Thursday, October 1, 2026
When Scouts BSA Troop 20, of the Five Towns, heads to the Onteora Scout Reservation in Livingston Manor each summer, it’s a chance for troop members to go beyond their comfort zone.
From July 12 to 18, when the troop visited this year’s summer camp, in upstate Sullivan County, nine scouts completed the requirements for a total of 45 merit badges, ranging from swimming to automotive maintenance. There were also activities such as riflery and blacksmithing. In the evenings, the troop gathered at their campsite for card games and songs.
“It was almost like something out of ‘Stranger Things,’” Eugene Corless, Troop 20’s scoutmaster said, referring to the Netflix series. “It’s always fun to see the kids unplugged because at camp, we have very little to no cellphone service. Just an awesome week of fantastic adventure.”
Troop 20 has attended the camp seven times since 2019 — one year was virtual due to the coronavirus pandemic. For the third time, the group earned an Onteora Scout Reservation elite award, scoring perfect marks on campsite cleanliness and scout spirit, and completing pioneering projects using rope and wood to create tools.
“One day it was a bear alarm and the next it was a towel rack,” Corless said. “So every day they created a pioneering project, and had our site pristine-looking, with zero litter and everything stowed away, and so we were very proud to earn that award.”
One highlight of the trip, Corless said, was the camp’s space-themed escape room. He watched some of the troop’s quieter members come to life socially, leading the quest to escape.
“For the ones that insisted that [others] hold the flashlight and that they were going to take the lead,” he said, “it was interesting to see them get humbled, and other people kind of shine in that learning environment.”
While Onteora was familiar to most troop members, it was brand new for 10-year-old Jacob Abramov and his father, Azar, who took part as a chaperone. The Abramovs live in Hewlett, and Azar said he wanted his son to learn practical skills, which was why Jacob was enrolled in Cub Scouts.
“I grew up without any particular guidance,” Azar said. “I figured things out on my own, but I wanted him to actually be guided on tools and surviving outdoors.”
The beginning of the week, Azar said, was challenging. Jacob had to adjust to wearing boots instead of sneakers on the trail for safety, and the two were unaccustomed to sleeping outdoors and walking long distances.
“We didn’t plan to stay the whole week because we weren’t sure what to expect,” Azar said. “But once we got settled in, we kind of got into the flow, which took a while to really get into.”
Jacob said that the escape room, in which the group had to decipher no fewer than 10 puzzles to break free, was his favorite part of the experience. He also earned several merit badges, including wood carving and using tools such as a pocket knife, a saw and an ax. He also took part in the Dan Beard, a camp experience designed for new scouts that teaches beginning outdoor skills and helps them integrate into troop life.
“I got more comfortable sleeping outside,” Jacob said. “We have a tent in our backyard now, and I keep asking my dad to sleep in there.”
Some of the scouts surprised their peers, with their personal growth. Eamon Tedesco, who turned 16 on Aug. 18, started as a Cub Scout eight years ago. His father, Rich Tedesco, said that he and his wife enrolled Eamon to help him navigate his attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Rich, who served as the troop’s assistant scoutmaster, said that he and Corless saw a different side of Eamon during the week at camp. He completed five merit badges, and became a senior patrol leader. One night, he even got up on a table in the camp’s dining hall and sang karaoke.
“I saw the biggest jump in his maturity, and his personality really came out,” his father said.
Troop 20’s ultimate test came in the form of an unexpected visitor. While Corless left briefly to find a portable charger, a bear wandered into the campsite. On his way back, he could hear shouting and whooping from the campers and chaperones.
“They all were quite brave and used the training that we gave them to respond appropriately,” Corless said, noting they were loud and stayed in a group. “I gave them a lot of credit, as I do the other adult volunteer leaders, who took charge when I wasn’t there. They acted very admirably.”
