Índex per September - October 2019 a Scouting

IT’S A SEASON OF first pages, blank notebooks and new shoes. A time to share stories of adventures with old friends and meet new faces in unfamiliar halls. For the Boy Scouts of America, the new school year is a time of hospitality and invitation. This is our recruiting season. For many youth, Cub Scout recruitment is their first experience with our organization. Maybe it comes as a flyer sent home in a backpack or an invitation text to Mom from a classmate’s parent for School Night for Scouting. However the opportunity arrives, families this fall will take a first step together to explore whether our program is right for their child’s needs. I know that once they take that step, they’ll find a program that welcomes their child and…

As I travel across the country I am always introduced to Scouters I haven’t met before, and many times in the course of the introduction I hear the phrase, “This is a great Scouting family.” There are literally thousands and thousands of you across the country, and I am always eager to meet one more. This issue of Scouting will introduce you to five more. And great Scouting families they are! It got me thinking: What makes a “great Scouting family”? There is no checklist, no particular set of elements — and yet they are always recognizable to other Scouters. They are also recognizable to the communities in which they live — even if that community has no idea they are involved in Scouting, never sees them in a uniform.…

At the BSA’s 2019 National Annual Meeting, 13 Scouters received the Silver Buffalo Award, Scouting’s top honor for volunteers. This year’s Silver Buffalo Award recipients have given more than 400 combined years of service to the Boy Scouts of America. Back row, from left: Kaylene “Kay” Trick, Susquehanna Council (New Berlin, Pa.); Daniel Thomas Segersin, Northern Star Council (Eden Prairie, Minn.); C. Bari Saunders, Sam Houston Area Council (Houston); William E. “Bill” Rosner, Laurel Highlands Council (Pittsburgh); Gary M. Schroeder, Chester County Council (Landenberg, Pa.); James A. Ryffel, Longhorn Council (Fort Worth, Texas); and Wesley J. Smith, Piedmont Council (Piedmont, Calif.). Front row, from left: Dave Alexander, Grand Canyon Council (Phoenix), Dr. Kenneth D. King, Northern New Jersey Council (Forked River, N.J.); Robert E. Murray, Ohio River Valley Council (St.…

The Eagle Scout cyclists stayed at 17 different BSA council camps during their journey across the U.S. Each stop gave the riders time to eat, rest and share their inspiring story with younger Scouts. The stops: ▸ Camp Easton, Harrison, Idaho, Inland Northwest Council ▸ Camp Melita Island, Big Arm, Mont., Montana Council ▸ Camp Buffalo Bill, Cody, Wyo., Greater Wyoming Council ▸ Ingawanis Adventure Base, Waverly, Iowa, Winnebago Council ▸ Camp C.S. Klaus, Greeley, Iowa, Northwest Iowa Council ▸ Indian Mound Scout Reservation, Oconomowoc, Wis., Three Harbors Council ▸ Owasippe Scout Reservation, Twin Lake, Mich., Pathway to Adventure Council ▸ Gerber Scout Reservation, Twin Lake, Mich., Michigan Crossroads Council ▸ Camp Munhacke, Gregory, Mich., Michigan Crossroads Council ▸ Camp Miakonda, Toledo, Ohio, Erie Shores Council ▸ Fireland Scout Reservation,…

From New York’s steel towers to the bayous of Louisiana, these five Scouting families make their world a better place. In the process, Scouting helps them become stronger together. The Castle family Pack 68, Charleston, W.Va. Dianna and Shawn Castle describe themselves as “just your average little West Virginia family.” As kids, each spent as much time outside as possible. “I grew up camping, building fires with flint and steel,” says Dianna, who now leads a Tiger den. When their 6-year-old daughter, Shelby, showed an interest in the outdoors, Dianna and Shawn knew exactly what to do. “I genuinely do not think she would be happy elsewhere,” Dianna says. “I mean, there are a million programs for kids, but Scouting is so diverse. She’s like a little sponge and she…

WE ASKED SCOUTERS to share neat places their units have spent the night. Hopefully, those featured here can inspire your unit’s future overnighters. Visit go.scoutingmagazine.org/showandtell to show us ways you make Scouting shine. You can also email us at scoutingmag@gmail.com or post on social media using #ScoutingShowandTell All Aboard Cub Scouts with Pack 240 of Texas City, Texas, checked out the USS Texas, one of the few surviving battleships to have served in both World Wars. “We toured the battleship, listened to ghost stories, went on a scavenger hunt and got to see parts of the ship not open to the public,” Webelos den leader Julie Fox says. Inside the Barracks Fort Adams, a 19th century Army post in Newport, R.I., provided the perfect place for Pack 314 and Troop…

