Our Scout Troop has been working on the Scouting Heritage Merit Badge at our scout meetings in September 2023.  It has been very interesting to see how the scouting program was created by Baden Powell in England and how William Boyce brought the scouting program to the United States by a scout doing a good  deed. We also learned that many of the games we play today were at the beginning.  This was very interesting to me. We also learned about the National Scout Museum located in New Mexico at the Philmont Scout Reservation.

The requirement I liked the most was when we had Andy Dubill as a guest at our scout meeting. Mr. Dubill brought a small portion of his scouting memorabilia collection. He had a really neat collection. He had several scout uniforms that he shared with us. He had a scout uniform that dated back to 1912 which he allowed Liam in our scout troop to wear. It was really cool. Looking at all Mr. Dubill’s scouting stuff has made me want to start my own collection. The other item that was interesting to me was that we still do many of the items to earn our ranks that the scouts did back in 1910.

The night before boy scout camp I was so nervous because I was going to be gone for 10 days in the heat. The car ride was very boring but it was worth it because when we got there we had to wait an hour and a half but I had fun. When they let us in camp but I was still nervous when we got to camp and we took our camp boxes out of the trailer and moved them to our tents I knew that I was going to have fun.

I thought it would feel like 5 years but it felt like day 1 , 2 , 3 , 9 , 10 and then home.  It went by so fast and there was a visitor day on day 3 so my family got to come see how i was sleeping and living for the 10 days. They thought it was hot but I got used to it and we got to swim every day and it was so refreshing. Even though you would think I would love the air conditioning but no. It was so hot at camp. I hated the air conditioning once I got home because it was cold anywhere I went. I loved boy scout camp.

What a weekend it was, the troop had nineteen(19) troop members take part. Six(6) out of the nineteen(19) this was their first time to take part in this yearly event before camp starts each summer in June. It is always nice to go and see people you have not seen for a year or many years. It’s great to talk about old times and current events that are going on in scouting. It’s just great to have a relaxing weekend at camp and to see camp in a different way than when we go to camp.

At the celebration they have a contest to challenge the youth on scouting skills (rifle shooting, cowboy action, tomahawk throwing, knot tying, arts and crafts and fire building), teamwork and problem solving. This year our troop’s team took 2nd Place out of 15 teams. Our team was made up of Lincoln M., Noah R., Josiah R. and James R. These scouts deserve a Big How How from everyone in the troop they represented our troop very well. They are the second group to have such an honor. The last time it was done was in 2009. So 13 years later we are able to do it again. These four(4)scouts have already said they are going to take part in the celebration weekend and this time they are taking 1st Place at the 2024 Celebration.

Mr. Ray Blann was also recognized for his years of service to the troop and the scouting program by having his responsibilities at camp increased at camp in the Honor Camper Program. Mr. Blann is well deserving of this honor as he is a true Scout Leader, believes in the scouting program and lives by the Scout Oath and Law in his daily life. Congratulations Mr. Blann.

As the Scoutmaster of Troop 282 of the Blue Elk District I am challenging all those scouts and leaders who are eligible to take part in the great event to sign up and come along to the 2024 Celebration

What a great overnight we had this weekend. We had great weather. We set up patrol areas. We had five events for are patrol competition:  2-arm First Aid Carry relay, Bowsaw relay, Sharpening a Hand Ax, Nail Driving and we ended with a Compass Course. This was great fun. Mr. Howell told the patrols that if any patrol that got within 1 ft. to 3 ft. of the ending point they would get an award. Every patrol tried their hardest to make this happen. We got to cook our own patrol food once again in our patrol site. It was great. The patrols cooked Chicken In Dumplings, Coca-Cola, Barbecue Chicken and Sloppy Joes. We really eat well on and overnight. After dinner we had a Troop Campfire once again each patrol had to have a song and a skit. The MC for the campfire were Celestine and Josiah. They did a great job. We had a little trouble with the fire taking off a couple of the leaders worked on the fire. Our MC’s kept us entertained. It was great. After campfire the leaders had prepared cobblers for everyone. We had Apple, Cherry and Chocolate Cherry. They all tasted great. Then it was off to bed.

