Camp Winton Songbook
The Mighty Fridge Warriors of Winton
© 2013 Bernadette Durbin
Permission granted for campfire performance. Please change pronouns as necessary.
Camp Winton is located on a large lake, and until 1998 or 1999, there was no road access into camp. (The current road is dirt only and campers still hike into camp.)
I discovered during a staff gathering that none of the then-current staff had heard about the difficulties of getting equipment into camp, and somehow this mock-heroic ballad evolved.
All of the details are true except for sunset happening near flags.
Camp Event
Don't do that.
One staff member doing the calls, one staff member on the American flag, one on the California flag, and me, doing every single announcement.
They've renovated the lodge since then, and there's a new set of doors that is measurably an inch and a half taller than the old set of doors. Of such small details are legends made.
The camp director bought a fridge and freezer for the camp
So that they'd keep food frozen and not merely cool and damp
But they couldn't be delivered 'cause we didn't have a road
And we didn't even have Das Boat to carry in the load
So he loaded up the ski boats and he called for volunteers
To be Mighty Fridge Warriors of the BSA
To be Mighty Fridge Warriors of Winton.
Across the lake, they tried to see how they could stay afloat
'Cause the fridge and freezer were too big to fit inside the boats
So they laid them 'cross the bows and then, with balance out of whack
They stood about a dozen staff members quite closely in the back
And with inches left of freeboard, they set out across the lake
Oh the Mighty Fridge Warriors of the BSA
Oh the Mighty Fridge Warriors of Winton.
'Twas chaos back in camp as evening flags was drawing near
For the troop signed up to lower them had just failed to appear.
So the four staff members doing flags were treated to the sight:
Of all those staff in boats saluting in the fading light…
And by the time scouts went to dinner, they had dragged them to the stairs
Oh the Mighty Fridge Warriors of the BSA
Oh the Mighty Fridge Warriors of Winton.
You must know all your dimensions or your planning will go bust,
You just cannot buy for any size and simply go on trust;
Y'see, the planning for the lodge was done in 1954,
And that giant fridge and freezer would not fit through the door…
So we set them to the side, and then went and got some food
For the Mighty Fridge Warriors of the BSA
For the Mighty Fridge Warriors of Winton.
'Twas more obvious when calories were stuffed into the face
The front door was not the only way to get inside the place
So we ripped the stairs out from a lean-to standing on the side,
Then we lifted and we twisted and we shoved them in (with pride)
And then put them back together, since the task was finally done
By the Mighty Fridge Warriors of the BSA
By the Mighty Fridge Warriors of Winton.
So to all you Scouts and Scoutmasters this lesson I impart:
That kitchen renovation is not for the faint of heart.
You need talent, you need wisdom, you need balance, you need grace
To lift a giant fridge and freezer and to shove 'em into place
So let's raise our hammers high, and let's all give out a cheer
To the Mighty Fridge Warriors of the BSA
To the Mighty Fridge Warriors of Winton.
Oh the Mighty Fridge Warriors of the BSA,
Oh the Mighty Fridge Warriors of Winton!