Celebrating its first year of operations this month, Falls Church City Boy Scout Troop 349 has received a $1,000 grant. Navy Federal Credit Union’s “Dollars for Doers” program aids non-profit groups with whom their employees are associated as volunteers. Troop 349 volunteers include two employees of Navy Federal, which enabled the grant. “We will put that money to good use helping to outfit our growing ranks,” said Jim Custer, Assistant Scoutmaster. “We’re an active group and we want to attract kids and their parents who enjoy being involved in exciting and fun activities,” said Assistant Scoutmaster Custer. “Since we’re looking to grow and to accomplish so much in the coming year, we needed funding”. “Troop 349 is growing and we’re looking forward to the challenges ahead,” said Steven Valley, Troop 349’s Committee Chair. “With a solid year of experience behind us, our place in Falls Church City’s scouting landscape is secure and the future certainly looks very bright”. The troop appreciates all those who helped it during the past year.

More than 20 Boy Scouts in the Boone Trails District achieved the rank of Eagle Scout Feb. 8, in conjunction with celebrating Scouting's 100th anniversary. A special Eagle Board was established, led by Mike Griffin, and 23 young men were approved to attain the highest rank in Boy Scouts. Eagle Scout hopefuls work toward the rank for months, planning and carrying out a major service project, earning specific required merit badges, and showing leadership in and outside of scouting. The Boone Trails District covers St. Charles, Warren and Lincoln counties. "These boys represent the epitome of what it is to be an Eagle Scout," said Susan Campbell, public relations chairwoman for the district. "We are so proud of them all. Not only are they great examples of the Scouting program, they are a living legacy of the ideals of scouting. To earn the rank of Eagle Scout on the centennial of scouting is something that they will always have."

All for finding a purse. The purse wasn’t a big deal. The money was. Edward Myers found $1,900 in a side pocket, all in $100 bills. The purse had been stolen on Thanksgiving, and the 11-year-old discovered it in a creek in Fisher Park two weeks before Christmas. He gave it to the police, and the police found its owner. For his altruistic act, Edward got a five-day, all-expenses-paid trip to D.C. this past week, where he presented headline makers the Boy Scouts’ annual Report of the Nation. Edward is a Webelos Scout, a member of Pack 316, and a fifth-grader at Greensboro’s Irving Park Elementary. Out of 2.7 million Scouts nationwide, he was one of eight selected to go.

The Cub Scouts of packs 42 and 82, along with their families, enjoyed a fun filled evening at the annual Blue and Gold Banquet. The awards and recognition for the Cub Scouts were creatively stowed in a five tier birthday cake made of boxes. All Cub Scouts received a button toy in recognition of the 100 year anniversary of scouting. Many of the Cub Scouts had it figured out and enjoyed playing with this old fashioned toy. Each den of Cub Scouts was excited to perform for their families as the Wolves presented the opening ceremony, the Bears sang a song, and the Webelos shared jokes.

About 840 Boy Scouts from across Texas spent Saturday at Texas A&M University for the second annual Merit Badge University.The Xi Delta chapter of Alpha Phi Omega hosted the event. Merit Badge University gives Boy Scouts the opportunity to work on an array of over 40 different merit badges such as First Aid, Nuclear Science, Composite Materials, Aviation, Archery, Engineering, and Surveying. This year more resources on campus were used, including Easterwood Airport and the A&M nuclear reactor. Texas A&M President Dr. R. Bowen Loftin opened the as the keynote speaker. The Aggie Yell Leaders helped with closing ceremonies.

Monday, Feb. 8, 2010 marked the 100th birthday of the Boy Scouts of America, probably the most iconic youth-serving organization in the country. The Boy Scouts of Troop 302 and Cub Scouts of Pack 302 expanded their annual tradition of honoring their charter organization, Trinity Baptist Church, to also highlight this centennial birthday celebration, at the Scout Sunday Service and Supper on Sunday, Feb. 14. Following the service, congregants and Scout families alike were treated to a full-course supper, prepared by the parents and served by the boys, all under the supervision of Cubmaster John Senesi, who also made delicious, bottomless bowls of pasta and home-made meatballs. In addition to festive themed decorations on the tables and the walls, a stunning dessert cake was presented, which incorporated the striking image of the “Scout Sunday 2010” participation patch made of frosting on its top. The cake was made and decorated by Scout parents Eric Goldstein and Vee Bradley. Among the families, congregants, and guests in attendance, the Scouts were honored to have Dianna Parisi, senior district executive of Boston Minuteman Council of the BSA, in attendance.

