RememberSchiff

Update Sand Hill Scout Reservation 07/25/2025: "The Greater Tampa Bay Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America cleared a key hurdle July 14 in its effort to sell 52 acres of the Sand Hill Scout Reservation to Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative (WREC). The Hernando County Planning and Zoning Commission approved establishing a Public Service Facility Overlay District for the utility's proposed operations center by a 3-2 vote. The proposal now heads to the County Commission. ... On the 52 acres, "WREC plans to build administrative offices, customer service facilities, warehouse space, equipment storage and a fuel station on the site. Part of the property would serve as an emergency staging area during hurricanes, with space reserved for a future substation along the western edge." For now, the remaining 1200 acres would remain owned by Greater Tampa Bay Area Council but my fear is this utility district overlay will expand to build cell towers, substations, solar arrays, more warehouse space... More at Source: https://www.suncoastnews.com/news/overlay-district-for-sand-hill-acreage-gets-p-z-approval/article_f13f4a0d-17aa-4537-a000-9e5473167f8e.html

I struggle with our Camps having two different sets of rules*. A more comprehensive set for scouting events and a less restrictive one for non-scouting (family, fundraiser) events.. The archery accident at Summit in May still bothers me. Scouts who attend both, quickly see the differences and ask why. That said, be safe and have fun. My $0.02, *Rules for scouting activities in Guide to Safe Scouting - formal YP, no booze, med-forms, ...

The latter according to THC Mountain Bike Getaway for Scouting webpage: Do I need to be affiliated with Scouting to attend? Nope! This is a public event open to all outdoor lovers. Proceeds support local Scouting, but you don’t need to be a Scout or have a Scout in your family.

Amazon has removed the author's review.

Trail Head Cyclery is a commercial business renting a scout camp for their event. This seems like an archery business or Spartan Race renting Bechtel Summit but I looked further and noted this difference. The Mountain Bike Getaway For Scouting is listed on the Golden Gateway Area website so is it considered a "scout event"? Seems unlikely if beer and wine will be served. No med forms? Other observations: looks like fun, expensive, and NO MERIT BADGES (Hurray 👍) My $0.02,

Maybe it was a local council conservation award, e.g., Narragansett Council - Scouting America’s Conservation Award also referred to as the John Bradley Conservation Award. "Narragansett Council – Scouting America’s Conservation Award was created in honor of John Bradley, an influential scouting leader who served for 40 years as Troop 2 East Greenwich Assistant Scoutmaster before he died in 2022." Source: https://www.newportri.com/story/news/good-news/2025/07/21/ri-boy-scout-receives-award-for-conservation-at-norman-bird-sanctuary/85270879007/

David Sloat is a Eagle Scout from Ludlow (MA) Boy Scout Troop 182. Troop 1980 Tales is "a collection of 11 short stories about Scouts set in the mid 1980s. The standalone stories focus on various adventures in the scouting career of a group of boys over a two-year period. While the characters camp out, play softball and hike through the woods, they also experience “first crushes, quiet acts of courage and moments of self-discovery,” Sloat wrote about the book. Source: https://thereminder.com/local-news/hampden-county/west-springfield/local-author-pens-nostalgic-anthology-about-scouting-in-the-1980s/ Join Scout Troop 1980 as they hunt for an elusive forest creature, splash through raging rapids, explore a secret cave, compete in a winter sled race, test their endurance on a long hike, dangle high in the treetops, scare themselves silly on Halloween, get hooked on fishing, navigate the social cliques of middle school, swing for the fences, and find thrills at the fair! Eleven Retro '80s Adventures for Teenage Boys. Available on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Troop-1980-Tales-David-Sloat/dp/B0F742Y2ZR

“One of the many wonderful things about Quest Camp Thunderbird is that we serve a variety of developmental disabilities, so anyone is welcome out here at Camp Thunderbird,” said Faye Murphy, the camp’s director. And they have something for just about anybody, including special areas built over the years by Apopka Scout Troop 10. ... Scoutmaster Filip Edstrom says the troop has been working with Camp Thunderbird for 12 years now, helping to build better and brighter space for campers, and he says the Scouts have fun along the way too. “It’s been actually a great experience for us to work with the camp and have the kids see what’s going on and create all these cool projects,” Edstrom said. Projects that still excite and motivate Scouts like Everyday Hero Gabe Farr, who wants to keep helping others by way of volunteering his time. “It makes me feel good, gives you extra stuff that you maybe want to do that you don’t normally do,” Farr said. Good read, particularly Scout Gabe Farr's service and its impact on him. Scout Salute. More at source: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/dallas-fort-worth/news/2025/07/22/scout-leads-volunteer-efforts-at-apopka-camp-

