Owasippe Lodge #7 O/A Winter Banquet
Mood:  happy
Topic: Celebrate Owasippe
Celebrating its 85th Anniversary of Service to Scouting

* On Sunday January 7, 2007

* At White Eagle Banquets and Restaurant,
6839 N Milwaukee Avenue, Niles IL

* Schedule: 4:00 PM – Fellowship; 5:00 PM – Dinner

* Cost @ $18/person for all registered members and their guests by advance reservations by December 28.

Prior lodge and chapter officers and all current and past members are especially welcome and encouraged to attend for this historic benchmark event.

>>>------------> Mail reservations to:
Owasippe Lodge 7Chicago Area Council, BSA
1218 West Adams Street
Chicago, IL 60607-2602

Deadline for reservations is December 28, 2006.
Walk-Ins Will Not Be Allowed! Reservations received after the deadline will be charged an additional $5.00/reservation.

For more information contact Lodge Chief Kevin Harper at kjharper06@yahoo.com or at 773-403-3034

Owasippe to be OPEN in 2007 and 2008
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: Celebrate Owasippe
As recently announced by both Reservation Director Greg Lange and Director of Camping Steve Adams, Owasippe WILL BE OPEN in 2008. Site and cabin reservations will be taken in advance during the 2007 summer session. Chicago Area Council is currently entertaining 2007 reservations for sites at Camps Blackhawk and Wolverine as well as the Carlen Venture Base, for Manistee Quest backpacking treks, and for cabins at the Reneker Family Camp and Resort.

Units who have yet to sign up are urged to do so before all the best dates and sites are gone.

Reservation forms are available online at www.chicagobsa.org.

For general information on Owasippe, go to...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owasippe_Scout_Reservation#External_links

For contemporary information on Owasippe program and current events, go to this Owasippe Ezine:
http://scarlet_sassafras.tripod.com

...COME CELEBRATE OWASIPPE!!!

Why Not Have An OKPIK Program at Owasippe?
Mood:  quizzical
Topic: Celebrate Owasippe
Nope, Owasippe is NOT too far away, especially if this Winter program is conducted in conjunction with school holidays.

Some program resource websites on this topic:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okpik

http://www.scoutingmagazine.org/issues/9901/a-snow.html

http://www.ntier.org/okpik.html

http://www.campboyhaven.org/okpik_'05.htm

http://www.denverareacouncil.com/tahosa/okpik/index.html

Food for thought! If it is to be...it is up to me? Let's get some feedback from you folks out there to see if there is any interest in hosting this Winter camping training at Owasippe.

In the late 50s and early 60s, it was common for CAC to hold a Winter Camping program on some longer weekends and inbetween Christmas and New Years.

Please send in your opinions and ideas for publishing.

Staff Applications Sought for Owasippe's 2007 Season
Mood:  happy
Topic: Celebrate Owasippe
Chicago Area Council is NOW entertaining applications for ALL staff positions for the 2007 camping season from all interested and qualified individuals regardless of gender or council affiliation. ALL positions are open for review including Warehouse and Trading Post Directors, Program Area Directors, Commissioners, Instructors,
Manistee Quest trek guides, Diamond-O Ranch wranglers, outpost managers, store clerks, counselor-in-training, and other positions. Camps/areas to be staffed are Camps Blackhawk, Wolverine, Carlen, and Reneker as well as High Adventure Outposts and the Manistee Quest.

Greg Lange will be returning as the Owasippe Reservation Director for 2007 and has announced recent selections for key staff positions at Owasippe for next summer, namely:

* Peter Klaeser, Asst Reservation Director
* Marilyn Kulak, Blackhawk Section Camp Director
* Candy Merritt, Reneker Family Camp Director
* Tim Gibbons, High Adventure Director
* Ryan Gust, Wolverine Section Camp Director

The first public staff interviews will be conducted on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, November 25th, from 9am to 1pm at St Daniel The Prophet Church Hall, 5330 S Nashville, Chicago IL 60638. Subsequent interview dates and locations are to occur as follows:

Interview #2: Saturday, December 9, 9am to Noon, at the CAC Service Center, 1218 W Adams St, Chicago (1/2 Bl west of Racine Ave).

Interview #3: Saturday, January 20, 9am to Noon, at St Bart's Parish Kruger Hall, 4924 W Addison, Chicago (1-1/2 Bl west of Cicero Ave).

Interested staff candidates should apply ASAP and get their paperwork and reference letters in to CAC and should appear in Class-A uniform for their interview. Please take this opportunity to recruit qualified candidates from within your Scouting circles. There can never be enough skilled candidates.

CIT (counselor-in-training) positions are for those who will be of Star Rank, minimum age of 14 by the opening of camp, in the 9th grade, have been a summer camper for at least 3 years, and can get their Scoutmaster's approval plus two other letters of reference. The exceptions to this are for the girls at Camp Reneker who do not have to comply with the rank or Scoutmaster signoffs. Regular Campstaff must be age 16 by the opening day of camp. Some management positions require one to be age 21 or older and have other experience for the job.

