A Good Week

June 16-22, 2013


A week of living outdoors in the Ozark Mountains at Camp Orr in northern Arkansas. A week not without it's share of difficulties. A week of young men rising to the challenge. A week of good friends, good food and good fun. A week of living in a tent. A week of laughter and life lessons learned.

A good week.

Ozark Mountains

Camp Orr's 60th Anniversary

 Opening flag ceremony

 Hickory Heights...Troop 30's campsite

the Buffalo River

the dining hall

 river bluffs

we sang and prayed before each meal

(some songs even had hand motions...)

                                        

water falls

                                       

Taps every night...

Lord Baden-Powell's Farewell Message

Dear Scouts - if you have ever seen the play 'Peter Pan' you will remember how the pirate chief was always making his dying speech because he was afraid that possible, when the time came for him to die, he might not have time to get it off his chest.   It is much the same with me, and so, although I am not at this moment dying, I shall be doing so one of these days and I want to send you a parting word of goodbye.

Remember, it is the last time you will ever hear from me, so think it over.   I have had a most happy life and I want each one of you to have a happy life too.

I believe that God put us in this jolly world to be happy and enjoy life.   Happiness does not come from being rich, nor merely being successful in your career, nor by self-indulgence.   One step towards happiness is to make yourself healthy and strong while you are a boy, so that you can be useful and so you can enjoy life when you are a man.

Nature study will show you how full of beautiful and wonderful things God has made the world for you to enjoy.   Be contented with what you have got and make the best of it.   Look on the bright side of things instead of the gloomy one.

But the real way to get happiness is by giving out happiness to other people.   Try and leave this world a little better than you found it and when your turn comes to die, you can die happy in feeling that at any rate you have not wasted your time but have done your best.   'Be Prepared' in this way, to live happy and to die happy - stick to your Scout Promise always - even after you have ceased to be a boy - and God help you to do it.

Your friend,
  Baden-Powell

First Aid...Cub Scout Style

First Aid was one of the first merit badges the Tenderfoot scouts in Troop 30 worked on last summer at camp. During their Court of Honor, as they were being awarded their merit badges, my mind was flooded with memories of their Cub Scout days. I recalled working with the Webelos on their First Aid Activity Badge and a long and thorough discussion about various emergencies calling for first aid. We decided to test the boys to see how much they remembered.

These were some of their suggestions for coping with various medical situations they were likely encounter as Boy Scouts:

bad sunburn:  put on suntan lotion
blister:  get a tweezer and pull it off
tick bite:  use a hammer and nail
cut:  squeeze out the blood, then put on a tourniquet
snakebite:  find the snake and cut its head off
frostbite:  cut off fingers
nosebleed:  call 911

Although I hope my Cub-Scouts-turned Boy Scouts have learned something in the ensuing months, I must admit that I am still a bit hesitant about going to them for first aid...