Lincolnway District of Anthony Wayne Area Council held its 37th annual Cub Scout Day Camp with 244 campers registered for 2013. The camp has seen more than 200 campers each year for about 20 years. Packs in Kosciusko County with 50 percent or more of their youth registered were: North Webster Pack 3726 – 61 percent, Eisenhower School Pack 3731 – 66 percent, Pierceton Pack 3761- 50 percent, Harrison School 3772 – 50 percent, LDS Church 3776 – 88 percent, and Syracuse 3828 – 51 percent. From Whitley County: Columbia City First Presbyterian Pack 3082 – 56 percent, Columbia City LDS 3086 – 83 percent, and Coesse Pack 3088 with 55 percent. Five Packs had between 40 and 50 percent: Leesburg Pack 3729 – 46 percent, Lincoln School 3767 – 44 percent, Mentone 3782 – 41 percent, Sacred Heart Church 3819 – 47 percent and Columbia City Zion Lutheran Pack 3089 with 40 percent. Pack 3450 from North Manchester had 18 campers. Rising Arrow Camp, south of Warsaw, has consistently been the home of the largest district day camp in northern Indiana. It took place on about 30 acres of land. The campers enjoyed the 20 minute hike through a woods from the base camp to the shooting sports area in the “Back 40.” Archery, slingshot and bb gun ranges are separately set up in that area and each group spent one day seeing how good their aim was. Back at the base camp, there was a craft tent, different sites for: archaeology, arrowhead hunting, gold panning, rain-gutter regatta, volleyball, a nature trail (for tree identification), first aid station, a Scout merry-go-round and a large game area. There is a building that houses the camp snack bar, trading post and rest area. Daily afternoon programs took place on the roof-covered stage. Programs included magic acts, mad scientists, Police K-9 units, animal acts and spaghetti art, to name a few. More than 60 adult volunteers assisted in making the camp successful, with most of the key staff being involved for more than 20 years: bb-gun instructor Larry Hanes – 25 years, archery instructors Dan and Michelle Somers – 21 years, Webelos 1 Group Chairman Cheryl Merchant – 27 years, Webelos 2 Group Chairman Keith Lafountain - 16 years, Program Chairman Teresa Rhoades – 13 years, Wolf Group Chairman Tammy Appenzeller – 11 years, Bear Group Chairman Rachel Fowler – five years, Whitley County Representative Steve Monesmith – 10 years, and Day Camp Director Richard McCleary 37 years.
