Trying out a new template

Please tell me what you think of the new template. I think that after 1.5 years of blogging a new blog template was in order. I still have not decided to create my own template but sometime sooner rather than later I will work on creating a new template for upload to the site.

Hope you all are having a great weekend.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

BSA Handbook Review

I know that many different bloggers have already written about the new 12th edition of the BOy Scout Handbook but I would like to say a few things about the handbook.

First off lets take about the organization of the handbook. The organization is much better it is not based on advancement which I believe is important because in the old handbook it said its primary purpose was to be used for Rank Advancement. If you are a true Scout you bring your handbook on every Scout Outing, I know that is a high expectation but you just never know when you are going to need a new skill, brush up on a old skill, have something to read (Sounds boring but it really isn't as bad as a textbook, trust me I know what dry textbooks are all about), or work on advancement. Notice I listed advancement last, this is because advancement has two different purposes depending on who you are. Lets talk about the adult reason first, it one of eight methods the Boy Scouts of America Uses. The method's purpose isn't to cram the advancement information down scouts throats, its purpose is to allow Scouts to grow and learn more and more challenging skills that can be used throughout the rest of your life. If you are adult and think that requirements should be signed off just to keep scouts advancing, then you need to either repeat your basic training or really examine the real purpose. Next lets look at it from the youth perspective, youth first off don't need scouting to be treated like school and the old handbook to me at least made it feel like it was a textbook of sorts.

Now lets look at what type of material and information is in the handbook. In many ways in brought back many of the traditional Scout skills but added a 21st century flare to them which to me is very important especially in a world that moves at light speed.

Finally I have heard from multiple posters that there are a few errors in the book which need to be corrected, I hope that if this is the case, the BSA National Council has come up with a plan, if not then it should be a just fine situation.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

NSJ 2010 Bulletin

June-July 2009 Bulletin

Should Be Done:

• Start monthly committee meetings.
• Complete selection of troop leaders (include in monthly committee meetings).
• Confirm transportation and tour arrangements.
• Jamboree troop leaders promote and conduct district jamboree promotion rallies.
• Design council shoulder insignia.
• Develop promotion for summer camp.
• Ensure all council participants (youth, adult leaders, and staff) have completed an online registration application.

In Progress:

• Promote jamboree at summer camps.
• Promote jamboree at all district and council events, including Scout roundtables.
• Promote jamboree at troop meetings.
• Make individual calls to Scouts who indicate an interest in attending.
• Monthly committee meetings.
• Follow up on Scouts not adhering to council’s fee schedule.
• Send July 31 council payment ($400 per person; $16,000 per troop).

Lower prices from BSA Supply—There are lower prices on some items in the 2010 Jamboree package plans. The new prices are located on www.MyBSA.org. Council professionals responsible for jamboree will have access to the new prices.

Jamboree patches—All council contingents that have paid the first $100 per person have received or should soon receive their adult leader and youth Scout patches. These are being sent directly to councils to the attention of the council jamboree contact.

Come to the jamboree—There is still room for participants to attend the 2010 National Scout Jamboree. Check with your local council for details. Regions still have troop allocations that have not been fulfilled.

Second jamboree payment—The second payment of $400 per person is due to the National Council on or before July 31, 2009. Participant and adult leaders make payments directly to their council; staff must make their payment online. Late fees of $50 per person ($2,000 per troop) will be applied to those who do not make the payment on time. Don’t forget! Pay by July 31.

Council contingent coordinators—Councils with three or more contingent troops must appoint a council contingent coordinator. This person must submit an adult leader application. Once the council has approved the adult leader application, send that person’s name and contact information to 2010jamboree@scouting.org.

Troop numbers—Jamboree troop numbers are being assigned to councils by Boy Scouts of America regions. Councils have been instructed how to assign Scouts and leaders to troops and submit the troop number assignments, as well as the leadership assignments, to the Jamboree Department.

Approve leaders—If councils have not done so, now is the time to approve youth and adult leaders through the jamboree registration system.

Gateways—Jamborees are full of color and excitement, something in which troop gateways have always played a big part. Showing Scouts from other parts of the country what’s unique or interesting about a troop’s home area is a time-honored jamboree tradition. Troops usually design their gateways to reflect the most notable aspects of their home area—history, geography, industry, etc. This is often done in very creative and novel ways.

