Hello 2014

Well it looks like 2014 is here and in full swing. Last year was pretty amazing for us as a Scouting family and especially for my son.

He started the year with his second spring term as the Troop SPL, helped is buddies complete several Eagle Projects, completed his own project which benefited our Charter Org, became an Eagle Scout, was SPL for one of the Council Jamboree Troops, and earned a bronze palm. Whew! Oh and he also turned 16 and got his first car.

Having a blast as Jambo ASM

It was one of those years that I do not think he will truly appreciate until he is much older.

Of course through all of these adventures I was there as well. I saw that he was far more effective during his second round as SPL since he was able to apply many of the lessons he had learned through trial and error the first time. I also so much of this experience go into action as Jamboree SPL which in his own words was the most difficult thing he had ever done. This was mostly due to the Troop dynamics of a Jamboree Troop not allowing a lot of Patrol level segmentation. This basically left him running everything which was difficult but a great learning experience.

His Eagle Project was great with him able to use his leadership skills and many of the skills he has been learning in school through his engineering academy. His Scoutmaster really challenged him to pull off a first class project.

Conner's Project: Donation boxes

Honestly, in my mind I thought he would be done with Scouting after Jamboree and Eagle. I am very thankful that instead he seems still very excited to be part of the Troop and to enjoy time as a leader and with his friends. I can certainly say that thanks to the great Scouts and adults in our Troop I am still as enthused as ever.

Upon reflection, it is just amazing to think of how much Scouting over the years has become part of who he is and who we are together as father and son. I know that many years from now we will look back and tell stories galore about these times. The years have shaped both of us into better people.

What does the future hold?  I am continuing as a Troop ASM and we both have one more adventure ahead with Northern Tier in June. Life is good indeed.

Stay tuned to the blog as I do plan to write from time to time about our Northern Tier planning and experience.

Reaching for Eagle

I will never forget that day way back when my son was in fourth grade and he came home from school with a flyer promoting Join Scouts night at his school. Little did I know at the time that it was the going to be the first step in a great adventure for him and for us as a family.

Now here we are six years later and Conner has reached a milestone as officially becoming an Eagle Scout. I am one of those “Life for Life” guys that was in Boy Scouts as a kid but joined late and then quit later as I entered high school after my best friend had “Eagled out”. Looking back, not following through to Eagle has been one of my great regrets in life.

For Conner, his journey has been one full of adventures through Monday meetings, service projects, weekend campouts, multiple summer camps, 2010 National Jamboree, 2011 Sea Base, 2012 Philmont, 2013 National Jamboree with even more to come.

While having all this fun I have seen him grow as a young man through his Scouting roles including time serving as Chaplin Aid, Troop Guide, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol leader and more. There has been adversity to overcome, relationship skills to learn, leadership skills to sharpen, conflicts to manage and more.

Conner’s project was a complicated one and only successful through the help of many other Scouts and adults that helped as well as mentored him along the way.

I am proud of my son for what he has accomplished and just as importantly I am proud to be part of this incredible and ongoing journey at all began with the little flyer so many years ago. Thank you son for talking me into giving it a try.

Wondering if Scouting is relevant to our society and will have a place in the future? From my perspective it is needed more than ever and this program will continue to make a difference for youth for many decades to come.

Conner—I am absolutely proud to be your dad and I love the man you are growing into now and the man you plan to be in the future. Congratulations on reaching this step in your ongoing journey: Dad