ISR 2008 Applications

From ISRStaff

(Received from Father Glenn Harris, 2008 camp director, on 26 Dec 2007)

The W.D. Boyce Council is now hiring Scouts and Scouters for positions at Ingersoll Scout Reservation for the 2008 Summer Camp season. We are looking for staff members for both program and food service operations. Our camp has a full list of activities which include swimming, boating, rifle, shotgun, archery, outdoor skills, handicraft, ecology, conservation, and high adventure programs. In terms of food service, we have positions available in our dining hall and trading post (concession stand). Here are the dates for camp:

• Pre-Staff Week: June 1st to 7th
• African American Heritage Camp: June 6 to the 8
• Staff Week: June 8 to the 14th
• Week 1: June 15th to 21st
• Week 2: June 22 to 28th
• Week 3: June 29 to July 5th
• Week 4: July 6 to July 12th
• Week 5: July 13th to July 19th
• Week 6: July 20th to July 26th
• Webelos Weekend 1: August 1st to the 3rd
• Webelos Weekend 2: August 8 to the 10th

Staff applications are available at the Scout office or can be downloaded from the council website (staff application). For this year, we are using the same staff application for all positions whether they are paid or volunteer staff members.

We have already began the interviewing process, and we have many of the major positions already filled. However, there are still positions available, and we are aggressively working to fill them.

We will be offering more opportunities for staff interviews on the following dates:

• Saturday, January 12, 2008, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, at the Peoria Scout Office
• Saturday, February 16, 2008, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, at the Bloomington Scout Office

To schedule an interview or for more information, you can contact the following individuals:

• Camp Director- Fr. Glenn Harris at ghh091769@msn.com or call 309-274-3809
• Program Director- David Lane at DE-lane@wiu.edu or call 309-840-1568
• Business Manager- Matt Wright at mlwrig2@ilstu.edu or call 309-838-9535

In addition to paid positions, there are also opportunities to serve as a Counselor in Training or as an adult volunteer staff members.

This is an opportunity for former staff members or seasoned Scouters to share their skills, and give back to the Scouting program. We will be in need of the following positions being filled by an adult volunteer:

• a volunteer ridge commissioner;
• a volunteer cooking merit badge counselor;
• perhaps a seasoned fisherman willing to help with fishing merit badge;
• Helping on the rappelling tower;
• and a "floater" who would be wiling to do anything including babysitting the trek, babysitting the camp office, being a runner for various things for an afternoon if need be.

For any adult leaders who are willing to serve as an adult volunteer staff member they go to camp for free. However, there are some conditions. These adult leaders can certainly stay with their troops and be involved in their troop program, but....

• They must be in addition to the designated two deep leadership. So, if there is a third or fourth leader who is coming to camp then they would be eligible for this.
• They must be will willing to commit at least 4 hours each day to serving the camp in some capacity, and not be available (emergency situations of course don't count) to their troop.
• They must submit a staff application, be accepted as an adult volunteer staff member, and be trained ( when convenient for them) prior to coming to camp.

As you know, we are trying to offer a full program, but there is only so much money to make the program occur. Without the help of adult volunteer staff members, we would end up cutting programs (I know. I sound like PBS, but we all know that it is true.) It is especially a challenge this year. The State of Illinois has mandated that all youth camps must pay their counselors at least minimum wage. The days of working staff members 14 hours a day for peanuts are over at least in the state of Illinois. This has been a challenge in itself. We were facing the problem of raising camp fees and yet offering less program in the process. David and I have a plan where we will actually increase the amount of programs and merit badges that are being offered to make the raise in camp fees more tolerable. However, it will require adult volunteer staff more than ever.

So, if any adult leader from your troop is interested in being an adult volunteer staff member, that would be great. They would not have to be out at camp the whole week. Even if it was for a few days, it would be a help to us. I look forward to hearing from you.