It’s important to plan ahead when designing and building the troop gateway. To ensure that all materials, tools, and equipment will be available, it is vital that plans be made early to transport everything that’s needed with the council contingent. The jamboree site is relatively remote. Once there, obtaining the simplest of tools or materials could be a real headache. Due to the lack of facilities or personnel to receive them, shipping separate materials or equipment to the jamboree is not an option. Everything must be transported with the council contingent. Troop gateways must not exceed 10 feet in height and must be of non-conductive material.

No holes—Federal authorities have prohibited the digging of holes of any kind, for any purpose, anywhere on the jamboree site. Applications for permits to dig holes for gateways will not be considered. This rule will be strictly enforced. All gateways must be designed with supports on the ground surface and must be secured by weights, staked guy lines, or other means not requiring holes in the ground. Storms are common at jamborees, and gateways should be designed to accommodate winds of up to 70 miles per hour. It is highly recommended that troops design, fabricate, erect, and test gateways prior to transporting them to the jamboree site.

• Troop gateways—The height of troop gateways will be limited to a maximum of 10 feet and can have no electrical components. The 10-foot height restriction includes flagpoles, which must be of nonconductive material (wood, PVC, etc). There will be NO climbing allowed in the erection of the unit gateways. No tents or other unit components will be allowed within the "fall zone," the height of the gateway itself.
• Metal poles for troop tents are permissible; however, no troop tents may exceed 10 feet in height.
• Subcamp and regional gateways may not exceed 16 feet in height (including attached flagpoles or other amenities) and 20 feet in width, which is the existing design of the jamboree-installed wooden gateway structures. These are to be decorated per the site plans. Each subcamp and region must develop a detailed erection and demolition plan for decorating the provided gateway. No climbing on the gateway will be allowed, and no modifications to the structure are allowed.

Visitors—From Wednesday, July 28, through Tuesday, August 3, the jamboree will be open to visitors from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M., with the following exceptions:

• Wednesday, July 28: 11 A.M. to 5 P.M.
• Saturday, July 31: 9 A.M. to 11 P.M. (to allow for arena show attendance only)

There are no accommodations on site for visitors, including RV, tentage, or fixed housing. Upon entering the jamboree site, guests will be directed to the visitors information tent in the main parking lot, where they will receive directions to regions, subcamps, or activity areas. Visiting Scouts will not be able to participate in action center and/or program activities.

Still have questions about jamboree? Check the jamboree Web site, www.bsajamboree.org or send an e-mail to 2010jamboree@scouting.org. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

WSJ 2011 Update 4

Here is a update from the Boy Scouts of America, this information only pertains to Western Region. The Information came to me in a e-mail. The information was about interviews for staff and adult leadership for the Western Region. Here is the e-mail:

Thank you for your interest in serving in a staff or leadership role in the 2011 World Scout Jamboree!

Bob Russell (our Western Region WSJ Chair) and I will be scheduling opportunities for you to interview with us in the coming months. Between now and December, we plan to be in a number of locations around Western Region and hope that one of these date / locations will be convenient for you. I tentatively plan to set up an opportunity in the Denver, CO area on Saturday, October 10 and one in the Portland, OR area on November 21. and we'll be passing along a number of additional dates and locations shortly.

The first opportunity happens in Seattle, WA on Saturday, September 19, 2009 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM. They will take place at the offices of the Chief Seattle Council located at 3120 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98114. If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity, please contact my assistant, Elizabeth Vargas, at Elizabeth.Vargas@Scouting.org to set up a 30 minute interview.

Please monitor your email for postings of additional times and locations.

Thank you,
John
John Van Dreese
Associate Regional Director / Program
Western Region, BSA
john.vandreese@scouting.org

If you have not received this e-mail and applied for the 2011 World Scout Jamboree IST or adult leadership positions at least 1 month ago, please contact Elizabeth or your local council to see if they have processed your application. Your council must approve your application just like the 2010 National Jamboree online application process, this is likely where the hold up is.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

Quote of the Week- LeadershipFaye Wattleton: The only safe ship in a storm is leadership.

Faye Wattleton: The only safe ship in a storm is leadership.

James Callaghan: A leader must have the courage to act against an expert's advice.

