Newsletter for Scouting

Alumni association Affiliates

alumnialive!

What’s Inside

Director’s Message ........................2

Alumni News ........................................4

Happenings .............................................6

Program ..................................................8

Profiles ......................................................10

summer2015

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If you come back to Scouting after being gone for a while, you’ll likely discover that a lot has changed—from the uniforms to the handbooks to the merit badges boys earn. (Farm Records is out; Animation is in.) But those are really just cosmetic changes.

Keeping our promise to the youth of America has necessitated a careful balance between maintaining our time-tested values and remaining relevant by teaching skills that will prepare young people to be good citizens and strong leaders in the 21st century. There is an ancient proverb that reads, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” That definitely applies to the Scouting program today.

For example, there are some exciting changes coming to the Cub Scouting program that will make it simpler to execute for unit leaders and more fun for boys. What isn’t changing is the excitement of every new boy as he opens his new handbook and starts his journey along the Scouting trail. Then and now, boys learn by doing. Leadership is learned through experience, and the lessons that count are not found in textbooks. Character is always more caught than taught.

For most of us, the memories of our formative years tie us to some Scouting program. The memory of a particular campout, working on a rank requirement, or

A Message From the Director

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the advice from a Scout leader has stuck with us throughout our lives. That magic continues today. I invite you to reengage with Scouting and discover how today’s program is creating memories for tomorrow’s leaders of our communities and country.

Pathfinder affiliates of the Scouting Alumni Association now receive Scouting magazine as an added benefit!

Dustin FarrisDirector, Scouting Alumni Association

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Scouting Alumni Association Hosts Affinity Group Summit

The Order of the Arrow, the National Eagle Scout Association, Sea Scouting, and Alpha Phi Omega.

At first glance, these organizations seem to have little in common, yet each represents a way that former Scouts and leaders can remain connected with the Scouting movement. The same is true of the Charles L. Sommers Alumni Association, the Philmont Staff Association, the Sea Base Alumni and Friends Association, and the Summit Bechtel Reserve Staff Association. And then there is the Scouting Alumni Association, which is evolving to serve as an umbrella organization for other BSA affinity groups.

This past May, during the BSA’s National Annual Meeting, the Scouting Alumni Association hosted a summit for the eight national affinity groups listed above. The goal, according to Scouting Alumni Association vice-chairman Donald Cunningham, was simply to foster discussion about what works, what doesn’t, how the groups can help one another, and how the Scouting Alumni Association could support them all (as well as local councils). “There was no other motive,” Cunningham said. “We merely wanted to bring these groups together in one room for the purpose of sharing ideas and breaking the ice on what we hope will be a much longer conversation.”

And there was plenty of idea sharing. “The discussion went in all sorts of different directions that we hadn’t anticipated,” Cunningham added. “We really weren’t sure what to expect (or if folks would even show up), but there was a lot of momentum and the group ended up being fantastic.

While Scouting Alumni Association leaders were on hand primarily to listen and facilitate discussion, vice-chairman James Delorey, a New York-based pollster, did provide attendees with survey data they can use to better connect with their constituencies.

“We’re committed to providing further resources to these groups and to local councils so they can continue to benefit from the information we have collected,” Cunningham said.

And the resources won’t be limited to national-level affinity groups. The Scouting Alumni Association is working to support the countless groups that bring together local camp-staff members, Wood Badge participants, and members of long-tenured Scout troops.

According to Cunningham, the Scouting Alumni Association will continue to develop relationships with the BSA’s national-level affinity groups, which are already looking forward to the next summit. May’s meeting was the first-ever gathering of these groups, but it certainly won’t be the last. “This is really a way to bring people together and to ensure that our constituents who have fallen away from the program have an opportunity to become involved in Scouting again,” he said.

alumni news

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Pease Named Alumnus of the Year

Longtime volunteers know not to miss meetings, since doing so often means picking up extra assignments in absentia. So when he missed an Alumni Committee meeting recently, Ed Pease got off easy. Instead of being selected to handle yet another task, the Scouting Alumni Association president was selected to receive the BSA National Alumnus of the Year Award. The award was presented during the BSA’s National Annual Meeting in May.

Established in 2011, this prestigious award honors a single individual each year. Honorees are those individuals who have, over a sustained period of time, “used the skills and values they learned through their association with Scouting to make significant and long-lasting contributions to our nation through their careers, avocations, and Scouting.”

That’s an apt description for Pease, who has been involved at the national level of Scouting for more than three decades,

often with a focus on alumni issues. During his time as president of the Philmont Staff Association, for example, membership tripled and the organization completed the first of several million-dollar capital campaigns. More recently, he helped forge the 2013 agreement under which Philmont now operates and manages the historic 11,000-acre Chase Ranch near Cimarron, N.M.

