Dress Code - Through out the course of the day Scout’s are not required to be in dress uniform, Known as class A.

 We ask that they wear Scout appropriate attire. Camp tee shirts, or troop tee shirts, shirts that will not be offensive to others. Shorts/pants, and appropriate footwear.

Tank tops and open toe shoes, will not be permitted in the dining hall. It is recommended, that Scouts wear closed toe shoes while participating in camp events.

Class A uniforms are required at each evening meal and for retreat.  Closing campfire. which is on Saturday night, Sunday chapel, breakfast and the awards lunch. Shorts or pants may be worn.

What to Bring to Camp - Pack everything in a lockable trunk or duffel bag, and please put your name and troop number on all clothing and gear. This will ensure that you take home everything you bring with you!

Do not bring fireworks, candles, or valuable electronic, electrical devices including cell phones. These items are forbidden, and may be confiscated by your leaders or staff.

* Mess kit and eating utensils are required for outpost day. No paper plates or utensils will be available from the dining hall.

Leader - (Leader qualifications) Camp requires leadership, 2 deep, with one leader age 21 or over, the second leader, if younger, must be at least 18 years of age.

Sunday Drop-Off and Pick-Up - Please plan to arrive no earlier than 1:45 pm and no later than 2:30 pm to drop-off your Scout. A staff member will direct you to a drop-off point where gear should be promptly unloaded and the car immediately returned to the main parking lot. You may then return to the site to visit your son. Please help us make check-in as smooth as possible for you and other parents by strictly following these guidelines.

At the end of your Scout's week in camp, please be at camp by 12:45 pm and pick up your son at the same point you left him. Again, please observe our "no parking" signs and keep traffic moving. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Visiting and Leaving Camp - As part of the BSA Child Abuse Prevention Program, we ask that all visitors sign in at our Headquarters building.

If a Scout is to leave camp for any reason, he must sign out at Headquarters. If he is to leave camp with anyone who is not his parent/guardian, we must have a signed parent/guardian release form. Any individuals removing a Scout from camp must identify themselves with adequate identification prior to leaving camp.

On Saturday from 2:30 pm until the awards campfire is over (usually 10:00 pm) parents are invited to visit camp to see what your Scout has been doing all week. There is a Camp-wide Inter-Troop Contest in the afternoon, a retreat ceremony at 5:45 pm, and an awards campfire at 8:30 pm. Plan on a lot of walking .Bring a flashlight and a jacket; be prepared for rain; and, bring along a picnic dinner to share with your son. We are unable to accommodate any guests in the dining hall. Please leave all pets at home.

Visitations at any other times than Sunday check-in and Saturday afternoons are allowed only in extraordinary circumstances or for emergencies. Please contact camp prior to arrival for such visits. Under no circumstances, may children or adults not registered as Scouts or Scout leaders spend the night in camp. For youth protection and liability issues, there are no exceptions to this rule.

Letters, Phone Calls, and E-mail - Letters generally take at least 3-4 days to reach camp from northern Chester County, so plan accordingly. Address your letters as follows:

Camp Horseshoe
Scout's Name & Troop Number
1286 Ridge Road
Rising Sun, MD 21911

Our camp has one public phone line and one business line. Because of the size of the camp and the varied schedule of each Scout, there is no practical way to hold an incoming call. If urgency demands, we will attempt to locate Scouts quickly; otherwise, a message will be delivered to the Scoutmaster who will have your son call as soon as possible. We request that incoming calls be limited to emergencies or urgent matters. The number of the camp business phone is (717) 548-2525.

Check-In Procedures - Please plan to arrive at camp no earlier than 1:45 pm and no later than 2:20 pm. No check-ins will begin before 1:45 pm.

Vehicles will be greeted at the main parking lot and directed to the drop-off point for each campsite. All vehicles must be unloaded promptly and returned directly to the parking lot. Staff members will be on hand to help move equipment to the site.

