Update on Girls in Scouting ALUMNIALIVE! (Pg. 9) Newsletter for Alumni and Friends SUMMER 2018

LEARNWith OutstandingHOWCreek Stewart! TO Eagle SURVIVE (Pg. Scout, 9)

2 1054 11 14 INSIDE Message Have You National Eagles A Look A Scouting From the Upgraded Scouting Exploring at How Hero’s THIS Director Your SAF Museum Set the World Scouting Profile Membership to Open Changes ISSUE Level? You

A Message From The Director A former G.M. said, “My interest is in the future. I am going to spend the rest of my life there.” Seems like a good idea. The youth we serve in Scouting are going to spend a lifetime influenced by the values, habits, interests and spiritual growth experienced now. Lots of people play a part – parents, schools, and churches. Scouting serves all three of these foundations of society. Many times I have heard a person say, “I was a Scout and I’ll never forget it,” or “I don’t remember my teacher’s names, but I remember my Scout leader,” or “I use skills from Scouting every day.” As a Scouter, you shape the future, and my guess is you do it more than you know.

I was recently assigned to report what is new with the Boy Scouts of America. Since the Boy Scouts is always improving, that is not too difficult an assignment. After giving it some thought, however, I decided it wasn’t the new training materials or program improvements or even camp developments that I ought to report on. I thought about how little statistics tell us about what really happened in past months or years.

Rather, the life that was saved through Scouting skills, the new units that were organized and what they meant to youth and families, the experience of young people mastering a mile swim, or watching a ground squirrel one sunny afternoon at camp, were the important new things. Others are passing that Eagle Board Review, or being elected patrol leader for the first time, or how a new Cub Scout felt putting on their uniform or the first time. All these things, and many more like them, are the real new experiences of Scouting.

I challenge you to get engaged or reengaged in Scouting. I hope to see you on the trail.

Once a Scout, Always a Scout,

Dustin Farris Director, Scouting Alumni and Friends ALUMNI NEWS

Affiliate Profile: Summit Bechtel Reserve Staff Association

Scouting Alumni & Friends is not the only group within the BSA financially able and understand the necessity of supporting the that seeks to reconnect with and reengage alumni. In fact, seasonal group,” he says. the Scouting map is dotted with groups both large and small that share that mission. On occasion, Alumni Alive profiles What does that support look like? Each summer, the group these groups and the ways they serve members and Scouting provides thank-you gifts and throws parties for seasonal alike. Here’s a profile of the Summit Bechtel Reserve Staff staffers to let them know their service is appreciated. Last Association. summer, the group provided $7,500 in end-of-season gifts to about 250 seasonal staff members (including stainless steel The Charles L. Sommers Alumni Association launched in 1992, cups for all staff and multi-tools for third-year returners). This 69 years after the first Scouts participated in what is now known year, in addition to thank-you gifts, staff members are also as the Northern Tier High Adventure Program. The Philmont receiving free laundry detergent for the new washing machines Staff Association was formed in 1974, 35 years after Philmont in Base Camp Echo. Scout Ranch opened for business. It took exactly a quarter- century for former staff members of the Florida Sea Base to Another major focus is providing college scholarships launch the Sea Base Alumni and Friends Association. to seasonal staff members. In 2017, the group honored retiring Summit Director Dan McCarthy by awarding $2,000 And then there’s the Summit Bechtel Reserve Staff Association scholarships in his name to five staff members. “After Dan (SBRSA), which welcomed its first members just 18 months retired we thought this is a very good opportunity to do the first after its namesake high-adventure base welcomed its first scholarships,” Smart says. “It suited Dan very well to establish campers. a scholarship fund in his name rather than receive a personal gift.” You can’t form an alumni association without a strong alumni base, which is why the BSA’s other high-adventure bases took Rather than rely on future retirements to generate donations, decades to establish alumni groups. So how did the Summit the SBRSA recently created the 37 North Society, which invites Bechtel Reserve Staff Association move so quickly? The life members to pledge $37 per quarter to the scholarship fund. secret, according to President Russell Smart, was the 2013 By this spring, 48 people had already joined, donating more National Scout Jamboree. That event, the first official event than $6,300. held at the new West Virginia camp, was staffed by some 6,000 volunteers. “We immediately had a huge number of folks who The importance of the support provided to seasonal staff had worked in that capacity at the Summit,” he says. was demonstrated in the essays submitted by last summer’s applicants. One of them, Nate Steele, explained the ripple What’s more, many of those volunteers — perhaps a majority effect of such support. “While I greatly enjoy serving in this — were also members of the Northern Tier, Philmont and Sea role [Venturing Advisor in Central Region Area 4] and on camp Base groups, so they instinctively knew the value of the new staff, the burden of paying for these additional activities as well organization. Which is probably why 639 of them signed on as as pay for school can often be overwhelming,” he wrote. “By charter members. (Membership currently stands at ~1,000.) receiving this scholarship, this allows me to not only further sustain my ability to stay as a student, but it also allows me to Alumni groups exist for many reasons, but Smart says the spend more time doing the thing I love: Scouting.” SBRSA’s number-one reason for existence is to support seasonal staff members, primarily college-age, young And in the end, that’s what most Scouting alumni want to do, people who could be earning more money and living in isn’t it? more comfortable surroundings elsewhere. “Because of our connection with the jamboree, a lot of our members are past the For more information on the Summit Bechtel Reserve Staff point of being seasonal staff, but they are also perhaps more Association, visit www.sbrstaff.org.

