What a great lock-in the troop had. The scouts turned the church’s parish hall into game central. We played games from 7:00 PM till midnight. We also had pizza for dinner. It was great. I would like to thank our Troops Patrol Leaders Council for planning this event. Can’t wait to do it again in 2025.

“There is no religious side to the movement. The whole of it is based on religion, that is, on the
realization and service of God.”
-Robert Baden-Powell, Scouting Founder

The scouts of Troop 282 gathered together Sunday morning after breakfast to hold church
during our October overnight.
They learned about obedience, and sang about God’s amazing grace. It was great to see the
whole group listening, singing along, and responding to the questions asked during the sermon.
Holding a church service is an important part of our overnights in Troop 282.
Scouts BSA does not promote any specific religious denomination, but has always
recognized that spiritual faith is important in the development of good citizens. This principle is
embedded in our “Declaration of Religious Principle,” which says each member should
recognize their obligation to God as part of becoming a good citizen.
We encourage Scouts to follow the religious teachings of their families and faith groups, and
to respect religious diversity. Scouts & scouters come from all walks of life, with various
backgrounds, beliefs, and faith experiences.
However, Scouts USA upholds a belief in God as a core value of the program.
Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting, made it clear that Scouting is built on
religious principles. He believed that Scouting should help boys realize their duty to God by
encouraging service to others and making the best of the life God has given them.
Over half of all Scout troops are affiliated with religious organizations, reflecting the strong
connection between Scouting and faith communities. The organization’s focus on core values
like responsibility, integrity, and respect ensures that Scouts develop a strong moral character
while learning to appreciate the diversity of their fellow Scouts.
“Church” isn’t a building, it’s a collection of people moving toward our Heavenly Father. That
can happened in a big climate-controlled building, in the middle of the woods, on a street corner,
or even on the side of a bluff overlooking a lake.
Scouting emphasizes a duty to God, teaching these young leaders to live out their faith
through service, responsibility, and respect for others- making Scouting a platform for personal
and spiritual growth.
Those church gatherings out in the middle of God’s creation are especially meaningful, as
we get to see His handiwork in the colorful fall trees and the bright blue sky, a fresh blanket of
snow, or whatever scenery He sees fit to bless us with. It’s also a blessing to be able to see
these young men & women connecting with God and each other.

What a great weekend the troop had on the October overnight. It all started when we left the church parking lot at 8:00 AM. Once we reached the campsite we unloaded our patrol camping gear and set up our patrol camping site. Yes, in our troop each patrol has their own tents, dining fly, equipment boxes, kitchen, table and chairs. It’s great as we get to work as a patrol all weekend. We had to have our patrol sites set up before lunch.

After lunch we had some patrol competition on some scouting skills (using a bow saw, shaping an hand ax and building a fire).

Once done with the patrol competition the patrols had some free time for working on our patrol sites and collecting firewood for cooking dinner. We started our patrol fires around two hours ahead of dinner to allow us to have lots of coals for cooking with.

Then we started dinner. Each patrol was cooking their own meals. This is my favorite part of overnight cooking. 

Of course the part of the overnight no one likes is cleaning up after dinner. Yes we must wash our dishes.

Once we were done we started thinking about the Troop Campfire. Each patrol is to have a skit and song. Our patrol leader had us practice our patrol skit and song.

After the campfire our adult leaders prepared cobblers for the troop to eat. This is always a great treat.

When the patrol was done with their cobbler it was off to bed.

What a day. It went by so fast.

On Sunday morning we got up and got our patrol fire going so we could cook breakfast.

It’s nice to have a hot breakfast when it is cool out is great.

Once we were done with breakfast the patrols cleaned up their breakfast dishes and broke down their tents and loaded everything back on our troop’s trailer.

Before we left to go back to the church to meet our parents our troop has a church service.

Its time to make our Leave No Trace line to walk through our camp to make sure we leave the site better than we found it.

I am ready to go camping again.

What a fun time we had cleaning up the stream at Mildred Keeney Park in Claycomo, Missouri on September 28, 2024. The Troop met at 9:00 AM at the church and headed out to Claycomo. When we arrived at the park we met up with David Jet, an Alderman for the City of Claycomo and an Eagle Scout from our Scout Troop. Mr. Jett explained what the task was going to be for this morning. Then it was off to the stream. We split up into two groups to clean up both ends of the stream. This is where the fun began. We got to get wet and wade through the stream to pick up the trash. This went much faster than I thought it would take. We filled up several bags of trash. We found a steel wheel, a metal basket, a plastic pipe and lots of trash.