Scoutmaster Check-In - The Scoutmaster must deliver three copies of the Troop roster to Headquarters upon arrival and check in with the Business Manage. Make sure rosters are correct, as your Troop will be charged for all who appear on the roster. Troops will be called to the health lodge only after the rosters have been received at Headquarters.

Any medication to be taken at camp should be brought to the Health Lodge at this time.

Health Check and Swim Test - A staff member will guide the Troop to the health lodge as soon as all gear is stowed and everyone (both Scouts and leaders) have changed into a bathing suit, a tee shirt, and shoes.

Shower Facilities - There are separate shower facilities for younger Scout’s, senior Scout’s; adult male leader’s, adult female leaders and camp staff. The new shower house has separate entrances for female leaders and Scout’s, with individual stalls in each

Medical Forms - All participants, youth and adult, must have a completed, up-to-date medical form on file. Scouts and Leaders under the age of 40 years must submit a class 1 & 2 Medical Record. All medical forms must be signed by a Health-Care Practitioner and the medical forms for Scouts under the age of 18 must have a parental/guardian signature dated within one (1) year of the Troop’s scheduled week at camp. A class 2 medical form is valid for 36 months from the date of Health-Care Practitioner signature.

All leaders over the age of 40 must submit a Class 3 physical. Class 3 physicals are only good for 12 months from the date of the Health-Care Practitioner signature. We will accept High Adventure medical forms, (Philmont, Sea Base, Jamboree, etc.)

All physicals should be forwarded to camp the Tuesday before your Troop’s week encampment, to be reviewed by the Health Officer. Scouts/Leaders registering at a later date can bring medical forms to camp with them for review. Scouts and Leaders without physicals cannot participate in aquatic activities until the Health Officer receives their medical forms. Scouts and parents should be urged to keep the original medical form; the copies given to the Health Officer become permanent records of camp and cannot be returned.

Campsite Equipment - The Quartermaster's Store will be open for the troop to pick up their campsite kit (shovel, rake, etc.) as soon as you return from the pool.

Retreat and Evening Program - A camp-wide retreat ceremony begins at 5:45 pm on the Parade Field. Scouts and leaders must be in full Class A uniform. Staff will be on hand at the Parade Field to assist those who are unfamiliar with the ceremony; troops in need of assistance should arrive at least 15 minutes early. Senior Patrol Leaders should arrive 10 minutes early to meet with the Program Director about the ceremony and placement of troops.

Dinner immediately follows retreat, and a camp-wide leader's meeting follows dinner. Each troop should bring a complete merit badge roster and their activity plans to this meeting. A guided tour is offered for those new to camp following dinner. The Trading Post and all program areas will be closed until Monday morning.

After the tours and meetings, all return to the campsite to settle in. A camp-wide opening campfire, put on by the staff, begins at 8:30 pm.

Chapel and Religious Services - Directly after breakfast, a non-denominational Christian service will be conducted on Chapel Hill. All are welcome and encouraged to participate.

A non-sectarian Scout’s Own service will be held in an alternate location for Scouts and adults not wishing to attend the Christian chapel service. Please see the Program Director early in the week for details.

Troop Clean-Up Responsibilities - Each troop is assigned some area of camp to police for trash. These assignments are made at breakfast.

Sunday Lunch - A special menu and presentation of awards are two features of a lively, memorable send off. The Sunday Lunch is an exciting capstone to the week in camp, not to be missed!

Final Checkout - After the Chapel Service, the SPL should secure from the Quartermaster a list of any equipment that the troop has not yet returned. After lunch, once your site is in good condition, all camp items are returned, and a staff member inspects your site, you are free to leave.

·   Be sure you have all merit badge cards.

·   Be sure to settle your account at headquarters with the business manager.

·   Be sure to make a last check of your mailbox and return the US flag for your site.

·   Be sure to pick up your troop flag.

·   Be sure to Stake-a-Claim for next year. This must be done before you leave camp (see information under troop committee section of chapter 1).

