The Troop provides food and drinking water for all meals, except for Friday evening when we traditionally only offer s’mores over the campfire, a definite cadets’ favorite!  Breakfast will include coffee, tea, and for the cadets, hot chocolate in cold temperatures or lemonade in hot temperatures.  Saturday lunch is cold cut sandwiches and chips.  Other meals will vary.  We will have mid-afternoon Saturday snacks.

We have covered latrines and associated paper literature (yet to be written).

Different levels of experience and basic needs will greatly vary from person to person, but here is a non-inclusive list of basic tings to bring or think about:

Must have:

  • Tent (hamac is an option) and sleeping bags.
  • Mess kit (that is the most commonly forgotten item).  We do not provide any dinnerware.
  • Toiletries
  • Camp chair
  • Canteen or bottle-type container for water
  • Flashlight
  • Hiking boots are highly recommended since we live in snake, poison ivy, and chigger country (same goes for long pants).  We discourage tennis shoes.
  • Hat
  • Bug repellent
  • Sun block
  • 3rd Class Uniform: Rosary, pocket knife, pen.

Must NOT have:

  • Cell phones or any type of electronics!  Some dads may not be able to do without them (i.e., work constraints), but they are NOT allowed for cadets at TSG camps or any TSG event.

Suggested:

  • Basic pocket-type first-aid kit, although the troop has a well-outfitted full-size kit for everyone
  • Compass.  Every boy should know how to use one!
  • Note pad: you never know what your cadet(s) will learn and will want to jolt down
  • Brush up on TX venomous snakes and poisonous plants.  You WILL encounter poison ivy (between other lovely native buggers!)  We will have pocket cards for your cadet on those, but a little pre-camp briefing would be wise.

To address the common question of pocket knifes, even though they are part of our most basic uniform, dads know their son(s) better than anyone, and will decide what is appropriate.  Some 15 years old can’t be trusted with a nail clipper, when some 8 years old have no problem with a machete.  But to quote Baden Powell,  “If you can’t trust a boy with a knife, you can’t trust him at all.”  We maintain a close eye on the use of knifes, and clearly brief all cadets at every camp on the do’s, dont’s, and  associated consequences.

MUST BRING:

  • Your virtues
  • Your good humor
  • Your willingness to help and participate
  • Your initiative
  • Your involvement