Vancouver Island Spring Challenge Camp
The Spring Challenge Camp takes place annually at Camp Barnard, and is widely recognised as one of the major Scouting events of the year. This camp aims to provide participants with a unique and diverse learning experience, with several stations relevant to Scouting. While Fall Skills focused on learning and perfecting Scouting skills, Spring Challenge provides Scouts with several opportunities to showcase their skills, engage in friendly competition, and foster lasting friendships.
Volunteer and Participant registration for Spring Challenge Camp 2024 is now open! See the links below to register for camp.
Please note that early registration has expired and standard fees now apply.
Standard registration per youth is $25 and per adult is $20 (ends April 26 at 2359hrs)
The standard registration form for participants can be accessed here. For additional information, please contact our Registrar, Alana Lamoureau. Camp registration will close on 19th of April at 2359 hrs.
For Volunteer registration, please contact the Event Coordinator, Jesse Poilivere, for further information.
The file for our camp ERP can be found here, and is available for download. Be advised you may have to open the file in Google Documents to view.
This year our theme is Ancient Rome, reliving the glory of one of earth’s greatest civilizations. Throughout the weekend, Scouts will take part in several stations of vital Scouting skills, along with challenges to promote further learning, teamwork and fun. Stations will be run by Venturer and Rover volunteers, promoting friendly competition and performance. Seven stations will take place on Saturday, along with the Cooking Challenge, and Campsite Gate Challenge. The Raft Challenge will take place on Sunday, although it is recommended to begin work on this challenge as soon as you can.
Awards and prizes will be handed out during the camp closing, not only to recognise expertise and success, but also camaraderie, teamwork and selflessness.
Campers will arrive on Friday around 1830 hrs, and will hike into camp. All Scouts must hike in their personal gear. Campsites for scout troops are available at Yukon and McKenzie, with Venturer and Rover volunteers camping at Columbia.
Vehicle parking at Yukon and McKenzie will not be permitted.
At 2000 hrs on Friday, an information meeting for volunteers will take place in Skeena shelter, followed by a meeting at 2100 for Scouters.
To contribute to the pantry for the cooking challenge, all Troops are requested to bring non perishable food items such as canned beans, canned vegetables, or others. All remaining non perishable food items will be donated to charity following the conclusion of the camp.
Recommended gear list for stations:
1st Aid kit
5-6 staves, 1-2 medium sized tarps
1-2 axes
1-2 hatchets
1-2 saws
flotation devices (see Raft Challenge below for acceptable materials)
a sign or baner displaying your group name
Non perishable food item for the cooking challenge
Twine and rope
On Saturday night a magic campfire will take place in the opening circle next to Skeena. Here Scouts Troops may be called upon to conduct a song, skit or cheer.
There will be seven stations that Scouts will take part in throughout the day, located throughout Camp Barnard. These stations will focus on demonstrating specific Scouting skills, without any assistance from Scouters or station leaders. Scouts will be scored based on their performance, efficiency and Scouting spirit at the station (see scoring explanation below). Scouts will use tickets they earn based on their score at each station to buy ingredients for the cooking challenge (details below). On the final morning of camp the scouts will compete in the raft building challenge (more details below). Scouters are not permitted to assist their youth in any way. Scouters; failure to adhere to this will result in demerits for your group.
Station 1: Great Fire of Rome (Fire Building)
Station 2: Aesop's Fables - The Honest Woodcutter (Axes & Saws)
Station 3: Castra (Temporary Shelters)
Station 4: Valetudinaria (First Aid)
Station 5: Offerings to the Gods (Camp Good-turn)
Station 6: Sagittariorum (Archery)
Station 7: Battle of Acitum (Canoeing)
Each Scout group will be marked on their performance at the station, their efficiency at the station, and their Scouting spirit. Be advised, bribing will no longer be able to affect your score. Please note that contrary to prior years, scores will be recorded by the station leaders and revealed to Scouts at the end of camp. Tickets for the cooking challenge will be issued by admin members when stations conclude.
Performance refers to a Scout group’s ability to complete a station, to the standard outlined by the station leaders. A Scout group’s performance at a station shall be marked out of 15, with a 1 for minimal performance, and a 15 for maximum. If a group fails to complete the station, they shall receive a 0.
Efficiency refers to a Scouts group’s ability to achieve maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort or expense, in short, to be wise in the use of all resources. A Scout group’s efficiency at a station, shall be marked out of 10, with a 1 for minimal efficiency . If a group fails to complete the station due to wasted resources or lack of effort, they shall receive a 0.