3 Scouting Alumni & Friends Introduces New Supporter Levels

Membership may have its privileges, but that’s not why people join alumni organizations, says Tony Fiori, Scouting Alumni and Friends’ vice-chair for membership. “You’re not giving us $35 so you can get the tchotchke,” he says. “You’re giving us $35 because you feel like you want to make a contribution to Scouting.” What’s more, he says, you shouldn’t have to do anything extra to prove you belong. If you’ve been there, done that and The new Climber and Trailblazer levels offer these additional gotten the T-shirt, that ought to be enough. And so, effective thank-you items: July 1, 2018, Scouting Alumni & Friends is doing away with the concept of membership levels. “We’re adopting the vernacular • Climber: a subscription to Eagles’ Call of universities so that everyone who is an alum of the Scouting magazine and membership in the Wild Edible movement — and by extension their friends — is a member of Plant of the Month Club (also produced by Scouting Alumni and Friends,” Fiori says. “You don’t have to pay CR///EK Stewart). to become a member.” • Trailblazer: the Climber-level benefits plus That means Scouting Alumni & Friends now has something like a National Park Service annual pass and 50 million members — zero of whom have paid to join. discounts to national Scouting Alumni & Friends trips and events. Of course, many of those members want to support Scouting through the alumni group, and that opportunity has now In addition, a portion of Trailblazer-level gifts goes into the expanded. Instead of two membership levels — the free Hiker alumni endowment, which is distributed to councils in the form of level and the $35/year Pathfinder level — Scouting Alumni & recruitment and innovation grants. Friends now has three supporter levels: Pathfinder at $35/year, Climber at $144/year and Trailblazer at $540/year. Free Hiker And there’s an extra incentive for becoming a paid supporter, registration is still available. according to Larson. “If they sign up for a 10-year term, they’ll get the 10th year free,” he says. “They can pay that monthly or “Before, we felt we were capping support,” says Scouting Alumni annually, and they can sign up at any time.” & Friends Associate Director Ryan Larson. “People wanted to give more; this gives them the ability to do so, with some perks Which thank-you gifts will prove to be the most popular? Larson as a thank-you for their support.” leans toward the Wild Edible Plant of the Month Club. “I envision people making some pretty neat recipes,” he says. Fiori is more Yes, perks. Although people don’t join alumni groups for the excited about the national parks pass. “I think we’ll probably tchotchke, they do appreciate tangible thank-yous. The new hear from the folks who do give at that level that it is one of the supporter levels offer plenty of those. All levels offer electronic more valuable ways to say thank you,” he says. subscriptions to Alumni Alive and Scouting Wire — Alumni Edition, along with the popular bugle-call ringtones. All paid And Fiori wants to say thank you if people want to give. “If you supporters receive Scouting Alumni & Friends window clings, want to contribute, we’d love to have your donations, and we’ll luggage tags, affiliation cards and lapel pins; discounts from put it to good use,” he says. majority retailers through partner Abenity; a 10% Scout After all, membership may have its privileges, but the chance to Shop coupon; a subscription to Scouting magazine; and a give back to Scouting is priceless. membership in the Survival Skill of the Month Club, produced by survival instructor (and Eagle Scout) CR///EK Stewart.

