Marin Sierra Summer Camp

Dates: Sunday July 6, 2008 to Saturday July 12, 2008

Are you ready? Camp Marin Sierra is July 6^th – July 12th and it is going to be a another fantastic time for both scouts and the lucky parents who get to go along.

We need scouts.
We need chaperones.
We need drivers.
We need YOU.

It’s a great experience for scouts of all ranks and it’s not too shabby for their parents. Camp Marin Sierra is 320 acres nestled in the Tahoe National Forest at an elevation of 5,300 feet. The 13-acre Chubb Lake provides the camp with a wide variety of aquatic activities, including sailing, kayaking, canoing, rowing, swimming, and snorkeling. Chubb Lake is one of the warmest lakes in the Sierras. Large granite hills provide fantastic views and exciting climbing and rappelling opportunities.

The camp has thirteen centrally-located campsites with tents on platforms, new vault toilet facilities, running water, and shared shower facilities. No campsite is far away. Many campsites and most program areas are situated along the lake’s shore line. Program areas, like Trail to First Class, Shooting Sports, and Project COPE, offer excitement for Scouts of all ages.

Adults have fun, too, learning new skills in an offering of BSA basic trainings and auxiliary trainings. From Youth Protection and New Leader Essentials, to Safe Swim Defense and Leave No Trace and everything in between, Marin Sierra offers fun and useful trainings.

Camp Marin Sierra offers five camp programs for Scouts and adult leaders:

1) The Trail to First Class Program ("TTFC")

Young Scouts can work on Tenderfoot, Second-Class and First-Class requirements.

2)The Merit Badge Program

Scouts have the opportunity to work toward a wide variety of merit badges. This is focused towards 2nd and 3rd Year campers but open to all levels of Scouts.

3) Older Scout Programs

Includes COPE, The Trail to Eagle merit badges, Rock Climbing, and BSA Lifeguard.

What is COPE? Project COPE is a BSA program designed to develop self-confidence and teamwork skills in adults and older Scouts by using teams. The COPE program strengthens the patrol and troop by challenging youth and adults to problem solve, work together, build team-esteem, and empower themselves and others. During project COPE, individuals are encouraged to make positive choices based on emotional and physical safety, personal limitations and boundaries, and readiness to try new things. An important aspect in the COPE philosophy is to empower one’s self by choosing how and in what challenges one will participate. The COPE challenges include games, trust building activities, low elements and high elements. Project COPE is 90% mental and 10% physical.

4) High Adventure Program ("HAP")

For Scouts who are at least 14 years. Extra fees apply and Scouts must register prior to camp. Number of participants is limited. The High Adventure Program (HAP) is open to individual Scouts ages 14-17. It includes COPE, rock climbing, mountain biking, rafting, motor boating, water skiing, geocaching and outpost camping. The program begins most days before breakfast and ends before dinner when the participant rejoins the troop for the evening. Evenings may include a 7-8 p.m. session with optional merit badge work if the Scout chooses to pursue corresponding merit badges. The HAP is a stand-alone program which requires all open program time scheduled during the regular camp program hours. Pursuing any other program or merit badges at camp is not realistic. Scoutmasters should only recommend Scouts who are committed to full participation and without whom your troop can function during program hours. High Adventure participants will be out of camp on Thursday nights.

Contact your SM for a High Adventure Program application. It is due by March 30. In the very likely event Camp Marin Sierra has more applicants than the 12 spots available for High Adventure training, a lottery will be held.

5) Campwide Activities

Assemblies, campwide games, and other activities for all in camp.

6) Adult Leader Training Opportunities

Here are some of the possible trainings in which adult leaders can participate: Climb on Safely, Safety Afloat, Safe Swim Defense, Leave No Trace, Youth Protection, First Aid and CPR, New Leader Essentials and Fast Start.

REMINDERS:

Space is limited so scouts should sign up early and take advantage of the cheaper registration prior to March 24th.

Money: (a) Early Bird rate: $255 (payment into T11 by March 24, payment into camp by April 1.), or
(b) Regular rates $275 or $255 for new scouts or Bridged Webelos.
Compare that price to other camps!.

It’s especially important to act quickly if a scout is considering participating in the High Adventure Program. Their registration is required by March 24th in order to have a shot in Marin Sierra’s lottery for High Adventure spots (first come, first served, 12 spots available for the week).

Parents, please consider spending at least a few days at camp or driving to or from. Even if you are not sure, let us know so we can bug you later.

Questions? Give us a shout. When you’re ready send in a check to our T11 treasurer. Remember, if you snooze, you might lose a spot, last year we were completely full.