Page 20 - Save the Last Dance for Me

Their attendance picked back up as they made

plans for this annual winter campout.
The Klondike Derby is a significant event in

our small community. The scout troops from all

over the district meet and camp overnight. Then,
the following day, they test their preparedness

skills against each other. Harry had them

practicing compass courses around the outside of
the church, ice rescue across the parking lot, and

fire building in the park fire pit. There seemed to

be a bit of exuberance returning to the troop,

though the underlying tension of not getting to
release their pent-up energy playing basketball at

the end of the night still lingered.

Finally, the weekend of the Klondike Derby
arrived. I had hoped to go with them but ended up

having another assignment. It was okay, Harry

assured me. He had plenty of dads going with him.

I was leery. Many of the dads I knew thought
winter camping was comprised of a rented cabin

for a weekend. But there was nothing I could do

about it. I was there when they packed up and
prepared their gear at the scout meeting before the

derby, and all seemed in order.

Friday night came and went, and my
apprehension was fading. But then early Saturday

15