What is Operation Icicle?

Operation Icicle is the Greatest, most Challenging and Fun week of Scouting in the winter that you will ever have. Think of it this way, imagine a week of summer camp. Think of all the fun and exciting things to do in that one week. Think of the cool staffers, the awesome programs, and the exciting Friday Nite Event. Now compress that all into one day, and do that all week long. Operation Icicle is all that and more. The week is an opportunity for Scouts to learn leadership, communication, teamwork, work on advancement, and to have fun. Let's face it, this is the Scouts' vacation. They should have fun on their vacation. Icicle is such a fun and rewarding experience that we have many Scouts that return for several years, and even more staff who return year after year. Though this program is limited to 50 Scouts, this actually works in our favor. With fewer Scouts the program becomes more complex and better serves each individual. Because the program is limited, those chosen to go are very lucky, and will always look back on the experience as one of Scouting's best. With everything happening at Operation Icicle, it's not a winter camp, it's a winter adventure.

Operation Icicle Goals

Fun

Leadership

Teamwork/Patrol Method

Communication

Advancement

Winter Survival

Friendships

It is our hope that each Scout who attends will come back with more than a few merit badges. The program is designed to achieve several goals related to character development. We also try to teach Winter Survival and help the Scouts advance along their way to Eagle. It is a mark of distinction that the majority of participants have attained the rank of Eagle. Look at the staff around you, most of them have been Scouts at Icicle, and most of them have attained their Eagle. A number of our goals are accomplished through the use of the patrol method. Scouts are grouped into patrols and form the Operation Icicle Troop. The Camp Director acts as the Committee Chair, the Program Director acts as the Scoutmaster, and the staff acts as Assistant Scoutmasters, and advisers. One Scout is chosen to act as Senior Patrol Leader. The Scouts tackle all challenges, complete daily chores, and participate in program as patrols.

Background

Operation Icicle originated around 1976 when Jim Moore and Rob Frenchick started a winter camp in another council. In 1978, Jim Moore brought the program to the DuPage Area Council. Because of the limited facilities at the time, the first Icicle held at camp was with staff only. To their surprise, they found that they could spend a week at CFL during the winter. The following year was the first year the program was run with Scouts. Operation Icicle has taken place every year since 1979,  except for 1982 when Rob Frenchick got married, 1984 when Jim Spevacek left as Summer Camp Director to get married and no replacement was found, and in 1987 which was Kevin Lamm's first year as Camp Director.

Operation Icicle of today looks very different than the Operation Icicle of the early 80's . One of the major changes is the sleeping arrangement. Scouts originally slept in the troop service building. The porch was enclosed with tent platforms and canvas, which allowed 40 Scouts to sleep in the commissary, on the porch outside the trading post. The washroom facilities included the visitor's KYBO and a primitive wood fueled hot water heater. In 1986, the Deicke Visitor's Center was built. This provided sleeping quarters and washroom facilities along with gas heat. No longer would we have to spend a weekend building the enclosure on the porch. No longer would we have to freeze as we took a heated toilet seat, which was hung in the commissary and did our duty out in the KYBO. Not much has changed in the kitchen, except for the wood burning stove. In the summer of 1986 while the Pole Barn was being inspected by an insurance inspector, he inquired how we used the barrel stoves he saw stored down there. He pointed out that these stoves were not approved for use in the buildings. To comply with the insurance requirements, the property committee purchased and installed a new stove. It hasn't moved from the kitchen since. Yes, there once was a summer when the camp staff didn't have to dance around a stove.

The use of the Deicke Building and the new stove drastically cut down the use of wood. No wood was needed to heat the Scouts sleeping area since the Deicke Building had gas heat and the new stove in the kitchen was very efficient. The staff's sleeping quarters have changed form year to year. The staff has slept all over, from the Health Lodge, the Scoutmasters Lounge in the Wheeler Building, the trading post, the Deicke Building Kitchen, and even a large Army Tent. In recent years, the staff has been sleeping all over camp, including in the new staff cabanas. In 1990 Operation Icicle was moved up a day to start on Dec. 26th. In past years, Icicle started on the December 27 with staff arriving on the 26th, giving them a full day to get things ready. Now, the staff arrives just five hours prior to the Scouts arriving.

In 1993, Darren McArdle became Camp Director of Icicle, and has held the position ever since. Jeff O'Rourke joined the team in 1995 as Business Manager. In 1995, Johann Medcraft, Program Director changed the program to an early version of the current program. In 1997, he was joined by Pat Huslig and they evolved the program the next step. The 1998 program was begun on the drive home from the 97 Icicle in an attempt to remain awake. The team was completed in 1998 with the addition of Will Cvengros to the program staff. Program before 1995 was much different than program of today. Program was planned and carried out on the day of the event. Current program is planned months in advance and is much more plot oriented. The program is also more intense, and exciting. Today's program is a spectacle of light, sound, humor, and activities.

Staff Qualifications

Icicle has no standard list of qualifications. However, what follows is generally what we expect from the staff. The Icicle staffer must be a leader, a self-starter, and one who can work without a great deal of supervision. Each staff person must understand the patrol method and be able to advise and motivate the Scouts to work as a patrol. Each staffer should be able to lead the boys gently, so as to not overpower leadership efforts being made by the boys. The Icicle staffer must be a good example and a positive role model for the Scouts. Staff members must be good teachers. We not only counsel on merit badges, but we teach a number of skills including winter survival, song leading, communication, leadership, and a host of others. Each staffer should understand how to effectively lead songs, perform skits and control an audience. Staffers should be willing to be laughed at and laughed with. Icicle staffers must be able to build basic program ideas provided by the Program Director into exciting events (something like that). The staffer must also be friendly. Icicle staffers should take advantage of the good staff to Scout ratio (2:1) and try to get to know each Scout during the week. Many people ask to be on Icicle Staff. Lots are turned away. Unfortunately, we are unable to ask everybody to join us. Staffers must remember that all staff members are invited to participate, and that we have the joy of having the best of the best on staff.