Troop 425

HEART OF AMERICA COUNCIL
Red-Tailed Hawk District

Summer Camp

Camp Geiger

As you are making plans for your summer, don't forget to plan on joining the scouting program at Camp Geiger.  If you are a new Boy Scout who has just recently joined Troop 425, you won't want to miss out on the fun, adventure, and sense of independence and freedom that you will find in the rolling hills of Camp Geiger, situated on the Missouri River bluffs just north of Saint Joseph, Missouri.

Troop 425 will be joining the fun at beautiful Camp Geiger again this year in Session two! For the latest information, please visit the Troop 425 Blog.

Highlights:

• Camp Geiger has one of the Top Ten Summer Camp Programs in the United States (BSA National Summer Camp Study Project)
• Camp Geiger is the birthplace of COPE (It started right here in the Pony Express Council)
• Camp Geiger returns sixty to seventy percent of its older Scouts.
• The Camp Geiger Staff has a higher average age than most, providing your Scouts with more seasoned, mature leadership.
• Camp Geiger is the home of the Tribe of Mic-O-Say, an honor camper organization that has inspired generations of Scouts for more than 80 years.

Important:

• Health forms must be turned in 2 weeks prior to camp.
• DEPARTURE: Sunday before camp week. Meet at HUMC at 11:30 a.m. Please be on time! We have a lot of check-in tasks to perform. We will leave for Camp Geiger at 12:00 p.m. (Eat before you come or bring a sack lunch to eat on the bus.)
• Scouts riding to camp on the bus must return from camp on the bus.
• Scouts riding with parents to camp, must be picked up at camp by parents.
• RETURN: Saturday, end of camp week. We will leave Camp Geiger at 10:00 am. Scouts NOT riding the bus may be picked up at the main camp parking lot at this time. For Scouts riding the bus we should arrive back at HUMC around 11:15 a.m.
• Visitor's Night Wednesday camp week.
• Mic-O-Say Tapping Thursday camp week.

Each Scout and leader, without exception, must be cleared by their physician for attendance at and participation in events at Camp Geiger. Thus, each Scout and leader must bring current and complete medical history physical examination forms to place on file with Health Lodge personnel at the time of check-in.  All the forms are posted here:

http://www.ponyexpressbsa.org/06-CampGeiger/CampForms.htm

Instructions:

1. Please read the Camp Geiger Handout.  For more details the full Camp Geiger Program will be available prior to Camp.

2. Boys should turn in your activity forms (see attached).  Note, first year campers will be taking the first year camper program every morning.  Afternoon merit badges should be confined to those available to first year campers (like Basketry, Leatherwork, Pottery/Sculpture and Woodcarving),  Please review the merit badge requirements before you sign up for them!

3. Scout parents need to turn in Health Forms.  (I recommend you keep a copy of all the forms.)

4. Scouts taking special activities like SCUBA or COPE need to keep in mind the special requirements for those activities and/or permission forms that need signatures.

We’ll see you at Summer Camp!

Rod Bennett

Troop 425 Summer Campmaster     e. rod_bennett@hotmail.com  v. 913-481-9541 

How to get to Camp Geiger:

Camp Geiger is located northwest of St. Joseph, Missouri, near the K highway exit from Interstate 229. Those coming from the North on I-229 will find the ramp is directly across from the camp entrance. Those coming from the South on I-229 will take the K Highway exit and turn left, traveling across the bridge. The camp entrance is located about 100 yards north of the bridge, on the left side of the road.  Camp phone number for emergencies: (816-364-1523)