Switzerland, France, Italy... The trip was the last Scouts adventure for Natalie, who will be a freshman this fall at Cal Poly SLO. While she loved the canyoning, mountain tubing and backpacking, she said one of the best parts of the trip was staying up late with her friends and talking to locals on one of their nightly gelato runs. “What I enjoy most about Scouts is the amount of activities you are able to do which you would not have done otherwise. Also how close you become bonded to the people you have shared these experiences with,” Natalie said. “Scouting is scout-led so we get the experience and freedom of planning all of our trips.” Scout salute! Great story. More at source including trip details and photos: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2025/07/22/local-scouts-explore-europe-on-troops-summer-trip/

Update 7/21/2025: Libbie Oliver, the owner of the 42ft S/V Amokura, is suing the Boy Scouts of America, claiming that a child was allowed to steer the vessel at the time the accident occurred, according to a lawsuit filed in V.I. Superior Court on Thursday. "Oliver chartered the vessel to the Boy Scouts of America for use in the Sea Base summer sailing program in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 2023, and the Boy Scouts organization recommended a captain and insurance policy, according to the complaint. " Attorney C. Jacob Gower is representing the plaintiff, Libbie Oliver who is a resident of the British Virgin Islands. Sources: https://www.sailingscuttlebutt.com/2025/07/21/lawsuit-claims-child-was-at-helm/ https://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/news/lawsuit-claims-child-was-at-helm-of-sailing-yacht-that-ran-aground/article_0bb100cb-1e22-4ed7-86ec-4a1a377aea1f.html

7/20/2025 Update: Montville Boy Scouts Blast Off to Global Victory, Win International Rocketry Challenge in Paris ...The winning team was composed of rising Montville Township High School sophomore Thomas Jenkins, and Delbarton School students Makayo “Mak” Cheung (rising sophomore) and Chase Eagan (rising senior). Their Parisian adventure, spanning from June 17 to June 22, had to begin with some tweaking of their rocket from the U.S. competition, such as adapting their rocket to the Paris launch tower. Cheung explained, “The (launch) rail was a rectangle shape, which caused a lot of friction.” The team engineered a solution by changing to a circular-shaped rail guide they purchased online and creating custom parts to integrate it with their rocket. The International Rocketry Challenge is composed of a speech portion and a launch portion. "For the speech, we were the third team, and we were very nervous," Jenkins admitted. "But we were rehearsing with each other, and it felt like we did very well." Their presentation covered their rocket’s design, testing procedures, and the intricate steps of their design process, followed by a Q&A session. It represented 40% of their total score in the competition. "They asked us about the challenges we faced in the design process," Eagan said. Their extensive prep was rewarded, as Eagan said they received the "highest score on the presentation." The launch day brought its own set of pressures. "We had to get up very early,” Eagan said. “We were all in the same room, and we were preparing our rockets and making safety checks.” Being the first to launch added to the anxiety. "That was a lot of pressure,” said Eagan. “We didn’t want to start off poorly.” The suspense continued as they had to wait until the next day for the official results, unsure of their egg's survival or their exact altitude compared to other teams, although they knew they had the best time. The international competition proved to be incredibly close. "The UK team was closer in altitude, being 2 ft off, whereas we were 30 feet off," Cheung said, but that didn’t bother the team, since they had made a strategic decision early on. "At the beginning of the season, we decided that we wanted to value time over altitude, and that trade-off helped us with the final results," Cheung explained. Their strategic decision ultimately secured their victory... More at Source with photos: https://www.tapinto.net/towns/montville/sections/community-life/articles/montville-boy-scouts-blast-off-to-global-victory-win-international-rocketry-challenge-in-paris Next ... the NASA Student Launch Initiative program. Scout Salute!

Outdoor Warning System vs Lightning Detection System, a 2018 video from the Office of Emergency Management of Irving, TX.