4 HAPPENINGS BSA Museum Moves to Philmont

In its 15 years in Irving, Texas, the National Scouting Museum They also doubled the museum’s scope. One of the two main let visitors gawk at the first Eagle Scout badge, dozens of galleries focuses on the history of Scouting; the other focuses on original Norman Rockwell paintings, and many other artifacts the history of Philmont and the American Southwest. (Much of from its 600,000-item collection. What they didn’t get to see was that latter story is told through Native American artifacts collected the underground river that made controlling temperature and by author and Scouting founder Ernest Thompson Seton; the humidity a constant struggle. Seton Memorial Library, a popular destination for researchers studying the American Southwest, remains a part of the facility.) And that was just one challenge the museum faced. Housed in a converted warehouse in a generic office park far from other But the museum is more than a repository for artifacts. There’s a cultural attractions, it never received the attention it deserved. large outdoor plaza with views of Philmont’s iconic Tooth of Time, “The only good thing about it was that it was right next door to the the 88-seat Carl M. Marchetti, M.D. Order of the Arrow Room, national office and people could go next door and see something and a lobby and gift shop that will serve as the entry point where they associated with Scouting,” says Rick Bragga, who chairs visitors can learn more about Philmont and the ranch’s other the National Scouting Museum Committee. three museums—the Villa Philmonte, the Kit Carson Museum at Rayado, and the Historic Chase Ranch Museum. The problems evaporated this year when the museum moved to Philmont Scout Ranch in northern New Mexico. After a soft Bragga says planning the move gave the BSA and his committee opening in May, the museum (now known as the National the opportunity to rethink what the museum should display and Scouting Museum – Philmont Scout Ranch) will hold a public how it should function. The Rockwell paintings aren’t moving grand opening on Sept. 15. (Despite a major fire at Philmont to New Mexico — a separate task force of Scouters and art earlier this year, these plans are still on track.) historians is looking at how best to deploy them — nor are the adventure-oriented displays. “The audience at Philmont already The move represents more than just a change of zip code has all the play they can handle,” he says. and time zone. It also builds on an already planned expansion of the Philmont Museum and Seton Memorial Library, which The BSA is also looking at ways to display parts of its collection opened in 1967. That facility was at first slated to go from about at the national office and at other high-adventure bases. For 6,000 square feet to 12,500 square feet. “We ended up adding example, the J.W. and Hazel Ruby West Virginia Welcome about 7,000 square feet to the layout, so the new building is Center, the entry point for the Summit Bechtel Reserve, approximately 19,500 square feet,” says Museum Director Dave includes a temporary exhibit on world Scouting in the lead-up to Werhane. “We essentially doubled the size of the exhibit space next summer’s World Scout Jamboree, which will occur at the and more than doubled the size of the collection storage space.” Summit. Online and traveling exhibits are also possible in the future. “We tended to be stuck in the box in Irving,” Bragga says. “This brand-new facility will allow us to focus not only on what’s there but what people can access on the internet and potentially at other sites across the country.” Like the Scouting program, the new museum will continue to grow and change. “If you come this year, you can come back next year and it’s going to be different. You can come back the following year and it’ll be different again,” Werhane says. “For the long haul, I think this is going to be a wonderful anchor for the National Scouting Museum.”

