Русская Версия

July 7, 2010
Northville, NY: SGPA camp holds Troop Leadership Course (KDV)

From Sunday, June 27, through Friday, July 2,  the summer scout camp St. George Pathfinders of America (SGPA), "Tsarskoe Selo" Chapter (Northville, NY), held a Troop Leadership Course (abbreviated KDV in Russian) to prepare camp youth to lead scout troops. Twenty-seven boy and girl scouts from Chapters "Tsarskoe Selo" and "Putivl" (Washington, DC) participated in the course. Among the lessons covered: leadership, child psychology, work with children, symbolism, Russian history and the history of the scouting movement, and more.

A second course entitled "Phoenix" was held parallel to KDV for older scouts, aspiring to achieve Scout First Class, the highest rank for scouts in the organization. The course included lectures on Russian history and the Law of God. At the end of the week, all of the participants of "Phoenix" passed their oral exams, and participants of KDV successfully passed their exams, as well.

On Saturday the 3rd and Sunday the 4th of July, the divine services in the camp Chapel of the Great Martyr and Trophy-Bearer St. George were led by "Tsarskoe Selo’s" spiritual father, Archpriest Serge Lukianov, co-served by Priest Jonah Campbell (cleric of St. George’s Church in Howell, NJ). After the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, the official opening of camp was held at the raising of the flags on the camp’s main field. In accordance with camp tradition, in honor of Independence Day, those assembled sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" in place of the traditional old Russian anthem, "Kol slaven" ("How glorified").

Camp usually lasts four weeks, but this year will last only three. On the last week, a delegation of scouts and counselors will depart for California for a jubilee camp in honor of the West Coast Chapters: Chapter "Nizhny Novgorod" (Los Angeles) is celebrating its 65th anniversary, while Chapter "Kiev" (San Francisco) is celebrating its 60th.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese