Dear Scouts and Scouters, In 1941, Mahlon N. Haines began a Scouting tradition by holding the first Haines Safari, at Wizard Ranch in Hellam. He believed so strongly in Scouting, that he left Wizard Ranch to our council. In a 1960 letter, he writes, I hope to live long enough to see this as one of the great Scout Reservations in America, which will add much to making better boys, better men and better people in the community by enjoying the privileges of being out of doors. In 1987, our council started a new tradition to honor the memory of this great Scouting advocate by holding the first of the modern Safaris. The modern Safari focused on the current Scouting generation, but was also filled with memories of Safaris past. A new chapter will be added to The Great Wizard Safari tradition this year, with the holding of the eighth modern Safari for the Boy Scout Council. IRON HOR This year s program is set again in our Wild West town of Deadwood. Boy Scout units are invited to our great council encampment for the weekend, complete with gateways. Our program on Saturday is for all Scouts from Tigers to Explorers, along with activities and exhibitions for visitors of all ages. Saturday's evenings activities include a Pass In Review for all the units, followed by the famous Wizard Safari campfire show for the entire encampment and visitors, topped off with a fireworks display that will leave you breathless. Get your unit s registration in fast to hold your place, then mark your calendar for October 2-4, 2015. Scouts will be talking about this event for years to come, so plan to be at the ranch. All participants will get a patch. The Safari committee is hard at work to ensure that Mahlon Haines vision of the Wizard Ranch continues, so we hope to see you there! Yours in Scouting; John Kotchish Safari Facilities Chairperson Tony Myers Safari Program Chairperson Who Can Attend? The Wizard Safari is open to Scouts of any age, from Tigers through Explorers. This event is open to the public, so we encourage parents and families to attend and welcome all visitors. PLEASE NOTE: Only participants who pay for the weekend will be able to participate in the Cub Scout, Webelos, Boy Scout and High Adventure program. Participants will be given a bracelet that shows that they have paid for the event. All other visitors are invited to watch and participate in the special events that will be occurring throughout the weekend. Don t forget to stay for the Saturday night show and fireworks! For more information visit our website: www.wizardsafari.com
SE ENCOUNTER Where Is Wizard Ranch? Starting from the intersection of Interstate 83 and Route 30, travel east on Route 30 to the Wrightsville exit. At the end of the ramp turn left onto Cool Spring Road (follow sign toward Accomac Inn). Turn left onto Dark Hollow Road which will end at a T. Turn left onto Accomac Road. The entrance gate to Wizard Ranch will be on the right. Good Times Are Steaming In! Along with our action-packed program, we also have loads of other activities for you to see and do. Whether you re a Scout, Scouter, or visitor, here s just a taste of what you can expect: Fireworks Display Saturday night Native American dance teams and displays Branding bring leather items and scraps to get branded Scout Museum historic Haines & Scouting items on display Themed Exhibitions and Re-enactors Trading post and food court Fellowship with Scouts and Scouters Early Bird Set-up Beginning Saturday, Sept. 26, 2015 at 7:00 AM, there will be an opportunity for units wishing to erect gateways and otherwise prepare their campsite to do so. It should be understood that, although night security will be provided, all items and materials left unattended at the campsite are done so at the unit s own risk. Units wishing to utilize this opportunity should contact either Council Service Center for access to Wizard Ranch and updated encampment information.
WIZARD SAFARI PROGRAM Cub Scouts will have their own program consisting of 15 Railroad themed stations. Cubs will also be able to participate in the special events and activities and earn their participation pins. Cubs are encouraged to stay for the council wide campfire. Boy Scout/Webelos program will have 20 stations that will deal with steam railroading in the United States broken into four action areas spanning from 1800 to 1950. The program will be a learning activity with units being able to earn a participation pin for all Scouts in the unit. The program focus will NOT be on unit competition as is usually the case at a typical camporee. High Adventure at our Tombstone High Adventure Area is for Scouts 14 years of age or older. Boy Scouts must be at least First Class rank or higher to participate. The program will offer a variety of challenging events for the advanced Scouts, Venture Crews and Explorer Posts, but all are invited to watch the program to see what they can expect in years to come. Trail Grub. On Saturday, all participants will be eating lunch on the trail. They will have a half hour to eat a bag style trail lunch, while traveling from station to station, to keep the program schedule moving. Patrols should pack their lunches in their bags before they leave to hit the trail in the morning. Play Your Part To get units in the railroad feel, we are encouraging all Scouts and Scouters to dress up in their best railroad garb for the Saturday program. Costumes can be as simple as a western hat or as elaborate as a full patrol theme. Western wear ideas:, conductor, cowboys, Union soldiers, outlaws, bandito, Native-Americans, mountain men, prospectors, cavalrymen, rangers, etc. Gateway Competition One of the traditional events at the Safari has been the unit gateway competition and Safari 2015 will be no different. Units will are asked to create and build a gateway to display in front of their campsite at the Safari. Gateways should follow the theme of The Iron Horse Encounter and focus on the legacy of Scouting, a historical event, or something of note or interest from the last 100 years of Boy Scouting. Be creative and resourceful. Gateways will be judged in the following areas: Design/Construction/Exhibition, Subject Knowledge, Appearance, Neatness, Complexity, Uniqueness and Ability to Communicate the Desired Theme. Each district will select their own 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. Then from these winners we'll select the top three award winners for the council.
