Tigers, Wolves and Bears on the south side of Indianapolis just wrapped up another terrific year at camp Belzer. For the uninitiated, camp Belzer is a day camp in Indianapolis that offers more than just an opportunity for boys to earn more badges. The activities there include swimming, canoing, archery, air rifle shooting, crafts and various other fun things for Kindergarten through 4th grade boys enrolled in scouting.
Camp Belzer is more than just another day camp. For the young men in Pack 139 at Glenns Valley Elementary, Belzer is a right of passage. Like any Scout camp, there are elements that transcend the typical curriculum and become part of the lore of scout growth and development. It's almost like Las Vegas for kids. "What happens at Belzer, stays at Belzer." There are various activities that must be experienced to be believed. As such, the entirety of the week's activities cannot be divulged here.
Suffice it to say, the boys have a great time growing not only as scouts but as young men. In the end, that's what this whole experience is all about. This experience sets the stage for greater depths of scouting camp to be encountered in the all-too-near future. And for the parents that are fortunate enough to accompany these young scouts, it's akin to watching a flower bloom in hyper speed.
They grow up too fast. But for a brief moment in time, they're just kids having a great time doing what kids are supposed to do. And we, the parents of these young men, are just the fortunate bystanders who vicariously reap the benefits of this week of fun and growth. That, in the end, is what scouting should be.
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