Our scoutmaster told us to write to our parents in case you saw the flood on TV and were worried. We are OK. Only one of our tents and two sleeping bags got washed away. Luckily, none of us got drowned because we were all up on the mountain looking for Chad when it happened.
Oh yes, please call Chad's mother and tell her he is OK. He can't write because of the cast. I got to ride in one of the search and rescue Jeeps. It was neat. We never would have found him in the dark if it wasn't for the lightning. Scoutmaster Walt got mad at Chad for going on a hike alone without telling anyone. Chad said he did tell him, but it was during the fire so he probably didn't hear him. Did you know that if you put gas on a fire, the gas can will blow up? The wet wood didn't burn, but one of the tents did. Also some of our clothes. John is going to look weird until his hair grows back.
We will be home on Saturday if Scoutmaster Walt gets the car fixed. It wasn't his fault about the wreck. The brakes worked OK when we left. Scoutmaster Walt said that with a car that old you have to expect something to break down; that's probably why he can't get insurance. We think it's a neat car. He doesn't care if we get it dirty, and if it's hot, sometimes he lets us ride on the fenders.
It gets pretty hot with 10 people in a car. He let us take turns riding in the trailer until the highway patrolman stopped and talked to us. Scoutmaster Walt is a neat guy. Don't worry, he is a good driver. In fact, he is teaching Terry how to drive on the mountain roads where there isn't any traffic. All we ever see up here is logging trucks.
This morning, all of the guys were diving off the rocks and swimming out in the lake. Scoutmaster Walt wouldn't let me because I can't swim, and Chad was afraid he would sink because of his cast, so he let us take the canoe across the lake. It was great. You can still see some of the trees under the water from the flood.
Scoutmaster Walt isn't crabby like some scoutmasters. He didn't even get mad about the lifejackets. He has to spend a lot of the time working on the car so we are trying not to cause him any trouble.
Guess what? We have all passed our first aid merit badges. When Dave dove in the lake and cut his arm, we got to see how a tourniquet works. Wade and I threw up, but Scoutmaster Walt said it probably was just food poisoning from the leftover chicken. He said they got sick that way with food they ate in prison. I'm so glad he got out and became our scoutmaster. He said he sure figured out how to get things done better while he was doing his time. By the way, what's a pedophile?
I have to go now. We are going to town to mail our letters and buy bullets. Don't worry about anything. We are fine.
Love, Brandon
P.S.: How long has it been since I had a tetanus shot?
Scout Camp
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Riverwind (imported)
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Re: Scout Camp
That is a great letter, havent seen one like in in years. Its enough to get the mounted police on the trail. 
Re: Scout Camp
My own account of the Scouting days:
Our Scoutmaster had us write to tell you everything is fine. The storm only knocked over a couple of trees here. We were all on our way to the dining hall basement when it cut loose and the oak fell on Kevin's tent AFTER we had left. We were soaking wet, the metal umbrellas didn't help much. Davey found out you can't fly like Mary Poppins if you hold it up. The lightning rods on the med lodge work good too, since Steve fell in the mud and twisted his ankle. We find out today if it's broke or not. Don't bother to call, as we're all deaf from the lightning rods strike.
Finished my First Aid merit badge, too. Steve screamed a lot, though.
The food did show up, although it was late. Wilderness survival is a partial form, though, as we only had to forage for one day. Scoutmaster Charlie built us a black powder pipe bomb, as we were tired of waiting for the fish to bite. It rained frogs and turtles for hours, I think. Can you pick me up a spool of waterproof fuse cord? Mushroom season is over, but the Boy Scout book says if there's no ring on the stem and it ain't red capped, eat it. So we did. Bradley puked all night long, though.
Did you know my allergy pills stop poison ivy? I gave one to Davey, but it didn't help. He was already broke out. Can you send a tube of Preparation H? His butt's really raw and swollen. We should have taken toilet PAPER I guess, but those shiny green leaves were SO big ....
By the way, I'm allergic to hornet stings. They're sending me home with a spare Epi-pen and an inhaler just in case at the end of the week.
Speaking of which, I won't need a bath for a while. They make us take shower twice a day here. I think I'm gonna melt. What's so fun about smacking each other's bare butts with wet towels rolled up? This welt stings so bad I can't sit down. Is it OK to pee down the drain, or was that just run-off I saw? Scotty wants to know if he should wear his jock in the shower, since everything hangs down pretty low with all the hot water.
Oh, tell Aunt Jo that she might never be a grandma. Scott was making some rude gestures with his flashlight at campfire last night and I smacked the light. He's pretty bruised up down there and we had to carry him back to the tent. I just meant to knock it out of his hands. I had no clue he'd pass out if I hit it wrong.
Did you know that skunks like chocolate? Davey left some candy in his tent. Brave critters. Woke up with a coon in sleeping bag, I guess he was cold. Can box turtles carry rabies?
Well, now that you know I'm still alive, I'm off to swimming class. They said that the snapping turtle that bit that boy's toe off last year got blew up by Scoutmaster Charlie's pipe bomb, but I'm not sure. I think I'll wear my old sneakers in the water just in case.
Love,
P
PS - what's amoebic dysentery?
Our Scoutmaster had us write to tell you everything is fine. The storm only knocked over a couple of trees here. We were all on our way to the dining hall basement when it cut loose and the oak fell on Kevin's tent AFTER we had left. We were soaking wet, the metal umbrellas didn't help much. Davey found out you can't fly like Mary Poppins if you hold it up. The lightning rods on the med lodge work good too, since Steve fell in the mud and twisted his ankle. We find out today if it's broke or not. Don't bother to call, as we're all deaf from the lightning rods strike.
Finished my First Aid merit badge, too. Steve screamed a lot, though.
The food did show up, although it was late. Wilderness survival is a partial form, though, as we only had to forage for one day. Scoutmaster Charlie built us a black powder pipe bomb, as we were tired of waiting for the fish to bite. It rained frogs and turtles for hours, I think. Can you pick me up a spool of waterproof fuse cord? Mushroom season is over, but the Boy Scout book says if there's no ring on the stem and it ain't red capped, eat it. So we did. Bradley puked all night long, though.
Did you know my allergy pills stop poison ivy? I gave one to Davey, but it didn't help. He was already broke out. Can you send a tube of Preparation H? His butt's really raw and swollen. We should have taken toilet PAPER I guess, but those shiny green leaves were SO big ....
By the way, I'm allergic to hornet stings. They're sending me home with a spare Epi-pen and an inhaler just in case at the end of the week.
Speaking of which, I won't need a bath for a while. They make us take shower twice a day here. I think I'm gonna melt. What's so fun about smacking each other's bare butts with wet towels rolled up? This welt stings so bad I can't sit down. Is it OK to pee down the drain, or was that just run-off I saw? Scotty wants to know if he should wear his jock in the shower, since everything hangs down pretty low with all the hot water.
Oh, tell Aunt Jo that she might never be a grandma. Scott was making some rude gestures with his flashlight at campfire last night and I smacked the light. He's pretty bruised up down there and we had to carry him back to the tent. I just meant to knock it out of his hands. I had no clue he'd pass out if I hit it wrong.
Did you know that skunks like chocolate? Davey left some candy in his tent. Brave critters. Woke up with a coon in sleeping bag, I guess he was cold. Can box turtles carry rabies?
Well, now that you know I'm still alive, I'm off to swimming class. They said that the snapping turtle that bit that boy's toe off last year got blew up by Scoutmaster Charlie's pipe bomb, but I'm not sure. I think I'll wear my old sneakers in the water just in case.
Love,
P
PS - what's amoebic dysentery?