But Pease’s service extends far beyond Scouting. He served in the Indiana State Senate from 1980 to 1992, is past president of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and the North-American Interfraternity Council, and has served on numerous boards, including those of Indiana State University, the Nature Conservancy, the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, and the Center on Congress. Currently senior vice-president for Rolls-Royce North America, he manages the company’s interaction with governments at the federal, state, and local levels; international tax and trade issues; and relationships with embassies in Washington from countries doing business with Rolls-Royce in the United States.

In accepting the National Alumnus of the Year Award, Pease emphasized that he owes his success to others. “They included a devoted Scoutmaster, an Order of the Arrow adviser who was a legend in western Indiana, and my dad, who was never a Scout himself but who pitched in beside me to do the Scouting thing and be my support when he sensed I needed it. All of them and countless other alumni made my life what it is today. And because of all of them, I’ve tried to be the engaged alumnus who strives to make a difference for others,” he said.

Ed Pease

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Another NOAC, Another Anniversary

Three years ago, the National Eagle Scout Association celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Eagle Scout Award at the National Order of the Arrow Conference. During that week, NESA

sponsored a stage show, a gala dinner, meet-and-greets with prominent Eagle Scouts, and classes for NOAC attendees.

NESA will return to NOAC in August—this time to help the Order of the Arrow celebrate its own 100th anniversary. While the focus will be different, NESA will still have a major presence, which only makes sense given the significant percentage of Eagle Scouts who are also Arrowmen. Some 6,000 of the event’s 15,000 participants are Eagle Scouts—including every national and regional OA officer—and many of the rest are well on their way to achieving Boy Scouting’s highest rank.

The highlight event of NESA@NOAC will be the Thursday night Gathering of Eagles, during which NESA President Glenn Adams, ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson, and astronaut (and Scoutmaster) Col. Mike Fossum will speak. The event will feature recognition of recipients of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award and the NESA Outstanding Eagle Scout Award and a challenge to all Eagle Scouts in attendance to help younger Scouts along the Eagle trail.

Other prominent Eagle Scouts, including television personality and survival expert Creek Stewart, will appear at NOAC’s Centennial Festival, as will a live bald eagle from the Leslie Science and Nature Center. Both youth and adult Arrowmen will also be able to take several classes, including “Amazing Alumni Assets” (which is all about reengaging Scouting alumni), “College: The Eagle Scout Way” (which will discuss how to live by Scouting values at college), and “So You Want to Be an Explorer?” (which will introduce the NESA World Explorer Program and the Exploration merit badge). More than 1,200 Arrowmen have signed up for that last class, which will be led by Dr. Michael Manyak, a NESA vice president and expert in wilderness medicine.

So how can you get in on the action? NOAC registration has already closed, and no day passes are available. However, you’ll be able to get daily updates from NOAC on the NESA Facebook page. NESA@NOAC merchandise is available at http://nesastore.org; proceeds benefit the NESA scholarship program.

Happenings

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Jamboree Staff: Better Than a Week at Work

Scouting magazine recently published a list of 10 reasons why a week at Scout camp beats a week at the office. Since the list doesn’t mention bosses, staff meetings, office politics, or that annoying coworker in the next cubicle, it’s safe to assume the editors didn’t have room for the entire list.

If spending a week at summer camp has so many benefits, imagine spending a week, or even two, at the 2017 National Scout Jamboree. That’s something many Scouting alumni are planning to do.

Although the event is more than two years away, registration is already open for staff. You could work directly with Scouts in a program area such as climbing or shooting sports, work with families and VIPs in Visitor Services, or work behind the scenes in logistics, the staff dining hall, and other areas. In especially high demand are staffers with specific training and skills, such as doctors, lifeguards, and shooting-sports instructors.

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Have a current BSA membership

• Have completed required Youth Protection Training within one year of the last day of the jamboree

• Be available to arrive at the jamboree site up to one week before the jamboree, as stipulated by their respective area lead, to receive training and assist in final preparations for participant arrival

• Be at least 16 years of age by the first day of the jamboree

• Submit all registration fees per the published payment schedule

• Complete any jamboree-specific training as directed by their respective area lead

• Submit an Annual Health and Medical Record as instructed by the required deadline

• Meet the medical and body mass index (BMI) requirements established for the jamboree

• Agree to abide by the jamboree staff code of conduct

Staff members can stay for the whole jamboree (July 15-29) or choose one week (either July 15-22 or July 22-29). Costs, deadlines, and other details are available at www.summitbsa.org/events/jamboree/volunteers/.

This will be the second jamboree held at the 10,600-acre Summit Bechtel Reserve near Beckley, W.V. (www.summitbsa.org/). Opened in 2013, the facility features world-class high-adventure facilities for mountain biking, shooting sports, zip-lining, rock climbing, and more. Scouts can also go whitewater rafting on the adjacent New River, one of America’s top adventure-sports destinations.

