Alamo Area Council

 
Boy Scouts of America

Unified Focus On Youth

bear creek

Largest Campout in 13-county Area Welcomes Scout Jamboree Spirit

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Scouts participate in a first aid training activity during Council-wide Campout in 2019.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information,
contact: Angel Martinez, PR Director (210) 394 9915
Angel.Martinez@Scouting.org
LARGEST CAMPOUT IN 13-COUNTY AREA WELCOMES SCOUT JAMBOREE SPIRIT

Campout brings together over 1,500 youth and adults for fellowship and adventure.  

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (February 28, 2020) – The Boy Scouts of America, Alamo Area Council hosts their 4th annual, technology-themed weekend camping event at the Bear Creek Scout Reservation in Hunt, Texas over the weekend. Media is invited from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, February 29th to see Scout youth in action at the Bear Creek Scout Reservation – 125 Bear Creek Scout Road West – Hunt, TX 78024

“The Alamo Area Council is proud to host this regional adventure at one of our premier camps – Bear Creek Scout Reservation – to bring thousands of boys and girls the values of Scouting found in the Scout Oath and Law and the Great Outdoors,” said Linda Dieguez, Outdoor Adventure Director for the Boy Scouts of America, Alamo Area Council.

The Campout is open to adventurous Scouting units including Webelos (The highest Cub Scout Rank – ages 9-10), Scouts BSA (boys and girls 11-17), Venture Scouts (co-ed program 14-20), and Sea Scouts (co-ed program 14-20). These Scouts will participate in a wide range of activities designed to teach trust and teamwork and show how technology has developed throughout history.  Some events are just fun:

  • Shooting Sports (Archery, Tomahawk Tossing, Black power, and Rifle shooting, etc.) – testing proper handling, skills, and accuracy.
  • Tools of the Trade – How tools have changed now and then.
  • Branding – Learning the ins and outs of handling a brand and putting a unique mark on personal items.
  • Climbing Walls and Obstacle Courses
  • COPE (Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience) – Group or individual climbing and fitness challenges.
  • First Aid Training – Preparing Scouts to be trained, equipped, and empowered to render aid in emergency situations.
  • Eagle Scout Challenge Events – Fire-Starting, Orienteering (Navigating), and First Aid Skills challenge tests.
  • Arts & Crafts – Marshmallow Catapult – Come by and build a catapult and see how far you can launch a marshmallow.

“I’ve been to National and World Jamborees with 50,000 Scouts and the energy of those events can be found at the Council-wide Camp Out at Bear Creek. It’s cool for youth to realize they belong to something bigger than themselves,” said Michael de los Santos, Scout Executive for the local Scouts.

For their entertainment and education, there will be a show Saturday evening at 7 p.m. sharing stories and experiences. Bear Creek offers over 1,200 acres for Scouting and camping activities including campsites, shooting ranges, fishing, a forge, and large wooded areas. Take Highway 27 west of Kerrville six miles to Ingram. In Ingram, take Highway 39 six miles to Hunt. In Hunt, turn onto FM 1340 and go six miles to Bear Creek.  For more information on Bear Creek, email BearCreek@AlamoAreaBSA.org

About the Boy Scouts of America, Alamo Area Council

The Alamo Area Council, BSA, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, serves a 13-county area imparting the Scouting program to over 17,000 youth and 4,000 volunteer adults in South Texas. The Boy Scouts of America continue to prepare young people for life by providing the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, utilizing outdoor activity, citizenship, and fitness. The Alamo Area Council manages over 1,500 acres of outdoor adventure for boys and girls from 5-20 years of age at three premier camps – Bear Creek Scout Reservation, Mays Family Scout Ranch, and McGimsey Scout Park. Learn more at www.AlamoAreaBSA.org.

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First Year as Scouts BSA Girl Troop 346

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Scoutmaster Ann Specht talks with girls of Scouts BSA Troop 346 attending Bear Creek Summer Camp 2019.

February 1, 2019 was the historic launch of the Scouts BSA program (formerly called the Boy Scouting program) to include young women 11 to 18 years of age. The Alamo Area Council now serves over 1300 girls in Cub Scouts, Scouts BSA, Venturing, and Sea Scouts. Here is a story shared with the Council from the Scoutmaster of Girl Troop 346, Ann Specht:

It is hard to believe that we are celebrating the first year of Troop 346-G. I am amazed at how well the girls have come together as a Team. They have worked hard to earn their ranks and merit badges. We have our first 2 Star Scouts and the rest of the Girls are making sure they completed the First Class Rank so they can earn the Operation First Class.

