June 16 Camp Update > Camp Daniel Boone

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Tuesday, June 16, 2009

June 16 Camp Update
By Sheltowee @ 7:04 PM :: 714 Views :: 22 Comments ::

The day started with a slight chill in the air, as many CDB morns do. Campers were greeted with a beautiful blue sky and biscuits and gravy for breakfast. After reciting the pledge during the daily flag raising ceremony the near 700 scouts and scouters made their way to merit badge sessions to sharpen their skills and learn more about what it means to be a scout. Trustworty, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. Not just words to recite, but to live by. I was able to witness each of these characteristics in action today as the Scouting program was in full action again at Camp Daniel Boone.

The temperature checks for all scouts were in the normal range and the scouts and scouters enjoyed the day hiking, fishing, pioneering, rock climbing and just relaxing in the many rocking chairs on the CDB porch. The staff worked hard to make sure each scout made progress towards their many merit badges, or a personal goal of learning to swim or canoe or climb to the top of the rock wall. The ranges were popular places as scouts honed their shooting skills and learned the lessons of gun and range safety.

The afternoon brought passing thunderstorms and a crisp clean scent to the mountain air, the 6,000 foot peak of Cold Mountain engulfed with the passing clouds. Evening came and another perfect day for scouting had passed into the history books. A great day in the annuals of Camp Daniel Boone.

Comments

By Susan @ Tuesday, June 16, 2009 7:29 PM

My son's BSA troop is to attend next week. We are being told that the scouts will have their temperature checked twice a day and if anyone in the troop is 99 F or over the whole troop goes to isolation for 7 days. 99 is barley over the norm of 98.6. Many people normally have their temperature 99. Also if they have a cough this would send them all as well. What is a cough? One cough, occassional cough, or frequent coughing? I'm concerned that the troop has a pretty good chance of someone being 99 and them all going to isolation. How about boys with allergies who coughs, sneezing, etc and have slight temperature elevations? Is this true? We are not afraid of them getting ill and know the camp has done everything to clean the camp and keep the kids safe. We are coming from SW Florida and would hate for the boys to spend the week in isolation. What do they do in isolation? It is hard as a parent to decide if my son should go. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you

By Are You Kidding Me? @ Tuesday, June 16, 2009 7:36 PM

Are you kidding me? No post for 1 1/2 days and no mention of the H1N1 situation? Is it just me or is the camp withholding information from concerned parents? I googled Camp Daniel Boone and H1N1 and came up with pages and pages of information coming from CNN and MSNBC to the Chicago Tribune and several papers from Georgia and Florida. I can't believe that no mention is being made in this latest post from CDB! Anyone else agree?

By someone who cares @ Tuesday, June 16, 2009 7:44 PM

what campsites had the confirmed cases of h1n1

By Sheltowee @ Tuesday, June 16, 2009 7:59 PM

There have been no new cases of flu in camp. There will be no quarentine for a 99 temp and no isolation for a cough. There will be daily monitoring of temperatures, which will help us limit exposure should a camper arrive with the flu, but no symptoms. We have not hid, we have had the media in camp daily, as well as the health department. We have 700 campers in camp who are having a great time. We are working hard to make sure no additional campers get ill. Sometimes this means I do not have time to update this website every hour, but I promise I will update it when possible.
We are happy to see the media coverege has been fair and balanced, but do hope folks are reading the news articles deeper than the sensational headlines.

By Oh Please @ Tuesday, June 16, 2009 8:04 PM

Kidding Me, When you google and get information from all those "pages and pages" of sources, what you're seeing is essentially the same AP article picked up by multiiple outlets. And the gist of the majority of the articles out there from any source is that the campers are recovering nicely. Please don't be alarmist.

