Duty to God Program
As members of the Boy Scouts of America, each member pledges to “. . .do my duty to God . . .” and Ockanickon offers a variety of ways to do this duty. Our program includes two evening vesper services, one morning silent meditation and three daily devotionals. Each Scout and Scouter can earn a “Duty to God” patch by completing five simple requirements entirely doable during a week in camp. Each year, a new patch in a sequence of four will be offered that form a square as depicted below:
The first patch received will always be the kneeling Scout. Those who’ve participated in the program before will receive the fishes in the stream patch.
Requirements
Each Scout or Scouter that wishes to complete the first part of the “Duty to God” patch program must do the following:
- listen to a presentation about the religious emblem program which will be done during the Monday morning meal.
- attend one camp worship service (OSR services are Sunday and Monday evening)
- attend 3 daily devotionals offered Wed, Thurs and Fri during both breakfasts.
- say grace before meals.
- fill out and return an evaluation survey form about the patch program.
Worship services and daily devotionals can also be done at the unit level. The patch will be available for purchase at the Ockanickon Trading Post for $3.00 once the evaluation and participation sheet has been received. If you have any questions about the camp religious programs please speak with Ockanickon’s Chaplain Betsy Lerch.
Schedule of Religious Services
- Scouts’ Own Vespers Service – Sunday 7:30 to 7:55 PM at the Chapel, Monday 7:00 PM in Palmer B (handicapped accessible)
- Daily Devotionals – Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday during Meal A for units that eat Meal B and Meal B for units that eat Meal A
- Jewish Service – Friday 7:30 PM to 7:50 PM in Palmer B (handicapped accessible)
If a camper has mobility restrictions that prevent him or her from attending the Daily Devotionals they can be moved Handicraft upon request.
Rev. Betsy Lerch attends the Sunday Leader Meeting to answer questions about the OSR religious services and Duty to God program
Unit Rafting and Tubing
Ockanickon has offered rafting and tubing in the past, but now Ockanickon has worked with Bucks County River Country to provide a superior open water experience on the Delaware River. New opportunities include canoeing and kayaking as well as transportation provided by a premier outfitter. Ockanickon has worked to get the best price possible for Scout units and we believe we’ve succeeded. Ockanickon receives no income from Bucks County River Country.
Time: Weekday trips beginning between 8:30 AM and 2:00 PM
Cost per Scout: $12 for tubing, $15 for rafting. Other options available, contact Bucks County River Country.
Transportation: As provided by your unit or for an additional cost by Bucks County River Country
Participation Limits: None, as determined by each unit.
Additional Information: Please contact Bucks County River Country with specific questions or visit BCRC on the web at: http://www.rivercountry.net. Pricing for BCRC’s full range of river outing options is available at http://www.rivercountry.net/prices.html
Before You Come to Camp: Each Scout participating in a BCRC must bring a signed copy of BCRC’s Rafting Release of Liability Form.
Airband Competition
Continuing Ockanickon’s tradition of non-traditional program, a unit airband competition will be offered each week. This activity is open to both youth and adults and prizes of various degrees will be available to those who are particularly gifted at playing non-existent instruments.
What’s an airband? An airband in the outgrowth of playing the air guitar. Air guitar, or air anything, is playing an imaginary instrument to the music of a song. The air guitar became popular with the first wave of British rock in 1970s. An airband is where a whole bunch people play different imaginary instruments, once again to a song being played in the background.
How can you score someone on playing an imaginary instrument? The judges for the airband competition will be looking for four things:
1) Enthusiasm – is your airband playing it’s heart out? Even if the song isn’t terribly loud or upbeat, Scout enthusiasm can still shine through. (5 points)
2) Technique – do the drummer’s hands hit the imaginary drum hand at the right time or does he look like an someone that’s being electrocuted? Part of airbanding is presenting that you have a passing familiarity with instrumentation or can at least fake looking like you do. (5 points)
3) Imitation – does your airband group take look and act like the group that’s actually doing the song? If someone does Jethro Tull, does the flutist do the entire piece on one leg? Is your cover of the Beach Boys done by kids wearing Hawaii shirts? (5 points)
4) Enthusiasm – it’s Scouting. Doing something loudly with energy only a teenage Boy Scout can muster can overcome even the greatest of obstacles. (5 points)
What’s required for an airband team? Each team must have between three and six members.