Related. Some YMCA camps have lightning warning systems, a few for more than a decade. 2023: "Sometimes camp’s bright sunshine turns cloudy with a summer storm. “Thor Guard” is camp's weather protection system; if lightning is approaching camp, an alarm will sound and alert camp that it is unsafe to be in the water. The system allows for a 20 minute "safe" buffer to let campers get out of the water to a safe area. https://www.campgreenville.org/mountainviewnews/watersafety23 2008: "After a 2005 lightning-safety incident at YMCA Camp Tockwogh, CRS completed a safety and risk evaluation and recommended installation of a Strike Guard early warning lightning detection system, manufactured by Wxline. “The Strike Guard system ensures guest safety by using technology to automatically detect and monitor lightning strikes up to twenty miles away, determining alarm and all-clear conditions, and eliminating difficult decisions about what is or is not considered safe for onsite lifeguards, staff and volunteers,” said Wills." https://crs4rec.com/ymca-camps-address-lightning-safety-early-warning-detection-system/

"on their way to a Boy Scouts camp...a woman and her son got lost on Friday after they left the Sacramento area and their GPS had directed them onto old logging roads deep into the forest, said Lt. Greg Stark, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office." Both safe, more at source: https://www.oregonlive.com/nation/2025/07/a-mother-and-son-did-everything-right-after-getting-lost-in-a-remote-california-forest.html

"Sarah Christian, a senior at Independence High School, has earned the highest honor in two Scouting organizations: Scouting America and Girl Scouts of the USA. ...In 2019, Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America) welcomed young women into their Scouts BSA (formerly Boy Scout) program. Christian is a founding member of Troop 652G in Brecksville at St. Basil the Great Catholic Church. In 2024, Christian completed her Eagle project. She built three picnic tables and refurbished the outdoor cabinets and countertops at the High Lea campsite in the Richfield Heritage Preserve. For her Gold Award Project, Sarah wanted to share the sport of geocaching and promote the physical and mental health benefits of being in nature. Geocaching is an outdoor treasure-hunting activity in which participants use a Global Positioning System receiver or mobile device to hide and seek containers throughout the world. Christian wanted to give back to Camp Manatoc in Peninsula where she spent five summers attending Scouts BSA resident camp. She installed two geocaching courses: one at Camp Manatoc and one at Camp Butler. She held a Cub Scout geocaching workshop and a Scouts BSA Geocaching Merit Badge workshop. Camp director for Camp Manatoc, Chris Noga, was pleased with the turnout for the workshops and plans to hold more in the future under her instruction. He also plans to add the Geocaching Merit Badge as an option for summer resident camp in the future. Christian is the first Girl Scout in Northeast Ohio to complete her Gold Award Project at a BSA camp. ..." More at Source: https://www.scriptype.com/2025/07/18/local-scout-earns-eagle-scout-and-girl-scout-gold-award/

"Ayden and Mason Macias, brothers from Troop 11, were on a training hike for an upcoming backpacking trip in New Mexico when they encountered a man waving them down, begging for help. His pregnant wife and two young children were in distress after running out of water under the scorching sun. ...At Caprock Canyon, temperatures in the summer can reach up to 110 degrees. The family had only one water bottle to split between the four of them." The rest of the story at Source: https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/scouts-honored-nationally-for-heroism-at-caprock-canyon-park/

Article below states Scout was a CIT. Source: https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/15-year-old-dies-in-apparent-drowning-at-scouting-america-camp-in-michigan/3792661/

"Eleven boys and two girls from Jackson Cub Scout Pack 204 were learning to fire arrows at Black Knight Bowbenders when a bolt of lightning struck a tree near the shooting range at 7:13 p.m., according to the Jackson Police Department." "Ten-year-old Cub Scout Ryan Coopey had his socks and shoes knocked off by the lightning strike Wednesday, leaving him with second-degree burns on his heels." "Mr. Montgomery (who died) was one of several volunteer instructors helping the scouts Wednesday night, according to Bob Helle, a longtime member of the Bowbenders and the group’s former president." Sources: https://nypost.com/2025/07/17/us-news/10-year-old-cub-scout-knocked-out-of-shoes-by-deadly-nj-lightning-strike/ https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/17/nyregion/lightning-strike-jackson-nj-archery.html