5 On the Road with Patriot’s Path Council

Open any issue of your college alumni magazine and you’ll important to inform and engage people before you ask them for probably find an article about the alumni association’s next big donations — and there shouldn’t be a hard sell to give.” trip. Perhaps it’s a river cruise through the heart of Europe, an ecotourism trip to the Galápagos or a safari in Tanzania. Schwartz said an important part of her councils’ trips is having a Whatever it is, it’s a way to explore the world while spending hospitality room where participants can gather before dinner or time with your fellow alumni. at the end of the day. “We do talk about our families and those sorts of things, but basically it comes around to what’s new in The alumni committee of the Patriots’ Path Council does Scouting,” she says. something similar, although they often head to places Harvard and Yale may never visit, such as Islamorada, FL, Cimarron, NM, Ideally, each alumni event is self-sustaining. “Hopefully it’s either and Glen Jean, WV. As you probably know, those communities a wash or not a lot of money that we’re making,” Schwartz says. are home to Florida Sea Base, Philmont Scout Ranch, and the The New Mexico trip, for example, will cost $1,387 (double Summit Bechtel Reserve, respectively. occupancy) and $1,897 (single occupancy), while a day trip to see a Broadway show back in March cost $80. According to Amy Schwartz, the council’s team leader of council operations, the goal is simply to keep alumni engaged Patriots’ Path Council has about 1,500 alumni on its mailing list with Scouting. “I just think it’s such a positive way to keep and can generally fill a charter bus for most non-local events. people engaged,” she says, “especially the people whose kids Last summer, the council shared a bus with the Northern New have gone off to college and who don’t know what to do with Jersey Council for a trip to the National Scout Jamboree in West themselves after they’ve been on the troop committee for seven Virginia. (A similar trip is planned for next summer’s World Scout or eight years.” Jamboree at the Summit.) The council’s series of alumni outings began a few years Although planning alumni events takes a lot of work, Schwartz ago with day trips (which still continue). But gradually the enjoys her role as travel agent and tour director. “I’ve always said council added longer trips — a four-day weekend at Colonial I wanted to do a camporee for adults at a hotel or something,” Williamsburg, for example — and big excursions, like this she says. “That’s kind of what I do now.” October’s nine-day New Mexico outing. For more information on the council’s events, visit https:// “We’re going to spend about three days in Albuquerque and ppcbsa.org/committees/alumni/. And to see a calendar events about three days in Santa Fe,” Schwartz says. “I guess you from councils around the country, visit http://scoutingalumni.org. could figure out where our last three days are going to be.” That will be Philmont Scout Ranch, where the group will stay in roofed housing, take day hikes, and even venture into the backcountry in the ranch’s fleet of Chevy Suburbans. Schwartz emphasizes that the goal of the trips is to keep alumni engaged — not to solicit donations. “We will do an ask after they’ve been involved with the alumni for a while, and they do seem to want to contribute,” she says. “Patriots’ Path Council is on the right path — no pun intended,” says Scouting Alumni & Friends Director Dustin Farris. “It’s

6 Survival Hacks with

Former President Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” This is precisely what Creek Stewart, our contributor to this new series, had in mind for Survival Hacks with CR///EK. Creek gives the definition as: Sur-VIV-al Hack-ing: (v) The act of using what you have to get what you need to stay alive in any situation. He continues to say that “hacking” is making due with what you’ve got. It has three aspects: using knowledge of basic survival principles; innovative thinking; and exploiting available resources. We think he is right! Scouts are resourceful and prepared. And, they are always open to learning new things. So take a look and maybe you will learn a new trick or two!

About Creek Stewart CR///EK Stewart: Survival Instructor, Author, Host. Creek’s survival knowledge comes from experience. His life-long study of outdoor living and survival skills is backed by thousands of man-hours in the field. Creek is a frequent guest survival expert in the media and has been featured in/on magazines, talk shows, and countless radio and online events. He is a regular contributing author to the hugely popular men’s interest blog ArtofManliness.com, and his survival writings have been featured on thousands of websites. Creek is a published author of many titles, including Survival Hacks available here. In 2015, Creek was presented with the NESA Outstanding Eagle Scout Award (NOESA) by the Boy Scouts of America. The NOESA is a prestigious recognition granted to Eagle Scouts who have demonstrated outstanding achievement at the local, state, or regional level. Creek recognizes his experiences while earning the Wilderness Survival Merit Badge in the Boy Scouts of America as the fuel for a lifelong passion in learning and teaching self-reliant skills. Creek is the owner of and lead instructor at Willow Haven Outdoor Survival School in Central Indiana. He is also the owner and curator of APOCABOX, a bi- monthly subscription survival box. Currently, Creek is the lead survival instructor for the traveling survival training and competition series, ESCAPE THE WOODS.

