On September 27th and 28th of this year, members of Wanamingo Troop 76, chartered by Wanamingo Lutheran Church, attended the 2024 Gamehaven Council Fall Camporee at Gamehaven Scout Reservation. This area is well known for sponsoring scout related activities, and this one had a theme of "The Olympics". There are 262 acres to roam here, just off Simpson Road in Rochester. Approximately 300 youth and adult scouters were in attendance this year for the event.
Troop 76 attendees were Aiden Vadner, Alex Vadner, Jacob Coffey and Joe Coffey Jr., and Benjamin Dierks. Adult leaders present were Eric Dierks and Ron Friedrich.
Weekend troop activities and duties included using the scout led Patrol Method of Scouts BSA to select a safe area to set up tents. They then constructed a makeshift dining hall to prepare and cook meals using a variety of cooking methods, including a Dutch oven dessert. True to Olympic tradition, they participated in an opening and closing flag ceremony, as well as an Olympic style flame lighting ceremony. After all the events, a closing bonfire ceremony with all scouts and adult leaders commenced, where gold-silver-bronze medals were announced and presented.
The themed activities for “The Olympic Games” were conducted throughout the day on Saturday by visiting 10 activity stations to compete in. Included in these activities were orienteering, fire building, BB gun target shooting, archery, hot isotope transfer, basketball free throw, soccer shootout, disc golf, tarp volleyball, toss and catch, and knots. Freestyle games included map and compass, geocaching, nature trail-plants and animal ID, rubber chicken baseball, gaga ball and cornhole. I would have loved to see how rubber chicken baseball was played!
Troop 76 received Gold medals in basketball free throw and archery, as well as Bronze in tarp volleyball and BB gun target shooting.
The members of Troop 76 welcome boys from the ages of 11 to 17 to come and check out a troop meeting, held the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month at the Wanamingo Community Center. Contact Ron Friedrich-Scout Master at (507) 319-0277 for more information on this.
Congratulations to the boys of Troop 76 and their leaders!
