Troop Times. Troop Meeting Calendar. Hand Crank Radios. Court of Honor. Spring Break Campout. Report To State

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1 Troop Times Boy-scouts.net/troop615/ Court Of Honor Mark your calendar and bring your cameras for the next Court of Honor. July 24, 2006 Christus Victor Lutheran Church Report To State Report to State is the time when Boy Scout Troops go to the Texas Senate and repot on what our council has done during the past year. Stephen was chosen to give the report for the Bay Area Council. I was a bit nervous when I started to walk up to the podium but after I started it was OK. It was a real honor to speak at the state Capitol and represent our council. stated Stephen. Submitted by: Life Scout, Stephen Troop Meeting Calendar June July 6/5 6pm PLC 7/3 6pm PLC 7pm Troop class B 7pm Troop Class B 6/12 7pm Troop Class B 7/10 7pm Troop Class B 6/19 No meeting 7/17 7pm Troop Class B At Summer camp Deadline for awards 6/26 7pm Troop Class A 7/24 7pm Troop Class A Troop Elections & Court of Honor Scout Buck Auction June/July 2006 Hand Crank Radios The current fundraiser for the Troop is the Hand Crank Radios. They are perfect for emergencies because they do not need batteries, they are light weight, water resistant and your scout can earn $2.50 for each radio they sale. Deadline to turn in money and any unsold radios is June 26th during the troop meeting. Spring Break Campout The March campout was at Cleverne State Park. The campout was long term because of Spring Break. We got there on Thursday, set up camp and Kayaan led us when we put up the dining fly. When we went to Dinosaur Valley the next morning, it was very cold. We went down a large stream and saw many animal and dinosaur tracks. Later, ASM Covington brought his GPS and we went to find a couple Geocaches. We played capture the flag. The new scouts learned how to build a fire. It rained all night and all day so our service project was canceled. We also had to leave early. Submitted By Troop Historian

2 CAMPOUT DATES Summer camp June 18 Camping Calendar SPECIFICS El Rancho Cima: Payment schedule: Jan 30th due $60, Feb. 27th due $65, April 24th due $65 REGISTRATION DEADLINE Jan. 30th or spot not guaranteed July 15-16th Canyon Lake July 10th August 18-20st Galveston State Park August 14th Scoutmaster Minute to Parents At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning disabled children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that would never be forgotten by all who attended. After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a question: "When not interfered with by outside influences, everything nature does is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as other children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where is the natural order of things in my son?" The audience was stilled by the query. The father continued. "I believe that when a child like Shay, physically and mentally handicapped comes into the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents itself, and it comes in the way other people treat that child." Then he told the following story: Shay and his father had walked past a park where some boys Shay knew were playing a baseball. Shay asked, "Do you think they'll let me play?" Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone like Shay on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were allowed to play, it would give him a muchneeded sense of belonging and some confidence to be accepted by others in spite of his handicaps. It was not a Little League game, but the boys, none the less, took their game very seriously. Shay's father approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play, not expecting much. The boy looked around for guidance and said, "We're losing by six runs and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put him in to bat in the ninth inning." Shay struggled over to the team's bench put on a team shirt with a broad smile and his Father had a small tear in his eye and warmth in his heart. The boys saw the father's joy at his son being accepted. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was still behind by three. In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in the right field. Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the game and 20 on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father waved to him from the stands. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now, with two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base and Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. At this juncture, do they let Shay bat and give away their chance to win the game? Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all but impossible 'cause Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat properly, much less connect with the ball. However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher, recognizing the other team putting winning aside for this moment in Shay's life, moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to make contact. The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The pitcher again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back to the pitcher. The game would now be over, but the pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily thrown the ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would have been the end of the game. Instead, the pitcher threw the ball right over the head of the first baseman, out of reach of all team mates. Everyone from the stands and both teams started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!" Never in his life had Shay ever ran that far but made it to first base. He scampered down the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second! Catching his breath, Shay awkwardly Page 2

