2017 Year End Thoughts

Well, it has been quite the year.  All throughout the year, our scouts have been working, growing, and having fun.  Last Monday, our final Court of Honor of the year was held.  Our theme was of celebrating heritages.

Our scouts told stories, conveyed poems in multiple languages, and lots of goodies and snacks from a variety of countries were enjoyed by all.

Every scout who spoke, did so with aplomb and grace, well thought out and delivered with confidence.  These are our scouts, growing into leadership positions, growing up physically, and all changing right before our very eyes.

As we close out this year, we have a few more scouts in each of the ranks, and congratulations to them all for their hard work.  We even grew our Venturing Crew this year with the installation of a new member in December.

We have adopted a cemetery, and it would seem that a home for Seniors in Denver has adopted us. We've made fine showings in parades, and made a difference with a variety of service projects.  We have a great deal to be proud of, and even more to be thankful for.

During this time of the year, many of us celebrate holidays. Whether it's Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, or something else you celebrate, we all have much to be thankful for.  On behalf of the entire troop, thanks to our parents without whom we couldn't do everything we do.  Thanks also to our volunteers and troop leaders, for they give so much more than the hour a week they were promised.  And finally, thanks for all the kids in the troop and crew, for being themselves. While we celebrate all of their service, and their achievements, what we value most of all, and cherish, is each and every scout for who they are right now.  Each child carries with them the light of what's possible, and it's our job to never, ever, underestimate that possibility.

So as we celebrate our holiday(s) whatever they may be, my wish for each of you is happiness and prosperity.

See you all next year.  - C.J.

Veteran's Celebrations - Quite the Week

11/12/17 - Many of us enjoy the fall season for a variety of reasons.  Changing of the leaves, changing of temperatures, and my favorite, changing the clocks.  Every November, we also get to honor our Veteran's, living and deceased, and this year was no different.  Well...yes, it was different, and it was wonderful.  In the past, our troop has participated in the annual local Veteran's Day parade and it was very nice to honor our veteran's and their memories of service to our country in past wars.  This year, our troop decided to honor our veterans by picking up American Flags that had been deployed at interred veteran's sites in a local cemetery.  We had great weather, and an wonderful turn out of cub scouts, boy scouts, venturers, and their families.  We had a total of 56 people turn out for today's event.  Members of Pack 193 from Brighton were also there, and while they have provided this service for the past several years, they didn't have too many show up today.  They were very happy to see the folks from Troop and Pack 376 show up, roll up their sleeves, and made light work picking up probably 500 - 600 flags throughout the cemetery. You know the saying...."Many hands make...." well you know.

As it turned out, the sister cemetery to the one we were at, didn't have the people they thought were coming today, actually show up.  So our team was offered the opportunity to help this other cemetery pick up their flags (about 3500 of them) next Saturday.  Our Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) accepted the opportunity on behalf of our troop, so we get to honor our veteran's again next weekend.  The young people and adults had a wonderful time performing such meaningful service work.  With any luck, next weekend's weather will be cooperative, and we will have another good turn out.

11/18/17 – Today, we were at Riverside Cemetery’s sister cemetery Fairmount.  The weather was indeed cooperative, a cool, gorgeous, blue sky day.  We had 67 people turn out from a variety of civic groups.  Daughters of the American Revolution, BSA Troop 376, BSA Troop 79, Cub Scout Packs 376 & 193, and their families all contributed to this successful service project.  Our group was assigned 18 separate blocks to remove American Flags on veteran’s graves.  Fairmount had allocated 4 – 5 hours for our volunteers to collect the flags.  In reality, it took us less than 2 hours to cover all 18 blocks.  When we were finished, a light lunch was offered for volunteer fellowship.  All the volunteers seemed very pleased with their successful efforts, and Fairmount Cemetery was very grateful for the assistance.

Earlier in the week, our Troop's Color Guard was invited to present the Colors prior to dinner at a Senior Living Center.  Our Color Guard did a great job presenting the Colors, and was invited to stay for dinner after the ceremony.  The center also lined up a Bagpiper who played patriotic music as the scouts marched in.  It was quite moving.  We sat down to dinner, and the scouts were at the top of their manners game, and the residents were duly impressed with how polite and kind the boys were.

