16 New Merit Badges for 2013

After looking over the end of season 2012 evaluations, one thing was clear...

Scouts want more merit badge options.

Camp T. Brady Saunders has listened and will be adding 16 new merit badges to our 2013 merit badge options.  These merit badges will be across the board, from eagle required merit badges to fun and exciting merit badges geared toward older scouts.  We are also creating a brand new department at camp this year, the S.T.E.M. department, more on this in a future blog.

With the 16 new merit badges, Camp T. Brady Saunders will be offering 54 merit badges.  Checkout the list of new merit badges below:

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·         Chess

·         Citizenship in the Community

·         Coin Collecting

·         Communications

·         Computers

·         Energy

·         Fire Safety

·        Geology

·         Graphic Arts

·         Nuclear Science

·          Photography

·         Robotics

·         Safety

·         Salesmanship

·         Search & Rescue

·         Small Boat Sailing 

F   For the complete list of 2013 merit badge offering download the planning guide at www.bradysaunders.net

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Summer 2012 ... what was new?

The summer of 2012 was my first summer as the Camp Director of Camp T. Brady Saunders.  There were a lot of changes made to the camp and a lot of new programs and merit badges were added to the camp.  We entered into a partnership to create a quality Mountain Bike program that offered a lot of the requirements for the Cycling merit badge.  We built a new 27 foot tall climbing wall reintroducing Climbing merit badge to the camp.  The camp also offered the newly created Kayaking merit badge.  In addition we offered Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the Community, Reptile and Amphibian Study, Geocaching and Cinematography merit badges.


We also added many new programs not directly linked to merit badges.  Our highly successful early check-in program was introduced.  Through a donation from Trail's End Popcorn we were able to create a 3D Archery program allowing our participants the opportunity to shoot a 3D archery range.  We added the Dutch-Oven Cook-off program where the Troops were able to compete for who could really cook the best cobbler at camp.  We built a rock throwing range where Scouts could throw rocks to their hearts content and installed a 9-hole disk golf course through the heart of camp.


The most visual change to camp had to be the 14 foot tall inflatable iceberg climbing wall and water slide that was added to the waterfront.  This giant floating iceberg was a great addition to our nightly aquatics free-time and made for a great challenge during our waterfront games.  Climbing the iceberg turned out to be much more difficult then I would have imagined and once your at the top, due to the angle of the slide, you cannot see the water you are sliding into.  It is quite an experience!

The summer of 2012 was a great summer at Camp T. Brady Saunders.  Building on our successes we plan to make a great deal of additions to our 2013 program offerings.  Be sure to check back here to learn more about what we are doing to make Camp T. Brady Saunders an experience a Scout and a Scouter will never forget!

About the Camp Director

About Me

The summer of 2012 was my first summer as the camp director of Camp T. Brady Saunders.  I have to say it was an amazing summer.  Its easy to think about summer as those few months when it is hot outside, but for me I think back to September 26th, 2011 when I became the Program Executive for the Heart of Virginia Council.  I had moved from Utah where I was the General Manager of a Ski Rental Delivery Company, Skis on the Run, Inc. to begin my professional career with the Boy Scouts of America.

I had spent ten summers from 1999 - 2009 working at Philmont Scout Ranch, the premier High Adventure Base operated by the Boy Scouts of America.  During my time there I was a Dining Hall Employee, a Ranger, Commissary Manager of Baldy Town, a Ranger Trainer, Camp Director of Baldy Town, Geographic Information Systems Forester, Autumn Employee, Kanik Winter Guide, Associate Director of Conservation Geographic Information Systems, Camp Director Apache Springs and Camp Director of Whiteman Vega.  Philmont was truly a turning point in my adult life and I had known since I first started working there that I wanted to work for the Boy Scouts of America as a professional.

Along the way there were many adventures before I was able to settle down and begin my career. As a staff member of the Philmont staff, when I thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2008, I was a key member of the team that published the new Philmont Maps, I lived five years in the high mountains of Utah in Park City.  After a year in Virginia and a summer under my belt as the Camp Director of T. Brady Saunders I can truly say the adventure has just begun.  I look forward to seeing you at camp in 2013!  For me, the summer has already begun.

-Mic Mullins
Camp Director
T. Brady Saunders