What originally started as a Trail Life kick-off event back in 2013 has grown and matured, much like Trail Life as a ministry. The first Daniel Boone Base Camp in 2013 hosted 119 Trailmen. Over the past ten years, it has expanded as Troops from across the Northeast gather to kick off the program year. This year, nearly 2,000 Trailmen attended, making it the largest gathering of Trailmen to date.
Trailmen from 10 states gathered on a beautiful October weekend near Johnstown, Ohio. Under clear blue skies, they enjoyed the crisp fall weather as they pitched tents, kindled fires, and prepared for a weekend filled with adventure, friendly competition, laughter, worship, and fellowship.
A palpable buzz filled the air as Trailmen eagerly moved from one activity to the next. Boys practiced archery and tested their aim with BB guns. A young Trailman lay in the prone position, with the pellet gun nearly as long as he was. At just five years old, this was one of the boy’s first-ever Trail Life events—talk about starting with a bang! His father leaned over him, helping him balance the rifle and take aim. He adjusted his arms and encouraged him to exhale as he pulled the trigger. Ping! He hit his first target! The boy jumped up, a big smile on his face. “I did it!”
“That’s what it’s all about,” commented Eric Tanner, a Trail Life volunteer turned full-time staff member who has been running the event for four years. “It might seem like a little thing, hitting the target with a pellet gun like that. But to that little guy, it was something new, something daunting—an adventure. And his dad was there to guide him through it. It’s an encapsulation of what’s happening in Trail Life on a bigger scale.”
Nearby, other young men were throwing axes, battling with pugil sticks, starting fires by friction, crossing monkey bridges, and practicing riflery, sling-shots, and cooking. The smell of smoke drifted through the air, and boys’ shouts and laughter echoed throughout the campsite.
“What a blessing,” Carl Hall of Troop OH-3123 recalled. “It feels like a Trail Life family reunion, seeing old friends again and making new ones.”
The Trail Life family keeps growing. Who could have guessed, at the first Daniel Boone kick-off in 2013, that so many lives would be touched by this bold venture? For 11 years, volunteers nationwide have shown young men what biblical masculinity looks like, teaching valuable skills and imparting character-shaping, faith-building lessons along the way. As Trail Life grows, the fruit of these volunteers’ efforts only becomes more evident.
One beautiful example of this fruit was on full display as attendees filled an entire U-Haul with supplies for communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. Trailmen were encouraged to bring supplies to the event, but one Wisconsin Point Man had already mostly filled his 26-ft. trailer before he even arrived at camp. Since the trailer was nearly full, they rented a U-Haul and quickly filled that as well. A Kentucky Point Man volunteered to drive the U-Haul to western North Carolina, where a local Trail Life Troop coordinated the distribution of supplies in their community.
“These are the kind of men Trailmen are,” Eric said. “They don’t just know how to have fun in God’s creation (which, let me assure you, they certainly do!). No, Trailmen are men who put others before themselves and honor God.”
“Our volunteers are so committed to the mission,” Eric Tanner explains. “They’re people you can count on. This year, we expanded the youth leadership portion of Daniel Boone Base Camp. It’s a very activity-driven event, highly dependent on skilled leaders for shooting sports and other activities. The need for qualified, trained supervision makes youth leadership challenging. However, this year we had about 10 strong youth leader candidates who submitted applications for key positions. Every Trailman who applied was given a role. Only a couple were selected for the positions they applied for, but the rest embraced other support roles and served faithfully. When most of the work happens in a crucible of 42 hours, from 5 pm Friday to 11 am Sunday, the desire to serve and work hard is what matters most.”
As the event wound down, Eric prepared to give his annual Sunday morning address to close out the event. As the youth-led chapel concluded, Eric started getting emotional. “It happens to me every year,” Eric laughs. “I get up on stage, have it rehearsed in my mind, but I can’t help but shed a tear. Memories just come flooding back.” Before he went on stage, two young Woodlands Trailmen approached him and each gave him a hug. Noticing his emotion, they showed compassion and appreciation for all his work on the event. Eric didn’t recognize the boys, but those two Trailmen, no older than 9 or 10, had the awareness and kindness to show compassion to their adult leader. How many boys their age would do that? “It was just such a great representation of what happened that weekend,” Eric said.
While stories like this are exciting, they are just large-scale and public examples of what happens on a smaller, more personal scale nationwide every day. Not every good work is fully seen or appreciated by human eyes, but we know our Father in heaven sees them and is glorified by them.