Inspiration so moved one of the residents, that he went back to his living quarters, and retrieved 4 identical patches for the boys who were able to stay for dinner.  The patches, like the one pictured above, were from a special trip he took in 1957 to Valley Forge, PA for the BSA National Jamboree. Once a scout, always a scout.  It was clear he treasured those patches, having had them for 60 years. He was quite pleased to be able to give each of the Color Guard Scouts who were there one of these patches.  Anyone who knows about scouting, knows that these very special patches are guarded like treasure by the scout who earned them.  This resident's kindness for recognizing our scouts with this treasured gift left me speechless.  It was all I could do to ask him if he was sure he wanted to part with his patches, and have him give the patches to the scouts himself with his own story. And finally, to thank him from the bottom of my heart for his recognition and generosity. The boys seemed to know they were heirs of this man's treasure, and all were very respectful and grateful for his recognition of them.

The residence also had a musical trio who provided patriotic music throughout dinner.  This was quite fun as well, and the trio's music was very good. Many of the residents were singing along with the trio and were having the best time.   I knew most of the words to many of the songs, as I'm not all that far behind the generation they were playing for.

I was a guest during the senior residence event, the adult advisor who now works with the Color Guard and is the primary contact for each venue set up, has done a wonderful job keeping the tradition of excellence our troop is known for going, and has branched out to venues we have never dreamed of before.  It was a pleasure watching our troop, cubs, and ventures honor our living veterans as well as honoring the memory of our veterans who are no longer with us.

Yes...it was quite a week... a very good week.

Teaching Moments

2017 Frontier District Camporee - This weekend was the Frontier District Camporee and everyone in attendance had a great time.  Troop 376 had about 25 people in attendance and starting on Friday evening, going all the way through Sunday morning the camporee was action packed with service projects, games, opening and closing ceremonies, a dessert competition, and movie night.

Our scouts were engaged and quite helpful no matter where we were in the schedule for the weekend.

Service Projects - the scouts worked with the Audubon Society to put up a number of bird houses. The scouts were treated to a fine interactive exhibit brought by the Audubon Society that featured an owl (not alive), various bird exhibits, and they looked at various bird skeleton parts.  This was a true learning moment.

The scouts also worked with the Butterfly Pavillion to put together "seed bombs" and prepare the area of the field where hopefully there will be plenty of wild flowers next summer which will grow and flower as the result of the deployment of the seed bombs.  Our scouts had a great time preparing the soil, preparing the seed bombs, and of course, deploying them.  Next spring and summer is much anticipated for the new flowers to attract butterflies as they migrate through the state.  This too was a true learning moment (or couple of hours).

Color Guard - Our scouts were tasked with presenting our National Colors on Friday evening during the Opening Ceremonies, and retrieving our colors on Sunday morning.  They did another great job, and rather than a learning moment for our color guard it was more of a teaching moment for them.  They modeled behaviour that would make any Boy Scout proud.  They treated our colors with respect, they executed the presentation and retrieval with excellence, and they showed the other troops and packs in attendance how this type of activity was to be done.  Additionally, they took personal responsibility and initiative with anything to do with the flags.  They put them together when needed, and put them away when we were done. 

Archery was one of the fun activities in which the scouts were able to participate.  Dodgeball and basketball were also available for the scouts to blow off some steam. 

On Sunday morning, one of our scouts led the Camporee in a "Scouts Own". This is a service generally on Sunday morning that is intended to focus the scouting family's attention on the magnificence of nature and of a Higher Being who loves us.  This brief reflection is helpful over time to help the scouts identify very personal feelings about their environment, their religion, and life in general.

Our scouts also participated in the dessert competition on Saturday evening.  As it turns out Troop 376 took first place in the Boy Scout division of the competition.  The boys did a great job making a peach dish, and the judges were unanimous.  Congratulations to the entire team!


In Scouting, everything has a meaning and a reason for being done.  And the formula works very well.  Each patch, on the uniform has a meaning.  And everything on the uniform has been earned.  Nothing is handed to the scout, or done for them, because that interrupts the learning process which is the foundation of the Scouting program.

