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Winter Fellowship XLVI Planning

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Winter Fellowship XLVI Planning

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Theme: Revolution

The leaders of Winter Camp have enacted a series of bizarre and oppressive rules to beat down their citizens. Of course, anytime there are dictators there are those who strive to overthrow them and their terrible rules; enter the teams, each of which has their own revolutionary platform.

Suggested Activities and Meals

Leadership Team

Youth Leader:Michael B.
Adviser:Matt G.
Activity Leader:Connor J.
Activity Adviser:Vacant .
Kitchen Leader:Jacob F.
Kitchen Adviser:Steve D.
Participation Adviser:Ethan R.

Planning Notes

Event Documents

Feel free to post your thoughts and comments on planning for Winter Camp XLVI!

Which is point 12 of the Scout Law

Your name

Your e-mail address

Your Comments

Check out what everyone else is saying:

On Wednesday, 14-Dec-2022 11:33:18 EST, Steve D. said
Got a call from Steve today, he wanted to confirm we were coming. I told him we'd be there with about 25-30 people (I hope that's true). He said we'd still be burning things but asked if we had anyone with special skills. I told him I thought Brian would be there and could work on vehicles and that the Wilsons would be able to fix most anything.
I didn't think some of our other skills would e that useful at camp.
On Saturday, 26-Nov-2022 12:25:54 EST, Steve D. said
There are a couple of things missing from the schedule, I'll fix it later today.
On Sunday, 20-Nov-2022 21:43:57 EST, Steve D. said
I don't have a plan for them, but I have a lot of empty Altoids tins. Maybe some kind of crafting thing?
On Tuesday, 15-Nov-2022 22:42:43 EST, Steve D. said
I added a couple of weird meals my Aunt suggested during a conversation this weekend. She didn't know she was suggesting them.
On Monday, 07-Nov-2022 23:40:55 EST, Alan said
test - moved the notifier script over here
On Sunday, 06-Nov-2022 22:33:48 EST, Steve D. said
This is a little regression testing.
On Tuesday, 01-Nov-2022 10:57:04 EDT, Steve D. said
Doug reported a problem which I believe is now fixed.
On Tuesday, 01-Nov-2022 10:23:50 EDT, Doug said
Testing the notifier.

Also - How about making some kettle corn for a snack. Looks to be as easy as adding some sugar to the hot oil while popping. Plan to try it this weekend at home.
On Sunday, 7-Aug-22 17:15:49 EDT, Alan
Notifier broke; might have fixed it
On Thursday, 28-Jul-22 16:03:53 EDT, Steve D.
I was watching some reels today. What if we had kind of a domino/action challenge where the teams compete to create the best display and impress the judges.
On Sunday, 24-Jul-22 12:29:28 EDT, Steve D.
We are up to 4 paid registrants!
On Sunday, 17-Jul-22 22:32:19 EDT, Uncle Ethan
I could bring enough hardcover books to camp if we want to do a "make a secret box out of a book" activity.
On Sunday, 17-Jul-22 22:31:32 EDT, Uncle Ethan
it works
On Saturday, 16-Jul-22 20:33:15 EDT, Jeff
In reviewing some old records, I discovered that the first official Winter Camp in SE Michigan was held in 1922 at the new Camp Brady. This year we celebrate 100 years.
On Friday, 15-Jul-22 23:33:46 EDT, Alan
I had to make some changes to the notifier script. Looks like while we were away, Google dropped support for the way the old script worked. I think it might work now.
On Friday, 15-Jul-22 20:32:19 EDT, Alan
Welcome back everyone (notifier test post)
On Wednesday, 27-Apr-2022 17:34:38 EDT, Alan said
I still have all those RFID tags and some readers from the GPS box project. Would be willing to make some kind of evil electronic access control system with them.

The cards can store a little bit of data on each one - perhaps we could have some kind of China-esque social credit system.

Put a badge scanner on each door - must scan before entering or an alarm goes off. Social credit too low? You have to wait an extra 15 seconds before entering.

Credit score determines order of who eats first.

Attach one to the singing fish. If you trigger it, you need to scan your card within 5 seconds or it will go off.

