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Bert
Adams Meet Reports - Compiled by Laurie Searle /
10/10/02
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Frank Mills wrote
- Sunday afternoon, I had a discussion with the Ranger, David
Barron, at Bert Adams Scout Reservation. He
told me in the sincerest terms how pleased he was with the
event, and is looking forward to welcoming back the GAOC for
future events.
For my part, I have talked to many
Scouts and Scouters (adult leaders). All were complimentary and
many said it was the best event of the Saturday "Adventure
Day". I personally think the connection between Boy Scouts
and Orienteering is a natural one, and have repeatedly informed
all scouts and scouters that it is one of the BEST things in
which a scout troop can participate. The skills are
indispensable for anyone who is competent in the woods. It is
also much more fun, and MUCH more conducive to learning than
merely shooting a bearing and walking "so man" feet.
Cross pollination between the GAOC and the Boy Scouts has been a
long time goal of mine, and it seems to be coming to fruition.
Both organizations will benefit.
I have come to a new appreciation
of the work that goes into the maps produced by the GAOC. What I
have done is miniscule compared to the work of Sam, Laurie, and
Bob and Linda and sooo many others that directly affected this
map and this event, and without which this event could not have
taken place.
Thanks to everyone who participated
in this event directly or indirectly over the many years, and
many rounds this map has been in production. This is obviously a
work in progress, as I am all too aware the map is not yet up to
GAOC standards. And there is much more property, as yet
unmapped. I hope this "marriage" will be a long a
fruitful one.
Thanks again to everyone for the
map, and everyone who helped on Saturday with the Scout event,
Bob & Linda, and everyone who helped on Sunday with the
regular GAOC event. It came off without a hitch from the GAOC
end. I understand one Scout group of Scouters apparently did not
get the word and barred some participants from part of the
course. I apologize for this gaff. We will do everything we can
to make sure that is not a problem in the future. David Barron,
the Ranger, is on our side.
*********************
Bill Farrell wrote - We had an
excellent days with the scouts at Burt Adams Camp. Our new
"old" map was pretty good and the map gang got it out
in time for the meet.
I understand that Frank Mills, Linda and Bob Domine, with the
help of many scout leaders, gave an instructional session for
800 kids on Saturday and a GAOC Score-O on Sunday. We tried to
collect as many points as we could in 90 minutes. The great guys
got them all in less -- sometimes much less -- time than was
given. In the score-o format, you pick your own route. Most of
us had a plan... it worked for a few, but not me! "The
plans of mice and men..."
It was another grand event from GAOC. Thanks to all who
helped... I had a great time! Bill.
*********************
Bob Domine
wrote:
My hat is off to Frank Mills for an
outstanding weekend of orienteering. Frank laid the groundwork
planning and permission with a number of both onsite and offsite
Boy Scout of America contacts. We had very good cooperation
which allowed us to integrate our activity into the full Bert
Adams Scout Reservation usage schedule.
Though impacted somewhat by my
personal schedule, Frank Mills, Richard Knieriem and myself
spent several days field checking and mapping a few new areas,
as well as minor updates to the existing map. We early on
realized there was much left to do and all the more appreciated
the mappers that have done so much in our club. It was fun and
we all learned a lot. Thanks to Sam Smith for speedy effort on a
tight schedule in making our amateur field work into a reality.
On Saturday, Oct 5th Linda and I
were privileged to work with Frank and his team of three scout
leaders as five sessions of scouts visited our orienteering
station. The groups of scouts were lead from one station to the
next by "senior" scouts referred to as "Trail
Guides." Adult scout leaders also accompanied the groups.
After a short instruction the scouts were sent in mass start to
get as many points as they could and be back by a specific time
approximately 50 minutes later. It all worked well and the
competition heated up as the day went on. All seemed to really
enjoy it and considering the numbers we had, it all went quite
smooth.