James Kouzes and Barry Posner: There's nothing more demoralizing than a leader who can't clearly articulate why we're doing what we're doing.

John Gardner: Most important, leaders can conceive and articulate goals that lift people out of their petty preoccupations and unite them in pursuit of objectives worthy of their best efforts.

Margaret Chase Smith: Leadership is not manifested by coercion, even against the resented. Greatness is not manifested by unlimited pragmatism, which places such a high premium on the end justifying any means and any measures.

Peter Drucker: The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say "I." And that's not because they have trained themselves not to say "I." They don't think "I." They think "we"; they think "team." They understand their job to be to make the team function. They accept responsibility and don't sidestep it, but "we" gets the credit. This is what creates trust, what enables you to get the task done.

Rosalynn Carter: A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go but ought to be.

Tony Blair: The art of leadership is saying no, not yes. It is very easy to say yes.

Warren Bennis: The manager asks how and when; the leader asks what and why.

Warren G. Bennis: The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born -- that there is a genetic factor to leadership. This myth asserts that people simply either have certain charismatic qualities or not. That's nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

Mourning of a lost Cub Scout

A 6 year old named Micheal james Stokes from Leavittsberg, Ohio was swimming with a group of cub scouts and then as the group was getting ready to leave they noticed that james was missing and found him drowning in the pool. Originally the boy was still breathing but unfortunately stopped breathing once he was at the surface. This incident was purely accidently and i hope the media does not take advantage of this story and turn it against the Boy Scouts like they usually do.

Please send your thoughts and prayers to his family.

Also please feel free to see the complete news story at the following site.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

Post Slacking

I know in august I am suppose to be having a good month and able to keep up with my goal of 20 posts a month will most definitely not be met. The primary reason is that I have left for college and this week getting ready for college has consumed the majority of my time. Most of the family and friends believe that I need to take a serious break from scouting especially during my first semester in college. I probably will not take this advice for two reasons. The first one is because scouting is my ultimate passion and it drives me crazy to think that if I were to follow there advice I would have to give up scouting for a extended period of time.I know that this advice does make sense if I use purely logic but using purely logic ll the time is not enough to satisfy certain peoples needs.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

As an American, I will do my best to Be clean in my outdoor manners. Be careful with fire.Be considerate in the outdoors. and Be conservation minded.

This is the outdoor code which all scouts should follow whenever they are enjoying the outdoors even when they are not n scout outings. These statements are more than just simple words. I have come to the conclusion that if more americans followed these simple rules the environment would be much better off.

One thing that I would like to say is that I love technology and think that the majority of technology, tools, and toys we have as americans are good things but we as a society need to learn how to use them in order respect and preserve the world around us. I am definitely not a super environmentalist or what most people would consider a tree hugger. I believe that the world needs these people in order to make progress but I do not expect that the whole world will become like this because it will never happen. I do know that we all need to do little things to better preserve the environment.

The last note that I am going to leave you guys with is a answer to a common question I get from scouts during cleanup at the conclusion of a activity or outing. The reason why cleaning up another persons mess at the end of the outing is because if we don't do it then who will. The funny thing about this is that everyone wants to camp in a clean campsite when using public facilities but no one is willing to claim responsibility for the mess and clean it up. So if others do want to do it, and the scouts are not going to be environmental stewards then who will become our environmental stewards. We need environmental stewards because people are not careful and because there are others who just don't care.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

Quote of the Week- Fitness

Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person's physical, emotional, and mental states. ~Carol Welch

Exercise is a dirty word. Every time I hear it, I wash my mouth out with chocolate. ~Author Unknown

The body of man is a machine which winds its own springs.
- J. O. De La Mettrie

True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are united.
- Alexander von Humboldt

Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness.
- Earl of Derby

If you don't do what's best for your body, you're the one who comes up
on the short end. - Julius Erving

Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while
movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it. -
Plato

The higher your energy level, the more efficient your body. The more
efficient your body, the better you feel and the more you will use your
talent to produce outstanding results. - Anthony Robbins

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

Swanson River Trip After Report

I think that all of the Troop had a great time during the trip. It was really fun to see the scouts go from barely somewhat experienced to a moderate level of experience. The Trip difficulty level in my opinion definitely suited the experience level of the boys. The group was between 12 and 14 years old. I know that seems like they are a little young for a back country trip like this but overall all the scouts did really well. One thing that all of the adults could have worked on was being a little more patient we it comes to the speed and ability levels of the scouts. I do not think that had a very large negative impact but time will be the only way to tell whether or not it will have a impact. Other than that the adults and the boys had a really fun time .

