Dedicated Dad 10 Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 Eagle Scout project: videos for little ones Robert Bidlack collected almost 750 tapes for St. Lukes pediatric unit. By Kathy Lauer-Williams Of The Morning Call January 24, 2002 Boy Scouts Robert Bidlack, Nicholas Hahn and Al Capwell struggled to fit three handcarts and a trolley piled high with dozens of videotapes and games into the elevator to get them to the pediatric unit at St. Lukes Hospital in Fountain Hill. The three Bethlehem boys were delivering almost 750 videotapes, six video game systems and 50 video games to the hospital Wednesday to fulfill 17-year-old Bidlacks Eagle Scout project. Itll help a lot of little kids, Bidlack said. This will give them something to do while theyre in the hospital. The 748 tapes, all G- and PG-rated titles ranging from Barney to Disney, will more than double the size of the pediatric units video library, said Charlotte Becker, head of patient care. This is a welcome addition, she said. Children love to watch movies, sometimes the same one three or four times. Becker said all the rooms on the eighth-floor pediatrics unit have videocassette recorders and the unit has been accepting donations of videotapes for five years. Bidlack, a member of Troop 362, sponsored by East Hills Moravian Church in Bethlehem, said he planned to collect 150 videos when he started the project three months ago but decided to keep going when the donations started pouring in. He succeeded far beyond his wildest dreams, said Sally Haggerty, troop committee chairwoman and a St. Lukes pediatrician. Some of the boys in the troop have been in the hospital, so he knew they could use the videos here. She said the donation will greatly improve the video collection because the tapes get used often and wear out quickly. Bidlacks parents, Nancy and Jerry Bidlack, said the teen has been passionate about Scouting since they adopted him from Brazil seven years ago. This is quite a culmination for him, Nancy Bidlack said. Hes done a terrific job, Jerry Bidlack added. Were very proud of him. Robert Bidlack said he collected the videotapes and games by making announcements at churches and schools, putting up posters and writing letters to video rental stores. He also collected $300 that he gave to Becker to buy games to go with the video systems. Link to post Share on other sites
Dedicated Dad 10 Posted January 25, 2002 Author Share Posted January 25, 2002 I thought this was a rather unique service project. Kudos to Mr. Bidlack. Link to post Share on other sites
OldGreyEagle 5 Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 Dad, I have a vested interest on this question. How did you happen to find this article? I agree it was a unique project, but how did you find this write-up??? Link to post Share on other sites
sctmom 11 Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 Great article! And Great project. Way to go Robert Bidlack! Link to post Share on other sites
Dedicated Dad 10 Posted January 25, 2002 Author Share Posted January 25, 2002 how did you find this write-up??? Ive got access to software that has a ticker which searches published articles for key phrases, in this case its the word Scout. What is your vested interest? There are all kinds of articles on the Boy Scouts and if youd like I can share more with the board. Its just that I didnt want to inundate us with too many articles. Link to post Share on other sites
OldGreyEagle 5 Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 Well Dad, this is one for the books, like they say, truth is stranger than fiction. The best thing about this forum is we get to see other peoples opinions from all over the country. Eisely is in the San Francisco area, and Weekender is in texas and I think Rooster is in the southeast and I think I remember you being in or around Virginia. I am not sure about others but I probably would think of more if I tried. Anyway, you may or not rememeber that I have said I am in Bethlehem PA and our comittee chair is a pediatrician. She is the one who has trunks of medications at summer camp for our ADD kids, most of for whom she is their physician. Also on Le Voys posting on Eagle Projects I listed various projects I have helped with, one was collecting video tapes for the local Hospital's pediatric dept. Well, last night at our weekly troop meeting, we were congratulating Bobby on the good job he did collecting tapes and the write-up in the newspaper. Then this morning I sneak a peak at this website and I see his name. That guy is from my troop!!! Of all the places I expected to see references made to Bobby's project, this was the last place. Of a side note, the story mentions Bobby was adopted from Brazil by his parents, it doesnt mention that they also adopted Bobby's younger brother as well. Aint truth ( no matter how you define it) weirder than anything you can make up???? Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Long 10 Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 How cool is that?!?!? Please pass on our "attaboys" to Bobby. Link to post Share on other sites
Dedicated Dad 10 Posted January 25, 2002 Author Share Posted January 25, 2002 I do recall you being in Bethlehem however I dont know where that is in PA, but it just so happens to be why I posted the article, aint that is a qwinky-dink. Congrads to Bobby. If youre near Westmoreland county, and this really belongs in the P&I forum, this article may concern you as well. Wednesday, January 23, 2002 WESTMORELAND COUNTY Ex-scout leader still in jail The former Boy Scout leader who physically abused three young boys on an unauthorized overnight camping trip is having trouble getting out of jail. John T. Levendosky, who was ordered paroled in mid-August, is still in the Westmoreland County Prison because he cannot find a place to live, his defense attorney told Common Pleas Judge William J. Ober yesterday. Levendosky, formerly of Derry Borough, was an assistant scoutmaster in June 2000 when he took the 12- and 13-year-old boys on a camping trip and put them through a night of naked bondage that included spanking, but no sexual activity. As part of a ritual for a phony organization he called "Osprey," Levendosky also used a knife to scratch "Ts" in the boys' chests. The boys complained to their parents and Levendosky, now 53, was arrested and placed in the county prison four days later. After he was thrown out of the Boy Scouts, Levendosky pleaded guilty to 18 charges stemming from the incident. Ober sentenced Levendosky to one to two years minus a day in prison and he was to be on electronic house arrest for six months and probation for 15 years after that. In August, since Levendosky already had served more than his minimum term, Ober ordered him paroled and he was expected to be out of prison within two weeks. But yesterday, public defender Ryan Kammerer said Levendosky has been unable to find affordable rental housing and he was still trying to arrange something with a family member. Kammerer asked Ober to credit the extra time Levendosky has spent behind bars toward the house-arrest period when he does get out, but the judge refused. Link to post Share on other sites
OldGreyEagle 5 Posted January 25, 2002 Share Posted January 25, 2002 (This message has been edited by OldGreyEagle) Link to post Share on other sites
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