When your organization has been around for 100 years, be prepared to celebrate well. The Boy Scouts of America certainly plan to. About 43,000 Scouts, including 72 from the Longs Peak Council, will be heading to Fort A.P. Hill this July to celebrate a century of American scouting. A lot’s changed in that time: the uniforms, the merit badges, even some of the activities. But the core has remained the same, especially the emphasis on capability and leadership. “I think it has turned them into better men,” said Dan Woods, the scoutmaster of Troop 565, who’s been associated with the Scouts in one form or another for 22 years. “It was only after I left the Scouts that I realized how much it did for me.”

Almost 300 Boy Scouts and adult leaders from the Orlando area who tied knots for about five minutes Saturday may have broken a Guinness World Record. For the Little Econ District spring camporee at Camp La-No-Che near Paisley, the Scouts set out to break the world record for "longest rope chain made in five minutes." Using one of the most basic knots taught in Boy Scouting — the square knot — the Scouts had to tie 3-foot pieces of rope together to create a rope chain that would be longer than the current world record: 5,496 feet and 1 inch. On the Scouts' second attempt at the record, they set what they hope will be recognized as the new world mark. Using 2,543 pieces of rope and 2,542 square knots to connect them, the Scouts created a chain that reached 5,988 feet, 4 inches in five minutes. Official confirmation of the record won't come for several weeks until after officials with Guinness World Record review video and documents from the Orlando Scouts' attempt.

Tanner Ipson may be only 15 years old, but two big passions have come into his life - NASCAR racing and Jeff Gordon. Thanks to his involvement with the Boy Scouts and Troop 1758, Tanner got to experience the best of both worlds at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend. Not only did he get to see the Shelby American Sprint Cup race, but the 9th-grader at Pine View Middle School accompanied Gordon on stage during driver introductions. And to say it was cool is putting it mildly. "It was totally fun," said Ipson. "I even gave (Gordon) my heart of scouting pin for luck." Gordon had dominated most of the Shelby American, leading for 219 laps, but the luck of the pin ran out down the stretch as Jimmie Johnson passed him with 17 laps to go and went on to the victory.

The Three Rivers District of the East Texas Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America announced recently the award of the bronze President’s Volunteer Service Award to two local students, Laramie McAdams and Suri Darla Garcia. The President’s Volunteer Service Award is a national program recognizing Americans who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to volunteer service. Established in 2003, the award was created by President George W. Bush to give presidential recognition to individuals, families and groups who meet requirements for volunteer service, measured by the number of service hours performed over 12 months. Three Rivers District BSA is one of thousands of organizations that have joined forces with the White House to deliver the President’s Volunteer Service Award and honor the volunteers who strengthen our nation. As a certifying organization for the award, Three Rivers District BSA is responsible for verifying service hours, nominating potential recipients and delivering the award.

When Abe Wallis heard about the plans by Boy Scout Troop 272 to apply fertilizer in the yards of area residents he said, “That’s cool.” Wallis, 11, the newest member of the troop, his fellow scouts and sponsors will be doing just that on March 20. The troop sold fertilizer by the bag from the parking lot of Aldersgate United Methodist Church on Saturday and Sunday and will continue selling it via the troop’s Web site and by telephone orders until March 18. Those who purchase a bag of fertilizer for $20 can also have it applied to their yards for an extra $5 a bag. “It is great for older citizens or those who cannot do this themselves,” Scoutmaster Davis Wallette explained. The troop started with 8 tons of the fertilizer, made by Abilene Ag, and started taking orders on Feb. 1.

Chris Hunter, a member of Venturing Crew 1221 in Stafford County, was recently awarded his Eagle Scout award at a Court of Honor at the Hampton Oaks Community Center. Bill Clancy, Aquia District commissioner for the Boy Scouts of America, officiated and Nate Izquierdo, Eagle Scout from Venturing Crew 1221, gave Chris the "Eagle Charge." Mark Dudenhefer, a member of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors, was guest speaker. He gave Hunter a county flag. Hunter began his career in Scouting in New Jersey when he joined the Cub Scouts. He switched to Cub Scout Pack 907 in Stafford when his family moved here in 2000. He earned his Arrow of Light Award and moved up to Troop 142 in 2001. He attended summer camp at Camp Ottari at the Blue Ridge Mountain Reservation for four years, and spent a week at the Mountain Man High Adventure Camp in 2005. That same year he joined the Capital Area Council Jamboree Troop 516 at the National Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill, serving as patrol leader. He earned 27 merit badges on his way to the Eagle Scout award. He also is a member of the Aquia Chapter of the Order of the Arrow.