When we finished with the stream clean up they fed us hot dogs, chips, cookies and a drink. It was great. Then we got to play in the park.

Before we left the park we made one final sweep through the park as we always do before we leave an area to make sure we left it better than we found it.

I am looking forward to doing this project again. It was a great time.

What a great Labor Day Weekend for parking cars at Santa-Cali-Gon. The weather was great for those going to the festival on Independence Square. We had a great turn out from our scouts, leaders and families on supporting this fundraiser. It could not be done without your support.

Our scouts are very important to this fundraiser to be present to wave in those cars to park.

The best part about working for me was the food that was served to our volunteers. It was great.

What a great event. I had never been canoeing before until today. Even carrying the canoes to the lake and back up to the trailer. I can not wait till the Troop does it again.

Canoes are a little heavy

Canoeing is a buddy activity

What a great way to cool off

We stopped and could some ice cream. Thanks Mr. Dudley.

What a way to finish up the 2023-2024 Scouting year and to start the 2024-2025 Scouting with the annual Troop Court of Honor. All the scouts and their families present to honor all the scouts with the Awards, Rank Advancement and Merit badges that they have earned.

This year’s Court of Honor was a little more special than in past years for two reasons.

The first was honoring our Troop for turning 75 years old on November 8, 2024.

The second was honoring Mr. Leabo for receiving the Council God and Country Award. It was the first time this award had been earned in the Heart of America Council.

I hope everyone had as nice a time as I did.

Our head table

Parents and Scouts enjoying the Court of Honor

Mr. Leabo received the  Council God and Country Award.

Our Scouts lining up to be honored

The Council Duty to God Award was created to recognize registered Scouters who have demonstrated an exemplary history of transformational leadership in supporting and promoting the spiritual foundation of Scouting at the local Council level. It acknowledges the unswerving dedication to faith, fellowship, and service of those whose character embodies the moral principles and shared ideals of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). The award distinguishes Scouters who selflessly work to prepare youth for life by perpetuating the merit and legacy of a Scout’s duty to their Creator.

Gary Leabo is the first to be awarded the Council Duty to God Award in the Heart of America Council.

Congratulation  Gary

Troop 1282

Troop Court of Honor

August 11, 2024

What a great summer camp the troop had. We left the church at 8:15 AM. Our next stop was at the Iconium Community Building where we sat in the shade of the trees and ate our lunch. It was a little warm. Then at 12:15 PM we loaded the bus and we moved to check in to Camp Lone Star Campsite Kickapoo, our home for the next 9 days of great fun. Once we got our camp boxes moved to our tents. We changed into our swimming trunks and then it was off to the swimming pool to take our swim test to see who are swimmers (blue band), who are beginners (white bands) and who are non-swimmers (red bands). After our swim test the troop had 14 swimmers, two beginners and 1 non-swimmer. Mr. Dudley told them they would be blue bands (swimmers) before the end of the session. Once back at camp we changed into street clothes and finished setting up our tents.  At 5:00 PM we had our storm shelter drill. Then at 5:40 PM it was time to send our troops five(5) KP (kitchen police) to set the tables for dinner and to take down the flag of our country. Then it was off to dinner. The meal was great. After dinner we got ready to go to the 1st night Campfire. After the campfire it was time for showers and

Off to bed. Day 1 is done.

Day 2 the scouts were up at 6:00 AM so excited to be at camp. At 7:00 AM reveille sounded and everyone yelled we can get up now. We surrounded the flagpole and began playing catch with a ball. This was great because it got everyone involved. At 7:15 AM the call for KP’s to go to the dinning hall to set the table for breakfast. After breakfast it was off to our morning merit badge classes from 8:30 AM to 9:30 AM and 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM. After morning classes it was time for troop swim and free time. Mr. Dudley would open the Troop Bank for us to make with draws to go to the trading post. At 11:40 it was time to send our five (5) KP’s to the Dinning Hall to set the table for lunch. After lunch is rest time and those who did not get a blue band were off to the pool. At 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM and 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM it’s time for afternoon merit badge classes. From 4:30 PM to 5:40 we have free time. At 5:40 PM we took down the American Flag and got ready for dinner. After dinner we had a campfire in our campsite where the patrols performed skits and songs. Noah Rider was award his Den Chief Coups and Josiah Rider was awarded his Eagle Coups. These coups are worn on their Micosay lanyard. Then it was time for showers and off to bed.

Day 3 – Ditto until after dinner. We had free time where we could play board games or mulky. This year the troop fixed clobber for every one. We had Cherry, Black forest and Apple. It tasted great and hit the spot.