Highlights of our First Year:

  • Serving on Staff at the Council Wide Campout
  • Attending Bear Creek Adventure
  • Community Service – Medina River Cleanup, Garner State Park River Clean up, helping at Eagle projects, and trimming bushes for elderly neighbor.
  • Attending our first Summer Camp at Bear Creek and participating in the Ranger program.
  • Day Trip to Austin via Amtrak. We visited the State Capitol, Bob Bullock Museum, and the Austin Visitors Center.

Fun things in the future:

Celebrating our first anniversary as a Troop, the girls planned a campout for the first weekend in February. We are camping at Lake Corpus Christi State Park with cooking demonstrations, hiking, a campfire program and US Flag retirement. They invited our linked Boys Troop to join us for the fun.

  • Doing our first bridging in 2 weeks.
  • 4 Girls attending NYLT over Spring Break.
  • Serving on Staff for the CWC – Council Wide Campout
  • Going back to Bear Creek for Summer Camp 2020. We have 3 Girls that plan on serving on Staff. THEY LOVE BCSR!!!
  • High Adventure trip to the Summit for the Summit Experience in June 2020.
  • A few girls are already training for Philmont with hopes of attending in 2021.

Thoughts about our first year:

From Scout Mia –Being part of Girls Troop has inspired me to be more adventurous and to grow close with nature. I have learned so much and have made new friends in the wonderful experience I have had. I truly love being a part of this history making experience with Scouts BSA Troop 346 Girls.

From Committee Member Shelly McGee – I’m glad we were able to find Troop 346-G after Rose earned her Arrow of Light in Cub Scouts, Rose and I have enjoyed the camping and backpacking that we get to do with Troop 346-G. I really enjoyed being able to attend a BSA summer camp with my daughter. Rose was able to join Cub Scouts as a Webelos 1 in January of 2018 and received her Arrow of Light on International Women’s Day on March 8, 2019. I think that the first year of girls in Troop 346 has shown that when girls (and women) are given the same access, they can succeed at the same level.

From Scoutmaster Ann Specht – There are no words to express how blessed I feel to serve as Scoutmaster for Troop 346-G. It’s been just over a year since I was asked to become the Scoutmaster and I wouldn’t change any of it. We started with 5 Scouts and as of today we have 17. We have 9 Girls that have brothers in the Boys Troop and it’s rewarding to see the Girls learning the same skills and values, BSA have been teaching Boys for decades. I’ve been involved in Scouting for 30 years and thought I knew a lot about Scouting. I’ve learned a lot in the last year about being a Scoutmaster and have more to learn. I am amazed at how eager the Girls are to learn Scout skills and they are having fun. We are looking forward to what the future holds for us and where Scouting takes these young ladies.

Register for Scouts BSA Summer Camp 2020 at Bear Creek

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Since 1957, Bear Creek Scout Reservation has been a summer home to thousands of Scouts. Providing unforgettable camping memories, Bear Creek has afforded many boys, and now young women, their first opportunity to experience self-reliance in a beautiful natural setting in the Texas Hill Country.

The Ranger Program is designed for first-year campers, teaching basic skills, while allowing the camper to get off and running on the requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class ranks.

Merit Badges cover aquatics, ecology, field sports, handicrafts, and Scout skills. Some preparation is recommended and best done before camp to ensure the ability to complete certain merit badges.

Older Scout Program: Bear Creek is famous for offering challenging programs for older Scouts. The C.O.P.E. (Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience) course is a well-rounded, fun program with low and high element activities (confidence building and group dynamic team challenges). Also available are mountain biking, rappelling, rock climbing, black powder rifle and canoeing on the Guadalupe River. An additional fee will be charged for some of these programs.

  • Bear Creek is divided into two sections. Troops who want to make use of the dining hall for their meal, camp on the Friedrich side. Three meals are provided daily except Wednesday night when troops will be provided food to prepare and eat at their campsites.

Troops who wish to experience patrol cooking, camp on the Rickenbacker side. Units bring their own food and prepare it at the campsites. Refrigeration and freezer space is provided. Ice is sold at the Trading Post.

Upcoming Scouts BSA Summer Camp Events:

Bear Creek Climbing — More Than Summer Camp

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Bear Creek is available almost year round for climbing and rappelling. Of course, check the calendar, facilities, and with Ken before driving out there. Troop 361 enjoyed climbing and rappelling the Short Cliffs behind the check-in cottage, and their diligent scribe recorded the experience.

Troop 361 Climbing at Bear Creek Scout Ranch

by: Erin Heilbrun

On October 11-13, Troop 361 went rock climbing at Bear Creek SR. While we were there, Scouts learned how to climb and rappel, as well as climbing merit badge requirements. Scouts got to experience on natural rocks, over hanging cliffs, and free rappelling.