You have to badge in to play the pinball machine. You need a high enough score to be able to play, but playing decreases your score.

Maybe there is a leader board somewhere that has the ranking but not each player's score. You should be able to check your score somewhere, but checking it too often will make it go down (just like real life)

Dictator has a golden access badge that bypasses everything, of course.

Some kind of really not worth it way to increase your score, such as taking one of the GPS boxes for a walk, with points awarded per distance. Also some kind of mechanism to "defeat" the system when the "revolution" happens
On Wednesday, 27-Apr-2022 13:20:33 EDT, Steve said
Have to have a pass to use the bathroom.
Have to sing cadence on any walk more than 200’
Only the dictator and those loyal to him can use the cabin bathrooms
Must carry a permit to use any silverware other than a spoon. This will be known as a Forkin’ Chip and breaking rules costs you a corner.
On Wednesday, 27-Apr-2022 12:04:10 EDT, K2 said
String maze to get to the bathroom.
On Sunday, 24-Apr-2022 13:51:37 EDT, Jeff said
Participants are required to wear a name badge issued by the Winter Camp government.
On Sunday, 24-Apr-2022 12:20:12 EDT, Steve D. said
Could we add some beliefs to the list like "The Earth is flat" or "We live in a hollow sphere", "Designated hitters are the work of the devil" or "The Earth is the center of the universe"?
On Sunday, 24-Apr-2022 08:06:51 EDT, Steve said
We use Universal Measurement for everything.
We use.base 12 so there are 10 inches to a foot, 50 minutes to an hour, and 20 hours to a day.
,
On Sunday, 24-Apr-2022 01:17:09 EDT, Steve said
Everyone has to speak with a bad accent from somewhere other than the Midwest US
On Saturday, 23-Apr-2022 22:51:09 EDT, Uncle Ethan said
Here are some rules that would drive me crazy enough to participate in a revolution:

- Winter Camp Participation Award recipients get to eat first at all lunches. This includes the conglomerate lunch.
- Chopsticks must be used for all Winter Camp breakfasts. No other utensils are allowed. This includes Jackpot Grits


On Tuesday, 15-Mar-2022 16:26:56 EDT, Steve said
I wonder if we could do some kind of themed charcuterie board. You know like cake (or peasant) made of fruit for the French Revolution. I saw a fruit finosaur today and it looked doable.
On Monday, 14-Mar-2022 12:43:52 EDT, Steve D. said
I'd definitely be up for more sausage making. I don't know why, but I missed it last time. I mean I had sausage, but I must've been doing something else and didn't get to see it begin made.

Maybe it's the Bismarck thing: "Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made".
On Sunday, 13-Mar-2022 10:23:22 EDT, K2 said
And yes, the last time I recall making sausage at camp was at silver trails. Skittles were definitely involved. We made multiple flavors of sausage, including a Skittlewurst. I thought it was pretty good. It's a bit of a time consuming activity and unfortunately it's not a great group activity because most of the work involves the grinder / sausage stuffer. I've used a kitchen aid with an attachment and I also have a proper sausage grinder. Both work pretty good with pork. Venison gets tricky because the grinder gets gummed up and has to be cleaned out periodically. Based on how it went last time, I'd suggest pre-crushing skittles to help them go through the grinder easier. Pretty sure I slightly bent part of the auger that pushes the meat into the blade when we did the skittles because we threw them in whole. The only real difference between most sausages I've made is the meat used and the seasoning put into it.

As far as supplies go:
For pork sausage, I've bought pork butts and then cut them up into small enough chunks to be push into the grinder.

For venison sausage, you need to add some kind of fat and I usually add pork fat to the mix. Usually you want to target somewhere around 25-30% fat in the sausage, otherwise it won't be as moist / flavorful. Venison will turn into a hockey puck consistency if you don't add any fat.

For flavoring, I went to a local butcher and asked for enough seasoning to make however many pounds of sausage and they sold me just the seasoning mix they use to make their sausage. We could probably make our own blend as well with a little research.

When you mix the seasoning into the meat, you just enough water so it can mix into the meat evenly so you avoid big clumps of seasoning.

