Archive for August 15th, 2009


Scouting For Food Memorandum

on August 15, 2009 in Promotion, Service No Comments »

The national office of the Boy Scouts of America has encouraged its troops and packs to participate in an annual Scouting For Food drive for nearly twenty years. These drives have helped tens of thousands of people over the years, and have became a necessity to many of the food banks around the country. Boy Scout Trop 68 is proud to say we have been active in conducting a food drive in our community every year since Scouting For Food began.


One of the challenges of the drive is to promote it. Our local newspapers and local cable access television stations have always been happy to post a bulletin about the event. One more thing we have done some years is ask the city council to pass a proclamation declaring the week between when the bags are dropped off and when they are picked up as “Scouting For Food” week. We try to have a few Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts standing around the mayor as he signs the proclamation. The picture looks pretty good in the paper and draws more attention to the service project.

Here is a copy of the wording used in the proclamation by our city:

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, hunger remains a pervasive intrusion on the quality of life for millions of Americans; and

WHEREAS, hunger is a problem we can do something about by working together; and

WHEREAS, for more than 90 years the Boys Scouts of America has been an organization committed to community service; and

WHEREAS, the Scouting program instills the positive values of citizenship, ethical decision making, leadership and helping other people as outlined by the Scout Oath and the Scout Law; and

WHEREAS, the Central Minnesota Council of the Boy Scouts of America and its corps of dedicated Scouts and volunteer leaders will coordinate with other groups to conduct a Scouting for Food on October 2, 2004 in this community and throughout the country in a positive example of its longstanding commitment to service of direct benefit to the less fortunate among us.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Nancy Roering, Acting Mayor of the City of Melrose in the State of Minnesota do hereby proclaim the period of September 26-October 2, 2004, as

“SCOUTING FOR FOOD” WEEK

in the City of Melrose. I urge my fellow residents to join me in expressing the gratitude of an appreciative community, and ask that each of us contribute as best we can to this worthwhile endeavor.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the official seal of the City of Melrose this 16th day of September, 2004.

MAYOR SIGNATURE

Subscribe to “A Scoutmaster’s Blog” at
http://www.blogger.com/feeds/28330606/posts/default

Memories Of 1980: Part 2

on August 15, 2009 in Activity, camping, Program No Comments »

Boy Scout Troop 68 really did not have a regular meeting place during its first year in 1980, so we would sometimes have our meetings in the clubroom of our sponsor, VFW Post 7050. It worked out fairly well but the boys could not play any rough and tumble games there. Some parents did not think it was very appropriate to hold Boy Scout meetings next to the VFW’s bar but we really did not have many choices at the time.

The troop held its first (and one of its few) Halloween parties at the VFW clubroom. Of course, it was a costume party and we did have a contest for the best costume. Many of the Boy Scouts participated. We had the typical Frankenstein monsters and vampires. Two of the boys must have had some help from their mothers because they looked pretty good in a wig and dress. One of my favorite costumes was the Scout who came to the party with two heads. I was dressed up as a clothed chimpanzee using facial appliances from a costume kit I bought that was based on the type of makeup used in the Planet of the Ape movies. It was an awesome costume, if I do say so myself. Unfortunately, no one thought to take a picture of me.
It was getting a little late in the season when we decided to have one more overnight camping trip. The leaves had already fallen from the trees but the snow had not yet arrived. We drove several miles north of Melrose to the Lake Sylvia park and public access. We did not realize that camping was not allowed at the park until a sheriff happened to drive by and see us there. He was very nice and very understanding, and allowed us to stay the night but instructed us not to camp there again.
There was not much to do at the park. It did not take long before a couple of boys picked up some sticks and began having a sword fight. Or was it a lightsaber fight? A couple more boys joined in. Soon, the whole troop had sticks, including the adults. We broke the troop up into two teams for the big battle. It was interesting watching the sword fights take place in (somewhat) slow motion. After all, we did not want bashed fingers or hands.
After supper the boys competed in a timed obstacle course. The course was created using things found at the park. It included bench jumping, trench leaping, stump leapfrogging, and log crossing, along with other things. The course was a hit with the boys.
It was about this same time that I moved into an apartment. Some of the boys decided my place would be a great place to hang out. I had a decent stereo system along with a recordable cassette tape player and a couple of microphones. We began making spoof versions of radio and tv shows, recording them onto cassette tapes. I still have a couple of those tapes, but unfortunately, many have been lost over time. Little did I realize at the time that those early shows would develop into my current hobby of making videos and podcasts.
Isn’t it funny how some things work out?
Pictures of the year’s activities can be seen by clicking HERE.
Subscribe to “A Scoutmaster’s Blog” at
http://www.blogger.com/feeds/28330606/posts/default