Gerber Scout Reservation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Please help improve this article or section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion. (October 2007)

Gerber Scout Reservation

Campsite data
Owner	Gerald R. Ford Council
Location	Blue Lake Township, Michigan
Country	United States
Founded	1951
Scouting portal

The Gerber Scout Reservation or Camp Gerber for short, is a Boy Scout Summer Camp located in Blue Lake Township, Muskegon County, Michigan. The approximately 800 acre property containing Big Britton Lake, Little Britton Lake, and Mayo Lake was donated by the Gerber Products Company in 1951. It is currently owned by the Gerald R. Ford Council. The Gerber Scout Reservation is divided into two camps; one for Boy Scouts, the other for Cub Scouts.^[1]

In recent years, Gerber Scout Camp attendance has swelled from 900 in 1997 to over 3,000 in 2005. Much of this increase can be attributed to the 1998 initiation of the Cub Scout and Webelos Adventureland, a section of the camp dedicated to Cub Scouts. Gerber currently has the capacity to accommodate 2,100 Boy Scouts and 1,700 Cub Scouts. Activities offered at the camp include: the waterfront, climbing tower, scout craft area, handicraft area, environmental resource area, and shooting area.

1 Boy Scout Camp
2 Webelos Scout/Cub Scout Adventureland
3 Venturing Base
4 Non-Summer Usage
5 See also
6 External links
7 References

[edit] Boy Scout Camp

The Boy Scout Program at Camp Gerber consists of one week per session of outdoor camping from Sunday to Saturday. During the course of the summer there is a total of eight weeks, seven weeks of camping and a staff only week. Scouts come to earn Merit Badges and enjoy camping. Scouts can also be inducted into the Order of the Arrow during a ceremony which is held Wednesday. Camp Gerber is known for its amusing skits done by the staff. Usually the skits parody a variety of things in popular culture, from Pokémon to 300 (film). Often one or more parodies and skits will interact each other in shows during meals throughout the week, and climaxing at the Friday firebowl.

[edit] Webelos Scout/Cub Scout Adventureland

Webelos Scout/Cub Scout Adventureland or Cub Camp for short is an overnight camp for Cub Scouts. For the first 4 1/2 weeks of the summer it hosts Webelos Scouts known as "Weebs" by the staff. The Webelos are there for four days and three nights. In this time they go ten program areas, an evening program and two firebowls that are always amazing. Packs arrive on Sunday or Wednesday and leave on Wednesday or Saturday. For the next two weeks of summer Cub Camp hosts Tiger Cub, Wolf, and Bear Cub Scouts. "Cubbies" as it is know as by the staff consists of three days and two nights. Unlike the Webelos, Cubbies only go to six program areas, one firebowl, and an evening program. Cubbies arrive on Sunday, Tuesday, or Thursday and leave on Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday.

[edit] Venturing Base

A new Venturing Base is currently under construction. This is intended to be the starting point for future High-Adventure related activities within the Gerald R. Ford Council.

[edit] Non-Summer Usage

While the camp experiences the most use during the summer camp season the reservation is in use nearly all year. This includes the usage of cabins, campsites and other facilities during the weekends and sometimes the week. During this time the Camp Ranger, and his family, reside on camp along with the Camp Director. Many yearly activities occur during this time such as two conclaves (Fall and Spring) for Nacha Tindey lodge, multiple training sessions for the summer camp staff, a religious retreat and a Venture Kickback weekend.