By Richard Ess @ Tuesday, June 16, 2009 9:04 PM

Our troop is coming up this sunday and we just got a report from channel 12 and channel 5 that 8 boys from georgia are in camp and are being quarantined with the possibility they have the virus. Are there currently boys from Georgia in quarantine at this time. If so,are they from last weeks group or this weeks group. Also are the boys and staff in all the high adventure groups being tested and monitored also. We would like some input to this as we are leaving saturday morning. Thank you for keeping us all informed as we all know you have an enormous task week in and week out.

By Connie Bowes, Scout Executive @ Tuesday, June 16, 2009 10:06 PM

I was unable to find news stories related to your question. Could you let me know the TV station names so that I could check on this for you? I did see that there was a religious camp with flu cases, but it is unrelated to our camp. We have had no flu-like illnesses in week 2 through Day 3. 2 high adventure staff who became ill last week remain in isolation and no new illnesses have been reported through the daily checks. No new staff illnesses have been reported in any program area. I personally met with staff Sunday night after campfire and encouraged them to report to the health lodge if they had even the slightest hint of illness, but we have been blessed with good health so far this week. We look forward to your visit soon.

By Mr. A @ Tuesday, June 16, 2009 10:14 PM

A fine report, Dan! It just seems "some people" cannot tolerate good news! It seems to upset their system! Your descriptions of today's events make me want to load up the troop and come up a couple of weeks early! Can you squeeze Troop 686 in somewhere for the rest of the summer? :)
Mr. A

By MKVL in Virginia @ Wednesday, June 17, 2009 4:15 AM

Thank you for keeping us posted. I was pleased to learn about the use of the forehead thermometers, and very much appreciate the daily update on the website. I am sending my two sons next week; they leave on Saturday morning for the long drive down. My younger son is asthmatic with tons of allergies, and so my main worries are for him, but I felt reassured when I spoke with (a) my pediatrician and (b) the Program Director at CDB yesterday on the phone. Asthmatics are at a bit more risk than the population at large; a 9-year-old asthmatic Floridian boy just died of H1N1--obviously he was NOT one of the scouts who'd gotten ill, but stories like that definitely feed my parental worries. But it seems to me that CDB is doing yeomanly work in adhering to all health department guidelines and I am feeling comfortable with sending both of my sons.

By Richard Ess @ Wednesday, June 17, 2009 4:59 AM

Thank you for the update as we have been monitoring your site for any changes on this situation. I looked for the stories on their sites but could not find them. The stations were wpec 12 and wptv 5 in Palm Beach county that reported this last night at 11:00pm. We are very excited to our visit and it is my sons first time there. We have always heard very positive feedback on camp daniel boone,so we will be seeing you on sunday. Your in our prayers and again I commend you and your staff on the great job you are doing. Thank Again

By Todd @ Wednesday, June 17, 2009 6:28 AM

I received a call from my scout this morning (rather, my wife did) and he was complaining of a high temp and stomach ache and wanted to be picked up. He was calling from a payphone I believe. I don't know if an adult or scout leader was present for the call or not, but would like to follow up with someone who can provide additional information on my son's condition and if it s serious or just minor. I was suprised that there was not an adult involved in the call.

By Scout R @ Wednesday, June 17, 2009 6:57 AM

Todd, this is not the place to report such a thing. Contact the council or the camp with your son's name and troop number. Hopefully, your wife told your child to do the responsible thing and go straight to the infirmary.

By Todd @ Wednesday, June 17, 2009 7:52 AM

Just an update on the earlier posting on my son who had called to complain about a stomach ache, I was able to talk to a nurse in the Health Lodge and apparently he has not reported any health conditions to the camp health officials. I also received a call from another camp official who was going to check with his Troop leader and see if there was any cause for concern. It appears that the pay phone area at camp is not monitored, so he was able to place the call without any adult being aware. He may just be homesick for all we know. I appreciete the communication from the camp officials and am sure that all the scouts health conditions are being watched very closley.

