Troop 38 at the West Point Camporee. L-R: Anthony Hroncich, Killian Bauman, Benton Andersen, Joey Sanzone, Paulie Helmrich, Alexander Lucas, Alexander Lipiro, Fynn Bauman, and Brian Motyka. (
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Troop 38 at the SUNY Maritime Camporee. L-R: SUNY Maritime Cadet Guide Hunter Hesser, Tyler Purta, Daniel Svoboda, Alexander Lucas, Joe Sanzone, and Paulie Helmrich. (
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BSA Troop 38 during their SUNY Maritime trip. L-R: Paul Helmrich, Mr. Todd Purta, Daniel Svoboda, Joe Sanzone, Paulie Helmrich, Tyler Purta, Mr. Matt Svoboda, and Alexander Lucas. (
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Over the past few weeks, Warwick’s own BSA Troop 38 has been very busy with multiple activities and trips. This includes not one, but two camporees.
Camporees are a type of camping trip. At a camporee, multiple scout units compete at different activities to see which unit is the most knowledgeable or the best at a particular activity. These activities can range from knot tying to fire building to games such as ultimate frisbee. Camporees also usually have a specific focus for its competitions based on the location or group running the program.
On the weekend of April 5 through 7, Troop 38 went to SUNY Maritime in New York City for a maritime camporee run by the college’s Eagle Scout fraternity. To start the trip, they learned about a ship’s buoyancy and light signals, and got to check out a ship’s engine. After lunch, they went down to the dock where they learned about NYC’s “Billion Oyster Project.” This project will re-establish the oyster population in the New York area. The SUNY Maritime cadets told the troop how oysters are beneficial to the environment, acting as filters that make the water cleaner. As part of that session, they focused on the changing measurements of the ocean’s oysters and learned how to test water conditions. Later, they went outside to perform additional activities, including a race to put on a full set of bunker gear, a competition of who could design a ship made out of tinfoil that could float with the most pennies to demonstrate buoyancy (which Troop 38 won over all other participants with a record of 265 pennies), and a few games of gaga ball.
After dinner, they got to see the inside of the museum that housed over 500 model ships and replicas of the historic Brooklyn naval yard. They also got to see what it is like to control a ship by using the facility’s simulators. On Sunday morning, they got a tour of SUNY Maritime’s own Empire State VII, a training ship where students learn how to manage and control a real naval vessel.
On the weekend of April 19 through 21, Troop 38 went to the West Point Camporee run by West Point cadets and USMA’s Scoutmaster Council. It had been six years since Troop 38 last went to this particular event. The event is so large that it attracts troops from all over the country, including North Carolina, Texas, and California. Because of the national interest to attend such an event, the West Point Camporee has been invitation only for many years. Troop 38 applied back in January and were accepted.
The weekend was quite eventful, starting off with a lesson on how to use military communications systems and then trying a special “maneuver.” They then participated in a fire building competition, learned how to tie a “Swiss seat” (a harness made from a rope that is typically used by paratroopers), and then competed in a boat rowing competition. After lunch, the scouts viewed the scout museum, tried fly fishing with USMA’s fly fishing team, and also got the chance to safely handle some authentic military weapons with the cadets. After dinner, the troop went to the last part of the camporee, a DJ EXTREME concert. The concert also had a huge bonfire, where you could feel the heat from over 100 feet away.
In summary, Troop 38 continues to be quite busy and is not stopping anytime soon. They have a whitewater rafting trip, a saltwater fishing and camping trip, and the BSA Summer Camp for a week at Camp Keowa. Of course, we can’t forget the exciting and educational weekly meetings and smaller single day activities.