PRAIRIELANDS COUNCIL
PRESS RELEASE
For additional information, contact Camp Director Mike Graham at the Prairielands Council Service Center, 356-7291 ext. 6441 in Champaign/ 427-5243 at Camp Drake or TEXT to 841-1464.
SCOUTS TEST COLD WEATHER SKILLS!!
The annual winter challenge is slated for Camp Robert Drake on Saturday, January 26 near Oakwood. Just like the artic conditions of Alaska, Boy Scouts will travel via snow sleds with their survival gear attached for a series of cold-weather challenges. The Klondike Debry competition is the ultimate winter sporting event including contests of strength, speed, and outdoor techniques. Scout patrols will be tested on survival shelter making, lashing rescue gear, and fire building in freezing conditions. The Klondike Derby is an amazing team-building experience for boys in grades 6 to 12.
Scout patrols from over 40 troops from Illinois and Indiana will converge on Camp Drake. Several of the troops will have camped overnight in tents in the winter weather. Following the opening flag ceremony at 9:00 am, each group of 6 to 8 Scouts (a patrol) will traverse the ice and snow across the prosty terrain to contests of skill throughout the camp. The skill competitions judge each patrol on teamwork, Scout spirit, and skill level. Twelve contests are spread across the 410-acre camp, involving this year's adventure theme of “PENGUIN MARCH”.
The grand finale, following the skills competition, is the championship sled race. At the end of the day, all of the patrols and their sleds are lined up on the large plateau field. Upon the signal, Scouts pull their sled like a team of huskies, sliding across the snow as fast as possible. The “Yukon Jack” trophy is presented to the winning patrol at the Klondike Derby.
All of the Scouts enjoy the Klondike Derby's activities and ceremonies, making it year after year, the largest single day Scouting event of the Prairielands Council. Over 375 Scouts and leaders from throughout the 9 county council are expected for the highlight event of the winter. Klondike Chairman Kris Hoogstraat of Ashkum has recruited over sixty volunteer staff members to conduct the event.