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

Quote of the Week

I must leave it as beautiful as I found it. Nothing must ever happen there that might detract in the slightest from what it now had. I would enjoy it and discover all that was to be found there and learn as time went on that here perhaps was all I ever.
- Sigurd Olson

There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed.
~Mohandas K. Gandhi

I think the environment should be put in the category of our national security. Defense of our resources is just as important as defense abroad. Otherwise what is there to defend? ~Robert Redford, Yosemite National Park dedication, 1985

A few minutes ago every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving, swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship. But though to the outer ear these trees are now silent, their songs never cease.
John Muir

Take a course in good water and air; and in the eternal youth of Nature you may renew your own. Go quietly, alone; no harm will befall you.
John Muir

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.
John Muir

When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.
John Muir

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

World Scout Lunar Landing

Did you know that on July 20, 2009 was the 40th anniversary of the World Scouting Lunar Landing. During the 11th Apollo Mission that landed on the moon Neil Armstrong brought with him a World Scout badge.

Here is the full story:

July 20, 2009 marks the 40th Anniversary of the successful Apollo 11 moon landing. Amongst the treasured items that Crew Commander, Neil Armstrong, carried with him to the Moon and back was a World Scout Badge!

The former member of Boy Scouts of America presented this unique momento of his now legendary mission to World Scouting. The signed citation reads, "I certify that this World Scout Badge was carried to the moon on man's first lunar landing, Apollo XI, July 20, 1969."

The Scout emblem which features in the badge was created by Baden-Powell. The fleur-de-lys, which indicated ‘north’ on old maps, is a reminder that Scouts must be as reliable as a compass; they must respect Scouting’s ideals and help show others the way. A singularly appropriate symbol then to be carried by the first man to set foot on the Moon!

This historically important badge is kept on permanent display at the World Scout Bureau's central office in Geneva, Switzerland.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

Arrowmen in Action

Most people have heard of a harmonica. Many Arrowmen have probably even played them while hiking or passing time at camp. But few are familiar with the type of harmonica that Arrowman Aidan Dougherty plays. Aidan, a member of Moswetuset Lodge from Cambridge, Massachusetts plays the glass harmonica to demonstrate the relationship of music and noise.

Aidan is so enthralled with the science behind this musical instrument that he applied to be a part of the Cambridge Science Festival that is sponsored by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Science Museum. The festival hosts science corporations from around the country and is open to thousands of visitors each year. At the event, Aidan “set up fourteen perfectly tuned water glasses, representing the notes starting from middle C on the piano keyboard,” said his dad, Gary. Once they’re set up, his dad explains, Aidan plays simple tunes on them.

In addition to the glasses, Aidan also set up a series of electronic kits to analyze the frequencies of the classes. “Benjamin Franklin had built a very special glass harmonica which many composers like Mozart wrote music for,” his dad said. Festival goers also got to participate with a set of glasses that Aidan set up for them to practice with.

According to Aidan’s dad, festival organizers and attendees were impressed with the young Scout’s display. But what impressed people even more was the fact that Aidan is only twelve years old. Experiments like this are an example of what you can do, at any age, when you use the Power of One.


Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

Careless People

One of the things that I noticed from my summer job working at state parks is just how much people don't care about public facilities. Here are a few examples of what I am talking about in pictures:

The first Example I have is ATV abusing their privilage of using state parks by trampling veggetation that should not have be trampled.

The Second Example is a sign that got broke because either someone was made or just wanted to be destructive. State Parks was never able to get to the bottom of what the cause of damage was.

The third example is writing found on a door at johnson lake

My boys continually ask me why I care so much about Scouts cleaning up a campsite when they are leaving better than they found it. This is the reason why because if we do not instill pride in our next generation our planet and wonderful natural resources will become dmaged and not be able to be viewed by future generations.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

Swanson River Trip Prep

T minus less than 40 hours before I will be departing for our Troops Trip down the the swanson river. The route we are taking is 24 miles long and we will be covering this distance in three days which will be really easy for the unit to complete. Most of our boys are fairly avid canoers so I am not worried about the skill level of the group. I hope the unit does well, it should be a very interesting trip for our troop to take.