7 Cr///ek Stewart here! I am extremely excited to be a contributor to Alumni Alive and share some more of my favorite survival hacks! My first hack is a great way to get clean, drinkable water no mater where you are. My second entry is a follow-up to a hack I previously shared with you. You can use both if you ever find yourself in need of a meal. Enjoy! And remember, it’s not IF but WHEN.

Trash Bottle Solar Distiller Distillation is the process of evaporating water and then condensing it again in a container. This process removes impurities, chemicals, salt, and even waterborne pathogens. All life raft survival kits include a solar distiller to desalinate the salty ocean water in a survival scenario. You can easily hack a mini distiller from a clear trash bottle, such as a 2-liter bottle, in just a few minutes. Cut the bottom off the bottle and fold the bottom 2” up under and inside the bottle. I’ve found it helpful to heat the bottom edge over fire to make it more pliable. Place this bottle in a mud puddle, on wet sand, on a wet rag, or over a cup filled with dirty water and let the sun go to work. Soon, clean, drinkable water will evaporate and condense on the inside of the bottle. It will then run down and collect in the folded lip that you created. It can then be drunk from the bottle without further purification. Note: Full sun is required for the distillation process to work.

The Fisherman’s Bracelet Survival hacking sometimes involves preplanning. This is a simple and easy project that ensures you always have fishing tools. String and tie off 25’ of fishing line between the eyelets of 2 fishing swivels so that the total length from swivel tip to swivel tip will wrap around your wrist. This forms a bracelet, and the swivel clips act as the clasp. Because making a usable hook in the wild is not easy, and they’re not nearly as effective as modern hooks, I keep three different-sized fish hooks under the sole inserts of all my shoes. Now, with a hook, line, and optional swivel, you have everything you need to effectively hack a fishing pole to catch fish.

