Please plan to be at the Riverside Presbyterian Church between 7:00 and 7:15 a.m. on Sunday.  The bus will begin loading at 7:00, and will depart promptly at 7:30.  Please be on time!

For the return to Riverside on August 2, the bus is scheduled to leave Camp Mach at 9:00 a.m.  The leaders on the bus will let us know the approximate arrival time when they’re close to home, but the trip takes approximately 6 hours by car, so expect a late afternoon return.

Last year was the only year in recent memory with no rain at Camp Mach. Although it’s too early to tell, the forecast for next week’s weather at Camp Mach looks great – a high of 74-79 degrees each day, with a chance of rain on Wednesday night. Check Accuweather.

This is just a reminder of some items of importance for Camp Mach.

• Please pack your swimsuit near the top or outside of your bag. Swimming tests will be given on Sunday afternoon, probably before camp is completely set up. Everyone is required to take the swim test to determine swimming level.
• Pack rain gear in an accessible location in case it’s necessary to set up camp in the rain.
• Bring mosquito repellent and sunscreen!
• Either bring a lunch on the bus, or money for lunch at a fast food restaurant on the way to camp. A snack might be good as well.
• No aerosol cans of any type are allowed at camp (includes sunscreen, deodorant, and insect repellent). This is a safety issue, so please make sure your scout complies.
• No mess kits are required, but each scout should bring a cup or other type of drinking utensil, which will be used at all meals.
• Scouts going rafting need money for the raft trip
• Scouts in basketry, leathercraft, and woodcarving need money to buy the kits
• All scouts might want some cash for the Trading Post (t-shirts, etc.)
• Bring OLD clothes for the bog hike (preferably clothes that can be discarded)
• Don’t forget mosquito netting
• For the sake of the group, please encourage your scout to use deodorant if they don’t shower daily (which is very unlikely!)
• Troop 24 will be in the Black Oak campground

Any questions? Contact Nancy Hopkins

One of the highlights of Camp Mach for most scouts is the bog hike.  This is an optional event, about 45 minutes long, and is a hike led by camp staff through the bog.  Scouts return from the bog hike covered in mud, which they wash off, Huckleberry Finn-style, by “doing their body washing in the river (lake).”  (They later take a shower.)  Please send OLD clothes & shoes for the bog hike, preferably ones that can be discarded after the hike.  Your scout can bring them home, of course, but you may not want them after they’ve been through the bog, the lake, and stayed wet for several days afterward…

The mosquitos are reported to be ferocious at Camp Mach this year. In addition to insect repellant (NON-AEROSOL), campers should have mosquito netting. It’s usually available at REI (http://www.rei.com/product/729006) but they may be sold out. It’s also available at Sports Authority and probably other outdoor stores. Instructions for making a mosquito frame can be found on our website here. If you have any questions about the instructions for building the frame, please contact Ray.

All of our leaders should have completed Youth Protection Training before attending Camp Mach. It’s likely you have already done so, but new BSA guidelines require the training to be repeated every 2 years. To take the course or to see the status of your training certificates, visit http://olc.scouting.org/ The online class takes only about 20-30 minutes to complete. If you do not complete the class online (recommended), you will have an opportunity to take the class at camp.

Parents: you may have wished you had the time available to go to Camp Mach. Since one of our adult leaders is going for a half-week, we have the other half-week available to you! If you are interested in attending Camp from July 27-July 30, please contact Nancy Hopkins ASAP.

Some scouts signed up for merit badge classes at Camp Mach that may be difficult to complete at camp unless they work on some requirements before they leave. If a scout does not complete a merit badge while in camp, a partial completion will be issued stating which requirements were successfully completed. The scout then has 12 months to complete the remaining requirements. A couple of other merit badge classes require you to bring specific supplies to camp. In case you don’t remember what you signed up for, here are the merit badges that may not be able to be completed entirely at camp without advance work:

REQUIRE WORK BEFORE CAMP

Bird Study – Joe R
Bird Study Requirement 5 requires observing 20 different species of birds at camp and may be difficult to complete at camp

Camping – Sam C, Casey C, Peter F, Mitchell H, Karl J, Max M
Camping Requirement 9 requires a scout to have completed 20 days and nights of camping as well as specific activities on those campouts

Cooking – Ryan B, Brady C, Casey C, Christopher G, Brian J, Nick J, Joey J, Max M, Christopher O, Mike R
Cooking Requirements 3 & 4 require that the scout plan a 2-day campout menu and prepare 4 of the meals. Requirement 7 requires that a scout plan and prepare meals at home.

Environmental Science – Alex B, Brady C, Ben C, Sam C, Tyler P, Mike R, Joe R
Environmental Science Requirement 3e requires research on an endangered species found in Illinois. This should be done prior to camp.

Nature – Alex B, Austin M
Nature Requirement 4 requires the study of various facets of nature. Work at home prior to camp can help toward earning the badge at camp.

Orienteering – Casey C, Max D, Mitchell H, Christian K, Max M, Jeff R
Orienteering Requirement 7 requires that the scout take part in 3 orienteering events and write a report on each one. Requirement 8 requires the scout to set up an orienteering course.

Pioneering – Connor C, Karl J, Austin M
Pioneering Requirement 2 requires completion of 1st Class requirement 7a, b, c. Requirement 9 requires design and construction of a pioneering project.

REQUIRE SUPPLIES TO BE BROUGHT TO CAMP

Fishing – Giancarlo V
Bring to camp: fishing gear

Swimming – first year campers, Brian J
Bring to camp: long pants, long-sleeve button-up shirt, socks, old shoes, all of which will go in the water

Wilderness Survival – Ryan B, Connor C, Max D, Christopher G, Christian K, Tyler P, Jeff R, Jason S, Drake Z – Scouts should be aware that this class requires them to build a shelter from natural materials, and spend a night in the shelter.
Bring to camp: Wilderness Survival Requirement 5 requires scouts to make a personal survival kit. An example of a survival kit can be found here: http://www.e-scoutcraft.com/film_can/survival_kit.html

REQUIRE PURCHASE OF KITS AT CAMP (BRING MONEY)

Basketry – Sam C, Abraham O

Leathercraft – Max D, Stuart M, Abraham O, Calvin P

Woodcarving – Michael D, Peter F, Christopher G, Cody L, Giancarlo V

An optional Troop 24 rafting outing is available during Camp Mach for our older scouts. Scouts who plan to go rafting at Camp Mach need to fill out a permission slip. In order to go on the rafting outing, scouts must: (1) be entering 8th grade or above; (2) be First Class or above; and (3) have earned the Swimming Merit Badge. Permission slips have been received from Ben C, Sam C, Karl J, and Giancarlo V. If you wish to go on the optional rafting outing, please drop off a permission slip at Nancy Hopkins‘ house. You should also plan to take enough money to camp to pay for the rafting outing ($50 or less).

Thanks to the six scouts who have turned in their medical forms for Camp Mach. We still need forms from the other 27 of you, as well as the leaders. Forms for scouts can be found here. Leaders (over age 40) have a different form. Please turn in forms to Nancy Hopkins as soon as possible.