Divisional youth eat bugs, brave outdoors at Troop Rally

Considering its theme of “Man vs. Wild”, the 2008 Troop Rally of The Salvation Army Northern Division couldn’t have been held in a better place: the middle of nowhere.

Nearly 200 kids from 10 Salvation Army locations across Minnesota braved the bitter cold at Northwoods Camp for the March 1 event, which included music, worship, and plenty of outdoors-themed games.

Northwoods is a 205-acre Salvation Army camp that skirts Finlayson, Minn., a population 314 town smack-dab in the central Minnesota wilderness. The setting was plenty nostalgic for the 1st- through 12th-grade kids, who spent the afternoon playing team games inspired by the Discovery Channel TV show “Man vs. Wild.”   

Jesse Smithers, 12, helped his St. Cloud Salvation Army team by acing a game in which contestants matched animal photos with their scientific name.

“You also had to match the animal photo with its paw print,” said Smithers, his third time at Northwoods Camp in a year. “It was fun. Kind of difficult, but fun.”

Another game featured eating candy-coated bugs and worms. Although not every child consumed the ghastly morsels, a few divisional leaders did: Major Daniel Sjögren, Major Paul Fleeman and Major Jim Curl – all high-ranking officials – ate chocolate-covered insects in front of a stunned crowd.

Other activities included knot-tying, identifying animal body parts, organizing planets into their correct position in the solar system, and more.

Trophies were given to groups for first, second and third place in the outdoors games, and for scoring 100 percent on properly wearing their Salvation Army uniforms. Every Junior Soldier earned a Man vs. Wild badge for their sash.