By Mom @ Wednesday, June 17, 2009 7:59 AM

Todd, thanks for the folllow up. I hope he is ok even if it's homesickness. :)

By Scout mom - FL @ Wednesday, June 17, 2009 8:00 AM

My son is currently at the camp. Of course we have been concerned and have monitored the situation closely. What I would like to stress to everyone who has a son scheduled to visit Camp Daniel Boone this summer is this...... Please don't allow the sensationalism of the media rob your son of a wonderful experience. They are having a GREAT time at camp now as my son has had in the past at this facility. The people in charge know how to handle the situation, they have safeguards in place to monitor the Scouts and are disinfecting their facility on a regular basis.

How many times a week do you visit a convenience store, department store or movie theater near your home?? We could only hope they are doing a fraction of what this camp is doing to keep our boys safe.

By Oscar Gualteros, MD @ Wednesday, June 17, 2009 8:53 AM

My three sons are do to camp at CDB for week 4. I've read your posts but am still concerned for their safety. can you please update me and other parents of the current situation, your preventive measures and the current situation at camp. Am I being an alarmist to consider not sending them or can you reassure me that they will be safe. thank you.
Dr. G

By scout316 @ Wednesday, June 17, 2009 8:59 AM

everyone who is concerned about this supposed flu pandemic must understand a few things, Firstly, this flu has been confirmed as the cause of death for 200 or so people, compared to the 35,000 that die every year of so called normal flu. The H1N1 influenza virus is no more dangerous to healthy boys than a stomach bug or strep throat. The concern is widely due to the media and their goal to have a sustainable cash cow of a news story. We must not let this trivial outbreak of sickness harm the rewarding experience that is Camp Daniel Boone, your children are safer here than in most other places you would frequent, so it is in the best interest of you and your scouters to react to this as nothing more than several kids having the flu

By Dr. O. @ Wednesday, June 17, 2009 1:34 PM

Dr. G,

Yes, I think you are alarmist by sending out a post like that. Everybody is entitled to be concerned, but you sound like you are demanding special personal updates beyond what is posted at regular intervals. Of course the camp can give no assurance, certainly not of the legal kind. The camp depends on the honesty of the parents and troops, that they will not send a boy to camp if there is even a suspicion of him being ill. If a scout arrives who has been very recently infected and starts symptoms only after arrival, it is up to the troop leaders to do their job. Only then the camp can do something about it. The preventive measures have been described and the camp is in constant contact with county’s health department.

We'll be at the camp during week 3 and I am looking forward to it.

By Greenbar @ Wednesday, June 17, 2009 2:24 PM

Hi all, I have a son on staff at CBD and have spoken with him several times. I know the staff is working very hard to keep the camp as safe as it can for all our children. My other son will be attending in a few weeks and cant wait. Boone is one of the premier camp experiences in the county, dont let your child miss out.

below is a web-site you may want to visit, it shows flu cases by geographic area. not to sound trite about the cases at Boone, but based on this map, most of us will be sending our boys to a place that has less swine flu than in their home town.

http://flutracker.rhizalabs.com/

Dan, thank you for all your hard work, I know you are busy running the camp and cannot post updates constantly, I also know that if there is
new news, you will tell us. :)_

By Dad @ Thursday, June 18, 2009 9:26 AM

And this follows the stomach virus that swept the camp year before last. So has a adequate hand wash area been built at the lodge to replace the foot pump sinks that went empty before all scouts could dine? Or has the focus been on building more camper capacity?

By Mr. A @ Thursday, June 18, 2009 10:18 AM

A small bottle of alcohol based hand sanitizer works just as well as a washing station. I plan to add individual pocket size bottles to the list of required gear for camp this year! There is always a long line at the wash stations (how can you expect otherwise when 700 kids are trying to get in the lunch line). So I'm taking an individual responsibility approach!
Mr. A

By RG @ Thursday, June 18, 2009 7:19 PM

I agree with Mr. A, our troop will be there next week and I am giving them all personal bottles of hand sanitizer. I am also giving them a quick lesson on the proper way to wash your hands. Another troop from our area is there this week and will be there next week also and I have heard no negative reports from them ! We look foward to enjoying our week there !

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