Each unit may submit up to one all adult team, up to one all youth team or a single mixed team of youth and adult team. If a mixed team is submitted a unit may submit no other teams.
How can a group sign-up? Groups may sign-up ahead of time or in camp. No two groups can do the same song during the same week so it is wise to sign-up early. Before camp, email your unit number and week attending camp as well as what song(s) your group(s) would like to do to questions@ockanickon.org. Requests will be honored in the order they are received.
When is the competition? The airband competition will be held along side the volleyball tournament on Thursday.
Rules
- Each team must have between three and six members.
- Each unit may submit up to one all adult team, up to one all youth team or a single mixed team of youth and adult team. If a mixed team is submitted a unit may submit no other teams.
- The camp will provide a hairbrush as a fake microphone for the lead singer and a stool for the drummer, no other props may be used to represent instruments or sound equipment.
- Teams may have costumes and props assuming that the items are Scout appropriate. Using inappropriate props or costuming will result in disqualification.
- Units must sign-up before Wednesday 5:00 PM.
Bonuses
- Any youth team in a troop where an adult team also performs will receive a two point bonus.
- Any team that performs a song deemed “rarely performed” will receive a two point bonus. No definitive “rarely performed” list exists so there’s some guessing involved.
- Teams whose lead singer is the opposite gender as the lead singer of the song will receive a two point bonus. The best of Heart looks a lot better now, doesn’t it?
- Your team may inadvertently score bonus points by selecting a favorite song of the judges.
Prizes
Official Ockanickon Associates degrees in Airbandry will be awarded to the top placers in each category as well as to the best over all score.
Song List
Ockanickon’s crack team of music experts has combed over the annals of rock music to find a collection of tunes that are under 4:30, include lyrics, have been approved for content by the FCC and that could be found in the “1000 Greatest Rock Songs” box set. In some cases, radio edits have been used to allow songs to be of appropriate length. Remember: Before camp, email your unit number and week attending camp as well as what song(s) your group(s) would like to do to questions@ockanickon.org. Requests will be honored in the order they are received.
| Song | Performer |
|---|---|
| Dancing Queen | ABBA |
| Dude Looks Like a Lady | Aerosmith |
| Walk This Way | Aerosmith |
| All Out of Love | Air Supply |
| School’s Out | Alice Cooper |
| Heat of the Moment | Asia |
| Takin Care of Business | Bachman Turner Overdrive |
| Barbara Ann | Beach Boys |
| Fun Fun Fun | Beach Boys |
| Surfin’ USA | Beach Boys |
| Stayin’ Alive | Beegees |
| Dancing With Myself | Billy Idol |
| Rebel Yell | Billy Idol |
| Only the Good Die Young | Billy Joel |
| Uptown Girl | Billy Joel |
| Heart of Glass | Blondie |
| Burnin’ For You | Blue Oyster Cult |
| Old Time Rock n’ Roll | Bob Seger |
| Don’t Worry Be Happy | Bobby McFarrin |
| Livin’ on a Prayer | Bon Jovi |
| More than a Feeling | Boston |
| Rock and Roll band | Boston |
| Glory Days | Bruce Springstein |
| Summer of 69 | Bryan Adams |
| Kung Fu Fighting | Carl Douglas |
| 25 or 6 to 4 | Chicago |
| Girls Just Want to Have Fun | Cindy Lauper |
| Karma Camelion | Culture Club |
