Geiger Samples: 2

 

The adults of Troop 451 are not simply looking after our Scouts and enjoying otherwise-leisurely days at Camp Geiger. One activity that is a long-standing Troop 451 tradition is the Service Project. In years past, Troop service projects at the camp have ranged from roofing and decking new buildings to constructing platforms for the new shotgun range.

The Crew, hard at it. From Left to Right: Mr. Williams, Mr. Lueking, and Mr. Kral.

This year’s project was rather less demanding than those from previous years (and a bit reminiscent of this year’s Hammerhead Day!) Several adult members pitched in to finish a new set of steps by the headquarters building.

Mr. Williams takes a well-deserved break.

Headquarters sits on a steep slope. From the drive, it looks like any other one-story cabin; from the rear, a clear two stories are evident. Owing to the declivity, going from the front, above, to the rear, below was a hazardous undertaking for camp staff, campers, and visitors. To reduce the potential for harm while traversing the sharp incline, the Camp Ranger decided that a decent flight of outdoor steps was in order.

Mr. Lueking tamping the steps.

When we arrived for our project, the wooden forms for the steps were already in place and mostly filled with a fine, almost sand-like dusty grey gravel fill. Our task was to wet the fill gravel and firmly tamp it into place. When done properly, this yields a very firm, nearly concrete-like surface for the pathway. Unlike concrete, however, this “rammed-rock” drains easily. Tamping properly is obviously a crucial part of the entire process. Fortunately, an adequate tamper was on-site so this part of the job was not overly arduous. This was helped by the fact that we routinely rotated tamping duties. As we tamped, however, the fill was compacted more and more, lowering its level (just as intended). This meant that more gravel fill had to be added to the steps. We then shoveled in more fill gravel, raked it level, re-tamped and re-wetted it. For each step, we went through several cycles of this process  before the level of the steps was up level with the form boards (the desired standard).

Mr. Kleid waters the gravel.

Of course, getting more fill gravel meant running the wheel barrow back up the hill to where the extra fill was piled, shoveling in a load, and then bringing the now-much-heavier barrow back down the hill. Controlling a loaded wheelbarrow on so steep a slope is a feat of strength and skill. This task was mostly managed by Mr. Kral, who also shoveled and raked quite a bit. Other members of the crew also pitched in with shoveling, raking, tamping, watering, and shoveling again. In addition to the steps themselves, the Troop 451 volunteers were asked to rake and seed some bare areas of the slope beside the stairway. While we were working, our task seemed to take quite a long time on that warm Missouri morning. Camp staff, however, inspected the job and declared it done before it was time for us to break for lunch and join the troop. 

In addition to Mr. Kral, the crew members were Mr. Covington (who, wisely, stuck to supervising), Mr. Kleid, Mr. Lueking, Mr. Rawson, and Mr. Williams. Other would-be volunteers were needed back at the campsite or at the swimming pool and thus did not get a chance to pitch in here. Of course, if they had not been tending to those duties, the service project crew would not have been able to accomplish its goals.

Mr. Covington makes sure the job gets done right!

Survivors of previous service projects probably sneer at our own meager effort. Nevertheless, once again, Troop 451 has done what was asked of us in order to make Camp Geiger an even better place and ensure that it will be there to serve our Troop and many others in days to come.