Family Camping Cub Scouts who wish to camp out may do so with their families in the Family Camping Area. This area will be vehicle accessible and will support tents, pop-ups and small trailers. No hook-ups for trailers will be provided. Please refer to the Vehicle Policy for specific information about set up and vehicles in camp. Each person that registers will receive an event patch with their entry fee. Online Wizard Safari Catalog Be sure to get the items you want and, in the size you need. Order your merchandise online in advance of the Safari. Choose from a full line of T-shirts, hoodies, hats, polos, patches & more. Your order will be packaged and marked with the name given on the online order then, combined with all the orders from your unit and given to your unit leader at the Wizard Safari when you check in. We encourage units to make a large single unit order before the event to simplify the distribution on the day of the event. The online e-store will closed on Thursday, August 16th. To order your merchandise, visit our website: www.wizardsafari.com then click on the estore Link.
WIZARD SAFARI encampment The encampment will be set-up Jamboree Style in one centralized area, in the large open field opposite of the main Safari activity area. Webelos, Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts and Venturers will all be camping together. The encampment will be divided up with main and side streets allowing access throughout the encampment. All units are requested to register using the enclosed form, as soon as possible. Registration forms will be used by the Safari Committee to assign actual campsites, based on each unit s estimated number of participants. Finalized site assignments will be made by September 15th. The areas will be staked out in the field for unit location. All location decisions of the Safari Committee are final. Webelos Dens, Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts and Venture Crews are expected to camp out the entire three days. Tiger and Cub Scouts will be day visitors on Saturday and Sunday, with special program activities geared specifically for them. Camping by Cub Scout Packs can occur with proper adult participation in the family camping area. Please refer to the Vehicle Policy* for specific information about set up and vehicles in camp. All units and attendees are required to observe the following Wizard Safari Encampment policies: Low-impact cooking: Propane, solar, charcoal, or other non-wood means of cooking are recommended because of scarcity of firewood and because of the limited time available for extensive meal preparation. Ground cooking fires are discouraged, but not prohibited. The National BSA Fuels Policy should be observed by all attendees. Open fires: Must follow good Scouting practices as outlined in the Boy Scout Handbook. Please do NOT bring fire wood with you to camp. To avoid the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer Beetle, we ask units choosing to use ground fires to Only use firewood gathered on Wizard Ranch property. Units should also provide their own fire rings made out of barrel sections or similar materials. The sod should also be removed from beneath the fire ring and replaced at the end of Safari. Campsite Inspections: The Safari committee realizes the size of the encampment and the amount of activities scheduled for the weekend and wants all to be able to participate without the worry of a formal inspection. Units should use good Scout camping practices for exposed ropes on tents and dining flies, along with safe practices for using axes and saws. Persons from the Safari Health and Safety committee will be around the sites looking for health and safety hazards and will ask units to correct these items immediately. Please work with these individuals when they visit your campsite. Health & Safety: Units should bring medical forms with them for all Safari participants, as they would do on any unit camp out. These forms should be kept with the unit as per their normal camp out procedures. Units should also bring their own first aid kits and have kits for the patrols as they head out to do the Scout program on Saturday. There will be an EMS team on site for serious injury and police will be on the property directing traffic and general safety patrols. *Information found at www.wizardsafari.com Since the first Safari hosted by Haines himself, there has been a tradition of units making bison burgers to experience a piece of the true West. Here s how your unit can take part. Complete and return this form along with your payment to either New Birth of Freedom Council Centers by September 3, 2015. You ll pick up your order at the Safari Trading Post on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2015. Burgers are sold frozen in 5 lb. boxes (four burgers per pound). Sorry, cases can't be broken into smaller sizes. Units should bring along a cooler to pick up their oreder. Order form
Detatch carefully and mail to: 1 Baden Powell Lane, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050 - Registration Due bu August 31, 2015 REGISTRATION FORM Unit Type: Pack Troop Crew Ship Number: District: Unit Leader: Daytime phone: Address: Number OF Cubs: Number OF Webelos: Number OF Scouts: Number OF Ventures: Number OF Adults/Leaders: Email: Evening phone: Due By: Aug. 312015 attendance Information Family Camping Information After September 25th, add a $10.00 late fee per attendee. Registration Number OF Families Camping: Number OF Family Tents/Trailers: / 5lb. Buffalo Burger Box: x $ 50.00 = All Adults in the families that are camping overnight at the Safari must be included in the number of Adults/ Leaders listed in the Attendance Information. Siblings camping in the family camping area are free. Total Attendees: x $ 25.00 = :Total Enclosed MAIL TO New Birth of Freedom Council, BSA 1 Baden Powell Ln. mechanicsburg, PA 17050 All payments are non refundable. The Wizard Safari Committee reserves the right to NOT accept late unit registrations after 9/1/2015. ST
2015 Wizard Safari The Iron Horse Encounter" October 2-4, 2015 Wizard Ranch, Hellam Township, York, PA Registration Due by August 31, 2015 New Birth of Freedom Council One Baden Powell Lane Mechanicsburg, PA 17050 Frequently asked Questions Q: Can Cub Packs camp overnight? A: Not in the unit camping area, but Webelos can camp with members of a Boy Scout Troop and Cub Scout families can camp in the family camping area. Q: Can Cubs attend just for the day or half day? A: Yes, registration will be open until 2:00 pm on Saturday, but all participants pay the same $25.00 fee. Be aware some of the activity stations require the participation of more than one Cub Scout. Q: Do parents, siblings and visitors pay? A: All Scouts, leaders and parents camping overnight pay the $25.00 Fee. Day visitors and siblings are free. Q: What is provided in the camping areas? A: Drinking water and central portable toilets. Be aware, you will need to have containers to hold the water for your campsite. For more information, please visit: www.wizardsafari.com