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January 20, 2008

Scouts build skills through teamwork at Klondike Derby

By Keith Gushard

01/21/08 — “It’s realistic and gives you skills you may have to use some day,” said Tyler Marzka, 15, of Cambridge Springs.

Marzka had just successfully completed crossing a gulch on a seated sling while carrying wood. He got help from his fellow members of Boy Scout Troop 235 of Cambridge Springs.

“It’s about building team work, the leadership skills of the boys and problem-solving,” said Charles Davis, director of the annual Klondike Derby held over the weekend at Custalogatown Scout Reservation south of Carlton.

Marzka and about 90 other Boy Scouts were part of the annualwinter event for local troops from the Boy Scouts Washington Trail District, which includes Crawford County.

Scout teams must pull a dog sled to different stations set up at the Custalogatown Scout Reservation and do activities that test basic Scouting skills, said Davis.

One of the activities at this year’s derby was fire building — a timed event in which Scouts had to build a fire from scratch that was high enough to burn a rope that was at a pre-set height.

Blind tent setup was another timed event for the Scouts. In it, Scout teams were blindfolded and had to set up a tent following instructions given to them only by their senior patrol leader or patrol leader, Davis said.

Scouts also practiced pioneering skills — using knots and lashings. They had to build a bridge using rope and logs.

The Scouts had some games involved, too, in the derby, Davis said.

Those included turkey bowling using frozen turkeys and team skiing where five Scouts were put together on skis and had to learn to move in unison in order to propel themselves forward, Davis said.

Marzka said he enjoyed doing the winter sports, but also liked the socialization aspect of meeting other Scouts.

“You get to meet a lot of new people,” he said. “You have friends at your one school, but it’s great to get to meet Scouts from other schools.”

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