Summer Camp 2025
Last Updated: 6 May 2025
This page will be updated with Summer Camp information as it becomes available. Check back for additional information.
GENERAL INFORMATION (subject to change)
Troop 497 is excited to be going back to Haliburton Scout Reserve, Haliburton, Ontario, Canada for our 2025 Summer Camp. We will be in two sites: Sejur Heights and Objibway Rock. Sejur Heights will be our main camp and Objibway Rock will be used for Small Boat Sailing and other activities.The troop leadership will be running all of our merit badge classes and other activities in camp. The adults will do all of the cooking while in camp. Scouts and Adults will do the clean up. Scouts will be tenting in Troop 497 tents; adults may use their own tents or Troop tents. There is no electricity in camp and limited cell service.
Scouts and Leaders will depart by tour bus early morning around midnight on Thursday, 17 July 2025 and return Sunday 27 July 2025. Trip to Camp may include a tour of Niagara Falls (Canadian side), a jet boat ride on the Niagara River and other fun activities. Haliburton SR is located on the shores of Kennabi Lake in Northern Ontario. The sites are located around the shore of the lake and are only accessible by water/boat. Our main water transportation will be by camp run barges and canoes. After Camp, our trip home may include touring stops and a water activity.
CONSENT LETTER TO ALLOW A MINOR CHILD TO CROSS THE U.S. CANADIAN BORDER
Added: 6 May 2025BOTH Parents or Guardians must complete this Consent Letter to Allow a Minor Child to Cross the U.S. Canadian Border. It must be signed in the presence of a Notary Public and Notarized. We will have a Notary at the check-in the Thursday before we leave for Canada. You can also have it notarized at most banks before then.
PASSPORTS REQUIRED FOR SUMMER CAMP
Everyone traveling into Canada and returning to the US should have a Passport Book valid at the time of entry. Visit this US Department of State web site for information on obtaining a passport book. Don't get a Passport Card - it is not valid for international travel by air which may be necessary in the event of an emergency. Apply NOW, it takes time to obtain a passport and is much more expensive if you need it quickly. Your passport must not be expired at time of entry.You can make passport appointment at some local post offices and libraries. Libraries include Baltimore County Library branches in Arbutus, Towson, and White Marsh and the Bel Air Branch of the Harford County Library.
A Birth Certificate is required to apply for your passport. Obtain a birth certificate NOW if you don't have one that meets these requirements. It must have the seal or stamp from the city, county, or state which issued it.
All Scouts and adult leaders will need to provide a copy of the identification (picture) page of your passport as backup.
MEDICAL AND INSURANCE FORMS - THESE MUST BE TURNED IN DURING A TROOP MEETING
Last Updated: 25 February 2025
Please make TWO COPIES of all of your required medical forms listed below and turn in as soon as you can, at least two weeks before we leave for camp. You can turn them into Andy Reidler or Kevin Shaffer at Troop meeting. For privacy reasons, DO NOT email your completed forms. Please call Andy Reidler at 443-280-4268 if you have any questions.
- An annual physical is required for Scouts and Adult Leaders participating in events lasting 72 continuous hours and resident campers. That includes everyone going to summer camp.
- Parents complete Parts A, B1, and B2.
- Parts A, B1, B2, and C can be filled in using the form
capability in Adobe Acrobat or they can be printed and filled in
by hand.
- The Participant must sign on Part A.
- A parent must sign on Parts A, and B2.
- Your doctor performs the annual physical and completes and signs Part C and B2. YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER MUST SIGN ON THESE FORMS.
- Please make sure to complete the section on immunizations.
- This is a a link to a fillable pdf Annual Health and Medical Record with information specific to Troop 497 pre-filled in. We recommend using the free Acrobat Reader DC to fill in the form or print it and fill in in with a pen. Here is a BSA Information and FAQs Datasheet you can read which provides additional information.
- If you already used the standard medical form without the Troop 497 specific information then open the form in the previous bullet and copy the Troop 497 information to your existing Health Record.
- This is a link to the national BSA
Annual Health and Medical Record site. You can
read additional FAQs and other related information on the BSA site.
We recommend you download the Troop 497 version of the Annual
Health and Medical Record using the link in the earlier bullet. Use
the material in the section under "Are You Going to Camp?" if you
decide to download the Annual Health and Medical Record from this
BSA web site.
- Check your health insurance to be certain it covers the
participant while in Canada. Take appropriate action if it
does not.
- Participant's insurance card, both sides, two copies. Turn in with your other medical forms.
MEDICATION RECORD AND MEDICATIONS
All medications and instructions for administering them must be
turned in to our Meds leader, upon arrival during check-in.
Please place them in a resealable plastic bag with the scout's name
printed in large letters on the bag. Place a completed 2025 Troop
Medication Form in the plastic bag. Click
to download the Troop Medication Form 
.
Please complete this form neatly to provide clear instruction to us.
The Meds Leader will keep track of and administer all medications as
directed. The medicine must be in the original prescription container
with the doctor’s name on the label.
SWIMMING ABILITY
All Scouts and Adults must pass the Swimmer test to swim at Haliburton without a PDF. The Troop will follow the BSA requirements for all boating and swimming activities unless Scouts Canada has more stringent requirements; then we will follow the Canadian requirements.
REQUIRED ADULT BSA TRAINING FOR SUMMER CAMP
Adult leaders (18 years of age or older) must be current in several of their BSA Training and should bring printed certifications of completion to camp.- BSA Youth Protection Training - all adult leaders must be current and provide documentation.
- Per BSA, Adult leaders supervising activities afloat must have completed Safety Afloat training within the previous two years and be in possession of a valid Certification.
- Per BSA, Adult leaders supervising a swimming activity must have completed Safe Swim Defense training within the previous two years and be in possession of a valid Certification.
- Safety Afloat and Safe Swim Defense training may be may be completed online at my.scouting.org. Each course takes about 30 minutes to complete.
- Any adult operating a motor boat in Canada must be in possession of valid Safe Boating Certification issued by their state. The certificate must state it meets the requirements of NASBLA to be accepted in Canada. Maryland has a free online certificate and training program that takes about 6 hours to complete. Please turn in a copy of your safe boating certificate at check in. This may also be required by youth taking the Motor Boating Merit Badge. We are waiting on clarification from the camp about this item.
- Hazardous Weather training is also recommended
PAYMENT INFORMATION
Cost for Summer Camp 2025 is $1275 per Scout/ $975 per Leader including transportation (subject to change based upon bus costs and final activity itinerary).It is important that you remain current on our payment schedule. Deposits need to be received to register Scouts for their preferred merit badge programs.
Please make trip deposits to our Troop Treasurer for all Scouts and Leaders according to the following schedule:
| Date |
Payment | Amount |
| Initial Deposit | $200 | $200 |
| March 2025 | $300 | $500 |
| April 2025 | $300 | $800 |
| May 2025 | $175 | $975 (adults paid) |
| June 2025 (Scout Only) | $300 | $1275 (scout paid) |