43
Doin’ it all at Klondike Derby
Photo
BOY SCOUT - (L) Chris E. and Cody K. make adjustments to their trebuchet Saturday afternoon.
Photo
BOY SCOUT - (FRONT) Edward T. and Tim L. bring their sled up the hill Saturday afternoon.
Photo
BOY SCOUT - (L) Joe L. and Josh D. try to start a fire Saturday afternoon.
By Sean Barron
Everything from knot tying to starting a fire without matches was covered.
CANFIELD — After assembling and using a wooden catapult device to demonstrate specific skills, members of Boy Scout Troop 119 found out their efforts were right on target.
“You get points as long as you hit the targets,” explained Jeremy, a member of Troop 119 of New Middletown.
Assisting Jeremy were fellow Troop members Joey, Walter and Brian, all of whom built the device for Saturday’s 2009 Boy Scout Klondike Derby at Camp Stambaugh, 3712 Leffingwell Road. Sponsoring the annual outdoor winter event was the Whispering Pines District of the Greater Western Reserve Council Boy Scouts of America.
Recently enacted Scout rules forbid the use of boys’ last names for their safety and to protect their privacy, several Scout officials noted.
Soda cans were used to anchor the catapult, which is like a large slingshot designed to hit cardboard targets 15 to 25 feet away, the boys said.
Despite Saturday’s winter storm, more than 200 Scouts and leaders from Mahoning County and Hubbard, along with at least 100 parents and other adult volunteers, helped with or took part in the competition, titled “Reaching for the Summit.”
The derby was broken into seven base stations, each of which was supervised by a stationmaster and assistants. At each, Scouts were given 30 to 40 minutes to complete a skill and receive up to 20 points, which were given for spirit, skill ability and teamwork.
Scouts’ fine-motor abilities were tested at the first station when they were asked to identify and tie 10 types of knots.
The Scout patrols, each of which had four to eight Scouts, had to visit all seven sites. Another emphasized using a global positioning system to chart their course to a summit; at the third stop, patrols got to demonstrate fire-building abilities without using matches. Each patrol also was required to boil two cups of ice or snow and purify the water before drinking it.
At another station, patrols came upon an injured camper and had to know how to identify the injury and provide the correct treatment. Afterward, they were required to signal and decode a message to get the injured person to safety.
Among the purposes of the competition were to test the Scouts’ skills related to winter, including how to survive in the cold, noted Larry Harvey, Whispering Pines’ assistant district commissioner. Also emphasized were leadership skills, as well as knowledge about first aid and cooking, Harvey explained.
This year’s derby was hosted by Boy Scout Troop 184 of Austintown.
Each Scout and leader received an embroidered patch commemorating the event, noted John Corey, Troop 184’s Scoutmaster. An extra patch was given to those who slept overnight in a tent, he added.
The Klondike Derby also featured first-, second- and third-place ribbons, with a participation ribbon going to each unit.
The event wraps up today with a nondenominational service.