Once again it is time to turn our thoughts to summer camp and a much less literal polar bear swim.

The 2012 Summer Camp Leader’s Guide is now posted on our Leaders Guide page. It contains updated information about planning and programing for the coming summer season. The 2012 staff is getting prepared for their best season yet and plenty of fantastic program offerings await all Scouts.

Remember, to take advantage of the reduced fees for summer camp, you must have made your first installment payment by 1 March. Learn all of the details by studying our Summer Camp Fees page.

The Bay-Lakes Council is proud to announce dates for Maple Days 2012. On three consecutive Saturdays, Scouts can participate in a day of sugary sweet harvest and education as part of the annual maple syrup harvest.
Bear Paw Maple Days for 2012 will be held on Saturday 24 March, Saturday 31 March, and Saturday 7 April. The program begins at 9 AM and runs until 3:30 PM.

Pre-registration for this event is required and due to the popularity of this event early action is encouraged. Registration is due March 9. A limited number of overnight facilities are available at Bear Paw if your unit is interested in spending the night at camp.

To learn more about this event  visit our Maple Days page.

We are happy to announce that registration is now open for the 65th Anniversary Staff reunion which will be held on Saturday, July 30, 2011!    The reunion is open to all past and present members of the Bear Paw Camp Staff, and registration is easy!

To register, you will need to to print a copy of the registration form, fill it out, and mail it (along with appropriate registration fee) to the Bay-Lakes Council  office.

You can download the official registration form here if you haven’t received an email with it yet.  Please be sure to share this information with all your camp staff friends!

We also will be offering commemorative polo shirts for attendees to purchase.  This will be handled on a pre-order basis.  You can find out specifics about the polo shirt on the order form, which can be found on our online message boards.

For more information about the reunion, please check out the earlier posting on our site.  For a schedule of events that you can download, or for any questions, please visit the conversation on our online message boards.

As the weather is getting nicer and schools are winding down for the year, the thoughts in many people’s minds turn to a little heaven in the woods that’s really grand.  This summer is just a little more special, however, as we commemorate 65 great years of Bear Paw Camp Staff!

This summer, ALL former and current staff members are invited to join us for a special reunion to help mark the occasion.  The event will be held at camp on Saturday, July 30, 2011.

Activities will kick off Saturday afternoon with a picnic lunch, followed by plenty of opportunities to reminisce and swap stories with other staff members from Bear Paw’s storied past.  Other activities during the day will include tours of camp (a few things have changed in 65 years!), water volleyball, and church services by Fr. Roger Strebel.  There will also be a chance to learn about the future of camp and the many program and financial needs to complete the long-range plan and ever growing demand to operate a quality camp.

During the afternoon, we will have a photographer to take group photos on waterfront hill.  Groups could include all people who worked in certain areas of camp over the past 65 years, all those who worked in the same decade, those who worked for the same camp director, or any other grouping as time and interest allow.  All the pictures will be put on CD-rom and given to interested people at the event.

A tenderloin tip dinner and a good old fashioned campfire program on the lake are set to take place during the evening, capped off by even more story sharing and fellowship during a cracker barrel afterward.

For those interested, overnight camping will be available in tents in camp, or RV camping in the parking lot (no hook-ups provided).  Bear Paw’s traditional pancake and porkie breakfast will be provided on Sunday morning.

The cost for this event will be $30, and will include all meals (Saturday lunch, dinner and Sunday breakfast), cracker barrel, 1 commemorative 65th Anniversary Reunion patch, and a photo CD.  For those who would only like to attend on Saturday, the cost is $25.

The trading post will be open for this event, and will include some special commemorative items for this reunion, including addtional patches.   A special 65th Anniversary Reunion polo shirt will be available on a pre-order basis for $25.00 (slightly more for larger sizes).

Attendees are encouraged to bring with them any old staff shirts, patches, or pictures from your time on camp staff.  These items will be scanned into the archives so future generations can see them.

Registration forms will be available soon, and will be mailed and/or emailed current and former staff members.  There will also be a copy available on this website for you to download, print, and mail to the council office.  To make sure we have your current information, please head over to our Staff Database and get yourself on the list if you are not already!