8 Program

Update on Girls in Scouting

In 1938, Scouting founder Robert Baden-Powell made a have the option of creating dens for boys and girls (as well remarkably progressive statement: “If she is to be equally as serving only boys or only girls), Scouts BSA troops will be efficient with her brother for work in the world, a girl must be single gender, although they can share some leadership. given equal chances with him; equal chances for picking up character and skill, discipline; and bodily health, and equal That separation is important to Gary Schroeder of Kennett chances for using these when she has them.” Square, Pa., who chairs the BSA’s Pilots Committee and played a key role in the decision to include girls. An Eagle Scout, he Eighty years later, Baden-Powell’s vision is coming true in often uses himself as an example of why separate troops are the Boy Scouts of America. Cub Scouting welcomed its first important. “I was late to mature, and Boy Scouting for me was female members earlier this year, and next February girls will this wonderful haven that allowed me the time and the space to join Scouts BSA — as the Boy Scout program will now be mature,” he says. “It’s just critical that we maintain that space called. (Venturing, the BSA’s teen program, has been co-ed for for boys.” decades.) Schroeder also emphasized that the program and advancement While it’s been said that the only person who likes change is requirements will be exactly the same for boys and girls. “We’re a wet baby, plenty of people are excited about the inclusion of not going to allow any shortcuts for the girls to do anything girls at all levels of Scouting. Among them is Joost Bende of different,” he says. San Diego, who has a unique perspective. A 24-year Scouting veteran, Bende has twin children, Ronald and Rhonda, who are In fact, about the only change will come in uniforming, where Cub Scouts now. female-specific options will be available, from shirts that fit better to skorts and roll-up pants. Caps will also be styled to Ronald joined Pack 626 in 2014, along with his dad. At the accommodate ponytails. “I never thought of that, and I don’t same time, Rhonda and other girls from her school and think anybody else did either,” Schroeder says. “Next time we neighborhood joined a Girl Scout troop. “They had about 10 order hats, they’ll change the design a little bit and allow that to girls in their Girl Scout troop, and we had about 10 boys in that happen.” Tiger den, so it was pretty cool,” Bende says. One thing Schroeder’s not worried about is how boys and Rhonda, like the sisters of many girls will act on joint activities. He led a co-ed Venturing crew Cub Scouts, was also a constant for eight years and never had problems, even on long trips to presence in Pack 626, doing the New Mexico, Alaska, Canada, Maine and Florida. “The kids same activities as her brother but themselves set the rules: ‘You’re dating outside Scouting; not earning any of the badges. you’re not dating in Scouting,’” he says. “They laid it out, and it Needless to say, she was ecstatic just worked.” to become an official Cub Scout in June. She’s not abandoning the Girl Speaking of work, Joost Bende, who owns an architecture Scouts, however; in fact, she hopes firm, is already looking ahead to when today’s male and to earn both the Eagle Scout Award female Scouts enter the workforce. “I have men and women in Scouts BSA and the Gold Award collaborating on the projects together; that’s something boys in Girl Scouts. and girls can learn at an early age,” he says. “I think more than ever Scouts is reflecting what society’s all about.” On Feb. 1, 2019, Ronald and Rhonda will both join troops at St. It’s also reflecting what Baden-Powell talked about 80 years Timothy’s Episcopal Church. Yes, ago, giving girls like Rhonda Bende the same opportunities as troops. While Cub Scout packs their brothers.

9 Join Scouting, Explore the World

STEM learning — short for science, technology, engineering and math — is all the rage in education circles. The BSA has gotten on board as well through the creation of the school-based STEM Scouts program and through the development of several new merit badges, including Robotics, Digital Technology, and Exploration. But the BSA is also investing in STEM through the NESA World Explorers Program. Now in its seventh year, the unique program sends Eagle Scouts between the ages of 18 and 27 into the field to participate in scientific expeditions. These aren’t mere field trips; instead, the participants do real science with real experts in a variety of fields, perhaps taking the first steps on the road to • Two are working with NASA scientists in a lifelong career. Yellowstone National Park, where heat- loving biofilms in geysers may offer clues to The NESA World Explorers Program was dreamed up by Eagle extraterrestrial life: Benjamin Alva of Minnesota Scout Michael Manyak, M.D., an expert in wilderness medicine and Cody Clements of Georgia. and a member of The Explorers Club. Each year, Manyak and fellow volunteers review dozens of applications to choose the • Two are spending five weeks at the Judith River best possible candidates — a decision he says is never easy. Dinosaur Institute in Montana to help excavate “All of these young men are really top notch,” he says. “The a 110-foot-long sauropod: Christopher Paul of quality of the candidates is so good that I’d like to send them all Georgia and Quintin Powers of Illinois. somewhere.” • Two are working with raptor expert (and Eagle Here’s a rundown of this summer’s expeditions: Scout) Dr. William Bowerman of the University of Maryland to study bald eagles in Minnesota’s • Four Scouts are spending 10 days at Mammoth Voyageurs National Park: Connor Hodges of Cave working with the Cave Research Massachusetts and Austin Wolfgang Katzer of Foundation and retired NESA Director (and Texas. world-class speleologist) Bill Steele: Harison Bhanoo of Ohio, Samuel Pollack of Texas, Max Manyak says it’s no surprise that Bowerman is an Eagle Renner of Kentucky, and Luke Giovanine of Scout. In fact, Eagle Scouts and other Scouting alumni play a Illinois. prominent role in several of the expeditions. At Mammoth Cave, for example, the leader is Eagle Scout Bill Steele, a world- • Two are traveling to the Galápagos to help the renowned caver and the former director of NESA, while Rodney Galápagos Science Center to study animals Mangus, the chief excavator at JDRI is a Life Scout and longtime vulnerable to natural and manmade threats: Scouting volunteer. Zachary Howard of Florida and Daniel Sanford of California. Although this year’s expeditions are well underway, Manyak is already looking ahead to 2019. To allow more time to review • Two are spending 10 days deep in the applications and notify winners, the application window for that Ecuadorian rainforest operating camera traps: season will close on October 31 (the same date as NESA’s Gabriel Burgos of Nevada and Evan Dann of college scholarship program). For more information, visit Maryland. www.nesa.org.

