Whitewater Merit Badge 2024 – Hosted by Troop 70 – All Scouts BSA Welcome

Merit Badge Counselor: Scoutmaster Ken Newton

Who is Scoutmaster Newton

Ken Newton has been an adult leader in scouting for 8 years starting as a Treasurer, Committee Member, and later Cubmaster of Pack 7340.  Mr. Newton bridged with his son to Troop 70 in March of 2020.

During his younger life, Ken did a variety of sports and outdoor activities including, football, cheerleading, shotput, discus, and ballet.  He attended the University of Alabama on scholarship for ballet until 2003 when a knee injury made him rethink his career choices.

In 2005 Ken went to work part-time for Big Frog Expeditions as a raft guide on the Ocoee River.  He successfully guided over 100 trips down the Ocoee river.  Since then, Ken has been passionate about sharing his love for whitewater with friends, family, and youth through church trips and scouting.

Purpose:

During this class, I hope to create a passion for safe, but adventurous fun on whitewater by teaching the necessary basic skills and safety techniques to ensure safe adventures on whitewater.  

In addition to this, we will cover the requirements for the Whitewater Merit Badge and scouts will have the opportunity to complete the merit badge through this course.

Pre-Requisite

NOTE:  Requirement 3 of the Whitewater Merit Badge book specifically states “Before doing requirements 4 through 12, earn the Canoeing merit badge if you will be using a canoe to earn this merit badge. If you will be using a kayak, earn the Kayaking merit badge.” This means, while you are welcome to take the course and have a great time whitewater rafting, I cannot award you a merit badge if you have complete the Canoeing or Kayaking Merit Badge.  I also do not have the time to teach these merit badges on top of the whitewater merit badges, so this is not something you can expect to ask me about doing “on the fly” with the other requirements.  My answer will be no.  However, feel free to consult a different merit badge counselor and earn these merit badges between now and when we go on the trip July 19-21.

Cost:

$235.00 +/- $15.00

It is difficult to predict the cost of the event as some things fluctuate depending on how many people sign up.  This breakdown and estimate below is meant to be on the liberal side with the hope that the final amount is less.

*Breakdown at the bottom of this notice.

Schedule

Tuesday,  July 9th, 2024 – 6:30pm – 9:00pm – Course Material / Review  @ Gideon-Blackburn House 307 Gates Ave. Huntsville, AL 35801 (virtual is an option if you are out of town).

  • Requirements 1, 2, 5, and 6

Saturday, July 13th, 2024 – 8:00am – 11:00am – Practical Exam (Paddle Strokes Demonstration) @ Ditto Landing, 293 Ditto Landing Rd SE, Huntsville, AL 35803

  • Requirements 4, 7, and 8
  • We will be in the water, wear your swimsuit or clothes you can get wet in.  
  • You will need sandles with straps (ex. Chacos or Teva’s, or river shoes – we'll be getting in and out of the canoe in a fishing area.  You don’t want a fishhook in your foot or toe)

Tuesday, July 16th, 2024 – 6:30pm – 9:00pm – Whitewater MB – Scout Planning Session @ Gideon-Blackburn House 307 Gates Ave. Huntsville, AL 35801

  • Requirement 12

Friday, July 19th, 2024 – Leave for Hiwaassee Outfitters, Reliance, TN from First Presbyterian Church 305 Gates Ave. Huntsville, AL 35801 @ 12:00pm

  • Mr. Newton will lead a caravan from First Presbyterian Church in Downtown Huntsville, AL @ 12:00pm.  
  • You can feel free to join us, or to meet us at the campsite.  Remember Hiwaassee Outfitters is on Eastern Time.
  • Great time to knock out cooking requirements as well.

Saturday, July 20th, 2024 – Paddle the Hiwaassee River (complete MB Requirements)

  • Requirement 9, 10, and 11.

Sunday, July 21st, 2024 – Raft the Ocoee River Combo (Upper + Middle) with Ocoee Adventure Rafting (OAR).

