Rota%2dKiwan+is+a+187%2dacre+camp+that+operates+year+round%2e+The+camp+offers+12+cabins%2c+11+campsites%2c+and+two+dining+halls+for+rental%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aAlso+try+this+web+site+for+more+info%3a%0d%0ahttp%3a%2f%2fwww%2ebsaswmc%2eorg%2fcamp_corner%2ehtm%0d%0a

We%27ve+been+taking+about+30%2b+boys+to+Camp+Madron+%28Roto%2dki%2dwan%29+for+the+past+3+years%2e++First+year+we+had+a+very+good+experience%2c+an+extremely+friendly+and+fun+youth+staff+with+enough+experienced+scouter+%22anchors%2e%22++Second+year+most+of+the+youth+staff+returned+and+the+experience+was+pleasant%2c+but+the+new+camp+director+was+engaged+in+some+sort+of+running+dispute+with+the+youth+staff%2e%0d%0aThis+summer+%282002%29%2c+both+our+PLC+boys+and+our+adult+leaders+were+saying+%22we+need+to+look+elsewhere%22+by+mid%2dweek%2e++Almost+entirely+new+staff%2c+tended+to+be+a+bit+negative%2c+more+yelling+at+the+kids+than+we+like+to+see+%28or+would+allow+among+our+own+scout+leaders%29%2e+++We+also+experienced+an+unusual+number+of+communication+snafus%2e%2e%2e+badge+times+listed+that+weren%27t+accurate%2c+invitations+to+evening+events+that+didn%27t+happen%2c+etc%2e%0d%0aSmall+camps+like+Madron+that+don%27t+offer+a+really+broad+program+have+to+pay+extra+attention+to+the+quality+and+%22tone%22+of+the+staff%2c+since+that%27s+what+really+defines+the+camp+experience+for+the+kids%2e++In+this+case%2c+they+need+a+couple+of+years+to+rebuild%2e%0d%0a

Rota%2dKiwan+is+in+the+process+of+getting+new+shower+houses%2c+and+I%27ve+heard+they+will+have+an+all%2dnew+top%2dlevel+staff+in+2003%2e+As+the+previous+Scouter+noted%2c+the+2002+version+could+have+been+better%2e+I+know+the+council+is+trying+to+improve+the+summer+camp+program+and+staff%2e+I+hope+that+goes+well%2e+%0d%0a%0d%0aOur+young+boys+liked+it%2c+the+older+ones+were+mostly+bored%2e+%0d%0a%0d%0aThe+camp+is+great+for+off%2dseason+camping%2c+lots+of+cabins+and+plenty+of+room+outside%2e+As+close+as+this+camp+is+to+Kalamazoo%2c+it+feels+more+remote%2e+%0d%0a

Rota%2dKiwan+Reservation+is+a+great+camp+that+I+have+always+enjoyed+spending+time+at+as+a+Scout+and+now+as+a+father+of+Scouts%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aThis+summer+I+had+the+opportunity+to+camp+at+both+Camp+Madron+%28Boy+Scout+Camp%29+and+Camp+T%2e+Ben+Jonston+%28Cub+Scout+Camp%29+with+my+boys%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aCamp+Madrom+has+struggled+in+the+past+few+years+to+rebuild+its+program%2e+This+year+I+experienced+an+improvement+in+the+quality+of+program+compared+to+past+years%2e+However%2c+the+staff+is+still+a+major+issue+the+camp+must+address%2e+Many+of+the+staff+members+were+unpleasant+to+work+with%2c+and+I+have+nothing+positive+to+say+about+the+camp+director%2e+Hopefully+this+issue+is+addressed+soon%2c+or+the+declining+enrollment+of+campers+will+continue%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aCamp+T%2e+Ben+Jonston+was+a+worthwhile+experience+this+summer%2e+I+saw+significant+improvement+in+the+program+and+staff%2e+I+was+impressed+by+the+brand+new+obstacle+course+and+new+nature+program%2e+The+staff+was+young+and+a+great+group+to+interact+with%2e+They+were+also+very+enthusiastic+while+working+with+the+young+boys%2e+This+was+the+best+program+for+Cub+Scouts+I+have+experienced+in+my+years+at+this+camp%2e%0d%0a

