National Orienteering Day (NOD)

Permanent Orienteering Course Training

Cricket Holler BSA, NW Dayton OH

Saturday, 04 May 2002

Mark Novitski, Meet Director

With my new job taking me to the far reaches of the USA (including Hawaii) and World (Germany, France, Luxembourg, and Belgium) I needed something easy to host for NOD. I choose to offer training on how to use the MVOC installed and maintained (although it needs some repair) at the Boy Scout Camp, Cricket Holler, in NW Dayton, OH.

Courses need not be designed, nor markers placed the day before or the morning of. I only needed blank maps, maps identifying the permanent markers, marker clue sheet, and answer sheet. The permanent markers were made of 1.5" galvanized steel with a threaded cap, unique letter welded on top, with the base encased in 120lbs of concrete. For the course fee the individual received a blank map (permanent markers identified but not

highlighted or numbered), clue sheet, and answer key. The participant could design any number of courses, using all or some of the permanent markers. For JROTC and Scout groups only the leader received the answer key. I did not keep start or finish times as each individual or group could run any number of courses depending on how they designed them.

As I sat at the Atlanta Airport on Friday night, waiting for my plane and pilots to arrive, and a break in the weather that would allow the planes and pilot to arrive, I was wondering if my wife could run the event if I was stuck in Atlanta. Luckily the weather broke, the plane arrived, pilots were in the plane and I made it home from Salt Lake City only 2 hours late.

The event was a success as 60 individuals, Scout Groups, JROTC groups (Green Academy A JROTC, Fairborn High School AF JROTC, and Springboro High School AF JROTC), Girl Scouts, and serious competitors from OCIN (Warren Mandrell, Bill Swift) and MVOC (Larry Berna, Dwayne Wilson, Kobby Schock, Josh Berna) participated. Bill Swift had the best time finding all 13 permanent markers in order in a little over 24 minutes (he

bested Warren by a little over 1 minute).

Thanks to Sgt Ringo, Dayton Green Academy, for help with training.