EASTON: Cut through propaganda

As a Boy Scout, I attended Camp Easton the last week of July in both 2010 and 2011. There was a definite difference between the two summers!

My first year was very enjoyable, and I completed all four merit badges I signed up for while at camp. The activities were well organized, and had been well prepared. The counselors and adult leaders had high expectation for the boys and encouraged us to keep busy and stay active. The counselors were fun, experienced and firm but fair. The food was great, as were the end-of-week activities. Based on this, I looked forward eagerly to another week of Camp Easton.

Last summer, the camp director told parents not to sign their boys up for more than two merit badges, although the schedule allows time for four, plus extra activities. This leaves the boys with three hours of unstructured (BORING) time between meals. Experienced counselors had been reassigned away from their expertise or replaced. The equipment hadn’t been well taken care of; specifically, the ranges were using cheap, poor quality equipment and ammo. The food was disappointing. The end of the week games and competitions were curtailed.

When the plans to swap (sell) Camp Easton became public I felt my opinion was being manipulated by deliberately making Camp Easton seem unsatisfactory. I wonder when the decision to sell the camp was really made? Scouts, their families and the donors have been victimized by propaganda designed to make Camp Easton seem hopeless and outdated.

JADON POSSINGER

Spirit Lake