| Died In Your Arms | Cuttin Crew |
| Changes | David Bowie |
| Under Pressure | David Bowie |
| Come on Eileen | Dexy’s Midnight Runners |
| Hungry Like the Wolf | Duran Duran |
| September | Earth, Wind and Fire |
| Shining Star | Earth, Wind and Fire |
| Don’t Bring Me Down | ELO |
| Evil Woman | ELO |
| Crocodile Rock | Elton John |
| Don’t Go Breaking My Heart | Elton John & Kiki Dee |
| Rocket Man | Elton John |
| She Drives Me Crazy | Fine Young Cannibals |
| Signs | Five Man Electrical Band |
| Cold as Ice | Foreigner |
| Hot Blooded | Foreigner |
| That’s All | Genesis |
| We Got the Beat | Go-Go’s |
| Welcome to the Jungle | Guns and Roses |
| Maneater | Hall and Oates |
| Day-O | Harry Belafonte |
| Jump In the Line | Harry Belafonte |
| Barracuda | Heart |
| Crazy on You | Heart |
| Power of Love | Huey Lewis |
| Higher and Higher | Jackie Wilson |
| Running on Empty | Jackson Browne |
| Mr. Big Stuff | Jean Knight |
| Bungle in the Jungle | Jethro Tull |
| I Love Rock and Roll | Joan Jett |
| Pink Houses | John Mellencamp |
| Don’t Stop Believin’ | Journey |
| Wayward Son | Kansas |
| Walkin on Sunshine | Katrina and the Waves |
| Rock and Roll all Nite | KISS |
| My Sharona | Knack |
| Funky Town | Lipps, Inc |
| Back In Love Again | LTD |
| Material Girl | Madonna |
| Down Under | Men at Work |
| The Safety Dance | Men Without Hats |
| I Melt With You | Modern English |
| Spirit in the Sky | Norman Greenbaum |
| Hit Me With Your Best Shot | Pat Benatar |
| Big Time | Peter Gabriel |
| Bicycle Race | Queen |
| Don’t Stop Me Now | Queen |
| We Are the Champions | Queen |
| End of the World as we Know It | REM |
| Can’t Fight This Feeling | REO Speedwagon |
| Jessie’s Girl | Rick Springfield |
| Addicted to Love | Robert Palmer |
| Satisfaction | Rolling Stones |
| Carwash | Rose Royce |
| Tom Sawyer | Rush |
| Workin’ Man | Rush |
| Don’t You Forget About Me | Simple Minds |
| Tainted Love | Soft Cell |
| Tempted | Squeeze |
| Magic Carpet Ride | Steppenwolf |
| Jungle Love | Steve Miller |
| Rock This Town | Stray Cats |
| Lady | Styx |
| Bloody Well Right | Supertramp |
| Everybody Wants to Rule the World | Tears for Fears |
| Rambling Man | The Allman Brothers |
| Walk Like an Egyptian | The Bangles |
| Hard Day’s Night | The Beatles |
| Can’t Buy Me Love | The Beatles |
| Twist and Shout | The Beatles |
| Video Killed The Radio Star | The Buggles |
| Just What I Needed | The Cars |
| My Best Friend’s Girl | The Cars |
| Should I Stay or Should I Go | The Clash |
| Train in Vain | The Clash |
| Friday I’m In Love | The Cure |
| Light My Fire | The Doors |
| Break on Through | The Doors |
| No Time | The Guess Who |
| You Really Got Me | The Kinks |
| Life During Wartime | The Talking Heads |
| Five O’ Clock World | The Vogues |
| My Generation | The Who |
| What’s Love Got To Do With It | Tina Turner |
| It’s Not Unusual | Tom Jones |
| I Think We’re Alone Now | Tommy James and the Shondells |
| Eight Six Seven Five | Tommy Two Tone |
| We’re Not Gonna Take It | Twisted Sister |
| Jump | Van Halen |
| Panama | Van Halen |
| In The Navy | Village People |
| Macho Man | Village People |
| Every Have Fun Tonight | Wang Chung |
| Werewolves of London | Warren Zevon |
| Here I Go Again | Whitesnake |
Other Troop Activities
Units that succeed in offering quality, safe program can receive recognition in a number of ways. Please note, that these award are administered by the camp but units must submit complete awards forms to receive recognition.