Staff application forms can be received by calling the Chicago Area Council camping center at 312-421-8800 x227 or by calling or e-mailing the Co-chairs of the 2006 Owasippe CIT Program, Chauncey and Mary Beth Niziol, at 708-562-4874 or to Chaunceyn@aol.com or to Bookwormom@aol.com.

For more information and forms, you can go to...CAC's website at www.chicagobsa.org and open the tabs for "Camping" and then for "Owasippe Scout Reservation", then scroll down... OR go to The
Scarlet Sassafras website page, "Camp Staff and More" at
http://scarlet_sassafras.tripod.com/id9.html

AND MORE GOOD NEWS...Owasippe will be open in 2008 and will begin taking reservations as the 2007 camping season opens.

Fossett Sailing Base Gets Face Lift and More Boats
Mood:  happy
Topic: Celebrate Owasippe
The Owasippe Staff Association invested more than $5,000 into the rehab and overhaul of Owasippe's aging fiberglass sailing fleet this summer and purchased or had donated another six butterfly sailboats from West Michigan owners along with an assortment of parts. The boats, many of which are 25 years old or older, were in dire need of patching and painting and general upgrades. The 'Blue Lake Yacht Club' now consists of 14 functional boats, mostly Sunfish, with a recent infusion of the more durable and larger Butterflys.

Repair work was performed by Moxie Marine of Whitehall.

Those wishing to contribute to the ongoing Sailing Base Fund may send their tax-deductible donation to the "OSA" c/o P.O. Box 7097, Westchester, IL 60154. The Owasippe Staff Association Inc is an
Illinois Not-for-Profit Corp and is a 501c3 charitable organization.

Where opportunities present themself, funds will be employed to further enhance the fleet so that there is sufficient supply to meet the demands of the Scout campers, many of whom in past years have been turned away from a sailing opportunity for lack of sufficient seaworthy vessels. About 9 boats are already in for repairs for next summer.

OWASIPPE...As A Regional Camp?
Mood:  loud
Topic: Celebrate Owasippe
Returned from Period V with my Troop at Camp Wolverine. Awesome week! We are returning next year for sure! With all the rhetoric, what are the chances that National would purchase OSR and turn it into a National camp similar to Sea Base, Northern Tier, Philmont? Just think of the possibilities. For those boys that don’t have access to a “traditional” camp, OSR could be the answer. With National exposure, the program could be expanded, facilities restored, and boys would not miss the truly great experience OSR provides.

~ Mark Janus
Scoutmaster, Troop 7
Springfield, IL

[Note: This concept has been talked about among scouters for years, however National would need the will to take an unprecedented leap of faith to make this a reality in Michigan similar to the bases it runs in Minnesota, New Mexico (2), and Florida. It's a GREAT idea whose time has indeed come...now more than ever. Owasippe has the facilities, the land, the infrastructure and human resources, and the community support to make this work for ALL of our Scouting brothers and sisters.]

Did'ya Know?
Mood:  happy
Topic: Celebrate Owasippe
Did'ya Know...?

...that The Blue Lake Township Board of Trustees voted against the request of the Chicago Area Council BSA for residential rezoning of
their Owasippe Scout Reservation? The Township Board followed the recommendations of many authorities and interested parties who have
provided facts and opinions against the rezoning proposal.

...that those other entities who came solidly down in favor of denying the rezoning request of CAC included the Blue Lake Township Planning Commission, Muskegon Area Planning Commission, Muskegon Soil and Water Conservation District, professional planning consultants retained by the Township, more than 2,500 individuals who petitioned the Township in writing, and more than 400 individuals who spoke or were present at the Public Hearing concerning the rezoning proposal
in January 2006?

...that the Owasippe Outdoor Education Center (OOEC) provided info, strategic planning, and suggestions to many of the individuals and grass-roots organizations who worked hard to achieve a "NO Vote" for the residential rezoning of Owasippe?

...that the Owasippe Staff Assoc invested $5,000 this year into the restoration and upgrading of the Stephen Fossett Sailing Base Outpost? The fleet is now up to 13 vessels with two more on the way by the Spring of 2007. THANKS to those who financially contributed!

...that parts of Owasippe are known to be ideal eco-habitats for the endangered Northern Copperbelly Watersnake (some found in nearby areas off-camp) and that the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Michigan DNR have a hunch that they may also reside in the Owasippe wilderness and would just love to find a live specimen living and breathing at OSR? Move over Massasauga Rattlesnake and Karner Blue Butterfly! There are indeed MANY reasons for camp preservation!

SPECIAL TRIBUTE FOR THE OWASIPPE SCOUT RESERVATION
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: Celebrate Owasippe
as presented on Wednesday, July 12, 2006
at The White Lake Chamber of Commerce Dinner at Food Prep, Owasippe Scout Reservation...

