Muskrat Meadows Day Camp - June 5th and 6th

Location, Drop off and Pick Up Times 

The drop off location on Saturday is different because we will be canoeing. We will be starting our Saturday activities at the Deas Island Rowing Club where we will put our canoes in the water. That will be our drop off location. Here is the google maps link for it:

https://goo.gl/maps/1qswm14V6DBcDTbw8

Drop off on Sunday, and pick up on both Saturday and Sunday will be at the Muskrat Meadows Group Camp area. Here is the google maps link for it:

https://goo.gl/maps/AKmLZ6z3EwaJF7vb9

Below is the schedule for the two days:

Saturday

9:00-noon - Canoeing in the Deas Slough

Noon-1:30 pm - move to group campground - cook lunch - cleanup

1:30-3:00 pm - permits

·        Stove (propane)

·        Stove (white gas)

·        Lantern (white gas)

·        Axe

·        Saw

·        Knife

3:00-5:00 pm - geocaching hike and games

5:00-6:30 pm - cook supper and cleanup

6:30-7:00 pm - prepare for campfire - skits

7:00-7:45 pm - light fire, have campfire

7:45-8:00 pm - put out fire, cleanup

8:00 pm - go home 

Sunday

10:00-10:30 - Arrive at group campsite

10:30-11:00 - Scouts own

11:00-noon - fire lighting in pairs or 3s, games for other patrols

Noon-1:30 pm - cook lunch, cleanup, put out fire

1:30-2:30 pm - more fire lighting

2:30-3:30 pm - hike and games

3:30-4:00 pm - clean up and gather up gear

4:00 pm - go home

 

And this is the recommended personal equipment:

 

Mandatory:

·        Water Bottle (we have city water and you can refill it)

·        Mess kit (plate, bowl, cup, knife, fork spoon)

·        Sunscreen - cannot share outside family members

·        Insect repellent - cannot share outside family members

·        Day pack for hikes

·        Snack for morning

·        Snack for afternoon

·        Clothing appropriate for the weather

·        Uniform, or at least necker and woggle

·        Mask

 

Optional:

·        Tinder for lighting fires (firewood supplied by camp)

·        Flint & Steel

·        Other firelighting materials

·        Knife if you have a knife permit – let me know if you can’t find yours – we’ll issue a replacement

·        Your own PFD for canoeing (Saturday only)

·        First aid kit

·        Emergency kit

·        Folding chair

All Sections Wrap-up (but not quite our last meeting)

 Wrap-up Meeting and Moving Up Ceremonies: 

As we approach summer, with just a few meetings left, it’s time to plan for our upcoming wrap-up meeting. This year, we cannot provide food, and we will not be able to have parents attend (due to Provincial Health Authority restrictions), so we won’t be holding it at Warner Loat park. Instead, it will take place at Wesburn Park where our sections have been meeting this spring.

While as of this email there may be a few more meetings of your section, this meeting will be the last one for both Beavers and Cubs.  Troop is working on a Great 8 Challenge that lasts into the middle of June and have a day camp the following weekend, so they will be continuing for a bit.

Date and Time:

Wednesday June 2^nd, 2021 at Wesburn Park.

Beavers 6:30-7:30 except white tails who will stay until 8:00 with the cub pack

Cubs 6:30-8:00 except howlers who will stay until 9:00 with the scout troop

Scouts 7:00-9:00

Moving Up:

At this meeting, the older beavers and cubs (white tails and howlers) will be graduated to the next section.  In September, the white tails will be meeting with the cubs and the howlers will be meeting with the scouts.  We have two scouts who will be registered as venturers but will be able to continue to participate with Troop.  Your scouters will send emails to those who are going up to the next section.

Agenda:

The following is our agenda for the moving up ceremonies, but be aware that your section scouters will provide you with instructions for any activities that you will be doing. Parents, please note the start and end times for your sections. If you have older beavers or cubs who are moving up to the next section, (beavers who turned or will turn 8 this year or older, cubs who turned or will turn 11 this year or older), then your pick up time will be when the next section up ends.  If in doubt, ask your scouters:

 

·        6:30 pm Beavers and Cubs meet at Wesburn Park

o   Beavers on north side of creek, Cubs on south side

o   Cubs may move to a different location in the park after they meet

·        7:00 pm Troop arrives, south side of parking lot

·        7:20 pm Beavers call riverbanks, Cubs call parade circle

o   Call forward white tails

o   Cubs send two Howlers to fetch the white tails

o   White tails are introduced to the Cub pack

·        7:30 pm Beavers are dismissed for the summer

o   White tails can stay and play games with the Cubs

·        7:50 pm Cubs call parade circle, Troop calls horseshoe

o   Call forward Howlers

o   Troop sends two senior scouts to fetch the Howlers

o   Howlers are introduced to the Troop

o   Cubs have closing grand howl with new White Tails

·        8:00 pm Cubs are dismissed for the summer

o   Howlers can stay and play games or do activities with Troop

·        9:00 pm Troop dismissed, but will have at least one more meeting (for Great 8 Challenge)

What to Bring:

Your section scouter will send an email telling you what you need to bring. As always, you will be asked the pre-screening questions and if you are feeling sick, you cannot come.

Early Registration for 2022:

In early September, there will be a 2 week span during which you will be able to register for 2022.  After that, Scouts Canada opens registration up to the general public.  Please note that we have a waitlist for people who want to register already.  If you do not register in September when we restart, you may find that the group becomes full with other people and we will not be able to take you.  You will get emails both from Scouts Canada and from us when that time comes. 