I will hopefully decide to report back to you on how our trip went later. Also I will try to post a group shot.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

Western Region DSA Class

Here is a description of the DSA or Distinguished Service Award:

The Distinguished Service Award was created in 1940 to honor those who rendered service to the Order beyond the lodge level. The award is presented to those Arrowmen who have rendered distinguished and outstanding service to the Order on a sectional, regional, or national basis. The award is presented every two years during NOAC. Since the time the first awards were presented, less than 750 Distinguished Service Awards have been presented.

Here are the people who earned the Awards this time around in the Western Region:

• Michael Bliss Mike has served as a Lodge and Section Adviser. Mike was serving as the Area 1 Region OA Vice Chairman before his appointment as the Western Region OA Chairman. Mike serves on the Region and Section Operations Sub- Committee. Mike is an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member of the Lo La’Qam Geela Lodge in the Central Point Council in Klamath Falls, Oregon.
• Toby Capps Toby has served as Lodge and Section Adviser. Toby has served as the Area 1 Region OA Vice Chairman. Toby serves on the National OA Committee and works with the Marketing Sub- Committee. Toby is an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member of the T’Kope Kwiswis Lodge in the Chief Seattle Council in Seattle, Washington.
• Evan Chaffee Evan has served as Lodge Vice Chief and Section Chief before his election as the 2007 National OA Chief. Evan represented the OA during the 2007 Annual Report to the Nation. Evan is an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member of the Wiatava Lodge in the Orange County Council in Costa Mesa, California.
• Tom Fitzgibbon Tom is the Western Region BSA Director. Tom oversees the operations and programs of the BSA in the Western Region. Tom has been serving as Regional Director since 2000. Tom is a member of the Direct Service Lodge and is a past Scout Executive of Denver Area Council
• Mark Hendricks Mark has served as a Lodge and Section Chief before his election as the 2008 Western Region Chief. Mark served on the ArrowCorps5 Icorps staff working and traveling to all five ArrowCorps5 sites. Mark is an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor Member of the Wa-La-Moot-Kin Lodge in the Blue Mountain Council in Kennewick, Washington.
• Andrew Kuhlman Andrew has served as a Lodge officer and Section Chief. Andrew was the CVC of the Communications Committee at the 2004 NOAC. Andrew is a Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member of the Kola Lodge in the Longs Peak Council in Greeley, Colorado.
• Bruce Mayfield Bruce has served as a Lodge and Section Adviser. Bruce currently serves as the Area 3 Region OA Vice Chairman and Council Commissioner for the Redwood Empire Council. Bruce is an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor Member of the Orca Lodge in the Redwood Empire Council.
• Kieran Thompson Kieran has served as a Lodge and Section Chief before his election as the 2006 Western Region Chief. Kieran is an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor of the Siwinis Lodge in the Los Angeles Area Council in California.
• Jake Wellman Jake has served as a Lodge and Section Chief before his election as the 2008 National OA Chief. Jake represented the OA in 2008 with the BSA Annual Report to the Nation. Jake is an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member of the Yah-Tah-Hey-Si-Kess Lodge in the Great Southwest Council in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
• Chad Wolver Chad has served as a Lodge and Section Chief before his election as the 2007
  Western Region Chief. Chad is an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member of the Wipala Wiki Lodge inthe Grand Canyon Council in Phoenix, Arizona.
  

Congratulations to all recipients of this prestigious award.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

Quote of the Week- Time Management

Ordinary people think merely of spending time. Great people think of using it.
Author Unknown

Once you have mastered time, you will understand how true it is that most people overestimate what they can accomplish in a year - and underestimate what they can achieve in a decade!
Anthony Robbins

You’re writing the story of your life one moment at a time.
Doc Childre and Howard Martin

This is the beginning of a new day.
God has given me this day to use as I will.
I can waste it or use it for good.
What I do today is important, because
I am exchanging a day of my life for it.
When tomorrow comes,
this day will be gone forever,
leaving in its place something
that I have traded for it.
I want it to be gain, not loss;
good not evil; success not failure;
in order that I shall not regret
the price I paid for it.
Author Unknown

One worthwhile task carried to a successful conclusion is worth half-a-hundred half-finished tasks.
Malcolm S. Forbes

Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the only thing he can’t afford to lose.
Thomas Edison

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

World Scout loses a Regional Director

Gone home: Kinuthia Murugu, former Africa Regional Director

NAIROBI, 9 July 2009 - The Scout fraternity today woke up to the saddest news of the passing of the former Regional Director for the World Scout Bureau, Africa Regional Office. Maj. (Rtd) Kinuthia Murugu passed away at 3.35 am [GMT +3] at Nairobi Hospital. This untimely and shocking demise is the result of an armed carjacking incident that occurred on 19 June 2009.