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The Top 10 Reasons to Become an SAA Pathfinder Member

David Letterman may have retired from the Late Show, but the idea of the Top 10 list lives on. In that spirit, here are the top 10 reasons to become a Pathfinder member of the Scouting Alumni Association. (Pathfinder members pay annual dues of $35, while Hiker members are free; visit http://bsaalumni.org to join.)

10. Unlike Girl Scout cookies (or Boy Scout popcorn), a Scouting Alumni Association membership is not fattening. But you can still deduct $30 of your dues from your income-tax return.

9. You can support two great causes with one transaction. Five dollars of your dues cover member benefits; the rest is split between the BSA and your local council.

8. You get a free luggage tag, so you won’t have trouble finding your suitcase on the baggage carousel.

7. You get a free window decal, because it’s no good finding your suitcase on the baggage carousel if you can’t find your car in the parking lot.

6. You get a free membership to the National Scouting Museum, which houses more than 600,000 Scouting artifacts, many of which you’ll recognize from your time in Scouting. Here’s your chance to show your kids how cool those knee socks and garters really were.

5. Speaking of Scout socks, you get a one-time, 10 percent-off coupon to ScoutStuff.org, where you can find all sorts of Scouting merchandise, including apparel, books, camping gear, and gift items.

4. Also speaking of Scout socks, you get a Scouting Alumni Association lapel pin, which is a more appropriate way

to show your Scouting pride at the office than wearing your old uniform.

3. You get a free subscription to Scouting magazine, the official magazine for Scouting volunteers. Who knows? You may decide to sign up as a leader yourself if you haven’t already.

2. One word: discounts. Through the Abenity discount program, you’ll receive hundreds of perks and discounts from local and national retailers, movie theaters, service providers, and attractions. Some discounts even work in tandem; after saving 25 percent on your order for Papa John’s pizza, you can join Anytime Fitness for just $10 and work off those extra calories.

1. You’ll sleep better at night, knowing you’re supporting the organization that made such a difference in your life.

Enough said.

(Speaking of David Letterman, be sure to review his list of the top 10 signs you’re in a bad Boy Scout troop.)

Program

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Summit Alumni Group Expanding

Like most large and long-serving organizations, the BSA has many alumni groups. Among the most prominent are the Scouting Alumni Association and the National Eagle Scout Association, but Philmont, Northern Tier, and Florida Sea Base have long had their own alumni groups as well.

Earlier this year, those groups were joined by the Summit Bechtel Reserve Staff Association (SBRSA), which unites those who have worked at the BSA’s sprawling property near Beckley, W.V. More than 500 people have already signed up for the group—an impressive total given that the Summit is just now starting its third season of operation.

While the group is new, its mission is already clear: to support the Summit’s current staff, especially seasonal staffers who (like camp-staff members everywhere) work more for love than for money. Recently, according to SBRSA President Russell Smart, the group arranged to provide solar-powered lights for tents in the staff area, where electricity isn’t available in tents.

And that’s just the beginning. “We are looking at doing some kind of special event for them at the end of the season,” Smart said. “We eventually hope to start the same sort of scholarship program that Philmont has had for a number of years.”

Smart also sees SBRSA members becoming ambassadors for the Summit. “We can help people understand that the Summit is not just about the jamboree, that we have multiple opportunities for Scouts and Venturers, including high-

adventure programs and summer camp,” he said.

Membership in the SBRSA is open to all of the Summit’s full-time staff members, seasonal staffers, and jamboree staff members. (On its opening in 2013, the Summit became the permanent home for national

jamborees.) The group offers one-year, two-year, and lifetime memberships. One-year memberships are $30 for individuals and $50 for families. Two-year memberships are $50 for individuals and $75 for families. Lifetime memberships, which can be paid for over 24 months, cost $500. Everyone who joins in 2015 will be considered a charter member.

Annual members receive an official patch, a 50-percent discount on summer visitor passes, and the right to serve on SBRSA boards and committees and to vote in SBRSA elections, while lifetime members receive free visitor passes and discounts on SBR-branded merchandise. Planned future benefits include an SBRSA magazine or newsletter and the opportunity to participate in special service projects.

And there’s one more benefit. “Our association is the first to enroll all its members in the Scouting Alumni Association at the Hiker level,” Smart said. “I think it’s important that we’re taking the initiative to give our members that benefit and broaden their engagement.”

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Creek Stewart, Survival ExpertEvery year, about 40,000 Boy Scouts earn the Wilderness Survival merit badge. For most, the badge offers the chance for a fun outdoor experience. For a few, the badge teaches skills that will someday save their lives. For Scouting alumnus Creek Stewart, the badge was the first step toward a career as a survival instructor, author, and host of the Weather Channel’s hit show Fat Guys in the Woods. It’s no wonder he still carries the badge in his wallet.