This+year%2c+Summer+of+2006%2c+is+poised+to+be+a+great+year+for+the+Rota%2dKiwan+Scout+Reservation%2e+The+Program+Director+from+last+year+is+now+the+Camp+Director%2e+The+Camp+Director+is+a+former+section+chief+and+is+poised+to+improve+camp+and+they+have+hired+a+staff+that+is+shaping+up+to+be+excellent%2e+%0d%0a%0d%0aThe+staff+has+had+3+staff+development+weekends+in+preperation+for+this+summer+already+and+are+working+on+improving+the+program%2c+the+customer+service%2c+and+the+overall+experience%2e%0d%0a%0d%0aRota%2dKiwan+is+going+to+be+an+excellent+place+to+bring+a+troop+for+years+to+come+especially+because+the+camp%27s+leadership+has+committed+to+the+next+3+years+to+help+develop+the+program+and+to+allow+it+to+grow+and+flourish%2e+%0d%0a%0d%0aI+recommend+taking+any+troop+to+this+camp+because+the+facilities+are+good%2c+the+staff+is+excellent%2c+and+the+program+is+great%2e%0d%0a

I+have+attended+Rota%2dKiwan+for+more+than+10+summers+now+as+a+youth+camper+and+as+an+Assistant+ScoutMaster+in+my+troop%2e++This+camp+has+seen+it%27s+ups+and+downs+%28and+if+your+read+some+of+the+prior+comments+you+will+see+that+here+as+well%29%2e+I+have+to+say+2006+was+one+of+the+best+year%27s+yet+and+a+huge+improvement+over+the+worst+years+of+2002+and+2003%2e++The+staff+members+that+I+interacted+with+seemed+to+really+care+for+the+camp+and+the+experiences+we+had%2e+The+online+Merit+Badge+sign%2dups+went+well%2e+We+had+a+couple+minor+problems+that+come+with+having+a+new+software+program+for+this+but+the+Camp+Director+and+Program+Director+got+them+straigtened+out+right+away+at+check%2din%2e++If+you+left+Rota%2dKiwan+in+the+last+few+years+%28and+beleive+me+I+have+ntoiced+that+the+week+our+troop+comes+out+it+has+gotten+lighter%29%2c+you+should+consider+giving+Rota%2dKiwan+another+look%2e++It%27s+still+a+great+Camp%2c+close+to+Kalamazoo%2c+with+lots+of+great+property%2e++I+even+heard+that+%2425%2c000+is+going+into+Waterfront+improvements+for+this+summer%2e%0d%0a

I+noticed+last+year+that+the+program+had+changed+in+style%2c+I+like+the+T%2d2%2d1+for+the+younger+scouts%2e++The+older+scouts+liked+the+climbing+wall%2c+and+low+cope+course%2e++Good+idea+with+the+off+site+White+Water%2c+Horsemanship%2c+and+Climb+Kalamazoo+for+the+older+scouts+again%2e%0d%0a

Our+troop+has+visted+many+camps+in+and+out+of+Michigan%2e++We+camped+at+Rota%2dKiwan+last+for+our+Summer+Camp+and+was+very+impressed+by+the+shower+houses%3b+where+not+open+outdoor+shower+houses%2c+they+were+really+nice%2e++Our+scouts+were+able+to+use+their+T%2d2%2d1+program+that+was+really+good%2e++The+scouts+enjoyed+the+water+front+activies%2c+and+small+boat+sailing%2e++Most+of+the+scouts+worked+on+the+Archery+merit+badge+with+Mike+Clegg+who+was+very+helpfuland+the+scouts+really+like+him%2e++So+many+of+the+staff+very+friendly+and+helpful%2c+especially+the+younger+scouts%2e+We+will+be+back+to+Michigan+and+Rota%2dKiwan+Thank+you%2e%0d%0a

How+do+access+the+online+Merit+badge+sign+up+or+at+least+the+listing+of+possible+badges+and+prereqs%3f+Cannot+seem+to+find+on+Net%2e+Any+information+would+be+appreciated%2e+Troop+378+plans+to+attend+the+last+week+of+July+as+part+of+the+LDS+encampment%2e+Thank+You%2e+Don+Thomas+Scoutmaster+Troop+378%2e+dothomas%40att%2enet+or+donald%2eo%2ethomas%2eii%40delphi%2ecom%0d%0a