Dear Scoutmasters,

Thank you very much for choosing to spend your 2011 summer camp experience with us at Camp Horseshoe. We have a great summer staff that will carry on our strong traditions and deliver an excellent program for your Scouts this summer.

Please keep in mind that you are encouraged to attend the pre-camp meeting at camp at 5:45 on the Tuesday evening before your troop arrives in camp. If you are unable to attend this meeting, please mail your medical forms to camp the week before you arrive. This will speed up the check-in process.

We would like to invite you to watch the retreat ceremony and have dinner with us in the dining hall. After dinner, we will have a meeting on the front porch of headquarters where we will collect medical forms, go over the merit badge schedule, answer questions, and offer tours of the camp. If you are unable to attend, please mail your medical forms to camp about a week in advance. This ensures a smooth check-in time on Sunday.

Each evening at 5:45, we gather on the parade field for the retreat ceremony where we pay our respects to the flag. For this ceremony and for the evening meal, we request that all Scouts and leaders wear a full class A uniform, but require at least a class A uniform shirt. Please make sure that all Scouts and leaders bring their uniform shirts with them to camp. 

The Horseshoe program continues to improve each year. As you are planning your week, please take note of our expanded merit badge offerings and new Scout training programs.

I will be serving as Camp Director again this summer and after many years experience at Horseshoe in a variety of roles including most recently Commissioner, Craig Cohen will serve as our Program Director. I hope you are as excited about this summer as the Horseshoe staff. We look forward to seeing you at camp.

 I hope you are as excited about this summer as the Horseshoe staff. We look forward to seeing you at camp.

Yours in Scouting,

Mike Berkeihiser
Camp Director

Nationally Accredited

The Horseshoe Scout Reservation
is a Nationally Accredited
B.S.A. Facility.

Payment Schedule

You should use the following table of dates as a guideline for making pre-camp preparations. Remember that all payments received after the due date or at camp, will be subject to paying the full fees, and that you risk losing your campsite by not meeting deadlines.

The number of Scouts on your final roster determines the final number you will be charged for; adjustments will be made accordingly.

 Chester County Council Boy Scout Resident Camp Refund Policy

The Chester County Council Horseshoe Scout Reservation makes financial commitments for the hiring of staff and purchasing of supplies and other materials many months prior to camp; therefore participants must make a financial commitment of at least $35.00 by the deposit deadline March 31, 2011.   

Based on this fact, refund amounts are dependent on time of submission and reason for refund.  Please note that if an entire unit cancels before or after deposits are paid, the $50 site stake-a-claim fee as well as any deposits is not refundable.  If a unit should cancel after all payments have been made in full, any refund will be made at the discretion of the Reservation Director. 

The Chester County Council does reserve the right to cancel any reservation if payments are not received in full by each of the payment due dates.  Again, the $50 site stake-a-claim fee is not refundable under any circumstances.

Below you will find the conditions required to be met in order for a refund to be processed.  To ensure consistency in this process, no refund will be issued if any of the conditions are not met (no exceptions).  In addition you will find the amount that will be issued is based on the reason for the refund request as well as date of submission. 

Ø  All refund requests must be submitted in writing either by mail to the Chester County Council Service Center, Camping Administration or by email to adalesan@bsamail.org.  Remember the date of submission will affect the amount of refund issued. 

Ø  Refund requests should include the following information:

·         Unit type and unit number (i.e. Troop 555)
·         Name of Scout
·         Date of attendance
·         Reason for request 
·         Supportive documentation for a reason entitling a full refund 

Ø  Full refund of the amount paid will be issued for the following reasons:

·         Medical illness or injury of Scout
·         Medical illness, injury or death of immediate family member
·         Required attendance to summer school during the time the Scout is scheduled to attend camp
·         Unexpected financial hardship or family emergency (Approval required by the Reservation Director) 

Any of the above reasons will require supportive, written documentation to be submitted along with the written refund request.   For medically related reasons, a letter from the Scout’s physician; for attendance to summer school, a letter from the Scout’s teacher or school administration; for unexpected financial hardship, a letter from the Scoutmaster.

Any Scout or leader/adult released and sent home by the camp director or health officer due to medical reasons will be issued a pro-rated partial refund.  Refunds issued to campers choosing to leave early will be at the discretion of the Reservation Director. 

The due date to submit a refund request based on one of the above reasons is August 31, 2011.  

Ø  Partial refund of the amount paid will be issued for all other reasons based on the date of submission.  Requests must still be made in writing with a reason given, but written supportive documentation is not required. 

No refunds or credits will be issued at camp.  If fewer Scouts attend than have paid, money will only be refunded based on a viable reason (medical, school attendance, unexpected financial hardship or family emergency) and after the required letters and documents are submitted to the Council Service Center.  No refunds will be issued for unsupported requests. 

Refunds will be issued to the troop within two weeks of receipt of the request or with-in two weeks after the scheduled date of attendance, which ever comes first.  The troop will be responsible for refunds to the family.  Only if requested and approved by a key unit leader will a refund be made directly to the family.