The Eagle Scout medal symbolizes a difficult, rewarding journey that, for some young people, spans more than a decade. While it’s impossible to replace the actual medal pinned on a proud Eagle Scout at a court of honor, the BSA does have a process for obtaining a replacement. The same steps apply regardless of how the medal was lost — natural disaster, family move or any other reason. Here’s how to replace a lost or missing Eagle Scout medal, certificate, congratulatory letter or pocket card. Step 1: Purchase a replacement card and/or certificate To get a replacement Eagle Scout medal, you’ll first need an official Eagle Scout card or certificate. To order these, go to nesa.org and click on “For Eagle Scouts” and then “Replacement Credentials.” When ordering, you’ll need…

Yes, Madison Wiley has learned all the knot-tying, sail-raising and boat-steering techniques you’d expect a Sea Scout to know. But the 18-year-old from Sea Scout Ship 16 of Suffolk, Va., part of the Colonial Virginia Council, says Sea Scouting has taught her a lot more than those on-the-water skills. “I learned how a group of teenagers and adults with all different backgrounds and interests becomes a united family,” she says. “Because that is the magic of Ship 16. We don’t have groups, and everyone knows each other’s strengths and weaknesses.” That “united family” was rewarded in June with the 2019 Sea Scouts BSA National Flagship Award — an honor presented to the country’s top Sea Scout ship. The National Flagship Award, presented by the Boat Owners Association of the United…

1 Internet Advancement just got easier. Improvements include inputting advancement updates faster, allowing leaders to search advancement history in a snap and giving Scouters more control over printable reports. The BSA has also optimized Internet Advancement for all devices: desktop, tablet or smartphone. More improvements are coming later in 2019. You can access Internet Advancement through Scoutbook, my.scouting.org or from the current Internet Advancement platform. 2 You can find new online-only Cub Scout adventures, called Preview Adventures, on the Cub Scouting program page. You won’t find these adventures in a handbook — at least, not yet. Preview Adventures are limited-time experimental adventures your Scouts can earn. They will count toward advancement just like any other elective adventures. Based on feedback from Scouts and Scouters, these adventures might be considered to…

NOW THAT ALL BSA programs welcome all members of the family, new Scouting units are popping up across the country. Two special awards recognize those who start or join new Scouts BSA troops, Cub Scout packs, Venturing crews or Sea Scout ships. Here’s what you need to know about the Founder’s Bar and the William D. Boyce New-Unit Organizer Award. WHAT IS THE FOUNDER’S BAR? The Founder’s Bar (No. 610129) is a special patch worn by charter members of a new unit. A certificate (No. 610469) and a pocket certificate (No. 610470) also are available. WHO CAN WEAR THE FOUNDER’S BAR? Any youth member or adult leader whose name is on the unit’s first charter or who joins before the unit recharters for the first time can wear the Founder’s…

BUILD LIKE A MASTER Eagle Scout Clint Parry builds bridges, swords, baseball bats and Star Wars spaceships — all out of Legos. The master model builder at Detroit’s Legoland offers tips for better building in September’s issue. YOUR NEXT BACKPACK Check out October’s BL to see the Gear Guy’s backpacking buying guide. Examine the leading packs on the market and how their features can enhance your next outdoor adventure. SWAMPY WEEKEND Follow Texas Venturers in October’s issue as they canoe through Louisiana’s Swamp Base. They traverse 20 miles, paddling by towering cypress trees covered in Spanish moss and spending the night aboard houseboats. Boys’ Life magazine helps your Scouting unit and your Scouts excel. Research shows that youth who subscribe advance further, spend more time outdoors and stay in Scouting…

If you live in or near Jackson, Wyo., you know all about Elkfest. Thousands of residents and visitors gather each spring in Jackson Town Square for the weekend-long community celebration and its premier event: the hugely popular Boy Scout Elk Antler Auction. The half-century-old tradition benefits multiple parties: The nearby National Elk Refuge gets some valuable volunteer service and revenue, the Jackson District of the BSA’s Grand Teton Council gets a valuable fundraising opportunity and the citizens of Jackson get a family-friendly community event. Everybody wins. “It’s a community service project, but also an opportunity to be involved with something that’s really unique,” says Mindy Kim-Miller, Scoutmaster of Troop 268 in Jackson. The Story The story of Elkfest begins with the National Elk Refuge. And the story of the National…