WCBI News Tupelo Visits Adventure Base 100
WCBI News Tupelo Visits Adventure Base 100 From: BSA100years Views: 34 4 ratings Time: 01:35 More in Nonprofits & Activism

Charley talks with Morgan Johnson from Pack 2 of the Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas about his recent trip to Washington D.C. Morgan join Scouts from across the country on an annual trip to Washington, D.C., to deliver a report on the success and growth of the Boy Scouts of America. The five-day included trips to Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court where Morgan met several politcal leaders. Morgan and his parents sat down to Charley this morning to talk about the trip.

This year will be the 100th birthday of a dear friend of mine, a valued mentor to our family, a great teacher of wisdom and character. Our comrade has enlightened millions of young men with an appreciation for the wonders of nature, of conservation, of respect for people and places. My friend is a wise counselor who instills character, leadership and patriotism - and in reverent tones, even the word of God. To this great teacher, duty and honor are not simple abstract concepts, but carry depth and meaning in both word and deed. In short, my friend is a transformer of boys into men. It is the Boy Scouts of America. Scouting was really about building character and values. And through the wonderful training programs I attended, I witnessed and quickly caught the enthusiasm of those who knew of Scouting's true benefits.

With the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo in full swing, there’s plenty of roping going on inside Reliant Stadium. Good thing there’s some knot tying experts in town. As part of the organization’s 100th anniversary, the Irving-based Boy Scouts of America have brought a traveling exhibit, dubbed Adventure Base 100, to Houston during its 40-city trek across the country that will end in New York City in November. The interactive 10,000-square-foot exhibit includes Scout-related activities, including a high-adventure ropes course, a large-screen video presentation, stage shows featuring Native American dancers, and a Scout museum featuring rare artifacts collected from a century’s worth of Scout activities. “As an Eagle Scout, you learn how to set goals, work with a team and measure your progress by earning merit badges. You do not earn the Eagle rank alone. In fact, mentors are an integral part of earning each merit badge,” said Tellepsen. “The passion for learning new things, the desire to help others and the determination remains in all you do.

Maxwell-Gunter celebrated Arbor Day last Saturday with the Maxwell-Gunter Boy Scouts Troop #23 and Pack #23 planting trees for the future. Maxwell-Gunter was recognized as a TREE CITY USA for the 17th consecutive year and the scouts were taking part in a nationwide effort celebrating 100 years of Scouting with tree-planting events across the country. Digging the first hole are, Jessyp Brown, Brayden Brown, Col. Chris Bargery, Curtin Stout and Tech. Sgt. Joe Stout, Cub Scout master.

The National Parks Council of the Boy Scouts of America donated $3,894 to the Utah PTA on Thursday. The check was a result of money raised at the Gingerbread House Festival in November at Thanksgiving Point. The Utah PTA will use the money to award arts grants to individual schools who apply to them to fund art projects at their schools.

A place of refuge, peace and remembrance, that is what Sam Houston High student Billy Kreider has provided the firefighters at the Ward One Fire Station on Joe Miller Road. On Saturday, he, along with his volunteer crew, created a garden space as a memorial for the firefighters on the station's grounds. "I thought that someone should say 'thank you' from the community," said Billy. "I wanted to do some kind of memorial," he said. Initially, he thought about doing a soldier memorial but location was a problem. So, he considered one for firemen, feeling that they did not get enough appreciation. Therefore, the garden idea for the Ward One Fire Station was chosen for his project. "I am so thankful to everyone who helped me load the trailer in the pouring rain the day before. I was unsure anyone would show up today, but I'm surprised and thankful," said Billy. The community project was the last of the requirements Billy needed to fulfill. Now, he will do a write-up and present it for final review. If all goes well, he will participate in the Eagle Scout ceremony on May 16.

Boy Scout Edward Myers, center, 11, from Greensboro, N.C., passes a Boy Scouts of America 2009 Report to the Nation coin, to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 3, during a ceremony where the Boy Scout's delivered their annual report. Passing of the coin is a tradition to give their respect. With Myers are fellow Boy Scouts, from left to right, Matthew McGroarty, of Las Vegas, Nev.; Colin Byers of New York, Myers; Connor Rieve of Milford, Conn.; Brad Lichota, national chief of the Order of the Arrow, from Shelby Township, Mich.; Sabrina Delgado from Phoenix, Ariz. and Anthony Thomas from St. Paul, Minn.