The Troop 1954
Wednesday Newsletter

Wednesday, February 09, 2005

Announcements

1) There are numerous events in February for scouts needing extra participation.  This weekend is our Kiwanis Camp Camp-out.  This is really vital for any scout under First Class seeking advancement.  We'll be doing all those activities and skills that are required to get you up a level or two.  The following weekend is Merit Badge University.  You can't participate in this unless you're currently signed up.  The following Wednesday is our First Aid CPR class.  So, that's three remaining scout activities in the month of February!  You'll see the dates on the calendar below.

3) First aid and CPR class will be February 26th at 2:00 at San Marcos High School. The Philmont crew is required to attend. Others are encouraged to attend.

4) Camporee is coming up in April. The date has been pushed back by at least one week. The theme of the Camporee is Baden-Powell’s 1907 camp at Brownsea Island.

5) Merit Badge University.  Did you remember to pay?  If not, get that check in really fast!

Boy Scouts of America Celebrates 95th Year of Service to Others During National Scout Week; Largest Youth Service Organization Commemorates Decades of Character Development, Leadership Training, and Addressing Critical Youth Issues

IRVING, Texas, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- On February 8, 2005, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), one of the nation's foremost youth programs of character development and values-based leadership training, celebrates 95 years of instilling valuable life skills, methods of dealing with critical issues that face youth, and the importance of community services that provide Good Turn for America. Over the last 95 years, the nearly 110 million members of Scouting have provided countless hours of service. The more than 1.7 million Eagle Scouts alone have provided an estimated 36 million hours of service through their Eagle projects.

Scout Week, February 6-12, is a celebration of the BSA's commitment to youth, recognizing the previous 95 years and looking ahead to meet the changing needs of youth for the next century. Scout Week is also a part of the BSA's Good Turn for America program, which aims to meet the needs of communities across America through service and goodwill.

"From its inception in 1910, the BSA has developed the mind, body, and character of young men and boys. This commitment to strong character-building traits has helped shape the leaders of each generation and provide youth with an alternative to negative situations and issues in their lives," said Roy Williams, chief scout executive of the BSA. "Youth today face a myriad of negative issues, all of which can prove a critical turning point in their development and their future," Williams said. "From drug use to obesity to violence, the issues youth face may have changed over the past century, but the BSA has remained a healthy alternative."

In addition to celebrating Good Turn, Scout Week also raises awareness of the many issues that face our youth today and how healthy outlets not only help America's youth avoid harm, but help shape them for greatness.

For example, studies conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) identified that early intervention has a greater impact on changing a child's behavior away from problems and toward positive behaviors. Boys can become involved in Scouting as early as age 7 and can continue through adolescence and into young adulthood as Scouts. As risk factors for negative behaviors often include poor social skills, Scouting also offers youth the chance to interact in a positive environment with peers and adult volunteers, cementing those skills early in life.

Youth today also face a nearly epidemic problem with obesity. According to recent studies, American teens are more likely to be overweight than youths in 14 other industrialized nations. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of American children who are overweight continues to increase, and youth today are three times more likely to be overweight than they were in the 1980s. Scouting continues to emphasize respect for oneself and others, keeping the body and mind fit at all times. With fitness merit badges and innovative programs like Soccer and Scouting, the BSA continues to make combating obesity through physical fitness a key portion of Scouting.

Scout Week begins on February 6 and continues through February 12. Local Boy Scout councils will participate in a variety of activities to commemorate Scout Week, including food drives, relief projects, and fundraisers to benefit those in need.

Serving more than four million young people between 7 and 20 years of age with 309 councils throughout the United States and its territories, the Boy Scouts of America is the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. For more information on the Boy Scouts of America, please visit http://www.scouting.org/ .

CONTACT: Kevin Burns, +1-214-443-7574, or kevin.burns@edelman.com , for Boy Scouts of America

September 9-11 Pedernales Falls Camp Out