10 Scouts: Then and Now

If we look at photos from those two phases of life, the visible changes will be obvious. The non-visible changes — more confidence, better character, stronger leadership skills — are there, too. This life-changing power of Scouting inspired Scouts Then and Now, a Bryan on Scouting (blog.scoutingmagazine.org/) blog series. The premise is simple. He shares two photos of the same Scout or Venturer: once in their early Scouting years, and again in their later Scouting years. We are continuing his project here in AlumniAlive!

Andrew from Florida Hunter and Gable from Ohio

Jason from Texas Jeffrey, Timothy, and Gregory from California

11 We are excited to see our alumni and friends as they have progressed in Scouting! If you would like to feature your young Scout, or even yourself, in Bryan on Scouting’s blog, here’s how. Send two photos of your Scout(s) or yourself: one in their early years and one in their later years - and include their name and home state. The photos will be combined as a side-by- side, so no need to fret about that. Send the images as attachments in an email to [email protected] with the subject line “Scouts Then and Now.”

Matthew and Zach from West Virginia Matthew from Ohio

Nate from Illinois Tim from Wisconsin

12 Profiles Todd Huston, Mountain Climber

Imagine traveling to the The fundraising may have been the easy part—most came highest points in all 50 from John Shanahan, CEO of Hooked on Phonics after hearing states, from Britton Hill in about the expedition by chance. As a desk jockey with a Florida (345 ft. elev.) to disability, Huston wasn’t exactly in peak condition. “I couldn’t Denali in Alaska (20,320 run 10 feet without having to stop because my legs were like ft. elev.). Then imagine noodles,” he says. He stuck to his training, however, working accomplishing that feat in up to 12-mile runs within three months. just 66 days, 22:47. Now, imagine doing it all with When he was ready, Huston set off with guide Whit Rambach, only one leg. who’d been slated to lead the expedition that was canceled. The pair drove to the sites in the 48 contiguous states, In 1994, that’s just what sometimes hitting several high points in a day. Many were Eagle Scout Todd Huston easily accessible by road. did. Since the previous highpointing record was But other peaks posed real challenges. The highest point in 101 days, Huston also Texas, Guadalupe Peak, is “only” 8,749 feet high, but Huston Todd Huston became the first disabled and Rambach faced 118-degree temperatures there. Of course, person to break an able- the biggest challenge was Denali. When the climbers reached bodied world record in extreme sports. (He was also the first a camp at around 16,000 feet, they chose to hunker down, disabled person to become a “50 completer”.) sensing it wasn’t safe to advance ny higher. They were right. A huge storm came in quickly making camping nearly impossible Huston has been sharing his story this year with cruise-ship at any higher an elevation. passengers in the shadow of Denali and has also told it in his book More Than Mountains. Once the storm passed, Huston and Rambach continued their climb, taking three breaths for every step because of the thin Growing up in Tulsa, Huston loved the outdoors; from camping atmosphere. Eventually reaching the top, they enjoyed the view trips with Troop 241 to boating excursions with his family. But a on a rare clear day before beginning their descent. freak accident when he was 14 changed his life forever. During a lake outing, he was run over by a ski boat, the propeller Huston didn’t do much mountaineering as a Scout, but he causing traumatic damage to both his legs. “My whole left thigh draws clear lessons from his time in Scouting. One is to was ripped open. The back of my right leg was missing. My never panic, an enduring lesson from First Aid merit badge. “I knee had been sliced in half. Blood was squirting out of me like remembered that when I was injured by the propeller, actually a Texas oil well,” he says. calmly talking while they were taking me to the boat dock for help. It helped save my life.” Doctors saved his life—they twice had to resuscitate him—and his legs. However, due to ongoing infections, he had to have Perhaps the most enduring lesson, however, is the set of his right leg amputated below the knee seven years later. values Scouting teaches. Some might think values learned as a child would be irrelevant to an adult, but Huston disagrees. Eventually earning a master’s degree in counseling psychology, “They’re just as relevant, but they’re relevant on a deeper Huston was working for NovaCare Amputee Resource Center level,” he says. “I think that’s what I walked away from Scouting when he heard about an upcoming highpoints expedition that with more than anything else: the values of being honest, the would include amputees. He quickly signed on. But, when a values of being good to other people, the values of doing the lack of funding caused it to fall through, he organized his own right thing.” expedition, Summit America and raised the required $50,000.