Murugu diligently served as the Regional Director for Africa for the World Scout Bureau from 2001 to 2006. At the time of his death, he was Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Sports, in the Government of Kenya. News of his passing comes as a shock to many who knew him. In a message to his friends, relatives and family Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka says that:

“Mr. Kinuthia had performed exemplarily well as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of State for Youth Affairs and lately the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The country has lost a dedicated Public Servant.”The Vice President said he had worked with the late Permanent Secretary for many years in the Scout movement and knew him as a hardworking and focused young leader, who inspired the youth with his leadership qualities and mobilization skills.

As Regional Director, he was instrumental in crafting the landmark blueprint ''Ten Year Development Plan for Africa.'' In line with this plan, he set out to transform Africa into a Scout Region with self-sustaining National Scout Organizations able to contribute to the education of young people and the betterment of African society. In addition, he developed the Jacobs Leadership Project that aimed to equip Scouts with leadership skills. In the area of partnerships, his tenure saw an improvement in the collaboration with other Regions, NSOs and development partners. Projects with the Danish and Norwegian development agencies (DANIDA and NORAD) are a testimony to this observation.

Maj. (Rtd) Murugu had a long and varied engagement with youth organizations and was a major advocate for youth issues in his home country of Kenya. He started Scouting at the Starehe Boys Centre going on to achieve the highest badge for a young person, the Lion Scout Badge, in 1979. He then went on to become a Troop Leader and later a Rover Crew Leader at the University of Nairobi where he graduated with a Degree in Business Administration. Murugu had a strong personal experience and commitment in the development of young people. He also served in a voluntary capacity as an Executive Committee member of the President's Award Scheme, of which he was also a Gold Award holder.

His passing was received with great consternation by many with whom he served the Scout Movement. All in World Scouting grieve his loss and send their condoleances to his family and friends.

May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Please keep his family and friends in your prayers.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

Its official

It is official I have just recently completed my adult leader basic training. Basic training was super easy for me because I have basically lived and breathed scouting for the past 12 years. Basic leader training for the position of Assistant Scoutmaster includes the following three courses:

New Leader Essentials or This is Scout Training

Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster Leader Specific Training

Introduction to outdoor leadership skills

In next couple of posts I will talk about what each course is for those of you who are not familiar with the courses.

I believe that getting trained was a essential part of the adult scouter journey even though I have been in a leadership role in the Boy Scouts since I was 13 years old.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08

Journey from JASM to ASM

Well just a little less than a week ago my Troop returned from summer camp on the fourth of july. Summer camp for my Troop was held at our councils primary summer camp facility for Boy Scouts known as Camp Gorsuch. Camp Gorsuch is basically 20 minutes of anchorage, alaska in a little place called chugiak alaska. This camp sits on the Rasmuson Scout Reservation right all Mirror Lake. The camp is relatively small when comparing it to lower 48 Boy Scout summer camps but it suits our council just fine. The Troop had a awesome time their and I think that every scout that went will want to come back next year. The one problem I had was getting the youth to understand that I am know a adult leader in the Troop and need to be treated in a adult like fashion. This is very hard for youth to understand especially when not very long ago I was just one of the boys. The boys really enjoy playful teasing and roughousing so it was sometimes hard for me to establish the boundaries of when it is and is not appropriate to mess around with me. This was hard not only for the boys but for me as well because I want the boys to like me but I also know that I need to grow up some more and take on a full fledged role as a respected adult leader in the Troop.

Yours in Scouting Service
Mark W
Assistant Scoutmaster
Troop 1616
Great Alaska COuncil
Eagle Scout OA Brotherhood Member
NSJ '05 WSJ '07 '11 Philmont AA '08