Winter Camp 2013

This last weekend was the 5th Winter Camp at the Heart of Virginia Scout Reservation.  It was a great weekend.  Coming into it there was a lot of rain and it actually snowed over an inch the night before Winter Camp began.  However, on Friday the clouds parted and we had 4 great days of sunny weather with cool temperatures during the day and cold temperatures at night.

This year we brought in new event tents to help spread out the merit badge classes and give the instructors more room to teach.  They were a great successes and we will be seeing them return for Winter Camp 2014. 

Every year the merit badges change a little at Winter Camp.  This is because Winter Camp is a volunteer effort.  Without the dedication of volunteer merit badge instructors, Winter Camp would not be possible.  We had over 60 people volunteer their weekend to not only teach merit badges, but to run the dining hall and provide meals for the campers.  I would like to thank each of them for their dedication to Scouting and providing an example of service to others through Scouting.  Thank you for everything!

Some of the new merit badges we were able to bring to Winter Camp this year included:

• Indian Lore
• Law
• Cinematography
• Genealogy
• Cooking
• Pioneering
• Geocaching
• Automotive Maintenance
• LNT Training Course
• Totin' Chip

We had 675 people participate in Winter Camp 2013.  This was the largest gathering we have had at Winter Camp.  To make this work we split the dining hall into two shifts, creating a smaller feel than last years Winter Camp and spread out classes throughout the Heart of Virginia Scout Reservation.

2014 is going to be another exciting Winter Camp.  It will take place on January 18 - 20, 2014.  I have looked through all the evaluations and some of the merit badges that we are trying to bring in for Winter Camp 2014 include:

• Citizenship in the Community
• Robotics
• Orienteering
• Meteorology
• Space Exploration
• Chess
• Crime Prevention
• Metalworking
• Firem'n Chit

Of course I cannot say for sure which merit badges will be in Winter Camp 2014.  We need your help to make these merit badges a reality.  If you are skilled in any of the merit badges taught at Winter Camp, we can use your help to make 2014 the best Winter Camp ever!

This past weekend was a great weekend of Scout camping and fellowship.  For all of you in attendance, I had a great time seeing you at camp.  For those who did not make it, I hope to see you at camp soon!

Visit www.bradysaunders.net for the most updated information on Winter Camp 2014.

-Mic Mullins
Camp T. Brady Saunders Camp Director

100th Anniversary "I'M GOING TO SUMMER CAMP" Commemorative Patch

Its hard to believe how quickly 2012 came and went.  Its now 2013, the 100th anniversary of Scouting in the Richmond area.  On July 12, 1913 the first Troop was created in what would eventually come to be known as the Heart of Virginia Council. 

Camp T. Brady Saunders is proud of our council's history and will be celebrating it each week of summer camp this year.  There will be special displays and programs offered throughout the summer to help teach our Scouts about the history of Scouting.  On Friday July 12, 2013 the camp will be opening its time capsule, buried in front of Eagle Plaza.  The items it contains will provide a glimpse of what scouting was like in our council 25 years ago.  There will be special celebrations and food at the event.

To kickoff the camps involvement we are offering a special commemorative patch to all our Scouts and Scouters who register for camp at The Heart of Virginia Scout Reservation by January 31st, 2013.  This patch will be issued to each registered Scout and Scouter in February and can be worn with pride. 

It will be one of a series of patches featuring the 100th Anniversary design.  Be sure to register in January (or if you have already registered) to receive this limited time collectors edition patch and join Camp T. Brady Saunders in celebrating 100 years of scouting in the Richmond area!

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