On the weekend of January 19 – 21, the scouts of Troop 422 participated in the Trail of Tears District Winter Camporee at Parrish Scout Reservation near Rock Island.

The theme of this year’s camporee was first aid.  In addition to the Dragon patrol teaching a class on splints and bandages in the Saturday morning sessions, the scouts also volunteered to conduct a disaster first aid drill during the afternoon activities.

While the other scouts in the district were participating in first aid relays, fifteen scouts from the troop, decorated in some truly gruesome makeup effects, were scattered through the woods of Camp Tubb in simulation of a major first aid disaster.  Once the mutilated scouts were in place, a breathless and panic-strickened scoutmaster interrupted the relay activity with a wild story of a rogue tornado that struck his troop, scattering his scouts.  The challenge presented to each of the troops present — find the injured scouts, assess their injuries, provide first aid, and transport them back to a waiting doctor at the activity field.   The photo album link below documents the carnage and the resourcefulness of the district’s scouts.

Twenty-nine scouts and fourteen leaders and parents attended the camporee, plus many additional leaders (most wearing silver tabs for some reason), parents, and an Eagle scout showed up to assist with the Saturday’s activities.

Special thanks go to Linda Montalbano, our newest scout leader, for organizing the makeup effects, and the scout Dakota, for his ingenious makeup effects.  Also, thanks go to Assistant Scoutmaster Rob Reeves for helping the Dragon patrol with their morning training class, Susan Baggett for conducting CPR training on Saturday morning, and Melody Rose for organizing the training.  Finally, the scouts and leaders of Troop 422 would like to thank Mr. Dave Walters for organizing an outstanding Winter Camporee.

Photo Album