A Scoutmaster's Blog

When the Boy Scouts of Melrose Area Troop 68 first attended a week of summer camp at Many Point Scout Camp in the late 1980s the staff had to quickly reopen a campsite that had not been used for awhile. The troop had signed up later than they should have and all the usual campsites had been filled. The camp decided to reopen the Tyler campsite in the Buckskin Camp for the troop. Even though it was at the end of the trail of campsites, far from any others, the troop liked it and stayed at the site for several years.

The troop changed campsites in 2006. The walk was getting too long, about a half mile from the campsite to the dining hall, for some of the aging adult leaders so we decided to reserve a camp right smack in the middle of Buckskin Camp. Seton was located at the top of a small hill near the lodge and trading post. It was also near the shower house which was nice. The Seton Campsite was smaller than Tyler but that was alright since the troop had gotten smaller over the years. The site was just the right size for a troop with eight to ten Scouts in attendance.

The troop used the Seton campsite for the next 19 years, except for the two years the troop stayed in the Ten Chiefs Camp. The site served our needs quite well so at the end of our week stay in 2024 we reserved it once again for the following year. We thought we were all set until I received a phone call a few weeks later stating that Troop 68 could not stay in the Seton campsite for 2025. The camp had plans to remake the site into the staff quarters area. We would have to choose a new site.

Needless to say, the adult leadership of Troop 68 was not very happy to hear this. It made us a bit upset that they did not tell us this while we were at camp making our reservation for 2025. We felt that since we already made our reservation and they should plan to move the staff in 2026. We liked Seton. We did not want to move, but we had no choice in the matter.

They told me which sites were still available, which was not many to choose from. We chose the Beard campsite, which was still somewhat centrally located. I did not recall ever having visited that site but we discovered it was one of the campsites in Buckskin that had a screened shelter. Neither Tyler nor Seton had a shelter. We thought that a shelter would be nice to have for those rainy days.

When we arrived at camp on Sunday, July 13, 2025, we noticed there was more parking area than Seton had to park our trailer. We also discovered the latrine was at the bottom of the hill where the campsite was located. It was going to be a long steep climb to get from the main road to the campsite. Not a problem for the Scouts, but not as much fun for this scoutmaster who is getting up there in years.

The Beard campsite itself was pretty nice. It was much bigger than the Seton site which allowed the Scouts to camp away from the adult leadership. The shelter was very nice and we spent most of our evenings in there trying to stay away from the mosquitoes. We also discovered there was a back trail that lead to the trading post and shower house. We liked that. Once again though, it was a steep trail.

The troop did a little work on the steep trail to the campsite during the week, trying to make the steps more even and equal in size. It did help. We have plans to improve it more next year. We are also thinking it might be nice to have a bench near the campsite’s fire ring. We had done the same in the Seton Campsite. Of course, we will have to ask permission before making these campsite improvements.

I have a feeling that the Beard campsite may become our new tradition while at Many Point Scout Camp. The Scouts enjoyed the site and it will give us more room as the troop tries to expand its membership. I also enjoyed the site but was not a fan of the long hillside trail to get to it. I may have to work out and exercise more before next year’s week at camp.

The staff at Many Point Scout Camp always hold a Sunday evening campfire program to start the week off right for the campers. During the program the staff is introduced to the Scout campers through various skits and songs. Of course, the program always begins with the staff leading the Scouts in the Many Point Rouser!

It begins with the staff running and yelling into the campfire program site, creating a lot of noise and chaos. While most of the staff runs amongst the crowd, one staff member will rush down to the “stage” area and lead the campers in a “repeat after me” version of the song, but only one time. After that the Scouts will join the staff as the rouser is sung three times, each time getting a little bit faster and a little bit rowdier. Following the song the senior patrol leader of each troop is invited to the front for the camp roll call.

Here is the video created of the Sunday night opening campfire program at Buckskin Camp for the week of July 13, 2025. Let us know if you think it was rowdy enough.

The Scouts of Melrose Area Troop 68 have been attending Many Point Scout Camp for their week long summer camp adventure for over 35 years. The troop usually stays in the Buckskin Camp although they have tried Ten Chiefs Camp a couple times. Buckskin Camp has a dining hall. The Scouts do some of the own cooking in Ten Chiefs with one cooked meal per day brought to their site.

The troops attending Buckskin Camp gather on the parade ground outside the dining hall before each meal. They are released one troop at a time to enter the dining hall so there are not hundreds of Scouts trying to enter the building at one time. Various methods are used to decide which order the troops are sent to the hall, with trivia being a popular way to do it.

At breakfast time, the staff will lead the all the Scouts in a rousing song, which is usually a “repeat after me” song. Many of the songs will also involve some sort of hand gestures. It is a fun way to get the Scouts ready for another fun day at camp.

I video recorded a few of these songs this summer and edited them to one video which I then posted to the Melrose Scouting Productions channel on Youtube. Watch the video and let us know how you feel the staff did during these songs.

The Boy Scouts of Melrose Area Troop 68 had a great week of summer camp at Many Point Scout Camp during July 13-19 this year. Ten of the eleven Scouts were able to attend. While the afternoon and evenings were used to have a lot of fun at camp, the mornings were used to work on advancement and earn merit badges. And boy oh boy, the Scouts did well with their advancement. The ten Scouts earned 48 merit badges while they were at camp.

Indian Lore, Archaeology, and Search And Rescue merit badges were the popular ones this summer. While two Scouts earned the Canoeing badge at camp, two more earned it on a canoe trip in August. It was also nice to see a few Scouts work on various Eagle required badges while they were at camp.

Not only did the Scouts work on the advancement at camp, many of them continued working after they got home. Another 5 merit badges were earned after camp, bringing the total for the next court of honor to 53 badges.

In addition to the merit badges, several Scouts finished work on their rank requirements. At the time of writing this the troop will recognize one new Scout Rank, one Star Scout Rank, two Life Ranks, and one Scout will receive his third Eagle Scout Pin, the Silver pin. It is going to be a fun court of honor on Monday, September 29.