Head Keeper Taps

Last night the final Tapping ceremony of the 2011 camping season occurred and the lucky individual given this great honor was the Head Keeper, Keeper Of The Sacred Bundle Little Jumping Bear. Tyler Ernst, as he is known to the rest of the world, Tapped sixty new youth and twenty-eight adults that have been selected for membership in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. 

Tyler is a Savannah, Missouri native but is currently attending the University of Central Missouri where he will be completing his degree in Graphic Design next May. This year is his second year as a part of the Camp Geiger Staff, his first being two years ago when he was hired on during third session to work in the Handicraft area, specifically Metalwork. His position on the Staff this year is he assists Action Archery in the morning and then works in the Mic-O-Say Lodge during the afternoon helping to run dance practice and working with the Braves and Warriors of the Tribe. Before he turned twenty-one he was awarded Orange Dance Coup from his Dance Team although it was difficult for him to be as active with the team as he wished to be due to being a wrestler throughout high school. In addition to being part of Crew 311, the Venture Crew that all of the Staff belongs to, Tyler is also still part of his old troop in Savannah, Troop 60, and the troop in Warrensburg, Troop 400, while he is attending college so that he is still able to donate his time to the Boy Scouts even if it is not the troop he grew up with. 

Unfortunately tonight’s post will be the last one of this camping season, but don’t dismay the Camp Geiger Blog will continue to be updated throughout the off season until once more we gather together for the 2012 camping season. It has been a great summer full of fun, excitement, and surprises and I would like to thank all of you that take time out of your day to keep up to date with the blog. 

Family Night Surprise

Its that day once again on the Geiger Reservation, the day of Tapping. With hopes of being Tapped, advancement, and rain in the air its been a great day. Although its been hot today like it has the rest of the week many here are clinging to the slight chance of rain tonight in hopes that it will bring the temperature down some. For once this summer we have made it an entire week without any showers so the water would be nice since it would lessen some of the dust in addition to its effect on the temperature. 

As I’ve mentioned many times before in prior posts you never know what sort of exciting things will happen here at Camp Geiger and that was particularly true of last night. The Wednesday night campfire began as it usually does with the pre show that includes staff skits such as the YMCA, Geico parody commercials, and a Kiss tribute band. Following the pre show there was a parade of the troops as they were all led into the Council Ring from Scoutcraft Valley, each troop being announced as they in turn placed their American flag and troop flag into the holders and then snaked through the ring. Once everyone was settled into their seats the real show began consisting of a variety of both Staff and Camper skits. Each troop had prepared a skit to present in the campfire, some old and some new, but all were very entertaining. Among the various Staff skits for the night there were “It Hurts, It Hurts,” various songs, a video game sketch involving Mario and Link, and “Dead In A Ditch.” After the skits the Tribe of Mic-O-Say put on their pagent that they have been working hard all week on out in the heat. Finally to end the show was a very touching tribute to our Nation’s history and the important figures that have got us to where we are today. Normally once every one has left the Council Ring and the campfire has ended another weekly tradition occurs called the Square Circle, at this time all of the Staffs’ significant others come down and they are serenaded and then everyone says their goodbyes and leave. This week was a little different however because once the song was over the spot light came on and Tyler Ernst, a member of the Camp Geiger Staff for the past two years, came out and proposed to his then girlfriend and now fiance. 

You never now what’s going to happen any given day here at Camp Geiger so if you can’t experience it first hand I encourage you to try the next best thing and continue to follow the Camp Geiger Blog. You never know what could happen next, there are still many exciting things to fit into the few remaining days of the 2011 camping season. Don’t worry though because the blog will continue running on into the off season so that you can keep up with everything Camp Geiger.

From The Other Side

All summer the blogs have been written from my point of view with my opinions of Camp Geiger woven into each post. So for a refreshing change of pace I felt that it would be a good idea to show someone else's take on the Camp Geiger experience and to see how other people felt about the Camp and what keeps them coming back year after year. To accomplish this I sat down and talked to David and Lucas of Troop 11, two Campers that are both spending their seventh year at Camp this week.

