One of our far away Philmont friends, Wally Feurtado, sent us this note. We think it is worth sharing.
I believe that the most important factor is that each crew member WANTS to go to Philmont (his/her choice). This WANT must be derived from inside and not influenced by others (parents or peers). When the crew member wants to go to Philmont, they are willing to do the following:
- Be physically fit, including, if necessary, to lose weight.
- Hike together as a crew and not try to split the crew.
- Attend monthly sessions for training, etc.
The second factor is that each crew member has reached a certain level of maturity, to the extent that they are aware of cause and effect. While goofing off is fun, if you are five miles from help and somebody gets hurt or sick, who carries them out? Maturity additionally reveals itself by being:
- Willing to drink the water and stay hydrated.
- Willing to eat the food and stay healthy.
- Willing to stay clean and sanitary (washing body and clothes daily).
- Able to self-medicate.
The third factor is that each crew member must be willing to work as a member of the crew or as the leader. Taking Scouts that have to be constantly prodded to do their chores indicates that while they would like to go to Philmont, they are not ready to participate in the Philmont experience.
Finally, each parent must be willing to discuss any and all medical issues with the advisors. This type of information is required for the advisors to best know how to work with each crew member. It is not for general crew knowledge, just for advisors.
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Phil Fact: Charles Beaubien, a Canadian and also known as Carlos, received a grant of land with Guadalupe Miranda from Mexico in 1841, which was later known as the Maxwell Land Grant.
Beaubien Camp is the crossroads of the Philmont South Country. Most crews who stay there have a layover to get in all the activities available – Western Lore, Horseback Riding, Branding, Chuckwagon Dinner, Campfire, and hiking Trail Peak.
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The silver is on the sage in the meadow at Beaubien camp,
Charles Beaubien
Taos, Mexico