Day 4 – Ditto until after dinner. It was Call NIGHT. This is the best campfire of the session as we get to see scouts start their trail to enter the inner circle to Micosay. Foxman, Brave and Warrior. After the campfire our 1st year scout got to stay after to ask questions about Call Night. The rest of the troop went back to camp and went to bed.

Day 5 – Ditto until after lunch where those scouts who didn’t have a Blue Swimmers band came back with Blue Bands. The Troop had all Blue Bands for the 1st time in 15 years.

Day 6 – We got up and went to church and got ready to see our parents. Its Visitors Sunday. That evening Mr. Howell and Stacy took the 1st, 2nd and 3rd year scouts to iconium to the general store. Here we got $5.00 to spend on ice cream or candy.

Day 7 – Ditto, Except it took the scouts a little longer to get started in

The morning.

Day 8 – Ditto. Until after lunch when we went to the pool to watch the belly flop contest. This year we had Aquaman as are entry (Mr. Taylor). Mr.Tayor has taken over this responsibility from Mr. Dudley who had done this for over 20 years.

Aquman came in first. Congratulation Mr. Taylor

Day 9 – Ditto Until after Dinner where we had a campfire put on by the troops. After the campfire we came back to camp where the troop put on a cracker barrel for everyone . We had Peach Neil Floats and pop. Great time

Day 10 – Everyone was up at 6:00 AM finishing up packing their campboxes to come home. It was a great year at camp.

I am looking forward to coming back to camp in 2025

Well on Friday June 16 the troop met at Trinity Epicopal Church and off we went to the H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation for 10 days of camp. To tell you the truth, I was so excited. We drove for approximately 2 hrs. Where we stop to eat our lunch at the Community Center in Iconium and go to the restroom.  We waited in the shade till it was time to get in line to move into Camp Piercing Arrow Campsite Ft. Scott.

Once at our campsite we moved our camp boxes to our tent, changed into our swimming suits and off to the pool we went for our swim test. Once done it was back to our campsite to finish setting up our tent. Before you knew it it was time to go to dinner. At 7:30 PM it was time for the opening night campfire. Then it was time for showers and off to bed we went. Day 1 was done.

Day 2 we got up at 6:30 AM, got dressed, made our beds and brushed our teeth. At 7:10 AM we put up the American Flag and then walked to breakfast. After breakfast we had morning merit badge classes. After merit badge time we got to go to the Trading Post where we could purchase slushies and candy. Then it was time for Lunch. Then we had a rest period. Once the rest period was over it was off to afternoon merit badge classes. Once merit badge class was over we could go swimming. Then it was time to take down the American Flag and walk to dinner. After dinner we had some free time before we had a campsite campfire where we put on skits and songs. Then it was off to the showers and to bed. I was ready for bed.

Day 3 was Visitors Sunday after we went to church. Our parents came to camp to see us. We had a troop picnic and enjoyed our parents. All visitors had to be out of camp at 4:30 PM.

Day 4 was the same routine as day 2 except that after dinner we had another camp-wide campfire called Call Night where those scouts who were ready to start their trail to MICOSAY were called. We started with the Foxman call. We had one scout called. Then the Brave Call we had two scouts called and finally the Warrior Call we didn’t have anyone called this year. What an exciting night. I really liked call night.

Day 5 was the same routine as day 2 except that  after breakfast those who were called for MICOSAY had a workday where they gave service to the camp. Also after dinner we got to go to the Archery Range and Rifle Range and shot. Once done with this activity we went to the Trading Post and to the showers and to bed.

Day 6 was the same routine as day 2 except that you went to your second 4 day merit badges. After dinner we got to go to Iconium to go to the little General Store that is there to purchase ice cream and treats. Then it was back to camp to take showers and go to bed.

Day 7 was the same routine as day 2. After Dinner we had free time.

Day 8 was the same routine as day 2. After dinner we got to go to Iconium to go to the little General Store that is there to purchase ice cream and treats. Then it was back to camp to take showers and go to bed.

Day 9 was what is called make up day. This is when we went around to all our merit badge classes to make sure they were done. In the afternoon we rode the camp bus over to Camp Lone Star where we walked to the Point and saw the Troop Rock.

After Dinner at 8:00 PM we had Closing Night Campfire where the troop put on skits for the program. Then it was back to camp where we had a cracker barrel ice cream. Then it was off to bed so we would be ready to go home.

Day 10 we got up and moved our gear to the truck. Then it was off to breakfast. After breakfast we loaded up and made one last stop at the Iconium General Store. Once done we started our dive home.

My overall rating for Scout Camp is that it was great and I can not wait to go back next year.