For many of these girls, this was our first time rappelling . We learned to get over our fear of heights, trust the ropes, and have fun. For most of us, it was our first time climbing a natural rock face which is different from a rock wall. On the natural face we had to find small cracks and holes in the rock to get a grip or handhold. We didn’t have to do that on the rock wall at McGimsey.

At the end of the day, we helped take down the rigging, and learned how to put away equipment. This included checking ropes for wear, wrapping the ropes up, counting harnesses and helmets, and keeping the equipment safe and away from weather and animals. At the end of the campout, about five of us went home with the climbing merit badge completed. We want to come back to rappel the 100 foot OA Cliff!

Want To Take Your Unit Climbing?

Check Out the Alamo Council Climbing Page

Girls Attend First Summer Camp as Scouts BSA Youth

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information contact:
Angel Martinez, PR Director
(210) 394-9915
Angel.Martinez@Scouting.org 

Young Ladies Ages 11-17 are welcomed to their first BSA summer camp experience

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (July 1st, 2019) – The Boy Scouts of America, Alamo Area Council (BSA) has kicked off their Bear Creek Scout Reservation Summer Camp Program for Scouts BSA youth (ages 11-17). Young women enrolled in the Scouts BSA program made history by joining the roughly 350 Scouts in attending camp and earning merit badges. This is the first summer in which girls are invited to begin working towards the highest rank in Scouting – the Eagle Scout. Media is invited to witness youth participate in a multitude of activities at Bear Creek Scout Reservation throughout various summer sessions. Many female Scouts are also willing to share their historic experience in the Scouts BSA program via interview and/or demonstration.

“I thought it was interesting that everyone had a chance to be a leader, including the younger Scouts that had just come in…like me who’s never had any Scouting experience!” said Morgan Hegemier, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader of Troop 596, from League City who participated in the first week of summer camp at Bear Creek Scout Reservation.

All Scouts and their families are invited to learn more about the program and sign up for remaining Bear Creek Summer Sessions. Events are lined up throughout the summer to welcome new Scouts to the Scouts BSA youth program. Any young lady interested in attending will be able to enjoy a variety of activities, including a BMX track, 1400 foot tandem zip-line, and dual waterslide. Registration is still available for both boys and girls to attend Bear Creek Scout Reservation. Nationally the Boy Scouts of America have registered over 100,000 young ladies within the Cub Scout and Scouts BSA programs. The Alamo Area Council is on pace to serve over 1,000 girls locally.

“The Alamo Area Council works alongside our charter partners and over 5,000 adult volunteer leaders to make significant investments of our time and resources to provide hope. This hope to a Scout youth and their families is the ‘peace of mind’ that their unique Scouting outdoor adventure – like at Bear Creek Scout Reservation – will make their future brighter,” said Angel Martinez, PR Director with the local Boy Scouts.

“Communities need unity to thrive. I am excited to have the opportunity to work together with so many great organizations in this area to make a positive impact on the lives of all our youth. The investments we make with our time, energy and resources to build the character and leadership of our youth is a proven way to strengthen our future. Join us in the Scouting movement to positively impact the lives of all youth!” said Jim Jeffery, President, Alamo Area Council, BSA.

The Alamo Area Council earned the Journey to Excellence Silver Award status based on our performance in membership, program, unit service, district leadership, and finance. 355 Scouts BSA youth achieved the Eagle Scout rank in 2018, contributing over 52,000 service hours with a value equaling $1.28 million invested into our local economy.

To find out more about attending Bear Creek Scout Reservation, visit www.BearCreekScoutReservation.org. To join Scouting, look for or ask about the BSA recruitment flyers and posters at a school near you.  Or, visit the recruitment site www.BeAScout.org to find a unit near your based on your zip code. Or, contact the Scout Service Executive team member in your area by emailing Join@AlamoAreaBSA.org or calling 210-341-8611.

About the Boy Scouts of America, Alamo Area Council

The Alamo Area Council, BSA, headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, serves a 13-county area imparting the Scouting program to over 18,000 youth and 5,000 volunteer adults in South Texas. The Boy Scouts of America continues to prepare young people for life by providing the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, utilizing outdoor activity, citizenship, and sports fitness. The Alamo Area Council manages 1,280 acres of outdoor adventure for boys and girls from 5-21 years of age at three premier camps: Bear Creek Scout Reservation, Mays Family Scout Ranch, and McGimsey Scout Park. Learn more at http://www.AlamoAreaBSA.org.

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