On Sunday, Oct 6th, another nice
weather day, we had our first GAOC Bert Adams event in many
years. As suggested, we did it in a Score O format. This was
very popular with the young folks, as it was the day before, as
no one DNF'ed. Youth leaders also enjoy it, with the time fixed
rather than variable, as when a specific course is chosen.
The 36 controls were divided into
two groups of 24 matching the punch card blocks for
"Novice-Intermediate" or
"Intermediate-Advanced." Dainius swept the entire
Intermediate-Advanced set, while Sam Smith and Rick Shane came
real close in the 90 minutes allotted. I hope to do this well
when I grow up! Several others did real well too.
On the Novice-Intermediate the
competition was tough with times needed to split the several
ties. I was amazed at how good many did on their first time out
or first attempt on a Score O format.
A third format for the Score O was
taken on by 2 teams who went out for all of the points. These
teams strategically split up and in search and destroy mode
almost did it. They tied in points and the winners beat their
competition by only a few minutes. This had to be fun!
Congratulations to all the
competitors. Thanks again to Frank Mills for coordinating and
heading up a fine event. Many thanks also to the many who
supported throughout the preparation and conducting of the
event. Volunteers are the Heart of our success.
Meet Support Volunteers: Robin
Shannonhouse, Mike Ferguson, Dainius Maciulis, Steve Kalatska,
Rick Shane, Linda Domine and myself. Thanks to all of you for
all you do to support our club,
Bob Domine
GAOC President
*********************
Linda Domine wrote: Frank
Mills really did an Excellent coordinating effort with his Team
of Scout leaders on Saturday. The readiness of so many details
by Frank for all the Scouts who participated in the O-exercise
and then for all the other Orienteers who came for Sunday's
Score-O was most evident. Frank was ready to do "any and
everything he could do" to help in whatever way it took to
bring the world of "GAOC Orienteering" to as many
Scouts and Scout leaders as was possible this weekend.
With each troop having several
exercises available on Saturday besides Orienteering, Frank did
not know until Saturday's event how many Scouts and Scout
Leaders would actually participate in what he had prepared.
Although there were many more
Scouts at the camp, Scout and Scout Leader O-Training
participation on Saturday was upwards of 300 according to David
Barron, head of Bert Adams, as he discussed the O-Training
success with Frank on Sunday.
Although the other Scout Leaders
assisting Frank, Bob and I on Saturday would likely not yet be
able to do the Orienteering Preparation and Training Instruction
that Frank did, they were very responsible with the Scouts'
Training, giving individual instructions as needed. It was
obvious to Bob and I how much they were picking up by the last
of Saturday's sessions. Bob and I were there for assistance as
needed, but it was truly Frank and the Scout Leaders who were
most responsible in O-Training to the Scouts.
So this was how Saturday was able
to be managed by Frank, his 3 other Scout Leaders, Bob and I and
yet, process many youth through out the day on a Score-O
Training exercise. With the interest from other Scout leaders
requesting "how they could get a map" of their
home-base scout camp for training Orienteering more themselves,
the Mapping Primer that Laurie and Sam with Kevin, Rick, and
Shawn are developing will be a timely tool that the club can
have available to help "train up more of the leaders'
O-skills, already involved with the youth of GA."
Also, I want to Thank You, Robin,
for being so available for Instruction on Sunday. I thought we'd
need Instruction help, but Bob felt he could support it, along
with Frank at Start / Finish too! Needing to calculate the
Scores tho at Start / Finish truly did require 2 volunteers
there, so Thank You for freeing Bob to assist Frank and also,
freeing Rick Shane, to get his Score-O run in.
I do Much Appreciate and Thank All
the flexibility expressed by All the Volunteers who came out,
sensing we may need help, which we did. The bag pick-up was done
by 3:30 because of Mike Ferguson, Rick Shane, Steve Kalatska,
Dainius, Frank, Bob and I. It truly was a good weekend and
wonderful getting home so early!!
Thanks to All,
Linda Domine
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