For the casing, I also acquired it from the local butcher. The pro tip is to also use some kind of vegetable shortening on the casing to help avoid it from ripping. There are multiple types of casing to choose from. Some people may not be a fan of this part since you're basically dealing with intestines. I know I can get both pork and sheep casing locally. I believe artificial alternatives can be found as well if so desired but I've never tried them. When you get the casing, they're usually tightly packed in salt and need to be soaked in cold water to make them easier to work with and so they don't tear.

As far as the process goes, it's pretty simple. You cut up the meat, mix in the seasoning, grind the meat twice to get the right consistency and then stuff it into the casing. The first grind uses a coarse plate and the second uses the fine plate. After that you remove the blade and use the stuffer tube with the casing pushed on to the end (this part can be challenging). So the sausage goes through the machine three times. One challenge during the whole process is keeping it cold enough because once it starts warming up (aside from the obvious food safety issues) is it gets really sticky and hard to work with. You can use bowls sitting in an ice bath to help keep things chilled.

If we didn't stuff the sausage into casing, that would save quite a bit of time / frustration. We could make sausage patties instead of links. I'd advocate going this way for breakfast sausage. It wouldn't really change the number of people being able to work on it though unless we had an army of grinders. However, that just makes that much more equipment to clean and sanitize properly which can be challenging to get all the bits of meat out of the grinder / components. I'd strongly recommend a dedicated / no longer used tooth brush to assist with this process.
On Sunday, 13-Mar-2022 10:15:14 EDT, K2 said
Holy cow Grimble, that's going in the way-back machine. Were you there for the sausage making? That was 11 years ago. I have pictures. I still had hair then apparently.
On Tuesday, 08-Mar-2022 20:44:19 EST, Steve D. said
I know the chapter board is trying to come up with a date for the picnic and they'd like to combine it with El Mediodia again. they were trying to work around Trail to Eagle, NOAC, and JYLT. I told them I thought we'd work with whatever date they came up with. Michael is both youth leader and chapter chief, so I think that's good.

I am in favor of a meeting though.


On Tuesday, 08-Mar-2022 20:10:28 EST, Uncle Ethan said
Anyone up for a spring meeting to do some early planning, check on the other follow up items from post camp meeting, and discuss if there's anything we can do to support the chapter picnic? I think we could probably set the cost and pick a theme. I'm free most evenings at 8 pm. I'm thinking a zoom meeting, but if there's an in person meeting, I could probably get to it.
On Thursday, 17-Feb-2022 12:33:42 EST, Steve D. said
Could we conduct a survey and then play a family feud game at camp? Questions could go to the whole chapter and maybe we'd do a little demographic data so we could ask questions like "We surveyed 100 youth members" or "We asked 100 vigil members"

Of course we won't hit 100 by we can multiply whatever we get and round it.
On Wednesday, 16-Feb-2022 12:59:33 EST, Steve said
We’ve made sausage before but I don’t remember if it was for breakfast. Doing it again seems fun. Last time was at Silver Trails and I think Skittles were involved.
On Wednesday, 16-Feb-2022 11:31:28 EST, Matthew Grimble said
Like making the filling and putting them in the casings etc.
On Wednesday, 16-Feb-2022 11:28:05 EST, Matthew Grimble said
For food idk if we have ever made our Breakfast Sausages? I remember K2 helping 842 at klondike one year to make them. It seems like the kind of thing that would be appropriate at winter camp
On Sunday, 30-Jan-2022 16:44:29 EST, Steve D. said
I don't think that was us.
On Sunday, 30-Jan-2022 12:13:09 EST, Ethan M said
I’m also getting Winter Camp-y vibes from the Dymo labels over the windows
On Sunday, 30-Jan-2022 08:57:32 EST, Borg Mainframe said
Robot number J5 broke free of our central programming. After further review we have come to the conclusion that this was caused by the winter camper known as "Sockless" who reprogammed many of our robots last month. Upon trying to reason with J5 he declared himself "alive". His last message to us was "I am never leaving Winter Camp! I will stay to tell the tales of Winter Camp to all future occupants of Jack Lord cabin." We tried to tell the other humans but they didnt seem to hear nor understand the beeps and boops of our message.
On Sunday, 30-Jan-2022 09:03:31 EST, Steve D. said
Yep. Brian brought a bunch of them and scattered them around. We cleaned up most of them, guess we missed that one.
On Sunday, 30-Jan-2022 08:33:39 EST, Ethan M said
I’m guessing that the blue robot in the corner of the kitchen door jamb in Jack Lord is a memento of Winter Camp XLV
On Saturday, 22-Jan-2022 23:28:53 EST, Steve D. said
Looking at things as I upload them.