Another teaching moment about this weekend follows and is aimed at our parents who go on campouts with the scouts.  While well meaning, it does no good for adults who already know how to plan a menu, how to shop, and how to cook, to do all these things for the scouts.  In the past, our troop has stuck to having the adults plan and cook their meal.  And the patrols organize and cook their meals.  The idea behind this was to have the adults model the behavior that food on campouts can be delicious and nutritious.  If the boys do not plan well, they do not eat well.  Basically, they are allowed to fail in a safe environment.  If the boys only plan bacon for the weekend - they only eat bacon.  Yeah, we know it's not healthy, but it will be also the last time the boys only plan bacon for the weekend.  Many times we had scouts come over to find out what the adults were eating, which always looked better than what they were eating.  So they had to fix whatever they brought.  No matter how awful.  If they continue to rely on adults to do things as they did in cub scouts, the boy scouts will not grow and learn how to do things.  There is a reason cooking is a required skill that each scout needs to learn to earn first class rank.  There is a reason cooking is an Eagle required merit badge.  Cooking (and the other Eagle required merit badges) are life skills that need to be learned to earn. 

Unfortunately, this weekend, as fun as it was, one of our scouts was cheated out of a first class cooking requirement completion.  The adults on the campout had brought too much of each ingredient for just the adult consumption.  Instead of not cooking everything, or taking left overs home, or simply sumping the remains on site, the well meaning adults decided to feed the scouts as well.  So, this scout, who was prepared to complete his first class cooking requirement, didn't get that chance.  And as it turns out, there is not another camping trip planned until February.  Which means, without some creative problem solving, the scout will miss ANOTHER court of honor without earning his first class rank.  That's a pretty steep price for the privilege of eating a meal made by someone else who doesn't need the practice.

We will be setting about how to construct something the scout can do that meets the spirit of the requirement without having to wait until February.  When he goes on future camp outs he can take charge of the scout side cooking and complete not only the spirit of the requirement but also the letter of the requirement.

Some may be wondering why our troop insists on going camping starting on Friday and coming home Sunday.  One night of camping kind of looks like it would be just as good as 2 nights of camping per camp out.  Well, the Order of the Arrow opportunity requires 15 tent camping nights over two years.  If the troop only camps one night per month, a scout would need to go to almost every camping outing to meet the requirement.  So...if the troop offers the opportunity to go camping 2 nights every month plus one week of one summer camp, many scouts would be able to pick up their eligibility required nights with ease. 

The weather this weekend was perfect for a Camporee campout, and everyone had a great time with the service projects and planned activities.

It was a good weekend.

2017 End of Summer Musings

Solar Eclipse - first total one over north America in 99 years.  Pretty cool.

College time - Time of anticipation and excitement for a new adventure.  Whether your kid is going into kindergarten, or freshman at college, change of routine takes some getting used to.  So does my new title - Mother Emeritus

Knees, Knees, Knees - Knees are very important, as a young person do everything you can to take care of them.  They take a great deal of wear and tear, but be kind to them in your youth. You want to use them as you get older, and you will want to use them without pain.

Another thought on college - While some are going off to college, there are others that cannot go with them.  I am now the proud new pet parent to a chinchilla named Gabe.  I think we will get along fine once we both learn the rules of warfare.

Color Guard A Go Go

Our troop color guard did a great job at the annual Park Hill 4th of July parade.  And pretty much we thought we were done for the summer.  The next event we generally take part in is the Veteran's Day parade in November.

Not so fast...our color guard was invited to support two events in July for Southeast Denver Baseball. Also in July, our color guard was asked to provide support for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life.  Finally in July, our color guard was found on facebook and requested to support the Paralyzed Veteran's of America Rocky Mountain Roll.

In August, our color guard was invited back to present the colors at the National Night Out event at Cook Park. Our color guard will coordinate flag duties with members of other scouting organizations, cub scouts and girl scouts.

Recently, we have had 2 requests for support for separate events on the same weekend August 12 & 13.  These requests we have had to decline, because the troop, including color guard members are going on a 14ner campout, and are simply unavailable.

I'm so proud of these scouts who provide this service, and their parents, without whom the scouts could not do any of these presentations.

Congratulations on a job well done.  Keep up the good work.

Happy Independence Day

Happy 4th of July everyone!  It was a great day for a parade.  Park Hill had their small town in a big city parade again this year, and for Troop 376 it was our pleasure to lead off the parade with our Color Guard.

Every year, the parade gets more participants and, even better, more spectators.  We were right behind the lead fire truck and the scouts did a great job.

We had the banner scouts - they are the ones in charge of carrying our troop banner proudly along the parade route.  These are our "out front" scouts because it's their job to keep the banner between the fire truck and the color guard.

Then we had the color guard.  These scouts are trained in the proper care and positioning of the American and Colorado flags for various types of events.  Parades in general is one of our most favorite events, and this particular parade is such fun, as the spectators are enthusiastic and welcoming of our scouts and color guard.

