Text 18745, 73 rader
Skriven 2005-12-16 12:02:48 av Ward Dossche (2:292/854)
     Kommentar till en text av SHANNON TALLEY
Ärende: Re: help needed
=======================
> Ward -- That was volunteer work, doesn't count <grin>  I don't expect you
> attempted to solicit for tips... did you? <g> :-) It's not like the
> priesthood.
 
As explained to Bob all camp positions need to be paid ... we're talking here 6
weeks continuous hard work with technically 6-8 free hours per week.
 
Do you think you can motivate volunteer kitchen-workers who start their duty at
4.30am in order to get a warm breakfast ready by 7.45am with scouting slogans
only?
 
You either pay them a competitive salary or there is no camp. I'm obviously not
talking about weekend-outings.
 
My aquatics director always said there was no place where he could make so much
money so quick.
 
My duties started by 6.30-6.45 am getting-up, putting on the olive-green
uniform, shorts, socks with reds thingies fluttering and then walking 1-2 miles
to the camp-site of the troop to which I was assigned as commissioner, wake-up
the guy (usually a kid) that was assigned dining-hall duty. Make certain he was
walking by 7.00-7.15 so that he would get instructions for setting-tables
otherwise his troop would not get breakfast.
 
Wake the scoutmaster, walk back the distance to the waterfront, set-up the
buddy-board, fuel the motorboats, clean-and-prepare row-boats and canoes. Back
to the dining-hall for breakfast. Get breakfast, be at the waterfront by
8.50am. Change in swimmingsuit (whatever the watertemperature ... 50øF would be
considered warm as the lake was glacier-fed)  and be ready by 9.00AM when the
LGB's came down for instruction in swimming/canoeing/rowing/sailing/Water
-skiing/motor-boating/... in 3 one-hour sessions.
 
12am: make certain you grabbed that guy from early-morning in the neck again to
set the table for lunch. Get lunch at 12.30, then from 2.00pm till 5pm 3
one-hour free-waterfrontactivities (this meant life-guard duty). By 5.30pm
dinner, be ready by 6.30pm for a canoe-trip to a river on the lake to shoot
some rapids. Be back by 8.30pm, barely in time for an evening-programme put-on
by staff.
 
Such an evening-programme could be a Bi-Centennial prentation in 1976 where we
covered the discovery of the Americas, the Lewis&Clarck expedition, the signing
of the Declaration of Independance and other milestones in US history (the
arrival of a Swedish trapper in Minnesota was hilarious) in one 2-hour
presentation.
 
It could be a funny version of "Let's Make a Deal", the "Gong Show", "The
Wizard of Oz".
 
There were also serious programmes like a ranger from nearby Glacier Park
coming to talk about Park-safety, how to deal with large animals, etc...
 
We had the "mile swim" event to put up, merrit-badge tests and make-up
sessions. There was an opening and a closing camp-fire. We needed to organise
somewhat spiritual services for the various denominations that were in camp
that week, etc, etc...
 
It was hard, very hard, work ... and I loved every minute of it.
 
There was no place on earth that I could imagine myself (at that time) more
wonderful than the rough back-country of that Montana scoutcamp in the middle
of nowhere in the foothills of the Rockies. We had snow on July 17th,
blistering hot sun another day, torrential rains, harrassed by Grizzlies, there
was an abundance of badgers ... I had the time of my life there.
 
Take care,
 
 \%/@rd
 
BTW, I refused payment ... getting that thrill and experience was payment
enough.

--- IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA
 * Origin: "Leonard will be free" - http://www.leonardpeltier.org (2:292/854)