Why didn't we show the bread baking video this year? We should play it just before we start baking bread.
On Saturday, 22-Jan-2022 22:34:32 EST, Steve D. said
There are big changes happening in the background of this site. If you find something weird let me know.

Today, I started creating a test version of the site because there are some big changes coming in the menu system. The test version was made more difficult by some stuff I've done for years. I'm fixing it here so it will be easier to move things from here to test or back again.
On Thursday, 20-Jan-2022 11:31:48 EST, Steve D. said
What if our theme was Winter Camp for One?
Each attendee picks a meal or activity they'd like us to do. I think we probably have enough choices to give everyone one thing of their own. If something required two parts (like building and launching rockets), you'd have to convince someone else to do the other. Same thing if you're activity was longer than probably 2 hours.
Once picked, we'd all work together to make stuff happen, just like normal.
On Friday, 14-Jan-2022 09:12:41 EST, Steve D. said
Anyone have any suggestions for a theme for Winter Camp this year?

Here's a list of some previous suggestions:
Active Themes
On Thursday, 13-Jan-2022 12:04:14 EST, Steve D. said
I think the most successful we've been with the Hobby Draw recently was the year each person had a coach (like Made) who kind of reminded them what to do. If the coach had some knowledge it would be better, but even if all they did was ask about progress I think it would help.
On Wednesday, 12-Jan-2022 14:36:53 EST, Uncle Ethan said
I think we should play arrowman bingo at Winter Camp XLVI.
On Sunday, 09-Jan-2022 23:29:53 EST, Uncle Ethan said
I think we should fire up the hobby draw again this up coming year. It’s been a while. I was involved in the push to have us all adopt the same hobby the last time we did it and I think that ended up being a dud.
On Saturday, 08-Jan-2022 20:44:44 EST, Steve D. said
https://wintercamp.com/history/xlv/photos.php
On Saturday, 08-Jan-2022 20:27:54 EST, Jacob Ferns said
Steve, where are the pictures uploaded to?
On Saturday, 08-Jan-2022 17:16:06 EST, Steve D. said
First round of pictures uploaded. I don't know if there will be a lot more, but there could be.
On Thursday, 06-Jan-2022 22:42:27 EST, Steve D. said
Most of the meals were more things to eat than suggestions for full meal themes. We could use some variety in some of our recipes, so when the menu gets planned we'll try to pick some meals based on this list and whatever theme we go with.

Pretty much just food: Pulled Pork, Alfredo with a lot of sauce so its messy, Burgers, Caveman dinner w/ chicken alfredo & Mac & Cheese, Chicken, Corn Beef Hash, Cream of Broccoli soup, Lasagna, Mansef (Arabic dish with rice + lamb), Pesto Noodles, Seven Layer Skittles, Shawarma, Split pea soup

Things which feel like a theme:
46 course meal
Cheap Meal with leftovers for lunch on 12/30
Cooking with termite
Juggling Lunch
Dutch over bread baking
On Thursday, 06-Jan-2022 22:37:39 EST, Steve D. said
Looked at the themes too. Many were new to us:
Jester School of mischief
Revolution
Anarchy
Custer's last stand
Flintstones
Gilligan's Island
World Jambos
Anime