LET IT BE KNOWN, That we are proud to join with the members, leadership, and generations of Boy Scouts of the Chicago Area Council and others as they gather to mark the 95th anniversary of the Owasippe Scout Reservation. This milestone is a reflection of the values and commitment to service and stewardship that each Boy Scout is instilled with year after year at Camp Owasippe. While the members of this distinguished organization celebrate 95 years of service at Owasippe, we offer our thanks for the many wonderful memories that this camp has provided to Boy Scouts throughout the Midwest.

The Owasippe Scout Reservation, originally called Camp White, was officially opened in 1911. Initially encompassing just 40 acres, the camp is now situated on 4,800 acres in Blue Lake Township in West Michigan. In the years that have followed since they first came together to found Owasippe, the scouts have adapted to changes in society, membership, and expectations, while remaining true and steadfast to the values on which the boy scouts were founded. Now in its 95th year of existence, we recognize that while many years have passed, we know that new generations of scouts will surely enjoy their experiences at Owasippe for years to come.

As we celebrate its history, those who have had the distinct privilege of attending camp at Owasippe remember the vision of those who came before. We are grateful to the people who established this camp as one of the last true sanctuaries of a bygone era where the values of self-reliance, community, service to others, and
conservation are made to endure in the lives of so many young people. Fittingly, as we look to the past, we also be cast an eye to the future and to the many ways in which the Owasippe Scout Reservation will continue to reach out to people across our nation.

IN SPECIAL TRIBUTE, Therefore, This document is signed and dedicated to commemorate the 95th anniversary of the Owasippe Scout Reservation. We commend everyone who has contributed to the success of this camp and thank them for the manner in which they have contributed to the wellbeing of generations of young people.
______________________________________
David Farhat, State RepresentativeThe Ninety-First District, State of Michigan
The Ninety-Third Legislature
At Lansing, Michigan

Cherish and Keep Owasippe
Mood:  energetic
Topic: Celebrate Owasippe
"For 95 years, we’ve been here. There aren’t many things that last 95 years and that says a lot about what this place offers. There are lessons learned here that can’t be learned anywhere else. We see it trying to be sold and we don’t know the fate of this land. We’re here to respect this environment, respect ourselves and respect the people around us. If we lose this to developers, then the things people have been doing here for 95 years will be lost.”
~ Eagle Scout Jason Darwell, age 17, at Owasippe's Anniversary Gala

Scouts to mark 95th year of Owasippe, but will there be a 96th year?
Mood:  not sure
Topic: Celebrate Owasippe
July 9, 2006
by Debra Carte
White Lake Beacon

The Chicago Area Council of the Boy Scouts is planning to celebrate next week the 95th anniversary of the Owasippe Camp Reservation, the
oldest and continuously operating Boy Scout camp in the U.S.

But the irony of celebrating 4,700 acres of pristine property the Scouts are working hard to sell for residential development isn't lost on residents here. Now that the Chicago Council has accepted an offer of $19.4 million for the property from Benjamin A. Smith III, founder of the Macatawa Bank Corp., many wonder if Owasippe will see a 96th year in operation.

"Save Owasippe" supporters, some 3,000 plus strong, are hoping a recent shake up of the Chicago Council's executive committee by the National Council of the Boy Scouts will benefit their cause to save the camp. The National Council has charged the new executive committee to review the pending sale of Owasippe, but what that review means precisely and whether the sale of Owasippe can be
stopped, are questions still unanswered.

The Chicago Council's request to rezone Owasippe for residential development was denied by Blue Lake Township officials who now find themselves named in a lawsuit brought by the council in May. The Chicago Council says it can't sell Owasippe to Smith unless the township rezones the property from a camp-use only designation to residential designations.

The Chicago Council claims the township's zoning of Owasippe has perpetrated an illegal taking of the property. A bench trial to decide the matter has been scheduled for March 20-23 and March 27-30
of 2007.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Council is inviting the public to celebrate 95 years of Scouting at Owasippe. The celebration is scheduled for this Wednesday, July 12, from 10am to 3pm at the
administration center, located at Russell and Silver Creek roads in Blue Lake Township. Boy Scouts and adult leaders are to be on hand
to demonstrate scouting skills, like cooking, Native American games, pioneering, first aid and orienteering.

Executive Scout leaders from the Chicago Area Council are planning to attend the celebration and will be available for questions from the press and the public. Local elected officials are to also be in attendance. A short program is scheduled for noon on Wednesday.

# # #

PS: A dinner with the local chamber of commerce is planned for Wednesday evening at the Ad Center, a tradition that continues since they arranged for the donation of the original 40 acres in 1910.

[Note: Owasippe has already begun to entertain reservations for 2007 section camp sites and family camp cabins from units already at camp this summer. Early attendance projections prior to the opening of camp pointed toward an increase in campers for this summer over 2005. The reality of that is dependent on the willingness of leaders to promote Owasippe and to maximize their Scout participation. You can't fit too much more above 4,000 into Camps Blackhawk and Wolverine over six periods. So, we are faced with a moment of
decision over whether Camp Carlen should open and for how many periods or whether the council should just maintain the status quo. The last time Owasippe had over 4,500 campers is when Camp Carlen was open to Scouts for four periods and to Webelos and Junior Leaders Training for the other two weeks. - RK]