“There was just something about the feeling I got of building that shelter, spending the night in the woods alone,” he said. “It was very empowering.”

Empowering others is a major theme of Fat Guys in the Woods, now in its second season. On each episode, Stewart takes several men who have been stuck in a rut into the wilderness. Their objective is to survive the experience—to take care of basic needs such as food, water, shelter, and fire—but more importantly to grow as individuals and overcome the challenges they face when they’re not in the wilderness.

In other words, the show functions something like Scouting. “When you talk to people who aren’t really familiar with Scouting, they think the Boy Scouts teaches young men wilderness skills,” Stewart said. “That’s true, but you and I know that it’s so much more than that. It’s all about using the woods and the wilderness to teach life skills, to teach very important skills that make young boys into successful men.”

That was certainly the case for Stewart, who launched his survival business while attending Butler University in Indianapolis. He began by writing a 90-page survival handbook that, in true Boy Scout fashion, he advertised in the pages of Boys’ Life magazine. “I started selling that first little book to

Scouts,” he said. “I would go to Scout troops and teach them survival skills and invite them to courses—just real grassroots.”

His business—and his knowledge—grew steadily as he offered more and more classes, first on his parents’ farm near Milan, Ind., and then at state parks and other public sites. He worked a series of day jobs until the business grew big enough that he could go full time. Six years ago, he bought his own facility, 21 acres of

land with a 10,000-square-foot lodge near Anderson, Ind.

Besides hosting Fat Guys in the Woods and teaching courses at Willow Haven Outdoor, Stewart runs an online business selling survival products. He has also appeared as a survival expert on countless local and national television shows, often teaching novel survival uses for everyday items such as soda cans and cell phones. And he has written several survival books, including Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit and The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide.

In other words, he stays very busy.

“I’ve always known I’m not the smartest and I’m not the fastest and I’m not the most gifted or talented at anything really,” he said. “The only thing I realized I had complete control of was my work ethic. It’s that that made all the difference.”

That and his time in Scouting.

profiles

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Sarah Burgess, Outdoor Educator Later this summer, outdoor educator Sarah Burgess will spend three weeks aboard the E/V Nautilus, explorer Bob Ballard’s famous research vessel. As a 2015 Science Communication Fellow, she’ll share the ship’s discoveries with people around the globe via the Internet as the Nautilus travels up the California coast. It’s the perfect gig for someone who spent three years teaching at a marine science camp on Catalina Island

and who holds a degree in ocean and coastal resources from Texas A&M University at Galveston.

But Burgess’s interest in outdoor education began far from Galveston, Catalina Island, or any other marine location. It began hundreds of miles from any ocean at Philmont Scout Ranch near Cimarron, N.M. In 2001, as a fairly new Venturer, Burgess participated in Philmont’s Roving Outdoor Conservation School, or ROCS for short. One of Philmont’s individual trek programs, ROCS brings together Scouts and Venturers from across the country to learn about conservation and natural resource management. Over 21 days, the participants meet with resource-management professionals, complete conservation projects, and hike over much of Philmont’s 137,493 acres.

If that sounds like the ideal summer trip for the average Scout, it is. But Burgess, then 16 years old, was not the average Scout. In fact, her only connection with Scouting had been that her brother, Paul, is an Eagle Scout, and her first experience

with Philmont had been a trip to the ranch to pick him up after he attended a leadership-training course there. Paul convinced her to return to Philmont as a participant, which would mean first joining Venturing, Scouting’s co-ed young adult program.

“I thought it was pretty cool,” she said. “I’d seen my brother do Boy Scouting for his whole life, so I thought that Venturing was a pretty neat way for us to get to hang out since he was away at college.”

Burgess fell in love with Philmont when she took ROCS. She returned the next summer to complete the Rayado program, which focuses on outdoor and leadership skills, then joined the seasonal staff the following year. She has worked at Philmont every summer since and now serves as associate director of conservation for environmental education and STEM.

Among Burgess’s duties now is overseeing the ROCS program that started her on her career path 14 years ago, but she has also worked in recent years to incorporate conservation and STEM lessons across the Philmont backcountry. “We have an incredible chance to help participants realize the next step of their path, whether they’re 16-year-olds still in high school or whether they’re trying to make that jump from high school to what’s next,” she said. “Our mission as a whole is to deliver wilderness learning experiences that last a lifetime.”

That certainly happened in Burgess’s own life. “Without that catalyst of joining Venturing and coming on those first wilderness treks out here, I’m not sure I would be sitting in a spot where I can confidently say I want to communicate about science and conservation for the rest of my life,” she said.