Tustumena District Spring Camporee 2009

Just this weekend my unit attend the 2009 Spring Camporee for Tustumena District of the Great Alaska Council. This event was held at Halibut Campground in anchor point which is about an hour from where our Troop meets, so getting there was not a big challenge. This campground is on the beach near the Cook inlet. We had a huge turn out at the event which suprised me. We end up have 14 youth which is awesome for the small size of our Troop. We divided into our regular patrols instead of having just one big patrol like normal because we had enough participation. I unfortunately did not get to see my Troop's two patrol's go through the events because they needed judges for the various competition. I was assigned to the Ronin Patrol from Unit 555. The Patrol I judge in the competion did a excellent job while completing the task. The competition including starting a fire using natural fire starters which means dead plant material and matches and nothing else. After that they had to boil two cups of water in 10 penny can and then dry a wet paper towel with burning it. After that the patrols had to either demonstrate that each could use a signaling mirror, make a accurate and quick signal from natural materials on the beach, and create smoke signal from the fire they started earlier. After that they were given a first aid scenario. Then the patrols went off to lunch with their units. In my unit both patrols had the option of choosing between hard and soft tacos. After lunch there was a orienteering event and then we a a 3 way tug-o-war competition. Finally after discussing the scores with the other judges we decided that the Kiss Patrol from the Seward Troop came in first and the Cavemen patrol from my unit in Soldotna won second. Later in the evening the host Troop which is Troop 55 invited our Troop to come over for a flag retirement ceremony. Instead of just watching the ceremony like I expected, the Troop ended up getting involved in the ceremony. After that our numbers for our unit dropped significantly for staying over the second night.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08

Hapy Mother's Day

I just wanted to wish my mother and all the mothers of the world a Happy Mothers Day.

Hopefully this does of humor will brighten your day.

The Scouter's Wife and the Scout's Mother
(In memory of Nancy Plitt and Judy Simpson, and in honor of all others)

If your laundry routine includes inspecting for red shoulder tabs ... you might be a Scouter's wife or a Scout's mother.

If a dab of Coleman fuel behind each ear is more alluring to your husband than Chanel No. 5 ... you might be a Scouter's wife.

If your laundry routine includes inspecting for blue cards in shirt pockets .. you might be a Scout's mother.

If a Thursday night family dinner consists of Whoppers in the car in the church parking lot .. you might be a Scouter's wife and a Scout's mother.

If you cook a nice pot roast for supper for the Scoutmaster because he came straight from work to a PLC meeting at your house, and then heat up the leftovers for your husband when he gets home, ... you might be a Scouter's wife.

If your only real vacation in 5 years involves driving from Maryland to Philmont with a carload of boys ... you might be a Scouter's wife.

If your husband plans a "night out with the boys", and you know that it will be a night _outdoors_ with boys ... you might be a Scouter's wife.

If your most memorable vacation with your husband was being the only woman in a crew of nine men and boys on the Allagash River in Maine .. you might be a Scouter's wife.

If you spend your honeymoon wearing green shorts and knee socks ... you might be a new Scouter's wife.

If your husband mutters in his sleep about a ticket, and you know we hasn't just caught speeding .. you might be a Scouter's wife.

If you've converted your dining room into an office, and your garage looks like L.L. Bean's attic .. you might be a Scouter's wife.

If your husband's tan line starts just above his knees, and ends three inches below his knees ... you might be a Scouter's wife.

If you have shelves of coffee mugs, and you don't drink coffee ... you might be a Scouter's wife.

If your best china cup has a 1865 Camporee logo on it .. you might be a Scouter's wife.

If your husband has disappeared, and you know you can always find him at Price Club trying to get a deal on #10 cans of peaches for cobbler ... you might be a Scouter's wife.

If you tell your husband you are expecting to hear the pitter-patter of little feet, and he thinks the PLC meeting is at your house tonight ... you might be a Scouter's wife.

If your husband brings home three rolls of red-white-and-blue ribbon to be sewn into Mothers' ribbons, and says "Don't worry, the Court of Honor isn't until tomorrow night and we only need 15 made" .. . and you don't have a sewing machine ... and you get it done ... you might be a Scouter's wife.

If you just _know_ that the sun room will be finished, right after the next Goshen Bears workend ... you might be a Scouter's wife.

If your family car seats 8, even though there are only 4 in your family ... you might be a Scouter's wife.

If the money collected for your memorial is used to but an air compressor for Scout Camp, and everyone thinks that is just right ... you were a Scouter's wife.

If you keep your Mother's ribbon, with the Eagle pin, with you _forever_, .. you were a Scouter's mother.

Copywrite: Chuck & Nancy May, June 1996.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Junior Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 Philmont AA '08