Mar 21, 2011

Total Eclipse of the Brain

I received the following email from a Scout leader in the Los Angeles area: “. . . We had a meeting today and someone brought up the total eclipse in 2017 and the fact that it is centered right over Jackson, Wyoming. I was just wondering if you all are thinking of doing any kind of gathering of scouts for that event. We are definitely interested in traveling up there for that.”

Here is my reply: “We thought the world was ending next year so we haven’t planned beyond 2012. Seriously though, 2017?! I’m amazed by your advanced planning.”

I know it was a smart [aleck] response but, really?!, six years in advance?

I have decided to produce our 2017 council shoulder patch (CSP) in all black thread with an eclipsed sun over the Tetons. That’s if the world doesn’t end before that.

Feb 10, 2011

Valentines

Every year at Valentine’s
I think of blessings that are mine.
I think of those I love and knew,
And, of course, I think of you.

February is the ‘Month of Love’
To thank the Good Lord up above
For those whose love and sacrifice
Makes our lives extra nice.

So, while I snack on heart shaped candy
Chocolate, mints, and other dandies,
I’ll say a prayer to the Lord above
And thank Him for you and for your love.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Jan 21, 2011

Over the (Henry’s Fork) River and Through the (Island Park) Woods

We are holding our annual staff planning conference in Island Park this year. Jim Everson donated the use of his cabin. Dave Kirk and I drove up there to check things out and scout out locations for our team building events (x-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling).

The day dawned cloudy and cold as we headed north. I was pulling a trailer with two snowmobiles we borrowed from Robin Stewart. It was snowing lightly but the roads were clear—until we arrived in Island Park. There is a LOT of snow up there and the temperature had dropped below zero.

We made our way to the cabin about five miles west of Pond’s Lodge. I had some trouble turning around with the trailer on the narrow roads. The snow is so deep they have to use snow blowers to clear the roads and it’s like driving through four foot deep ditches. We checked out the beautiful cabin and, like Goldilocks, found it just right. We drove out in the truck to find a location for our snowmobiling activity. I turned onto a narrow road but after a short distance we saw it was not cleared very well and, contrary to the map, it was not a through street—in the winter. I stopped and tried to back out but quickly got stuck. After a few futile attempts I stopped trying. There was no way we were backing out with a trailer behind us.

We unloaded the snowmobiles and unhooked the trailer. We spun it around and pushed and dragged it about one-hundred feet until we got it off the road. I tried to back the truck out but it kept sliding off the road into the soft snow. But with each attempt I gained a foot or two so I kept at it. When I was about halfway out the truck got so stuck it wouldn't move at all. It was right up against the snow bank on the driver's side and the top of the snow was even with bottom of the truck’s window. It was time to break out the shovels.

We returned to the cabin and borrowed two shovels and started digging. After we moved quite a bit of snow I was able to drive forward out of the hole. After several more backward runs the truck finally made it out and back onto the good road (thanks to prayer and four-wheel drive.) All this effort, so easy to write now but very strenuous then, used up about an hour and we were quickly running out of time. We had to be back in Idaho Falls for evening meetings.

We hitched the trailer back onto the truck, turned around (on good roads), and parked it in the cabin's driveway. We then used the snowmobiles to look for suitable sites for our activities. It was fun to ride the snowmobiles but way too cold at high speeds. After finding what we were looking for we went back to the cabin, loaded the snowmobiles, and headed out. We stopped at three restaurants in Island Park to find one that would meet our needs for a staff dinner.

It had been snowing all day and the roads were snow packed and slick. But as they say, all's well that ends well. It was a good day and we accomplished what we went there to do—except getting stuck—that wasn't in the plan.

Peter Pan

On May 7th & 8th the Grand Teton Council held the 100th Anniversary Jamboral.

'Jamboral' is what Scout councils in Mormon Country call council Jamborees. 'Jamboree' is a word coined by Baden Powell, the founder of Scouting. To BP a Jamboree is a large gathering of Scouts for fellowship and fun. The dictionary says a jamboree is “a carousal; any noisy merrymaking.” The dictionary definition is probably more accurate.

We planned and organized the Jamboral for over a year. We had a great team of volunteers and professionals capably led by Ed Gigly as Jamboree chairman and Mark Nelson as staff advisor.

There has been a long history of bad weather on Jamboral weekends but this time the weather cooperated. It was a little chilly but it was clear and calm. That combination only happens three or four times a year in Idaho. I told everyone I was responsible for the weather.

Friday night we had a 'Scouts Got Talent' show for the opening program. We decided to hold a talent show and give out cash prizes rather than pay for professional entertainment. I was impressed with the quantity and quality of the performers and it made for a fun evening. We were joined by David Beck, president of the LDS Church's Young Men program and general officer of the Church.

It got cold as soon as the sun went down but I figured that would keep the Scouts in their tents and out of trouble. The Jamboral was held on the state fairgrounds in the middle of Blackfoot. As Nancy and I were getting ready for bed we kept hearing strange noises. I thought it was cows bellowing and Nancy thought it was Scouts pretending to be cows. The noise kept up until after we went to sleep. In the middle of the night we were rudely awakened by a train passing through town with its whistle blasting. It turns out there is a stockyard right across the tracks from the fairgrounds. And to think I was worried the Scouts might be bothering the good citizens of Blackfoot.

Saturday morning dawned clear and cold. Nancy and I joined the VIP's for breakfast and then we all walked over to the arena. By the time the opening ceremony started the stands were full and there was standing room only. It was inspiring to see thousands of Scouts and leaders together in one place. Cedar Badge (NYLT) Scouts did a good job with the flag ceremony. President Beck was the main speaker. The next day was Mother's Day and he brought Scouts up from the audience to share how using the twelve points of the Scout Law they planned to honor their mothers.

The opening ceremony went very well but there were a few glitches. The program started about fifteen minutes late and that caused the program to run overtime. We had arranged for a fly-over to take place at 9:AM when the opening ceremony was over. President Beck was still speaking and what was supposed to be an inspiring finale ended up being an annoying distraction. To make matters worse as the council president, Jeff Wheeler, was wrapping things up and recognizing the Jamboral leaders the sound of machine gun fire (blanks) from the Varsity Scouting area was distracting and annoying.

As soon as the opening ceremonies were over the crowd started heading out to all the program areas. As the crowd thinned out I saw a Cub Scout crying crocodile tears and looking lost. I went over to him and tried to calm him down. I walked him over the headquarters where we had a lost & found set up. There were already a couple of teary Cub Scouts keeping each other company in the lost kid cage. I spent the morning comforting lost boys and trying to reunite them with their leaders. Almost every time I tried to walk around I’d find another lost boy to bring to the cage.

One lost boy named Tim was unique in that he was 13-years-old and twice as big as the other lost boys. After spending a few minutes with Tim I decided he was not lost but had been abandoned because his leaders needed a break from him. He was pretty obnoxious.

I decided Tim was old enough and tall enough to walk around with me and look for his troop. We walked out of the headquarters building and had taken about five steps when I asked him, "Tim, if you were Tim's leader where would be?" Just then a Scout leader ahead of us in the crowd stopped, turned around, and said, "Tim?!" And Tim was no longer lost.

In the afternoon I hooked up with Nancy and we walked around and saw what there was to see. The Cub Scout and Varsity areas were great but the Boy Scout (mostly military displays by recruiters) and Venturing areas were a little skimpy. Overall the Jamboral was a great success and I had fun playing Peter Pan chasing the lost boys.