Aardvark

As well as being the SPL, I was also the Troop Bugler. The Troop would Stand Reteat once a month. Was "Fun" trying to keep the mouth piece warm and 20 below!

Small World indeed! We got up there in December of 64 (as I recall the water tower was still down from the earthquake) and left in May of 67. My dad was Air Force, was NCOIC of the GATR site there. We did summer camp at Hidden Lake, as I recall on the way up to Anchorage about 50 miles or so. I want to go back there so bad! I planted 100 trees aroung the lake there on the post in the summer of 66 for the Soil and Water Conservation MB; they ought to be full size now! Remember our arrival there very well (hard to forget!) After flying up on a 707 from Seattle, and chang

I'm also interested in this info. Was a member of Troop 353, Wildwood Station, Alaska (little Army/Air Force station outside of Kenai) Was the SPL from 65-67. Often wondered what happened to my SM (Warren W Wilde-he would joke about having his intials on the OA patch when we both did our Ordeal in'66), and the ASM, Doug Best. Best years of my life! Those two men (and my Dad who was the CC) made me what I am today!

Relax! It'll be fast paced, a few "Mind Games" that will cause you to stop and think (now that I've been through it I can see why it was done-at the time I was a bit clueless!) As the others have said, get to know your PAtrol members (and even maybe stoop to get to know the other lesser PAtrol Members ) Good contacts for your later Scouting career! At LEast your weather should be better than when I went! Hot, muggy and raining; typical Spring in Middle Georgia. Learn the words to the "Gilwell Song"; it'll be sung a lot! Used (and still am!) a Beaver! Art S

Congrats! Beaver SR-542

Last Sunday afternoon, my partner and I were with a bunch of our Scouts launcing Model Rockets. We happened to remember the water rockets we built and launced at Wood Badge. My patrols (Beaver)rocket went straight up and flew the highest. His patrols (Bobwhite)went up about 10 feet and started buzzing all over the place. We figured it was true to form. Beavers are great engineers and What do Bobwhites do? Flyup and scatter! Just found out the other day that the last member of my Patrol is getting his beads this Moonday at our Troops COH. Congrats Tim!

Actually, gas is cheap here! I'm a Land Rover owner and am on many British Forums for this legendary British Vehicle. Petrol (gasoline) is going for 99 pence a liter in England-roughly $7.50 a gallon! I still dread filling up the tank tomorrow at $2.52 for the Troops trip to North Carolina, but still count myself lucky!

Is it common for troops to require scouts to call adults "Sir" and "Ma'am"? Not required in my Troop, but most of the Scouts do refer to us adults by Mr or Ms. (I'm "Mr Art"). Might be a Southern thing, though (I'm a "transplant"). HAve noticed that your elders are adressed with A Mr or Miss and the first name. My partners kids refer to me as "Uncle Art"; he wanted me to be treated with a tad of respect. As for the push-ups for being late; was it the Scouts fault-or where his parents late in getting him to the meeting? If so, Mom or Dad should get the push-ups!

Me again! Was chewed out by Rootbeer(who I found out is a fellow Wood Badger from my session)the other night for not supporting my Councils Camp. I do support CBH! My buisness (I'm a gunsmith) supports the Shooting ranges. We helped the council get two Muzzleloading shotguns last year for the program; whenever the Ranger or Shooting Commisioner need something, we get it for them; normally we donate it! For Boys/Adults making the decisions: the boys want to go out of council to CRM, want to go somewhere different. They get enough of Ben Hawkins during Camp-o-ree's, etc. CBH is ju

Flowerchild: Our troop was up there at the same time (Troop 566, out of council) Remember the grey Land Rover? That was me driving, driving the adults around doing the projects for the camp (13 picnic tables, the bulletin board in front of the dining hall and the repair of the bridge going to the ampitheather-the "Get 'r Done, Half a Ton" crew was busy!) CAmp Ben Hawkins is only 15 miles from us, but we (the Scouts) prefer going to Rainey Mountain because of the A/C in the Dining hall (it gets hot in Georgia! and it's nice to get a respite at least 3 times a day) and the Southern App

I drive a 1960 Land Rover; you don't find many spare parts for it at your local Autozone, so on long trips I carry a box with some spare parts. But you got to draw a line! The spare engine and gearbox stay at home. The old rotor and cap from last tune-up get carried as well as a set of points. A roll of Duct Tape and some tools. Some bolts and nuts. But the most important thing that gets carried is the know-how to use the parts! I also carry a fire extinguisher. Thankfully have never had to use it on my own vehicle, but has come in handy on others!

Our troop has several of those tarp canopies; steel frame with a 10 X 20 tarp on top. The "Old Goat" Patrol gets one (have to have room for our chairs!) and the other patrols get the others. Take less than 10 minutes to errect and we are dry! Rain flys on tents are normally good enough; some will errect an extra blue tarp over the entrance to thier tent for a tad extra coverage. I use a Hennessy Hammock with a 12X10 nylon fly, with and extra 12x12 nylon fly for extra coverage as needed. Ponchos seem to work the best for personal rain coverage. Roll 'em up and strap to day back r

Leaving Gilwell for the last time was very moving for me. All the Staff had spaced themselves along the trail leading to the parking lot. All Saluting as we past by. I returned the Salute as I walked on by. Maybe it's because of the 20 years I spent in the Military, but that touched me in a deep down spot. I had tears of Pride in my eyes. Pride that my Fellow Scouters Respected me and my Fellow Wood Badgers for the committment we had made. That memory will stand along with my Ordeal Night and induction to the OA (and many others from Scouting!)