If you know of other staff members from your time at camp that are not listed in the database, please spread the word of this amazing event to them, or let us know how to contact them so we can send them information.

If you have any questions, or to see the latest information on this event as it becomes available, including registration forms, schedules, patch and polo designs, and any other news,  please visit our discussion in the Camp Talk section of our online bulletin board.

As summer is approaching quickly, hundreds of Moms and Sons will be turning off of Oconto County W and driving 5 miles for an action packed weekend at Bear Paw Scout Camp. The Bay-Lakes Council is proud to announce Mom & Son 2011 will take place at camp June 10-12. This weekend is a wonderful opportunity for moms and sons of all ages to make memories that will last a lifetime.  From setting their tents on Friday to taking them down Sunday , the event promises to be filled with energy and excitement from start to finish.

Memories will be made around every nook and crannie in camp with council campfires, Saturday activities and a Mom and Son memory walk. Each mom and son will “Venture into Scouting”; which is also the theme for this years event. The program is designed to bring moms and sons closer together through a fun filled weekend and show them what the Scouting program has to offer them. They will get to experience many areas of camp from leatherwork to archery, nature to fire building, rifle to finger casting and shelter building to knots.

As the Chair of the Mom and Son program, I would like to personally thank each staff member who has volunteered to help make Mom and Son 2011 an unforgettable experience. If you are interested in helping or have questions, please contact me, Thomas Matuszak at matutj07@gmail.com or join the conversation on the message board.

Moms and Sons can register by completing the registration form and sending it to the Center for Scouting The $60 registration fee includes meals and program for the entire weekend for one mom and son. Include an additional $15 for each additional scout participant. Registration deadline is June 3.  We hope to see you there!

The Bear Paw Campmaster Corps will host the Campmaster Rondevous May 20-22, an exciting opportunity for units looking for a complete weekend outing experience. This event is an showcase of the program opportunities that the Campmaster program provides for Scouts year round at camp.

The Bear Paw Campmaster Corps will be available to assist your unit in a great weekend outing from your arrival on Friday until your departure on Sunday. Campmasters will provide programs at camp. Units are responsible for all other camping arrangements including normal camping equipment and meals.

Some of the program elements include Shooting Sports, use of camp boats and canoes — we guarantee the fish will be biting — guided bike hikes through the Nicolet National Forest using camp bikes, plus merit badge and advancement assistance and demos.

All rules outlined in the Guide to Safe Scouting must be followed for unit camping while using facilities and equipment. Please refer to the Guide to Safe Scouting for the training requirements necessary for use of boats and canoes in unit camping. Certified personnel will be on hand to run the shooting sports area. Registration is for the weekend is free and the only fees would be for campsite/building reservation or small fees for ammunition and other program supplies.

This event is open to any unit registered to use Bear Paw Scout Camp for weekend or day use. Units should contact the Bay Lakes Center for Scouting for camp use and registration details. Once a unit registers for camp use, additional program information will be available.

Early registration to ensure availability is encouraged. For more information join the conversation on our message board.

The Bay-Lakes Council is once again proud to host Hunter Safety Education training at Bear Paw on April 8 – 10. Open to Scouts over the age of 12, this Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources course helps promote safe, responsible, respectful, and ethical hunting practices and encourages fun in the great outdoors.

Over the course of the weekend, Scouts will take part in classroom learning sessions and outdoor practical experiences. The outdoor program will include sessions on trapping, blood trail, crossing fences, treestands, shooting skills, and a field test. Scouts who complete the 10 hours of online training prior to attendance will be eligible to receive DNR Hunter Safety certification after completing this weekend.

The event begins Friday evening with check-in and classroom time and is finished after brief Sunday morning sessions. The $50 registration fee includes all meals, lodging, ammunition, and course fees for the weekend. Participants are encouraged to bring their own personal firearm, (and reminded to leave ALL ammunition home) but a rifle will be provided for any Scout who does not have one.

Registration for the program ends in March, so be sure to hurry and contact the Bay-Lakes Council Center for Scouting to secure a spot for Hunter Safety Education at Bear Paw, April 8 – 10.