"We reach out to you to share great news! Last night the Executive Board of the Northeast Georgia Council, BSA approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU - attached) that establishes a formal partnership and relationship with the Georgia Tribe of Eastern Cherokee (GTEC) After the MOU was unanimously approved by the Executive Board, a formal signing ceremony was held with Ms. Rhonda Odum, Tribal Council Chair of the GTEC, and our council leadership including Brother Michael Levengood, our Council President, and our Scout Executive, Brother Trip Selman. Late last year, the National Order of the Arrow Committee let each council and lodge decide whether or not native American culture would continue in their programming. The Northeast Georgia Council made the decision to keep this important part of our program. This required a MOU with a federally or state recognized native American nation that expresses this desire and to focus all of this programming locally. While this initiative began with the OA program, we believe that this can have a positive impact on all of the family of Scouting programs in our council. And, as of last night, it is official! As part of the goals of the GTEC, they are planning to develop an authentic Cherokee village and promote the important and critical culture of the first peoples in north Georgia. Mowogo Lodge is proud and prepared to offer our resources and skills to helping them achieve their goals and we will serve as the catalyst for our youth and adult participants to learn genuine Cherokee culture and heritage. We hope you will join us in welcoming our new friends and be ready to learn and grow with them. This is the beginning of a new opportunity for all of us and future generations of Scouts and Scouters we may never meet. Their leadership is planning on joining us at our Pow Wow Fellowship in September. Yours in Service, Rusty Royston Lodge Adviser, Mowogo Lodge Northeast Georgia Council, BSA" More (photos) at source: https://www.mowogo.org/news/mowogo-news/lodge-adviser-s-minute/551-a-new-day-a-new-era Memorandum of Understanding: https://www.mowogo.org/mowogo/lodge-administration/file-downloads?task=download.send&id=130:signing-memo-nega-gtec-june-26-2025&catid=8 Note: Perhaps should be moved to OA forum, but I'm not a member of OA.

7/16/2025 Owasippe Scout Reservation...our Scout was only 15 years old. Scout Salute and Farewell. Camp Owasippe is perhaps the oldest operating scout camp in US. Sources: https://www.mlive.com/news/muskegon/2025/07/missing-15-year-old-found-after-suspected-drowning-at-muskegon-county-scout-camp.html https://www.woodtv.com/news/muskegon-county/emergency-crews-called-to-scouting-camp-northwest-of-whitehall/

7/17/2025 "One person was killed and several others were rushed to the hospital after a lightning strike at the Black Knight Bowbenders outdoor archery range in Jackson Township, New Jersey on Wednesday, according to officials. Mayor Michael Reina confirmed the strike hit the ground near Jackson Cub Scout Pack 204. Robert Montgomery, 61, was a member of the Black Knight Bowbenders outdoor archery range and was volunteering at the time he was killed. Six other people, include several juveniles, were rushed to nearby hospitals, including Jersey Shore University Medical Center. Everyone was alert and conscious when they were taken to the hospital, but one person with more serious injuries was taken to the was taken to the Livingston Burn Center. The children were as young as 7 years old. Reina said CPR was successfully administered to at least one victim, who survived." More at sources: https://abc7ny.com/post/jackson-township-lightning-strike-leaves-1-dead-6-injured-archery-range-nj/17154234/ https://nj1015.com/jackson-nj-lightning-strike-2/ https://people.com/1-dead-13-injured-after-being-struck-by-lightning-at-new-jersey-archery-range-11773986

@PatrickPablo welcome to scouter.com

Timely article: https://gazette.com/news/local/southern-colorado-boy-scouts-camp-survived-terrifying-flash-flood/article_78a58953-e44e-48a3-90d1-58f144d59da0.html I did not know that Spanish Peaks Scout Ranch was sold in 2023.

@CuriousOne welcome to scouter.com

Local Boy Scouts built the popular Odum Scout Trail along the scenic ridgeline which saved the wilderness from being split by a highway. More at Sources: https://thebamabuzz.com/the-heroes-behind-alabamas-wilderness-areas-a-historical-look/ https://www.uapress.ua.edu/9780817351595/the-battle-for-alabamas-wilderness/