On Sunday we awoke with Mr. Howell went through camp telling everyone to get up and that it was a wonderful day in the neighborhood. I believe Mr. Howell must have loved Mr. Rogers Then it was off to the flag pole to raise the flag of the United States. Our Sr. Patrol Leader asked who won the compass course and what the reward was. We were all surprised that every patrol had met the requirement for the reward. Then the next news was even more shocking. Mr. Howell said he would be doing all four patrols dishes. Not only did he do the breakfast dishes he cleaned everything in all four patrols’ kitchens. Thanks Mr. Howell.

Well we  started our wood fires once again and cooked breakfast. Once again all the patrols cooked some great meals Mountain Main Breakfast and Breakfast Burritos. They all turned out great.

After Mr. Howell completed the dish washing. We had church as a troop. I always like the troops’ church service. The scouts do the opening prayer, songs, closing prayer and each month a different leader does the sermon. This month we talked about the Lord’s Prayer. Then it was back to the flag pole to lower the flag of the United States. We also learned how the patrols placed for the patrol competition. Which included the Patrol Events I mentioned earlier and how our patrol spirit was and how our patrol campsite was kept. There was a tie for 3rd Place between the Stunning Foxes and the Fearsome Flying Frogs. 2nd Place went to the Flaming Goats. 1st Place went to the Vikings. Great job Vikings. If only my patrol would have taken our patrol flag maybe we would have been  in 1st Place. Believe me I will never leave my patrol flag behind again.

Overall rating for this overnight was great and I can not wait to go on my troops next activity.

P.S. Those scouts that did not make this overnight you missed out on a great time.

The 27 scouts felt amazing about this overnight. We used the patrol method on this overnight.

We had patrol competition in the afternoon where we had to use our scouting skills to start a fire, boil a can of water, to go on a compass course, bake a 2-layer cake and decorate.

Each cake was judged on looks and tasted. The Stunning Fox patrol won for taste, the Stunning Fox patrol won for taste and the Fearsome Flying Frog patrol won for looks. Our patrols cook their own meals for dinner  Saturday night and breakfast Sunday morning. Saturday night we had a Troop campfire which was very good. Our MC was Emma. Each patrol had a skit and a song.

We are all looking forward to Mays  overnight.

What a great weekend for a hike. I really didn’t know what to expect as this was my first hiking trip to Cedar Bluff. I all started out great as it was all downhill, then I heard from the back of the line “If you go down you must go back up”. I really didn’t understand that saying till I got to the other side of the hollow then I saw and understood. We did this up and down hiking I think four or five times. The hike was tough but I felt it was a great scouting adventure and it was all worth it once we reached Cedar Bluff. I can not wait to do it again.

Cedar Bluff was very fun like always. I’ve been on this trip at least three times and it has been getting more fun the more times I go. Waking up at 6:00 AM to get there on time to get on our troop bus to head to camp.Once at camp we unloaded our backpacks and received our Saturday night dinner and Sunday morning breakfast to put in our backpacks. With our backpacks loaded we are on our way to the Bluff. On the way we will see a few beautiful sites and sounds of nature. But none will be comparable to the site at the bluff.In conclusion the Cedar Bluff hike was unlike any other scouting adventure. Devils StairCase still lives in my mind and this is why I think this overnight is my favor and have done it  at least three times.

As a new Jr. Leader in the scout troop I really didn’t know what to expect at the training.I just knew I was expected to show up to the training in my complete scout uniform at 8:00 AM and to be down in our scout room.

The training started with us saying the pledge of allegiance, Scout Law and Scout Oath and a prayer. Then we were off and running. We played a game called the Leadership game. Here we had to match up the different Jr. Leader position (SPL, ASPL, PL, APL, Scribe, Quartermaster etc.) with the responsibilities of the positions. I found this very useful in learning what the different leadership positions are to be doing. Then we learned about what is Leadership, how to prepare my patrol for an overnight, what does respecting others really mean, how do you gain respect from your fellow scouts, how to prepare for a demonatration, teaching the EDGE method, how to plan a troop meeting, how to run a PLC Meeting, how do we promote scout spirit, patrol spirit and troop spirit, then we learned the step of planning a troop campfire, and then we played several team building games. These games were great fun and I look forward to playing them with the entire troop.

All in all it was a very long day but I believe it will help me to be a better Jr. leader for my scout troop. I hope the rest of the scouts who were there feel the same way.

Last but not least we were each challenged by Mr. Howell to recruit one new scout. Mr. Howell said we were the best recruiters the scout troop could have. The scouts in the troop.