SCOUTING FOUNDER Robert Baden-Powell believed every Scout should know how to build bridges. From designing the structure to gathering materials and putting it all together, bridge construction combines technology, teamwork and enthusiasm to complete a span that is memorable and useful. A bridge on a hiking trail can be as simple as a log across a narrow gap. A more serious one relies on sturdier materials like rope and poles. A rope bridge Baden-Powell described in his 1908 manual, Scouting for Boys, is what today’s Scouts would call a monkey bridge. Monkeying around This is a classic pioneering project, and a variety of styles and instructions have been shared many times, from a 1965 Boys’ Life article penned by Scouting leader and author William “Green Bar Bill” Hillcourt to various…

Strataca, the Kansas Underground Salt Museum, Hutchinson, Kan. “We got to spend the night 650 feet underground in a salt mine, learning about mining and geology.” – Jeanna Warman, Troop 218, Lamar, Colo. International Wolf Center, Ely, Minn. “The Scouts thought it was cool sleeping with just a pane of glass between them and the wolves. A few times in the night, wolves would walk right up to the glass and look down on a Scout sleeping on the floor just a couple feet away. Thankfully, it’s tough glass.” – Ted McLaughlin, Troop 33, Minneapolis, Minn. Battleship New Jersey Museum & Memorial, Camden, N.J. “This was amazing, and the Scouts loved it. We had dog tags made, toured most of the ship, saw a small gun shoot blanks and slept…

Benji Rawald is an Eagle Scout. He has earned every available merit badge and several BSA STEM Nova awards. He received the William T. Hornaday Silver Medal, one of Scouting’s rarest honors, and an award that requires recipients to complete the equivalent of four Eagle Scout projects. And just this spring, the 17-year-old son of a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel accepted another remarkable honor. Benji, a member of Scouts BSA Troop 280 of Del Rio, Texas (Texas Southwest Council), was named the 2018 Air Force Military Child of the Year. The prestigious award, presented by Operation Homefront for the past 11 years, was created to honor military families. After all, the men and women who serve in our armed forces don’t do it alone. Their entire family serves right…

On April 27, 2014, an EF4 tornado struck the Tittle family’s house in Ferndale, Ark. The tornado leveled the home, killing three members of the Tittle family: Rob, the father; Tori, 20; and Rebekah, 14. “Everything went black — dark — and we saw trees — 40- to 50-foot trees — just laying down,” Kerry Tittle, Rob’s wife, told KTHV-TV of Little Rock, Ark. Kerry and seven of her children survived by taking shelter under a stairwell. Left to raise her children alone, Kerry searched for help. She knew nobody could replace Rob but desperately wanted to find positive male role models for her three sons. She found them in Scouting. “I cannot begin to express my appreciation to the adults in Troop 99 who have mentored my son over…

When Troop 130 in Spokane, Wash., lost a Scout to suicide in 2017, Scoutmaster Arron Thompson picked up the phone right away. “I broke out my phone list and called every parent to let them know their Scout would need help and support,” he recalls. The troop also invited a counselor to its next meeting. “We kept the dialogue open,” Thompson says. “We let the Scouts speak, let them cry, let them take time away, but we encouraged them to keep moving forward.” Perhaps most important, however, they let their Scouts know they’re never alone, and that help and hope are just a phone call away.…

The National Elk Refuge was established by various acts of Congress, executive orders and other documents to provide, preserve, restore and manage lands for wintering elk, birds and other large game animals. It’s illegal to collect items from the National Elk Refuge, such as antlers, fossils and other artifacts. The only thing you can take from the refuge are antlers purchased at the Scout auction. There is one primary road and one multiuse pathway in the refuge. Otherwise, the public is not allowed on refuge lands. However, travelers can enjoy expansive views of the wildlife refuge as they drive north out of Jackson. For more, visit go.scoutingmagazine.org/elk…

Michael Fossan, 49, was with his family on the Russian River in California when they heard someone screaming for help. They turned and saw a man struggling in the water nearby. Fossan jumped in to assist. The first man soon touched the river bottom, and Fossan released him. Fossan helped the girl off the float, then pulled the float and the second man out of the water. “Scouters In Action” subjects come from the National BSA Court of Honor. If you know of an act of heroism that should be recognized, contact your local BSA council office for a lifesaving or meritorious award application. Note: Consult approved safety guidelines, as actions depicted here may not precisely follow standard procedures. A girl and a man were clinging to a pool float…