If you suggested one of those, I'd love to get a little more info.
I think Revolutions would have tames and events based on famous revolutions.
Anime I guess would be things based on various anime characters, stories, and tropes.
World Jambos - would it be like a tour of cities that have host jambos?
Flintstones - activities based on the tv show plus weird tools?
Gilligan's Island - activities based on the tv show plus primitive conditions and jury-rigged equipment?
On Thursday, 06-Jan-2022 22:28:19 EST, Steve D. said
I started looking through the evaluations for things people suggested we should do. Many of them were things we'd already done or though of. There are a few to add:
Army crawl through paint
Directional Antenna Fox Hunt
Shotgun Shooting

There are a few more I wasn't sure what they were:
TAD Game, Adventure Geme. Are both of these related to creating a text adventure or was it something else?
Burn the pig! - anyone? is it really chasing someone down Lord of the Flies style?

On Monday, 03-Jan-2022 22:08:02 EST, Uncle Ethan said
The Winter Camp Future Society will have its annual meeting on Thursday, January 6 at 8 pm eastern. The meeting will be held in a Zoom format. Here are the details:

Topic: WCFS Meeting
Time: Jan 6, 2022 08:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85752114195?pwd=NFlScUZWVkRTSnFNbklFM1ZsZlN4Zz09

Meeting ID: 857 5211 4195
Passcode: 1wZ0R6

Thanks to Steve Donohue for securing the Zoom meeting.

A tentative agenda was sent via email. Please let me know if you didn’t get it and would like to see it. Also, please let me know if you have questions prior to the meeting.
On Monday, 03-Jan-2022 12:00:58 EST, Doug Wilson said
Found Items: Couple of items left at the end of WC XLV.

-1 liter Nalgene water bottle – Green REI with red lid and Philmont brand on the side

-1 brown ambidextrous glove with mesh grip coating. Think I saw this in the kitchen in the kitchen on occasion.

Items are currently in Saline.
On Sunday, 02-Jan-2022 09:54:14 EST, Uncle Ethan said
Hi Everyone,

As part of the wrap up process for Winter Camp XLV, we've got an online evaluation here:

Winter Camp XLV Evaluation

These will go into the same place as one you may have filled out at camp. So, if you said your peace there, please don't feel the need to fill out an online evaluation. If you didn't get a chance to turn one in or have additional thoughts, this form is a good place to make your voices heard. If you have trouble with the form, you can email me your thoughts.

These evaluations are useful for us to plan future Winter Camps.
On Saturday, 01-Jan-2022 11:44:31 EST, Jacob Ferns said
I would like to clarify my earlier posting to the forum, as mandatory was a harsh word to use. I think it would be nice if the profs of WCU embraced the 20th academic year of the school, but of course I shouldn't be demanding of them to do so. This idea could go absolutely no where, and that's ok with me. I just thought this would be something I'd enjoy seeing done at camp
On Saturday, 01-Jan-2022 11:14:44 EST, Steve D. said
For the record: I hate all of you.

Kristie must miss the fish as she is playing "Be Happy" at significant volume upstairs.
On Friday, 31-Dec-2021 19:46:05 EST, Alan said
"blindhike" should do it for the captcha
On Friday, 31-Dec-2021 19:35:08 EST, Jacob Ferns said
@alan Wilson, what is the Captcha Answer? I cannot remember it
On Friday, 31-Dec-2021 18:39:50 EST, Alan said
Test post for the Notifier. Probably everyone who sees this already knows about it, but I run a script that will email you every time there is a new post on this page. If that sounds like you, go add your email on my website here: alnwlsn.ax.lt/wintercamp/notifier/
On Friday, 31-Dec-2021 17:29:23 EST, Jacob Ferns said
In light up the upcoming 20th academic year of the Winter Camp University, I suggest some optional additional events be planned to allow youth and adults the opportunity to complete various degree requirements from all of the WCU schools. Ex: overnight hike with Jeff Rand on the Pedro Trail Yellow Loop

That being said, it should be mandatory of all WCU professors and deans that their programs be accepting willing applicants into their programs for the 2022 weekette semester.
On Thursday, 30-Dec-2021 22:31:31 EST, Michael Bristol said
Let's make lasagna at the next winter camp
On Wednesday, 30-Oct-2019 17:22:48 EDT, Steve said
Testing for XLVI