doesn’t want that for their child? I’ve heard more than one parent say (with mixed emotions) that the kid they sent off with bug spray and a backpack full of clean socks is not the kid who returns home. That’s how it is meant to be.

Lord Robert Baden-Powell organized the first Scout summer camp on Brownsea Island off the southern coast of England in 1907. The first recognized Scout camp in the United States was held at Silver Bay, New York, in 1910. That was the same year the Boy Scouts of America was incorporated, establishing summer encampments as a fundamental part of the program.

I helped Scouts make the most of their summer camp experience for about 12 years, mostly at Ingersoll Scout Reservation, the W. D. Boyce Council’s beautiful facility in London Mills. There were those who wanted to go home the minute they arrived. But the majority of Scouts had a great time, learned more than they realize, and built lasting friendships with their fellow Scouts. Some love it so much they return to work as camp staff.

I used to tell parents that a Scout who did not go to camp their first year in the troop was not likely to still be an active member of the troop the next summer. That may sound pessimistic, but with a few exceptions, it proved true. Summer camp can be the singular experience that makes or breaks a young Scout. But that seriousness is wrapped in layer after layer of fun.

I think Baden-Powell was spot-on when he said, “A week of camp life is worth six months of theoretical teaching in the meeting room.” The best parts of Scouting have always been in the “outing.”

My days as a full-week adult leader at camp are over, not because I don’t want to do it, but because I want to pass the privilege on to younger leaders. If you are lucky enough to be going to summer camp — whether it’s a church camp, academic camp, sports camp or something else — I will be with you in spirit.

Scout On!
Scott Fishel wears several hats in Scouting, including a longtime association with Troop 178 and Troop 1178 in Morton. You can contact him at [email protected]. Find a Scout unit in your community at beascout.org.