I wear a Beaver Patrol PAtch on my uniform; for "I used to be a Beaver". I know it is a no-no to the Uniform Cops, but Mea Culps, I believe it helps out. My ticket was to emphasise and reinforce Patrol unity in my Troop. Teh scouts had no real feeling of membership in there patrols, no patrol spirit. Theuy would come up to me, see the Beaver on my shoulder and ask whats up with that? I would explain I was a member of the Beaver PAtrol and explain all the fun we had as Beavers; displaying our flag proudly, yelling our Yell at dinner time, etc. They would get this look of enlightm

At the end of my Troop Meeting last night: http://www.gunsandrovers.com/beads.JPG I'm the bearded gent in the middle, Gent in the Red jacket is my WB Scoutmaster, other gent is my WB Troop Guide. I was presented with Beads and Woggle from Gilwell (my partner was TDY to England last year and bought the Beads and Woggle for all of us in our Troop) What amazed me was how quiet and amazed the Lads in the Troop were during the presentation! Don't think they realized what the Beads a few of the Scouters in the Troop wore represented. Used to be a Beaver! SR-542

So I quess my 10 inch Bowie is out of the question?

I'll be getting my beads This Monday at my Troop Meeting. My Gilwell Scoutmaster (the gent I'm replacing as Roundtable Commish) wanted the beading at the RT, but as my Ticket was for the Scouts in my Troop, wanted them to see "Mr Art" get his beads. The last meeting of the month is when we have cake and sodas for the Birthdays on the month, so 10-15 minutes at the end of the meeeting will not be missed. Used to be a Beaver!

That was part of my ticket; getting the PAtrols to act as Patrols instead of a Mob. None had patrol flags, cheers etc-or if they did they were lost in a corner of the Quartermasters area. Now Flags are flying, yells are yelling! We make it a point on the Scoutmasters Review to have the Scout demonstate the Patrol cheer or yell-can get noisy at times. Spirit seems to be on the rise; patrols are competing to be the best. Made a difference!

I was late getting to our Spring Camporee this year and by the time I got there all the good tent sites were gone. No problem, hang the hammock! But all the trees were 30 feet or so apart; way to far for a Hennesey! So I parked my Land Rover a suitable distance away and used it as a tree: http://www.gunsandrovers.com/hammock1.JPG My flock of Pink Flamigoes came along also!(This message has been edited by Aardvark)

I used one of these WAAAAY back when I was a Scout (was my Uncles) and have purchased a couple off Ebay. As you can imagine, they are a little dirty. Whats the best way of cleaning them? In the washer than air dry? Dry cleaning? My partners son has a birthday coming up, and I thought about giving one of them to him (along with the book on Baden-Powell, Swiss Army Knife and some Boy Scout stamps). I use the other for toting stuff to Roundtables (I'm a Roundtaable Commish) Thanks!

No singing was done, but we had some "Lost" items! 5 Scouters from my Troop attended our course. Me and other were Beavers, 2 others were Bobwhites and the last was an Eagle (but we don't hold that against him!) At the first break, the Bobwhite's patrol flag was left alone, and somehow got Beaver chew marks on the staff (yes, we do have Tote'n Chips!) Later some feathers appeared on out Patrol flag. Day later, some plastic quail eggs appeared on out table. Of course some wood chippings appeared on the Bobwhites chairs. None of the other patrols seemed to have the Spirit we

Our Troop is always in the paper; the paper is always looking for public interest stories to fill space and is glad to recieve our pictures from campouts etc. Only problem comes from other Troops complaining, "Well, 566 is in the paper again". I just tell them to get off there butts and submit material to the paper! Thinking back, we were on the front page awhile back. We have one of the biggest troops in the area; article was about us with 85 Scouts and 40 Registered Scouters and a Troop with one Scout; Comparing the why and how. WHy-don't know! We do have a good camping histo

How we ate! We were given a menu (which was supposed to be etched in stone). After some concern over the items on it, we got a little free range. For instance, instead of Pop tarts and Grits for one breakfast, we had Dragon eggs (egss scrambled with saugeage, onions and bell peppers). We did have the beef stew for dinner, but that was made from scratch instead of cans. We were expected to have 2 Staff as quests, word around the camp that the BEavers were great cooks as well as tree fellers! To be honest, can't remember where the cash for the food came from... I do know

Went last May, getting beaded soon. There is a lot of stuff that is "Secret" (notice the quotes, meant to be tongue in cheek!), which is good, allows you to face the material fresh. But some of the "Secrets" could have been divulged (at least at my WB). Whenever I go camping (either by myself or with the Scouts) I try and get as much info as possible. So before the second weekend, I tried to get as much info as possible. Was told just the info in the "Script" so to speak. After all, the "Backpacking" scenario was just that, a scenario. The menu we were given (and at first is was to b

I have 4 inflatable Pink Flamingoes that nest and feed in front of my tent or hammock at campouts. Oddly enough they seem to migrate in the night and appear in front of the Scouts tents! Got to do a Flamingo Round-up every morning!