On September 23, 2022, 3 scouts (Austin and Andrew Prats, and Justin Gearhardt XXX) and 2 adults (Tom Coderre XXX, and M Brad Duncan) from the Miami Shawnee ember, headed out from Dayton, OH, to Camp Belzer, IN, for Fall Frenzy. When we arrived around 8:30PM (it’s a long drive from Ohio) we noticed that we were about the last ones to arrive and that most everyone else had already set up camp in the activity field. Light was fading and there was no time to waste. We all pitched our tents and hurried over for cracker barrel.

After breakfast the next morning we went on a nature hike to review local plants and trees. We then moved on to the Mastercrafter competition stations. Some of these were easy, and some of them were very difficult. For fire-by-friction they required you to dunk your kit in a bucket of water before starting! No one was really happy about that, but we persisted and it paid off. Justin got an ember in a couple minutes and Mr. Duncan got his in 17.5 seconds! After about 15 minutes on that station, we moved on to the nature station, where you had to guess 42 different plants and animals as fast as you could. As we played, we all realized how helpful that early morning nature hike was. I don’t think any of us would have done nearly as well without it.

For lunch we ate overstuffed burritos! While we ate, we picked our team for the afternoon Silver Flame competition. Our team consisted of 4 people: Austin, Andrew, Justin, and a Woodsman from another troop named Alex. We initially called our team the Fighting Falcons, though by the end of the day we came to be known as the or Farting Falcons (depending on who you ask).  

Our Silver Flame team excelled at the egg carry station and would have made 1^st place, but because of a penalty drop, we ended up in second place. For the last station, fire building + Man’s First Meal, we had to make 5 different small fires using the following methods: battery & steel wool, Ferro rods, magnifying glass, fire-by-friction, and matches (this one included Man’s First Meal where you had to cook and later eat an onion). Justin made the fire-by-friction fire, Alex made the match fire, Andrew made a fire with a battery and steel wool, and Austin made fires with both the Ferro rod and a magnifying glass. We were successful with all methods.

While we were at the fire building station Austin and Justin both got a shot at their Mastercrafter fires that they were unable to attempt earlier in the day. Justin completed his and bunt through both strings, but Austin didn’t have enough time to finish his fire because they shut down the station for supper - spaghetti and meatballs with ice cream for dessert.

In the morning we got up, ate breakfast, and went to the awards ceremony. Austin Prats earned the Campercrafter award, our new friend Alex earned the Woodsmancrafter award, and Mr. Duncan earned the Alumni Mastercrafter award for the second year in a row. Overall, we had an amazing experience, and look forward to going again next year. Fall Frenzy is FUN!

By Austin Prats, Camper & Star Scout

October 26, 2022