Saturday May 8 - Bike Ramble

Overview:

For the bike ride we will start and end at the parking lot between the stadium and the Variety playground on the northwest corner of Central Park.  You need to come through the stone archway just off Kingsway and you will need to be heading East on Kingsway to get into it.

Here is the Google Maps link for the archway.

We will meet at 9:00 am, and our route is as noted in the map copied below.  

The route will take us past Metrotown, on a bike lane, past several skytrain stations, then a bit past 22^nd station, we’ll stop at Grimston park.  Those who have done several bike rambles in the past with the cubs and scouts may recognize the route. We will take a break at Grimston park, then return, but at Rumble street, we will take a different route back, along Rumble and up McKay back to Central park.  We have a couple spots where we can take breaks on the way back. 

The plan is to be back at Central park roughly at noon or a bit after.  Then we’ll cook hot dogs for lunch and play some games.

Parents pick up at 2:00 pm at the same place. 

Hot Dogs:

Under Scouts Canada’s stage 3, we can cook in patrols and do limited equipment sharing in patrols. While we can cook in patrols, “food sharing” is not allowed.  Here is what Scouts Canada says about this topic for Stage 3:

Food Provision:

1. Food provision within patrols is permitted.
   
   
2. No self-serve buffet-style meals.
   
   
3. Food and/or drink sharing is prohibited.
   
   
4. Clean and disinfect eating and cooking gear after use.

At first, points i and iii may sound like a contradiction, but what this is saying is that you can cook and serve food in portions, but you can’t “share”. Sharing would be everyone grabbing a bag of chips and pouring some out (everyone handles the bag of chips – not good.)  If instead, one person, following proper protocol serves chips from the bag onto people’s plates, that’s OK. Similarly, we can’t have everyone in the patrol grabbing the ketchup, mustard, and/or relish to serve themselves (sharing the condiments).  You will need to tell the cook (or their assistant) what you want, and they’ll put it on for you. I provide details on roughly how that should work, below.

 

You will need to let your patrol know if you plan to go by Wednesday so they can plan to buy enough hot dogs and buns.  We will ask each patrol to count on feeding one or two scouters (we’ll determine this on Wednesday).  You’ll want to ask how many hot dogs each person can eat (1 or 2).

 

The group will provide each of our 3 patrols with a stove and a propane tank (already pulled from the cage and at Scouter Dave’s place.)

 

Group and Patrol Equipment:

Group Equipment for Cooking:

• 3 stoves
• 3 propane tanks
• Gloves for cooks
• 3 hand sanitizers
• Fresh medical masks for cooks
• Paper towels

 

Each Patrol Must plan for this:

• Choose a designated cook with 1 assistant (cook must have stove permit)
• Someone bring a Griddle, frypan or pot
• Bring sufficient water, if you are using a pot
• Someone bring flipper or tongs
• Someone buy the food:
• Hot dogs (enough for your whole group and scouters assigned to you)
• Buns (enough for the hot dogs)
• Condiments ß I suggest each patrol buy something like this pack (see the link), then keep it for when we do Muskrat Meadows and possibly other activities – choose someone to keep it
• Someone bring matches or a lighter
• Someone bring a small table or bench (optional – we might be able to use a park bench – probably they will all be in use)
• Tin foil or board to protect the table from the stove's heat

 

Note: Delegate someone in your patrol to buy the food. Submit the group (me) with the receipt and the group will reimburse you at the next in-person Wednesday meeting.

 

General Group Equipment for the Ramble (I’ll bring this):

• Bike Repair kit
• Pool noodles (keep in car)
• First aid kit

 

Recommended that each patrol also bring:

• Soccer ball or equivalent ball for patrol games

 

Individual Equipment:

The following is mandatory:

• A bike that is a reasonable fit for you
• A helmet – no exceptions! If you don’t bring one, you can’t come with
• Water bottle, filled
• Small pack
• Clothing suitable for the weather – we recommend layers, and something waterproof is likely to be useful
• Uniform (Necker at least)

 

Optional:

• Spare water bottle
• Emergency Kit
• Pocket knife and permit (if you have a permit)
• Personal First Aid Kit

 

Cooking Safety Protocol:

Much of what I’m saying below are food-safe requirements that existed before COVID-19, but COVID-19 just makes it way more important to follow them.

 

• The cook and assistant will go to the washroom building and wash their hands for 20 seconds minimum with soap and water.
• They will then come back to where they plan to do their cooking.
• They will take off their personal mask.
• They will hand sanitize. Each patrol will have their own hand sanitizer bottle.
• Having hand sanitized, they will be issued a brand new medical mask and a pair of gloves by a scouter, which they will put on.
• With their patrol at a safe distance, the cook will demonstrate how to assemble and light a propane stove.
• The cook will cook the hot dogs, with help from his assistant.
• When the food is nearly ready, the patrol will be asked by the assistant to line up socially distanced, and hand sanitize. The assistant will give each a squirt of sanitizer.
• When the hot dogs are ready, the assistant will take the first hot dog bun out, and get the cook to put the first hot dog on it.
• The assistant will ask the first scout what he wants to have on his hot dog, and will add the appropriate condiments to that scout’s satisfaction before handing the finished masterpiece to his victim customer. 😊
• The scout (or scouter) will take his hot dog, with appropriate thanks, and will depart to eat it – no plates, just hands.
• Rinse, lather, repeat
• Scouters eat after scouts in that patrol.
• Cook and assistant eat last.
• Seconds can be made up after cook and assistant have eaten – same protocol to be followed.

 

Map of our Route:

We will use the Scoutstracker RSVP mode. If you have trouble using it, you can send me your RSVP as an email. Please note that your patrol will need to know if you plan on coming by Wednesday.