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I don't mean to seem calous in this time of tragedy, but post-humous awards are designed to show something that the person has done, not as a sympathy "gift". My heart goes out to these boys and their families, but three were 13 and one was 14. None of them were close to getting Eagle, even if their path and dedication may indicate it. If they were about to earn it, that might be one thing, but this would be more akin to an honorary award than a post-humous one. That said, depending on circumstances, I am sure there are some appropriate honors available.

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Back June 11, 2008 - we lost scouts Josh, Sam, Ben, and Aaron. 48 others were injured as an EF-3 tornado hit the Little Sioux Boy Scout Camp Remembrance story with photos. https://www.kpvi.c

May 10,2021: Thirteen years after he was injured by a tornado that killed four scouts at the Little Sioux Scout Ranch in western Iowa, Kevin Hanna graduated from the  University of Nebraska Medic

Update Feb 1, 2023. Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation raised funds to purchase camp. Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation (INHF) is the buyer. $7M plus People throughout Iowa and Nebraska contrib

My deepest sympathies go out to the families of the 4 boy scouts that lost their lives. During our pack meeting tonight we had a moment of silence for the boys & their families.

 

The boys that were injured are in our prayers too. All of the boys did a great job of tending to those that were injured until EMS arrived.

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A terrible event to be sure and our prayers are with the Scouts, Scouters and their families. It's heartening to know that something good came out of this tragedy - the news is full of the wonderful performance of those Scouts and Scouters taking care of each other and rendering first aid to the injured. Nationally televised and printed good news about Boy Scouts for a change.

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After looking at the building remains I'm wondering what it "looked"like before the tornado. Just how structurally sound was it to begin with? Then again I was present for a tornado that went through Oak Lawn Ill in the late 60's. The path of the tornado was indeed a path, almost everything new or old got flattened or moved a few blocks to one side or the other. LongHaul

http://tinyurl. com/67d7wj

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There have been plenty of recorded cases of people being killed in basements in tornadoes. If you're unlucky enough to be in the direct path of one, dumb luck and divine intervention may be your only chances for survival.

 

Looking back, it's easy to say that they should have built a storm shelter, but how many of these boys have storm shelters at home? At school? It looks to me like the camp took the most prudent course of action available, and was just terribly unlucky. It's impossible to protect everyone from everything.

 

I am proud to see how the scouts pulled together and conducted themselves in the wake of this tragedy. Their words and actions speak volumes about scouting and about these young men.

 

 

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Hearfelt condolences and prayers go out to all involved in the tragic loss of life and injuries of the scouts and their families.

 

 

The troop that I serve was at summer camp (some 100 miles south and in line with the tornado generating weather front) this week and when this front was deemed a threat to the camp evacuations to shelters were ordered by the camp officials.

 

When notified the scouts and scouters of the troop worked together and evacuated the camp in less than 10 minutes. All scouts were asleep when the evacuation was ordered and responded in the best scouting tradition. One of our first years when woken responded "What can I do to help?" and then proceeded to wake up the rest of his patrol and got them moving to our rally point. One of the most memorable responses that I heard of was "Class A's or class B's?"

 

The camp was not in direct danger but 'Be Prepared' was in full force.

The scouts and scouters once a head count was taken covered the distance to the shelter in best scout fashion, each patrol member taking care of each other and went up what we call 'Cardiac Hill' in record time. Head count at the shelter was delayed a bit while the count went something like 'One, gasp,gasp gasp, two, etc.'

 

The response of the scouts and scouters of the camp in Iowa is of the best scouting tradition andis a source of pride for the scouts of the troop and on their suggestion our campsite flags were lowered to half mast in honor of those who lost their lifes.

 

One of our scouts told me today that he was going to focus on first aid. emergency preparedness and the 'Be Prepared' part of scouting so that he would be ready just in case.

 

thought I would pass this on.

 

yis

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I found this on their web site. I plan to send a get well card and enclose a CSP from my council...let's FLOOD the young man with love!

 

Send a "Get Well" Card

Thomas Auen is a staff member from the Pahuk Pride NYLT course who is still hospitalized as a result of injuries he suffered when he went to the North shelter at Little Sioux Scout Ranch to warn the Scouts to take cover from severe weather. Please help him on his long road to recovery and send him get well wishes and thanks for his service to the Scouts. Lets flood his room with cards!!

 

Thomas Auen

C/O pediatrics Orange 7

Hennepin County Medical Center

701 Park Ave

Minneapolis, Minn. 55415

 

 

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  • 3 months later...

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for our boys here. My son was one of the boys in the destroyed shelter(red troop, north shelter). He is fine with no lasting physical injuries. His heart will take longer to heal as two of the boys were his friends.

The four boys were awarded the Spirit of the Eagle. Different medals were given to the boys in the storm. All of the adults received Honor or Crossed Palm awards(not sure how I feel about that, honestly).

That tornado did every thing we have been taught tornadoes do not do....two 90 degree turns, go up a hill, not the leading edge of the storm, rain-wrapped. It was a freak storm and a tragic night. Hindsight is always 20-20.

As a side note, let your boys know to keep their stuff in ziploc bags as my son's Bible, books, and clothes were recovered with almost NO damage after the storm and eight weeks in the woods.

Again, thank you all for your cards and prayers.

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  • 9 years later...

June 10,  2018 from Des Moines Register :  How the Little Sioux Scout Ranch tornado reshaped survivors. 4 scouts died when a 165 mph  tornado tore through the Little Sioux Scout Ranch in western Iowa.

Ten years ago, 96 boys came from the Mid-America Council, which includes western Iowa and parts of Nebraska and South Dakota. They were among the best, and had been picked for the leadership camp. Joined by 24 youth leaders, they studied wilderness survival and lived by Scouting codes.

The chaos of a tornado that injured 48 people doesn’t last a few seconds. In some ways, it’s still twisting for the boys and their parents 10 years later. What comes from that horrible moment can convert to a kind of resolve to change for the better, or an attempt to understand survival by blind chance or God.

“It’s so random,” said Vogts. “Some got cuts. Some died.”

“For a couple years,” Claussen said, “I always wanted to know why. What was so special about me?”

Gripping story  with photos at source:

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2018/06/09/tornado-killed-boy-scouts-changed-lives-iowa/660843002/

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...There was no basement or in-ground shelter at the camp when the tornado hit. The following year, the Boy Scouts Mid-America Council launched a major fundraising campaign to build emergency shelters at all of its camps.

By 2013, two tornado shelters had been built at the camp, and a siren was added. The new structures have concrete walls, steel shutters and doors and emergency power backup, and were built to withstand an EF5 tornado.

http://kwbe.com/featured-news/10-years-ago-today-a-tornado-killed-4-boy-scouts-at-little-sioux-camp/

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  • 2 years later...

May 10,2021:

Thirteen years after he was injured by a tornado that killed four scouts at the Little Sioux Scout Ranch in western Iowa, Kevin Hanna graduated from the  University of Nebraska Medical Center on Saturday and will continue his training with a residency in urology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Hanna, now 26,  said the time he spent in rehabilitation after breaking his pelvis when the storm struck the Little Sioux Scout Ranch prompted him to choose a career in medicine.

More at source:

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2021/05/10/little-sioux-scout-ranch-man-who-survived-tornado-graduates-medical-school-university-of-nebraska/5018494001/

https://ktiv.com/2021/05/09/boy-who-survived-little-sioux-scout-camp-tornado-graduates-med-school/

Edited by RememberSchiff
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