13 George Oldroyd, Scouting Hero

When he was a young Scout in Fairfield, Ct., George Oldroyd Eagle Scouts,” Oldroyd was captivated by the illustrations in his Scout handbook of all says. “Was Scouting a the awards he could earn. He even joked with his best friend program they enjoyed that he would give his right arm for an Honor Medal. participating in, or was it a movement they subscribed “Turns out it was just my left leg, but that leg was a small price to? Was Scouting to pay,” Oldroyd says now. something they did, or was Oldroyd lost his leg in 2016 after rushing to put out a truck Scouting something they fire he happened upon. He shattered his foot running to the were? There weren’t any fire, but continued fighting the fire as his compound fracture wrong answers, but it was bled profusely. Despite IV antibiotics and hyperbaric oxygen the start of a lot of really treatments, the wound never healed, and he eventually wonderful conversations lost his leg. He later received the Honor Medal with Crossed with these guys as they Palms, the BSA’s highest award for lifesaving, which goes to started discovering those who display “unusual heroism and extraordinary skill or something deeper beneath resourcefulness in saving or attempting to save life at extreme the camping trips and merit George Oldroyd risk to self.” badges. And you can’t ask those questions without Amazingly, that was his third lifesaving award. He received the your own answers becoming pretty clear.” Heroism Award for saving his mother’s life during a fire when he was a Scout and the Honor Medal (without crossed palms in Many of those conversations happened when Oldroyd was that case) for fighting yet another fire. Although health problems barely older than his Scouts. He became Scoutmaster the had prevented him from following his father into the fire service, day he turned 21 — instantly becoming America’s youngest he says he “inherited the same gene that made Dad and his Scoutmaster — and was more of a big brother than a father brother Tim make a living running toward things on fire, instead figure to his Scouts. “I’m writing a book about them and the of away like sane people.” roles that their Scouting experience played in making them what they are,” Oldroyd says. “It’s called Being Prepared.” According to one of his former Scouts, Roger Goodledy, “the only other person we can find who may have received two Although health problems prevent Oldroyd from being an active Honor Medals was Arthur Rose Eldred, who’s famous for other volunteer today, he’s doing what he can, including developing reasons [Ed.: In 1912 Eldred became the first Eagle Scout.] a website to provide guidance to those who want to nominate George is probably the most decorated Scout lifesaver in Scouts and Scouters for awards like he’s received. He history, although he bristles at the suggestion. He says talking guesses that many Scouts and Scouters are just as deserving about it in those terms makes it too much like a contest, and of the awards as he was, but don’t know how to navigate the that pulls focus from what’s important.” nomination process. So what’s important (aside from the fact that several people are “Emerson wrote, ‘A man is what he thinks about all day long,’” alive thanks to Oldroyd)? For one thing, it’s living by the values Oldroyd says. “I’ve spent most of my life thinking about Scouting of the Scout Oath and Scout Law, not just viewing Scouting as — what it means, how to live that way in a world full of people a fun activity. who think virtue is a weakness. It hasn’t made me a perfect Scout, but it’s making me try and try and try.” “I used to ask my Life candidates about their Eagle plans, and I’d ask if they wanted to make Eagle, or if they wanted to become

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