Back in 1959, I joined the Boy Scouts of America (back when it was the
BOY Scouts of America) and eventually achieved the rank of Eagle in 1962. After that, I became involved as an assistant scoutmaster and, for a short time after that, Scoutmaster. After my official duties were over, I became the go-to guy for teaching map & compass, knots, axe & knife-sharpening, outdoor cooking at meetings and overnights....you know, the fun stuff. That's not to brag or 'blow my own horn,' but only to make you aware that I was involved in our local Troop 200 for many years....decades.
My old Scoutmaster's son (now our local medical doctor) became an Eagle at the time I was Scoutmaster...along with all three of his sons when he became the eventual Scoutmaster. Troop 200 inevitably became inactive for many of the reasons that most of you are well aware of, by now.
The old Troop's equipment-trailer has been stored in a Morton building at our Doctor's home & acreage for a LONG time. We doubt that the troop has any chance of resurrection at this juncture of time & circumstance and he needs more space in his outbuilding for his toys....understanda
ble! In that trailer, he found a couple of our old Dutch ovens....one of which was one of the two original Official Boy Scout aluminum Dutch ovens that were the property of the troop of my youth. As a matter of fact, it was the one that was used by one of the older Scouts to bake a cherry pie filling-topped chocolate cake on my FIRST weekend winter camp...AND my first camping experience of any kind!
Tonight, he called to ask if I wanted the old aluminum oven....naturally I said, ''YES!'' I had the phone on 'speaker' and....when Heather heard that...I saw a HUGE
I said, ''Who cares? One more in the stacks can't hurt much....can it?''
Anyway, I now own the first Dutch oven that I ever saw being used on an open fire to bake something that I'd never expected to see on ANY camping trip. It was also the oven that I baked my first chicken in....another 'fond' recollection that I'll never forget!
The moral of the story, I guess, is hang in there....your service to the youth of America will not go unrewarded! Look what happened to ME....after 62 years, I got a FREE Dutch oven!
To the victors, go the spoils!