Scouting Spirit refers to a Scout group’s ability to work together as a team, while maintaining good morale and enthusiasm. A Scout group’s Scouting spirit at a station, shall be marked out of 5, with a 1 for minimal teamwork and enthusiasm, and a 5 for maximum. If a group fails to complete the station due to lack of teamwork, they shall receive a 0.
The Campsite Gate Challenge encourages Scout Troops to personalise and decorate their campsite, which promotes creativity and helps serve as an identifier for that troop. A campsite must have a gate for judges visiting the camp to enter/exit, and should display the Scout Troop’s name if possible.
The Campsite Gate Challenge will be scored based upon creativity, and will be judged at the same time as the Cooking Challenge.
The Cooking Challenge will give Scouts a chance to demonstrate their culinary skills, with the added challenge of choosing from a limited supply of ingredients. Scout groups will use tickets, received from stations throughout the day, to purchase food with which to prepare a meal. The pantry will stock several base ingredients, along with donated non-perishable food items.
Participants in the cooking challenge will have approximately 1 hour to prepare their meal, and must use only ingredients purchased from the pantry, with the exception of cooking oil, salt or pepper.
The cooking challenge will be scored based on presentation, taste, and creativity. Please note that if your dish is not prepared by the time the judges come around, you may lose marks.
The Raft Challenge presents Scout Troops with the task of building a raft capable of leaching from the lake shore, and sustaining the weight of at least one youth while manoeuvring around a set course. Scout troops must construct their raft using materials that they have brought with them, as scavenging from the campground is not permitted in this instance.
The Raft Challenge will take place on Sunday, and will be the final event before the closing of the camp.
The Raft Challenge will be scored in two parts, construction and performance. A raft must hold up to an inspection of its construction, and must be constructed primarily from staves, with a few flotation devices. In your raft you must include at least four sound lashings which contribute to the structure of your raft, a deck capable of supporting at least one youth, and a mast with a small pennant, flag or banner.Your raft may not be constructed with large watertight plastic containers, pre-cut lumber, or any separate watercrafts.
For performance, Scouts Troops will be scored based on their total time elapsed during the course, and the sturdiness of their raft while on water.
Scout Troops must construct their raft at camp, and may do so in their free time. For the inspection and performance, each Troop will be given a 5 minute time slot to report with their raft to the designated location. If your troop misses their time, they will be disqualified.
The Wide Game is a classic Scouting tradition held at events with a large number of participants. The Wide Game will challenge Scout groups to work together in four teams for a game of capture-the-flag. This will take place directly following the conclusion of stations on Saturday, before the Cooking Challenge begins. Each Scout group belonging to the winning team will receive bonus points to their overall score.
The Wide Game will take place at Skeena field, behind the admin shelter, and will require some Scouters for supervision.
On Saturday night a magic campfire will take place at Skeena Field. Here Scouts troops may be called upon to conduct a song, skit or cheer.
Friday May 5, 2023:
1830 - Intake
2000 - Volunteer info meeting led by Camp Chief
2100 - Scouter info meeting led by Camp Chiefs
Saturday May 6, 2023:
0700 - Wake up call
0900 - Opening horseshoe
1000 - Head to stations
1010 - Stations begin
1200 - Lunch break
1240 - Stations resume after lunch break
1520 - Stations end and free time begins
1530 - Wide game begins
1700 - Pantry opens and cooking challenge begins
1830 - Judges review meals
1900 - Cooking challenge ends and dinner time/free time begins
2000 - Campfire begins
2300 - Quiet time begins
Sunday May 7, 2023
0700 - Wake up call
0900 - Raft challenge begins
1100 - Raft challenge ends
1130 - Closing horseshoe and prize winners etc.
1230 - Exhaust
For questions regarding Spring Challenge Camp 2024, please contact Camp Chief James Petersen or Camp Chief Paul Nicholson.
A Discord server has also been established. This server is open to the general public and can be accessed here. Please ensure you change your usernames to your actual names when you join.
Stay safe and Be Prepared!
When: May 3, 6:30pm - May 5, 12:30pm 2024
Where: Camp Barnard, 3202 Young Lake Rd., Sooke
Media inquiries, please contact Anissa Stambouli: anissa.stambouli@scouts.ca
Scouts Canada Charity Number: 107761694RR0028