Morning and Evening Colors Ceremony — 7:45 am and 4:45 pm
Troops are issued an American flag that should be raised and lowered in their campsite with the appropriate observances each day.

Breakfast — 8:00 am

Troop Roll Call — 9:45 am, 12:00 noon, and 10:00 pm
Each troop should conduct some form of roll call or head count at these times. Any unaccountable absences should be reported to Headquarters immediately.

Morning Activity Period — 9:00 am to 10:00 am
This hour is open for the troop or patrol to plan activities.

Morning Instruction Periods — 10:00 am to 11:00 am and 11:00 am to 12:00 noon
Merit badge instruction takes place during these two periods. Please see the merit badge program schedule.

Lunch — 12:30 pm

Siesta — 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Each day this hour is set aside for quiet activities in the campsite. All program areas and the Trading Post are closed and the Scouts are expected to be in their sites.

Afternoon Instruction Periods — 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm, and 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Merit badge instruction takes place during these two periods. Please see the merit badge program schedule.

Special Interest Program — 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Scouts can participate in these informal programs based on interest only, with the exception of aquatics, that requires Scouts to be Red, White, and Blue swimmers. Scouts attending four out of five days of the same SIP will receive a special segment to wear around his Horseshoe patch. Program areas with SIPs include Aquatics, Campcraft, First Aid, Handicraft, Nature, and Shooting Sports. A summary of each SIP is included with the program area descriptions found later in this guide.

Retreat — 5:45 pm
Every evening Scouts and leaders gather on the parade field for our camp-wide retreat ceremony. Everyone (Scouts and leaders) must be in full class A uniform. Any troop unfamiliar with this formal ceremony should arrive at the Parade Field at least 15 minutes early, where staff will be able to assist you. On the first day, senior patrol leaders should meet with the program director on the Parade Field 10 minutes before the start of retreat to go over the ceremony and troop placement.

Dinner — 6:00 pm
Immediately following the retreat ceremony, dinner is held in the Allen Memorial Dining Hall. Class A uniform is required for this meal. Note that those who are not dressed accordingly will not be permitted in the dining hall for the evening meal.

First Evening Activity Period — 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Every program area is open for Scouts to visit and participate in informal activities on an individual basis. The pool is reserved for pre-arranged troop swims decided during the Scoutmaster's meeting on Sunday night.

Second Evening Activity Period — 8:30 pm to 9:45 pm
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings feature a camp-wide troop or patrol game or activity arranged by the Program Director. Tuesday and Thursday evenings are set aside for troop activities, hikes, campfires, special contests, or other activities. 

Taps to Reveille — 10:00 pm to 7:30: am
All Scouts must be in their sites by 10:00 pm (taps) and remain there until 7:30 am (reveille). Exceptions are programs that extend past taps or begin before reveille:  polar bear swim, astronomy hikes, etc. If the Troop has planned an activity outside of the site that falls within these hours, the unit leader should inform the Camp Director. Please conduct yourselves in such a manner as to not disturb other Troops during these hours.

Morning Activity Period — 9:00 am to 12:00 noon
All program areas will be open to help Scouts complete any merit badge work. Various special activities are also offered at this time.

Siesta — 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Siesta is extended by one half hour to allow the troops to prepare for the camp-wide game. In addition, rehearsal for the Order of the Arrow Pageant and Silver Buckle elections take place during this time.

Camp wide Game — 2:30 pm to 4:45 pm
Scouts participate in an inter-troop competition. This year, troops camping during weeks 1, 3, 5, and 7 will compete in Water Carnival at the pool, while weeks 2, 4, and 6 will take part in a Paul Bunyan day held at Campcraft.

Retreat — 5:45 pm
This special Retreat will include the Order of the Arrow call-out ceremony.

Campfire and Award Ceremony — 8:30 pm
Scouts, leaders, and parents enjoy an impressive Order of the Arrow Pageant followed by an awards ceremony where each Scout and leader is recognized. Scouts and leaders must wear Class A uniform.

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