Our+troop+just+returned+from+our+week+at+Summer+Camp%2e++This+year+we+went+to+the+Wente+Scout+Reservation+located+in+Northern+California%2e++Wente+encompasses+over+1800+acers+of+trails+and+activites+for+Scouts+near+the+town+of+Willits%2c+CA%2e+The+camp+is+operated+by+the+San+Francisco+Bay+Area+Council%2e%0d%0a+%0d%0aThe+camp+has+a+man+made%2c+2+square+mile%2c+lake+which+offers+all+of+the+aquatic+merit+badges%2c+such+as+swimming%2c+lifesavinig%2c+canoeing%2c+rowing%2c+small+boat+sailing%2c+etc%2e++It+also+offers+horse+back+riding%2c+climbin%2c+hiking%2e+As+well+as+a+varied+list+of+other+merit+badges%2e++Our+troop+of+seventeen+boys+earned+over+80+merit+badges%2e%0d%0a+%0d%0aThe+food+was+very+good%2c+always+seconds+and+the+medical+staff+was+very+good%2c+and+instructed+the+First+Aid+Merit+badge+and+held+the+boys+to+the+letter+of+the+requirements%2e++After+listening+to+the+lecture%2c+I+would+feel+very+comfortable+in+haveing+any+of+the+boys+treat+any+emergency+situation%2c+they+might+encounter%2e%0d%0a+%0d%0aThe+rest+of+the+staff+was+equally+good%2c+and+several+of+the+boys+asked+if+we+could+come+back+again+next+year%2e%0d%0a+%0d%0aYIS%0d%0a+%0d%0aBob+Prentice%0d%0aASM+Troop+263%0d%0aPacific+Skyline+Council%0d%0a

Wente+is+a+favorite%2e++Very+competent+staff%2c+good+food%2c+a+warm%2dish+lake%2c+not+too+many+rules+allow+scouts+to+have+a+really+good%2c+safe+time%2e++It+is+hot+in+summer+there%2c+but+this+accounts+for+the+warm+water%2e++%0d%0a%0d%0aMany+programs+are+limited+to+14%2b+year+old+scouts+%28rock+climbing%2c+riflery%2c+to+name+a+couple%29+but+there+is+so+much+for+the+younger+scouts+to+do%2c+that+no+one+seemed+to+mind%2c+and+the+older+scouts+were+appreciative%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aQuite+a+few+of+our+scouts+want+to+go+back+next+year%21++%0d%0a

I+have+only+been+to+2+scout+camps+so+far+%2e%2e%2e+Fleischmann+last+year+and+Wente+this+year%2e++I+was+disappointed+with+Fleischmann+and+my+experience+at+Wente+this+year+has+confirmed+that+Wente+is+a+superior+camp%2e++My+two+biggest+complaints+with+Fleischmann+had+to+do+with+the+food+service+and+the+merit+badge+schedule%2e++At+Fleischmann+everyone+eats+at+the+same+time+and+it%27s+a+mad%2c+every+man+for+himself%2c+rush+to+the+food%2e++In+contrast%2c+Wente+has+a+very+nice%2c+enclosed+mess+hall+and+each+troop+provides+servers+that+are+responsible+for+setting+up+the+tables%2e++When+the+rest+of+the+troop+walks+in+all+they+do+is+sit+down+at+their+assigned+table%2e++It%27s+very+organized+and+relatively+neat%2c+clean%2c+and+calm%2e+My+second+major+complaint+with+Fleischmann+had+to+do+with+the+merit+badge+program%2e++Besides+the+incompetent+instructors+%28that+were+barely+older+than+the+scouts%29+the+program+left+WAY+too+much+free+time+for+the+scouts%2e++Give+adolescent+pre%2dteens+3+hours+of+free+time+and+you%27re+only+asking+for+trouble%2e++Fleischmann+merit+badge+classes+are+scheduled+such+that+each+merit+badge+is+completed+in+one+day+and+the+instructors+almost+always+let+the+boys+out+early%2e++In+contrast%2c+Camp+Wente+merit+badge+classes+span+4+days+and+each+class+lasts+1+hour%2e++It%27s+more+like+a+middle+or+high+school+schedule%2e++At+most%2c+the+boys+would+have+30+minutes+of+free+time+before+the+next+merit+badge+class+started%2e++As+other+reviewers+have+noted%2c+Wente+has+a+nice%2c+warm+lake+and+offers+some+unique+merit+badge+programs+that+include+Horsemanship+and+Mountain+Biking%2e++Based+on+my+experience%2c+I+would+recommend+Camp+Wente+and+there+is+a+very+good+chance+that+our+troop+would+return+here+in+the+future%2e%0d%0a