3 Troop Highlights Dutch Oven Cooking In preparation for cooking in the outdoors, the older scouts learned about dutch oven cooking. They did cobblers, breakfast foods, pizza, chili and sweet potato fries. The skills for seasoning ovens, cooking techniques, cleaning and of course food tasting was all involved. Classes were taught by Assistant Scout Master Burdett. Keep an lookout for some of the recipes used by the boys in the latter sections of this issue of the Troop Times. Scoutmaster Minute, Continued Page Camp-O-Ree This year Camp-O-Ree proved to be a fun filled weekend with the scouts throughout the Bay Area Council. As one walked through the campgrounds, many troop displayed their outdoor skills and patrol methods of team work. The Order of the Arrow presented new Scouts and Scout Leaders at campfire during the annual Call Out. Troop 615 was presented for the 2nd year in a row the award for Best Campsite Way to go boys! ran towards second, gleaming and struggling to make it to second base. By the time Shay rounded towards second base, the right fielder had the ball, the smallest guy on their team, who had a chance to be the hero for his team for the first time. He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's intentions and he too intentionally threw the ball high and far over the third-baseman's head. Shay ran toward third base deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled the bases toward home. All were screaming, "Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way Shay." Shay reached third base, the opposing shortstop ran to help him and turned him in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third! Shay, run to third" As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams and those watching were on their feet were screaming, "Shay, run home! Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit the "grand slam" and won the game for his team. That day, said the father softly with tears now rolling down his face, the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and humanity into this world. Shay didn't make it to another summer and died that winter, having never forgotten being the hero and making his Father so happy and coming home and seeing his Mother tearfully embrace her little hero of the day! The real question is, if you were on the team at bat, would you have let Shay play? Would you have let him bat in the 9 th? If you were in the field, would you have helped him score the winning run for the other team? A scout is kind.

4 Aluminum Can Collections The troop earns money by collecting soda cans to turn in at the recycling center. This is easy to do by using one of the troop s recycling buckets. Ask any Assistant Scout Master to get your recycling bucket. It has a lid with a hole cut out for the cans and you just line it with a trash bag. When it is full you tie up the bag and throw it onto the small trailer at the church which is parked along the fence. Then collect more cans. The troop takes care of the rest. Join us in helping our planet and our troop. Donut Holes Can biscuits Vegetable oil Sugar and cinnamon mixture Dutch Oven Recipes Pour vegetable oil into 10 dutch oven, place 25 coals below oven and cover to heat oil until hot enough to spit and spatter when dough is placed in oil. Divide each biscuit into four pieces. Drop into the hot oil, turn frequently until golden brown. Remove from the oven, place on paper towel to absorb the excess oil, roll in the sugar and cinnamon mixture, eat and enjoy. Guadalajara Chili Pie 1-1/2 lb. lean ground beef Can Ro-tel tomatoes Can tomatoes Ranch beans Green Onions Shredded cheddar cheese Jiffy cornbread mix Ingredients listed on the Jiffy mix box Place 8 coals under the 12 dutch oven and 17 coals on the lidto brown the beef. Drain the fat, add both kinds of tomatoes, and beans,. Heat mixture for 45 minutes to 1 hour with # coals on the lid. Mix the Jiffy cornbread mixture according to the directions on the box. Pour the cornbread mixture on top of the chili mixture. Cook until cornbread mixture is no longer runny and has a cornbread consistency. Spoon into bowls, add cheese, greens onions and enjoy. Page 4

5 COMMUNITY SERVICE Our very own scouts helping League City United Methodist Church members paint lines to create an additional parking lot for Easter Sunday visitors. Hey, does it look straight? FLAG POSTING DATES To help post flags for the remaining dates listed below contact Polly to sign up for the dates you can work on posting and pulling flags. Remember you can earn money for your ISA for each day you post or retrieve. Remaining Dates for Postings: June 14th-Flag Day July 4th-Independence Day September 4th-Labor Day Rain Date September 11th-Patriot Day Palestine/Rusk Campout All Aboard! Go back in time to when people traveled by horse and steam engine trains. During the May campout at Rusk State Park, the troop experienced the travel of steam engine trains. Saturday was full of travel and learning about how steam engines work. After the trip and picnic the boys got to go behind the scenes to the train machine shop. The parts for these magnificent trains are made by hand right there at the shop. No ordering out for these parts, because no company makes them anymore. This craftsmanship is passed down by person only. That evening during campfire, the boys provided silly entertainment with skits. At the closing of campfire a flag retirement ceremony was performed. Two new scouts were given the honor of being presented the grommets for showing their scouting spirit throughout the campout, Andrew S.and Tyler N. Page 5

6 Don t I make you proud... Who s he trying to fool? I think you missed a spot! Aah... Page 6