(Editor’s note: This is the second in a three part series to run about the Bald Eagle United Methodist Boy Scouts. This part will focus on troop activities. Part one focused on pack activities, and the last part will focus on crew activities.)
The Troop had a busy year, as they concluded a building project of a small cabin at Camp Anderson in memorial for a fallen Troop member who passed in 2002.
They have been working on this for approximately a year-and-a-half and were finally able to enjoy their first campout in it late November. Since its first use, it has been used by the Troop through the winter for a couple of lively campouts, and other groups have used it for various other activities, such as the Winter Camporee, NYLT youth leader training, and Cub Summer Camp. It houses 18 cots and has a barrel heater for heat and cooking purposes. It also has a large sliding rear door facing the babbling brook. It is a very nice addition to the camp, and it was entirely donated by funds raised within a memorial fund for the fallen scout, and generous donations of time from parents and friends of the Troop.
Troop 103 attended the Boy Scout Klondike derby at Camp Wopsy, near Janesville, and though they couldn’t hold onto their previous year’s first place score among the 150-plus youth that attended, they brought in a respectable second place. This event pitted the Patrol members in timed and graded event stations that ranged from fire-building to surveying and many other activities. This was a “balmy” Klondike as it only got down into the high 20 degree range. It also did not have more than a dusting of snow. It made for a very nice Igloo campout, which is an overnight winter campout prior to the Klondike Derby.
The spring was a very busy season for three youth achieving their Eagle awards. The boys that achieved Scoutings highest award, were Nathan Barber, Chris Bradigan and Jared Rodgers. These boys all joined Scouting together in 1994 and have been in the same Pack, Troop and Crew together. It was very rewarding to see them all pursue and achieve this prestigious award within the same six months.
The Troop attended the District Spring Camporee and spent most of the day working on a pioneering project called a friction bridge. Built entirely with wooden poles of various lengths and rope, it spanned approximately 16 feet-long and four feet-high. When the judges came to grade it, the entire Troop and Crew climbed on board, to show it was structurally strong enough to hold nearly a full ton of weight. It wasn’t just a pretty object, it would perform its purpose, without failure. It won third place, among all of the 18 entries.
Of course, Scouting wouldn’t be complete without service work to others, and some of the projects performed through the year were: remulching the flower beds at Bald Eagle Methodist Church, the Scouting for Food program, Camp Anderson workday, and a joint effort with Crew 103 and the Juniata River Conservancy cleaning trash from the banks of the Little Juniata River from Ironsville to Honest Hollow. This was a national program and they were listed on the National Register for Friends of the Rivers.
National Youth Leadership Training was offered by Penn’s Woods Council at Camp Anderson, for the youth leaders of Troops and Crews. They had three Troop members attend this valuable training, and they spent a week working within small groups on the dynamics of leading a group of their peers, within the Troop setting. They were taught various skills such as delegation, conflict resolution and planning. They of course bring all these new skills back to the Troop to be implemented and practiced. It is a great investment by the Troop to bring a trained youth leader to teach others.
A week prior to summer camp they attended the Bald Eagle Knap-in at Mountz Park in Janesville. They weren’t sure how this would interest the scouts, as it is a gathering of people who make arrowheads out of glass and flint, but the schedule for the weekend also had Indian drummaking, a medicine wheel, Civil War reenactors, tomahawk throwing, and vendors selling all sorts of different crafts. It was an absolute blast! Though it was incredibly hot, it was a truly great experience. Hosted by a great bunch of people from the area, the Scouts found a treasure of experiences for the youth and adults, from primitive firemaking to building their own Troop drum.
The Troop attended week three of Penns Woods Council Summer camp at Camp Seph Mack, near Indiana, PA. All of the boys earned many merit badges, and the Troop had five or six youth advance a rank at Camp. Two youth earned BSA Snorkeling and one youth earned BSA Kayaking. The Troop was one of two troops, during week three, to earn the Camp Commissioner Award, by completing many daily requirements such as keeping a clean campsite, attending specific trainings, and advancing a required amount of youth.
They also were awarded the Order of the Arrow Recognition Award by attending all the OA events offered at camp and having at least one youth achieve his Brotherhood status. This was only the second OA Award given the entire summer. The youth also had five entries in the annual IronMan competition, where the competitors must swim across the entire lake, run approximately a mile, and canoe approximately a mile. The five entries all were within the top seven. First and second place, fourth, fifth and seventh places were achieved by these zealous youth. The first place winner also broke the all-time campers’ record, by approximately 10 seconds. All in all it was a great week of camping.
The Pack, Troop and Crew would like to extend an invitation to an open house August 13 at Camp Anderson to any interested youth or adults in the area, to experience being a Scout for a Day. This is open to any youth seven to 20 years of age. Female members of the Crew need to be at least 14-years-old. There is no cost to this event, and it starts at approximately 12:30 p.m. and will end at approximately 9 p.m. for anyone that does not want to stay overnight. Meals will be provided. Activities will run all day into the evening.