  • Have fun rafting the rapids of the 1996 Summer Olympics Whitewater Kayak and Slalom events.
  • Eat river lunch provided by OAR
  • Enjoy the Middle Ocoee

Sunday, July 21st, 2024 – Return Home around 9:00pm

Saturday, July 29th, 2024 – 2024 Paris Summer Olympics Whitewater Kayak Slalom Finals Watch Party (optional)

  • 8:30am – 11:30am on NBC

How to Sign Up

Members of Troop 70, please sign up on Troop Web Host.

Other BSA Members, send an e-mail to bigbabyscoutstuff@gmail.com or a text to Ken Newton at 256-527-0910 with the following information

Scout Name:

Scout’s Gender for Purpose of YPT Leadership:

Troop Number / District / Council:

Parent’s Name:

Parent’s Phone Number:

Parent’s E-mail Address:

People Going:  (i.e.  Scout + Adult, etc.)

*Remember, anyone staying overnight on a scout event must be a scout or registered leader and provide a copy of their YPT certificate as well as medical forms part A & B.

Can I do the Merit Badge (Hiwaassee) and not do the Ocoee?

Yes, you can, but you are responsible for your own transportation and maintaining YPT.  We’ve had several scouts do this in the past and typically they will stay with us as a group and camp Saturday night – then, we will meet the parents at 8:00am at OAR where they can pick up their scout.  They will still earn the merit badge and just miss the “for funsies” trip.

(*) Cost Breakdown

Camping at Hiwaassee Outfitters (H.O.)

Camping at H.O. is a “Base Cost per Site + Occupancy” pricing model.

Each campsite holds a maximum of 10 people and the base price for the campsite is $120.

H.O. then charges and additional $10 per person of occupancy for the site.

I budgeted for 8 campers.

Example:

With 2 Campers:    $120 base price + $20 occupancy = $140.00 + 18% Lodging Tax

With 8 Campers:    $120 base price + $80 occupancy = $200.00 + 18% Lodging Tax

With 14 Campers (we’ll need 2 sites): $240 base price (2 sites) + $140 occupancy = $ 380.00 + 18% Lodging Tax

Boat Rental at Hiwaasee Outfitters (H.O.)

$44.00 + tax per person (I budgeted $48)

Includes all necessary gear (PFD, Paddle, Helmet)

O.A.R - Ocoee Adventure Rafting Combo Trip

Includes:

Professional Raft Guide + Raft

Gourmet Riverside Lunch

Upper Ocoee Trip (5 miles)

Middle Ocoee Trip (5 miles)

All necessary gear (PFD, Paddle, Helmet)

O.A.R. Pictures

I started including the pictures in the trip costs because after people see their pictures, they want them.  If this is a deal breaker for anyone, just let me know and we’ll work something out – but it’s a $10.00 donation budgeted.

There are 6 people in a boat and it’s usually $75.00 for a CD with all the pictures taken from the Upper at Humongous and the Middle at Double-Trouble.  

Meals

The scouts will cook the following meals in a normal patrol method.  Generally we have them cook for the adults as well just because of the size it doesn’t make sense to pull out extra gear because we have to break camp at 5:00am on Sunday morning to make it to the Ocoee by 8:00am for our trip in order to be home by 9:00pm.  We will flex this depending on sign ups.

We charge $5.00 per meal per person to the Grubmaster for reimbursement.

Scouts will cook the following meals:   ($25 Cash to Grub Master Budgeted)

Dinner – Friday, July 19th

Breakfast – Saturday, July 20th

Lunch (on the River) - Saturday, July 20th

Dinner – Saturday, July 20th

Breakfast (Grab-n-Go) – Sunday, July 21st

All Cracker Barrels come out of any remaining money for meals to Grub  Master.  Grub Master is responsible for Cracker Barrels.

Scouts will purchase their own meals:

Dinner – Sunday, July 21st @ McDonald’s - Benton, TN.  ($10 Budgeted)