On Aug. 13, Troop 101 began its trip to Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada.
After an about eight-hour drive, the Scouts arrived at camp about 4:30 p.m.. Everyone set up the tents, flies, and got started on dinner. Then afterward, it was early to bed.
On Sunday morning, everyone woke up about 6:30 a.m.. After cleaning up after breakfast, the troop hung out at camp for about an hour, then went to get ready for a one-mile hike that lasted about an hour and a half.
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Scouts spent much of their time in Ontario in canoes on the water. Photos by Zach Weiner
After lunch, the Scouts got on their swim trunks and grabbed their towels, canoes, and paddles. They went down to the lake have some fun. After about three hours in the water, it was time to start making dinner.
After dinner, some scouts stayed around camp, and some went to take showers then bed.
Monday morning after breakfast and cleanup was time for a 2-mile hike. After the hike, everyone got into the cars to drive to the Eastside Visitors Centre to look around and shop for souvenirs until lunch time.
The afternoon was taken up in canoes.
Monday evening after dinner was vespers.
On Tuesday, everyone got up at usual time. After breakfast and cleanup, there was canoe rides to the hiking trail, this time for a 3-mile excursion. This trip took up most of the day.
Wednesday morning's three-quarter mile hike to the Scouts to the logging museum. The afternoon was pretty much three and a half hours of free time before the Scouts got into cars for an ice cream run at the the Two Rivers Lake store. It was more relaxing after dinner.
Thursday morning brought the scouts on another shopping trip prior to lunch. In the afternoon, the Scouts went to have some fun by getting their swim trunks on, grabbing their paddles, lifejacket, canoes, kayaks, and going to the big rock to jump off a couple dozen times.
Thursday night after-dinner activity was the Wolf Howl Show down the road from camp. Many of the Scouts found the show very exciting to see, especially the "interesting" calls made by the rangers.
Friday morning's activity included three-hours of swimming. After lunch cleanup, the Scouts returned to the lake for more water sports. All the water activity prepared the boys for the big feast. The feast was prepared by 14 different groups made up of two or three Scouts and one adult. Each group prepared different kinds of food. All the preparation was completed in about two and a half hours.
The adults served the scouts corn, beef, chicken, and others. Then after the first course, there were seconds and thirds until every last bit of the food was eaten up.
After cleaning up dinner, four adults brought out four dishes of desserts. There were three different kinds of pies, peach, raspberry, and others, all gobbled up by the boys.
The feast was followed by packing up and general cleanup of the files, patrol boxes, and camping stoves.
It was almost time to break camp.
Saturday dawned quickly. Wake up was 5:30 a.m. and after a quick breakfast, the Scouts cleaned up, packed their stuff, dropped tents, policed the campsite, packed trailers, and got into cars about 7:45 a.m. for the ride home.
Back in Warren, the final scout arrived at the Scoutmasters' home about 6 p.m. where their parents were waiting to pick them up.
The scouts who made the Canada trip included: John Eustace, Cole Kuszmaul, Gage Kuszmaul, Max Hoover, Nathaniel James, Donovan Ray, Gabe Beadle, Lance Barnovsky, Cole Weston, Clay Hamilton, Chris Hamrick, Paul Lattanzi, Christian Padula, John LaPolla, Nick Howe, Chris Ellis, Chris Soplata, Austin Watson, Ben Hoover, Zane Smith, Matt Eustace, Alex Stirling, Brendan Sweeney, Aaron Carlisle, Andrew Ochman, Jacob Taylor, Dan Young, Matt Thompson, Lucas Downing, Thomas Downing, Josh McFall, Bryce Kuszmaul, and Ben Witt.
The following adults took time out of their schedules to help and teach the boys: Jim Potjunas, Jeff Beadle, Erik Hoover, David James, Paul Kuszmaul, Mike Fenstermaker, Terry Puet, Bruce Gump, Andy McCracken, Sandy Potjunas, Kris Kuszmaul, Bill Aubucho and Kathy Aubuchon.
Special thanks goes out to Bill and Kathy Aubuchon, who went out of their way to obtain the food that was needed for all of the meals.