Sol+Mayer+is+located+just+east+of+Ft%2e+McKavett%2c+Texas%2e+Ft%2e+McKavett+is+located+between+Menard+and+Eldorado%2c+off+US+Highway+190%2e+It+is+a+weekend+camp+operated+by+the+Concho+Valley+Council%2e+%0d%0a%0d%0aThere+is+additional%2c+mainly+historic+information+for+the+camp+at%3a%0d%0ahttp%3a%2f%2fwww%2eweb%2daccess%2enet%2f%7efhilton%2fCamp_solmayer%2ehtml%0d%0a

During+the+week+of+June+5%2d11%2c+2005%2c+our+troop+attended+summer+camp+at+Camp+Sol+Mayer+near+Menard%2c+Texas%2e++The+camp%2c+operated+by+the+Concho+Valley+Council++%3chttp%3a%2f%2fserver1060%2egisol%2ecom%2f%7ebsa741%2f%3e+in+San+Angelo%2c+is+about+160+miles+west+of+where+we+live%2e++This+was+our+very+first+visit+to+Camp%0d%0aSol+Mayer+for+summer+camp+and+we+weren%27t+disappointed%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aThis+was+the+%22big%22+week+for+the+camp+with+about+170+Scouts+representing+14+troops%2e++The+camp+operates+for+three+weeks%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aWe+had+18+Scouts+and+5+adults+attending+summer+camp+plus+6+Scouts+and+1+adult+attending+the+West+Texas+Ranch+Adventure%2c+the+camp%27s+high%0d%0aadventure+horseback+program%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aThe+camp+fee+was+%24150+per+Scout+and+included+a+camp+t%2dshirt+as+we+paid+at+least+half+our+fees+by+May+3rd%2e++Two+adults+were+free+with+%2475%0d%0acharged+for+additional+adults%2e++Each+summer+camper+also+received+a+plastic+camp+mug+to+use+in+the+dining+hall+and+at+the+program+areas%2e%0d%0aThe+fee+for+the+West+Texas+Ranch+Adventure+was+%24250+per+participant%2e++In+my+opinion%2c+the+fees+charged+by+Camp+Sol+Mayer+were+an+excellent+value%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aAdditional+fees+were+charged+for+the+crafts+badges+but+there+were+no+extra+fees+for+Rifle+Shooting+or+Shotgun+Shooting%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aThis+was+my+27th+trip+to+summer+camp+and+the+12th+different+camp+I%27ve+attended%2e++From+an+overall+standpoint%2c+we+had+a+very+positive+week+at+Camp+Sol+Mayer%2e++This+was+quite+remarkable+considering+what+had+taken+place+during+the+week+or+so+prior+to+camp+as+the+camp+had+experienced+a%0d%0aflood+and+a+F1+tornado+which+damaged+several+structures%2e++The+camp+administration%2c+camp+ranger%2c+staff+and+council+volunteers+did+a%0d%0aremarkable+job+in+preparing+the+camp+for+the+summer+camping+season%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aAs+far+as+a+detailed+evaluation%2c+I%27m+using+these+ratings%3a%0d%0a++++++++++++++++A+%3d+Excellent%0d%0a++++++++++++++++B+%3d+Above+Average%0d%0a++++++++++++++++C+%3d+Average%0d%0a++++++++++++++++D+%3d+Below+Average%0d%0a++++++++++++++++F+%3d+Unsatisfactory%0d%0a%0d%0aPre+Camp+Information+%26+Ease+of+Arranging+the+Trip%0d%0a%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%0d%0aGrade+%3d+B%0d%0aThe+Leaders%27+Guide+was+adequate%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aWe+were+able+to+pre%2dregister+for+most+of+the+classes+and+special+activities+but+a+few+schedule+changes+were+necessary+after+we+arrived%2e%0d%0aHowever%2c+this+wasn%27t+a+significant+problem+and+all+our+Scouts+wound+up+with+schedules+they+enjoyed%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aOne+thing+missing+was+a+list+of+%22Scoutmaster+Notes%22+which+would+have+been+nice+to+have+at+check%2din+rather+than+having+to+take+several%0d%0apages+of+notes+during+the+initial+leaders%27+meeting+on+Sunday+night%2e++A+few+camps+seem+to+do+this+but+Sol+Mayer+isn%27t+one+of+them%2e%0d%0a%0d%0a%0d%0aCheck+in%2fout+Process+%2d+Arrival+%26+Departure%0d%0a%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%0d%0aGrade%3a+A%2b%0d%0aNo+problems+and+everything+went+well%2e%0d%0a%0d%0a%0d%0aCamp+Administration%0d%0a%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%0d%0aGrade+%3d+A%2b%0d%0aAn+excellent+Camp+Director+and+Program+Director+duo%2e++They+demonstrated+a+great+deal+of+humor+and+addressed+concerns+as+needed%2e++During%0d%0aactivities+at+the+pool+on+Sunday+and+Monday%2c+money+was+stolen+from+two+of+our+Scouts+as+well+as+from+several+other+boys%2e++After+a+very+stern%0d%0atalk+by+the+Camp+Director+to+the+assembled+campers+prior+to+lunch+on+Monday%2c+the+theft+ceased%2e++On+Wednesday%2c+the+CD+reimbursed+the+Scouts+for+their+missing+money+with+an+explanation+that+he+didn%27t+want+these+boys+to+have+a+negative+summer+camp+experience%2e++This+action+impressed+me+greatly+as+I%27ve+never+seen+similar+action+by+a+Camp+Director+in+the+past%2e%0d%0a%0d%0a%0d%0aCamp+Commissioner+Program%0d%0a%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%0d%0aGrade+%3d+C%0d%0aThe+camp+had+one+volunteer+Commissioner+who+spent+most+of+his+time+inspecting+camp+sites%2e++A+long+time+Scouter%2c+he+was+very+friendly+and%0d%0ahelpful+but+this+program+could+have+been+better+if+there+had+been+a+second+Commissioner+to+do+more+extensive+%22Commissioner%22+type+tasks%2e%0d%0a%0d%0a%0d%0aCamp+Staff%0d%0a%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%0d%0aGrade%3a+A%0d%0aA+couple+of+problems+but+very+competent+from+an+overall+standpoint%2e++The+aquatics+and+shooting+sports+staffs+were+especially+competent%2e%0d%0a%0d%0a%0d%0aOur+Campsite%0d%0a%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%2d%0d%0aGrade+%3d+A%2b%2b%0d%0aWe+had+a+very+nice+shaded+campsite+along+the+San+Saba+River%2e++I+actually+had+to+get+in+my+sleeping+bag+each+night%2c+something+rare+at+most+Texas+Scout+camps%2e++The+%22off+river%22+campsites+had+no+natural+shade+at+all+but+each+one+did+have+a+nice+large+shel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