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Boy Scouts of America celebrate 100 years with ceremony set for today |
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Front Page -
Front Page Story
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Written by Larry McGuire
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Monday, 08 February 2010 |
Members of Bucktail Council Boy Scout Troop 245 in Punxsutawney are seen here at their weekly meeting held in the basement of the Wooldand Avenue United Methodist Church. Pictured are (front, from left) Danny Stambaugh, Navada Schaffer, (back, from left) Troop 245 Scout Master Justin Elbel, Brendon Knarr, Daniel Weimer, Chris Mitchell, Seth Burkett and Cody VanNamee. (Photo by Larry McGuire/The Punxsutawney Spirit)
PUNXSUTAWNEY — Today begins a new century for the Boy Scouts of America, and with it comes an invitation to the nation to experience scouting like never before.
Greg T. Bennet, Scout Executive of the Bucktail Council, invites everyone to a rededication ceremony that will be held at 4:30 p.m. today at the Bucktail Council Center located at 209 First St., DuBois.
“This is an exciting time for the Bucktail Council and the Boy Scouts of America,” Bennett said. “While the Scouting program has used different methods over the years to attract current and future generations, the Scouting message is the same as it was a century ago.”
Justin Elbel, Punxsutawney Boy Scout Troop 245 scout master, may not have been in the boy scouts for 100 years, but he has been involved for a very long time in the Punxsy area.
Elbel began as a cub scout, advanced into boy scout status, and is now the scout master.
“My dad was a scout master before me,” Elbel said. “As a scout, you get the opportunity to make great friends and do lots of things that you wouldn’t get the chance to do in school.”
Elbel added that when he was a boy scout, he managed to achieve Eagle Scout status.
“My Eagle Scout project was constructing a playground in Delancey,” he explained. “Constructing a playground was a lot harder than I thought it would be. We began by pulling weeds in the fall, and I finally completed it late the next summer.
“What I really liked about scouts was getting to go out, and being in the outdoors and camp all of the time,” Elbel added. “I went to the 2001 National Scout Jamboree. I’ve been to four of the National Order of the Arrow conferences.”
Elbel added that he sailed in Maine and attended summer camp in Virginia several times.
“I spent a great deal of time at Camp Mountain Run, in Penfield, as a scout, and I still do as a leader,” he said. “We try to go camping once a month. Sometimes, we go a little less in the winter.
“Winter camping can be done either in tents or cabins,” Elbel said. “We try to do one event every month.”
The camp is used not only by the Bucktail Council, but by scout troops from all over the U.S.
Elbel said that he learned a lot of leadership skills though his years as a scout.
“I learned public speaking skills and how to deal with people,” Elbel said. “It’s surprising how much of that experience you receive through being a boy scout, more than just the knots and fire building — the things that you would expect.”
Elbel added that if one wants to be a boy scout, he may start at any age.
“We’ve had kids start at ages 15 and 16, and they still have a blast doing it,” he said. “There are a lot of things that you can still learn. I would encourage anyone to go join,” Elbel said. “The scouting movement is still alive and active even after 100 years. We’re always looking for new members.
“When I joined, I started in a different troop, but I switched to Troop 245 because my dad was the scout master here,” Elbel said.
Bennett added that they are excited about what the future holds, and invites everyone to be a part of the boy scout experience.
Seth Burkett, a member of Troop 245, has been a Boy Scout for about five years.
“I came in from Troop 250 in Big Run, where I started out as a Cub Scout and moved to Troop 245 in Punxsy,” Burkett explained. “You learn a lot from being a Boy Scout. You learn your lashings, you have fun with the troop and we get to go camping.”
Burkett said he likes to go camping in the winter.
“It’s a lot of fun. You get to have snowball fights and go sled riding with other troops,” Burkett explained. “I especially enjoy camping out in a tent during the winter. It allows you to improve your survival skills.What I learn in boy scouts, I’ll be able to use the rest of my life. I want to make it all the way to Eagle Scout so I have to keep working to achieve that goal.”
Anyone who is interested in becoming a Boy Scout in the Punxsy area is encouraged to call Elbel. Troop 245 meets at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in the basement of the Woodland Avenue United Methodist Church.
The Bucktail Council covers the counties of Cameron, Clearfield, Elk, and Jefferson, along with the western portion of Centre County, and impacts more than 3,300 individuals.
The Bucktail Council provides programs for young people between the ages of seven to 20, along with more than 100 volunteers. Nationally, the boy scouts organization serves more than 2.8 million youth and 1.1 million volunteers.
For more information on scouting, visit the Bucktail Council Web site at www.bucktail.org.
More information about 100 Years of Scouting can be found at www.scouting.org/100years.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 09 February 2010 )
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