David is sixteen and is currently a Life Scout. He has been making the trip from his hometown of Jefferson City, Missouri each summer to spend a week at Geiger. Being a Firebuilder in the Tribe, David has been taking his afternoons off this week so that he can work on his fire but he has still been at the COPE course in the mornings. When I asked him what keeps him coming back each year he had two reasons, "The people are one of a kind" and the Mic-O-Say program. After being here for a few years now I figured that there had to be something that sticks with him each year and he said that his favorite part of Camp is the Staff, in particular the skits that they have and "How crazy the staff is willing to be" even though they are in front of so many people. After he had talked about the staff for a while I asked if this was the only Camp he had ever been to and whether he had something to base his opinions off of his response was that of the other Boy Scout camps he has attended the pale in comparison to the Camp Geiger Staff. Since he seemed to hold the Staff in such a high esteem I asked if he had ever considered being a part of it, though he would love to do so he said that he is unable to during the summer but still plans to come back to Geiger for many years to come. As for Lucas he is seventeen and he too comes to us from Jefferson City. He is also spending his week here at the COPE course in the morning and in the afternoons he is fulfilling his duties as a Tom-Tom Beater by attending the dance practices in the afternoon. His reasons for coming out each year are that he really likes the people he meets out here, the Mic-O-Say program, and it is an escape from things such as school and his job. Lucas's favorite parts of Camp are the independence that it offers to a boy and that he has made many friends during the time that he has been coming out to Camp Geiger. To end our discussion I asked if he had anything that he would like to add or tell people haven't been here to which he responded, "Come out its worth it, you won't regret it."

With those words by Lucas of Troop 11 I would like to end tonight's blog. In addition I suggest that any of you that have not been out to take his advice because you truly won't regret it. Lastly I encourage you all to continue to check back here at the Camp Geiger blog to keep up with everything Camp Geiger.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD EVENING!

Happy Tuesday everyone, yet another amazing day has come to pass here at Camp Geiger. There was much to do all around Camp and everywhere you looked Campers were busy with all of the fun activities offered at Camp Geiger. Even the weather managed to cooperate and there was a nice breeze to start off the day. 

A prime example of there being something to do everywhere you turn is the Handicraft corral. In just the limited area in and around the corral there are Merit Badges going on from three different areas, Eagle, Nature, and Handicraft. Inside of the corral the Merit Badges that occur are Woodcarving, Leatherwork, Basketry, Pottery, and Sculpture for Handicraft as for Eagle, Personal Management and Personal Fitness both hold class inside of the corral. Then a few steps to the north of the corral is where Metalwork takes place which is inside of the octagonal pavilion. Also just outside of the fence, at the picnic tables by the parking lot, other Eagle area classes are taught such as Citizenship in the World, Citizenship in the Nation, and Citizenship in the Community in addition to both Law and Communication. To add even more activities to such a small area the Nature Lodge is not even a stone's throw away from where the Eagle area classes are. Down at the Nature Lodge Campers can take classes like Astronomy or Environmental Science on the porch of the Lodge or others that take place between Handicraft and Eagle like Weather or a combination badge of mammal study and forestry. It just goes to show that at Camp Geiger you don't have to go far to have a good time.

As the week begins to become increasingly busier and packed with more fun and activities I encourage you to continue to check back often here at the Camp Geiger Blog. With things such as Family Night, Tapping, and other Mic-O-Say ceremonies you wouldn't want to miss anything going on out here at Camp Geiger.

Marvelous Monday

Another great Monday has come and gone here at Camp Geiger. Much like yesterday the mercury was pretty high in the thermometer. One of the places around Camp where you can really feel the heat is in the Dining Hall but that doesn't mean that there is any break in the program. Everything that the Scouts experienced first session is still going on without a hitch the week.