| Activity | Description |
|---|---|
| Bamboo Lashing Competition | Lashings have served as a basic Scout skill since Brownsea Island but rarely have they been used as more than mere tools. On Friday, in the Scoutcraft Field, units will have from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM to lash a bamboo structure scored on artistry, lashing integrity and complexity. Constructs must fit with the theme that will be announced in the Daily Times on Monday of each week. Units may use any accepted lashings including the American Tressel and the Pacific Rim Tressel to construct their pieces. Bamboo will be provided and is the only allowable construction material except for rope that each unit must provide. Judging will occur Friday evening and units must take down their structures before the Friday Evening Campfire. See Scoutcraft for details. |
| Clean Campsite Award | An award is available that recognizes your Troop’s cleanliness in camp. Units will appraise their own performance under the guidance of the camp commissioners and units that maintain standards of cleanliness and safety will receive glory and praise. |
| Closing Campfire Program | The Sunday Opening Campfire’s program is provided by the Staff, the Friday Closing Campfire’s program is provided by the units. Each unit may submit both a song or cheer and skit. Original or creative skits will be added to the program where unoriginal or repetitive skits will be excluded and units will be asked to do their cheer or short song. |
| Golden Skillet | A Scout is Hungry has always been the 13th point of the Scout Law, and executing this imperative has always been vital to Scouting. Now you can pit your cooking abilities against other units in camp and fight for the coveted Golden Skillet which has been passed down from generation to generation in celebration of the venerable tradition of competitive gastronomy. Your Troop may prepare and submit on entree and one dessert for review by our celebrity panel of experts, gadflies, commissioners, and fellow campers that will rate your culinary acumen against those others submitted. All entries must be prepared entirely during your stay at camp and ingredients may be brought or purchased at a local food store. If you are interested, please set inform the Program Director or respond in the entry form you will receive in your Check-In Packet. Please size your entries such that six (6) reviews could have a small sample of the dish. Please visit the main office to schedule an adjudication time. |
| Honor Camper | The basic unit in Scouting is the patrol and the basic unit in camp is the troop. Still, within these frameworks there is space for exceptional Scouts to rise and be recognized |
| Honor Patrol | The Honor Patrol Award recognizes patrols that participate in a variety of camp activities. |
| Honor Troop | The Honor Troop Award recognizes troops that plan and carry out a full Scouting program at summer camp. |
| Inter-troop Games | Troops are encouraged to participate in our weekly staff challenges. We look forward to repeating the volleyball tournaments of last year. Details of such events will be available upon your arrival to camp. |
| Map and Quiz Course | Ockanickon is a big place with lots of areas supplying lots of activities. The Map and Quiz course leads Scouts of all knowledge levels around Ockanickon and familiarized them with both the layout and offerings of each area. The course can be completed with a little investigation and be done at any time during the week by both youth and adults. |
| GPS | Add information on camp geocaching |
| Open Games | The volleyball court and parade field are always open, weather permitting, for games allowed by the Guide to Safe Scouting. Two tetherball poles are located next to the gazebo in front of the pool and the paved area in front of Eagle hosts two basketball hoops. Volleyballs and basketballs will be available at camp. |
| Orienteering and Compass Courses | The orienteering and compass courses provided by Scoutcraft can be used my anyone staying at Ockanickon. Maps and orienteering courses are available through Scoutcraft. Compasses will not be provided. |
| Service Projects | Service and conservation projects that benefit our camp are always available. Troops, Patrols, and individual Scouts are encouraged to seek out opportunities to do a good turn and check with the camp management to approve an idea |
| Troop Boating | Small groups interested in an evening activity can speak with the Lake Director the week of their stay to arrange evening boating. This activity is available Tuesday and Thursday |
| Troop Games | Units wanting semi-organized competition may sign-up for volleyball and ultimate frisbee games on the sign-up sheets outside the main office. Units may only sign up for one of each type of game session each week and all games are weather-permitting. |
| Volleyball Tournament | Each unit with under 50 Scouts may field a single team for the Volleyball Tournament and units with more than 50 Scouts may field two. These teams of up to six people compete in a single elimination tournament for the final match-up against the staff. This activity is run concurrently with the Airband Competition and units may participate in both. Sign-up forms will be placed in unit mailboxes and will be available in the main office. |
| Water Carnival | Activities for Scouts of all swimming skill levels let everyone get wet at the Water Carnival. Fun is the emphasis so the best swimmers winning is pure coincidence. The events are ridiculous and fun to watch so non-participant campers can have fun too. Sign-up forms can be picked up at the pool. |