Then there are the parents. The wonderful support team that help make each and every event successful for our scouts and troop.  This parade was no different, we had siblings give out 300 hand held flags to spectators, we had parents pulling small wagons carrying water, water bottles, boxes of flags, and assorted other support items.  We even had our scoutmaster and his dad in the parade as well, it was inspiring.

The weather was hot, but otherwise good and clear.  It is, after all, July.  We had many more scouts turn out than we had expected which was a wonderful surprise, and a very good showing for this public service.

All in all it was a very good day.

Board of Reviews

One of the absolute delights I get to do as a scouter within a troop, is to participate in a rank advancement board of review.  Why, might you ask is this one of my favorite activities as an adult in the troop?  Well, if I have to put it into words, it is always very cool to interview a young man about his involvement in the troop, what he likes, what he would change, and how he can give back to the troop after becoming a leader.

But more than listening to their responses, it's fun to watch them grow into the role for their next rank. One of the first things they must do is to interview and chat with several adults who listen to their responses, but also watch for poise, self confidence, kindness, and knowledge of the concepts.

Yes, I said concepts - for a board of review is not a retest of what skills they have already passed and have demonstrated proficiency with, but how best to utilize the skills to help the troop and to help other scouts learn the skills and make the troop even better.  The ability for a young person to sit and answer questions during an interview setting is invaluable practice for skills needed later on in life.  He has to think on his feet, come across as knowledgeable and respectful, and clearly demonstrate that he is ready for that next rank.  The panel of adults get the privilege of watching the young people find their way, grow up seemingly right before our eyes, and practice skills they will need as productive members of society.  Perhaps a job interview might be a place the skills will come in handy.

I had an opportunity to participate on a board of review today, and like always, it was awesome.  I've known this scout for a while now, and was absolutely blown away with his poise and confidence during our interview.  Several other adults asked very good questions and the young man answered each and every question with a reasoned, thoughtful answer.  Not bad for a 12 year old.

I cannot wait to see what the rest of his scouting career holds for him.  As with all the other scouts, I won't be very far away, cheering them all on.  This particular scout passed his board of review with flying colors and is well prepared for his journey to his next rank.

It was a great day.

Daily Bugle - Summer Camp Final Edition

 Day Pack? Check.  Hiking Boots? Check. It's off to merit badge class.

This camp is beautiful even at twilight.

 Instruction on Safety Afloat, before getting into the canoes.

 Instructions before Geocaching

 First Aid class. Nothing to worry about.

Photography merit badge

 Final Night Campfire

Camp attendance at flags

Our troop retrieving the colors of the United States and Colorado

One of the few adult sightings - not taking a nap

More Photography practice

 Early morning hike to the top of the world

 Actually, early morning hike to the next mountain over

Hmm - helmets, and ropes...climbing perhaps?

I may not have gotten all the captions exactly accurate, but they do make for a good story.  Special thanks to Richard, Darren, Suzette, Dan, Eric, and Ginny for without the adults going with the scouts to summer camp, the scouts wouldn't be able to go.  The weather rock did it's work - even though they didn't have one, the weather was ideal all week.  The scouts in my car voted the camp trading post the best trading post ever.  Tons of merit badges earned.  Trail to first class was well attended, we will have a bunch of first class scouts in no time.  Pictures courtesy of E. Lupo.

It was a very good week.

Daily Bugle - Summer Camp Edition #6

And finally...it's the banana relay race...

That's a wrap...

Daily Bugle - Summer Camp Edition #5

A peek at our camp location.

With more hammocks, they really were the rage this year.

Scoutmaster Conference can be done anywhere.

Daily Bugle - Summer Camp Edition #4

Daily Bugle - Summer Camp Edition #3

 Sometimes a little rest in the wide open outdoors is just the ticket.

 And...sometimes a little rest in the outdoors just isn't enough.

 Lunch with good friends is a great time.

 Anyone else whistling the theme to the Andy Griffith show in their head?

 More lunch fun...

 Good hygiene even at summer camp is really important. Please pass the Dial soap...

Hey! Is that world famous Dead Eye getting all his shots in?

I may not have gotten all the narratives exactly right, but it does make for a good story.  Looks like the weather is still holding in the good column.  Someone is being nice to the weather rock.  Pictures courtesy of G. Lupo.