Breakfast begins with all of the troops formed up around the flag plaza. Then the American flag along with the Missouri flag are raised along with the troop flag of the winner of the cleanest campsite of the day before. Next everyone files into the Dining Hall for a delicious meal prepared by the amazing crew of cooks and volunteers. Once everyone has had enough time to eat there is the two minute drill which is when all of the table all cleaned up and dishes are stacked so that they can easily be cleared at the end of the meal. After the two minute drill a Staff member is called up to lead a song of their choice with the help of a few other Staff members. Following the song is the Camp Geiger version of the popular game show Lets Make A Deal, during which random Campers that are called up are given the opportunity to win prizes from the Trading Post such as knives, t-shirts, and free slushies. Although they are able to win those great prizes they have to avoid getting "Zonked" which is a gag prize such as a box of matches without heads or a china set with some assembly required which is a jar of clay. When the game has finished daily announcements are read off by the Program Director, Aaron Lewis. To finish off breakfast is a game called Sitting Bull in which a person gets a tongue depressor with the words "Sitting Bull" written on it snuck into their back pocket, the person that gets Sitting Bull then has to draw out of the lunch box to get either a prize like a free slushie or they have to do something like race Christian Hoffman around the Dining Hall or duck walk to the bathroom and back. Lunch begins with everyone once again formed up around the flag plaza where we do something like the Scout Oath or Law before going into the Dining Hall. Lunch is much like breakfast except following the song there isn't a game but instead we go straight to Sitting Bull before leaving. Finally there is supper before which the entire Camp is called to attention while the flags are lowered. Like lunch, supper is ran the same way as breakfast with the two minute drill and song. Plus we also do Sitting Bull and have announcements.

As another post comes to an end I would like to encourage you to continue to follow the Camp Geiger blog to keep up with everything Camp Geiger. I would also like to suggest that you recommend the blog to your friends so that they too can see what all goes on here and can continue to check back on in to the off season.

Sixth Sunday

To the dismay of many here at Camp Geiger today marks the beginning of the final session of the 2011 camping season. But there are still six days left that will be just as fun and exciting as those of first session. This week there are twenty-eight troops staying in Camp, one of which is a provisional troop that is made up of boys from several other troops that are either coming back for a second time or were not able to come out when their troop was here. In addition to the provisional troop, there are several other Campers out this week that are staying with troops other than their own because they didn't get enough of Camp Geiger the first time they were here this year.

Although this week has started off with a bang the heat is already stifling. Most troops could not wait to finish with check in at headquarters so that they could cool down at the pool. Through the rest of this week the temperatures are supposed to stay hot, other than a few areas that can't get out of the heat, such as Climbing, this week will go on with just as much fun and energy as the other five weeks have with the only exception being that some areas will be moved to shadier, cooler locations to get out of the heat. From the very moment the Campers began arriving the importance of staying hydrated has been stressed so that everyone remains out of the Health Lodge and out running around Camp having fun.

Although the days left of Camp this year are limited, the fun and activities are not. If you don't want to miss   any of the action going on out here at Camp I encourage you to continue to check back often here at the Camp Geiger Blogspot.

Another Yellow Week

Last night Keeper of the Sacred Bundle Little Hunts Elk, better known as Garrett Derr, had the honor of serving as the Tapper for the largest session on record here at Camp Geiger. He tapped sixty-four new youth members and thirty-two adults into the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. Although Garrett is not on Camp Staff like the rest of the Tappers have been this summer he does find time to give back by coming out to Camp Geiger as often as he can and helps the Ranger Staff and cooks in the Dining Hall. In addition Garrett was recognized for his service to his Scout Troop and Dance District in his home town of Oregon, Missouri by being awarded the Silver Coup of Service first session this year. Garrett has been in the Tribe for the past ten years and has been serving the Tribe at the illustrious rank of Keeper of the Sacred Bundle for the past two years.

Although there is still further tests for the young Foxmen it is the hopes of all members of Mic-O-Say that they will succeed and become Braves tonight.