 Submit all refund requests to:  

Chester County Council, BSA
Attn.:  Camping Administration
504 S. Concord Rd.
West Chester, PA 19382
610-696-2900, ext. 25

Campsite Information - All campsites are arranged by patrol and are equipped with a latrine, washstand, water faucet, patrol tarps, tables, steel spring cots, and a leader's shelter or tent. Troops falling short of or exceeding the campsite capacity of their assigned site may be assigned to another site or asked to share their site with another unit at the Camp Director's discretion.

For Scoutmasters and Senior Patrol Leaders

Leadership at Camp - The best and only leadership method in Scouting is” Patrol Method. Camp Horseshoe's program will help strengthen and build Patrols.

Here are a few dos and don'ts:

·   Do allow Patrols to plan and carry out some of the things they think of and want to do.

·   Do allow for and suggest some free time so that a Scout can go and experience interesting areas of Camp with a pal or two.

·   Do be sure that throughout the week Scouts achieve personal advancement while having fun.

·   Do set a tone that lends real class to any troop. Insist on manners, good fellowship, sportsmanship, clean fun and a clean camp.

·   Do informally talk to each Patrol every day so that you know what is going on.

·   Don't allow Scouts to get too busy to enjoy themselves. Camp should be a challenge, but not a grind.

·   Don't emphasize activities that can be better-done back home; take advantage of the unique things that Horseshoe has to offer.

·   Don't give Scouts a title and a leadership position and then do all the leading yourself.

Remember, all troops must have two-deep adult leadership at all times!

Planning Advancement - The merit badge program is described completely in this guide. Take some time to look over the schedule and the descriptions of the badges; consult with your Scouts individually; and, help them assemble a realistic, satisfying schedule for the week.

It is likely that additions and alterations to our merit badge schedule will occur between the time this guide is published and your arrival at Camp. Changes will be announced at the Tuesday night Scoutmaster's meeting the week prior to your arrival and will be available through the camp office. Please don't finalize individual schedules until you have confirmed them with the camp.

First-year Scouts who are currently working towards their first few ranks are encouraged to take part in the Trailblazers program, emphasizing the skills for Tenderfoot through First Class.

Planning Special Troop Activities - There are many opportunities for your Troop and Patrols to pursue some special interests while at camp. Some of the more popular activities include Troop archery shoots, rifle shoots, swims, rappelling, and tubing in the Octoraro River. The special Troop archery and rifle shoots and rappelling are held from 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM, Monday through Saturday, at the respective ranges. Troop swims and tubing begins at 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday.

All special activities will be arranged by the Program Director at the Sunday evening Scoutmaster's meeting. You will be given a form in the Unit Guide upon arrival at camp to indicate your choices. Because of the number of troops in camp, a lottery system may be used to distribute the program activities among the troops.

The Pre-Camp Orientation - All Scoutmasters and Senior Patrol Leaders are cordially invited to Camp Horseshoe for dinner at 6:00 PM the Tuesday before your Troop is scheduled to arrive in camp. Immediately following dinner, there will be an IMPORTANT MEETING on the front porch of the Headquarters Building, where program schedules and general camp business will be discussed.

Please be sure to bring with you copies of your Troop's Medical Records so that the Camp Health Officer can review them. By bringing them to this meeting, they can be reviewed and incorrect forms can be corrected before the start of camp. Medical Records that are correct will be kept at the Health Lodge, expediting the check-in process on Sunday.

This meeting is an excellent opportunity for Leaders to ask questions and meet the camp staff. In addition, any changes in the program from what is published in this guide will be discussed, including possible additions and revisions of the merit badge schedule. Therefore, this Tuesday evening meeting is highly recommended for troop leaders, both new and old to Horseshoe.

 

Camp Fees - Full Scout fees are $355/wk, discounted at $315.00/wk payable by due date. Leader’s $169.00/wk full fee, discounted at $15.00 payable by due date. (See final payment schedule.) Two registered leaders must be present at camp with the unit at all times. This is for the safety and protection of your Scouts, so there is no exception to this rule. No overnight guests other than registered Scouts and leaders are permitted.

Part-time leaders serving for a 24 hour period will be charged $22.50 (a pro-rated fee of the averaged cost of a week’s stay) per day/night.  Visiting leaders (adults staying for one day only and not spending the night) are charged for meals at a rate of $6.25 for breakfast, $7.25 for lunch, and $9.00 for dinner.  Leaders planning to attend the evening meal must wear a Class ‘A’ uniform.

Reservation System - A $50.00 Stake-a-Claim fee secures your choice of week for the following summer.  Stake-a-claims (claim to the same site occupied/same week number) should be made while your troop is in camp.  A reservation can be made on a first-come, first-served basis for an open site two weeks after the end of a particular week.  

A stake-a-claim/reservation form along with the $50 fee must be submitted at that time agreement is made between the troop and the Chester County Council. This is a ‘stake-a-claim’/reservation fee only; the fee is not refundable but will be applied to your final payment.

The $35.00 per camper deposit, due March 31, secures your choice of week and site. Units failing to meet these deadlines will no longer have a valid claim to their site, and it may be given to another troop that pays the required fees.

Refunds (See Chester County Council Boy Scout Resident Camp Refund Policy)

·   The $50.00 Troop Stake-a-Claim deposit is non-refundable.

·   All deposits will be applied to the troop's total final fees.

Information contained on the website is the property of the
Horseshoe Scout Reservation, Chester County Council, B.S.A.

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