Scout Show soaring success

By Ruth M. Lyon
Turley Publications Reporter

WORCESTER-From the celebration parade on Saturday morning to its Sunday afternoon closing, the New England Scout show, hosted by the Mohegan Council, was alive with a singular spirit of celebration – of the past, to be sure, but also of new generations of youngsters fulfilling the Scout mission.
Boy Scouts of all ages abounded, wearing patches and badges that registered achievement in life and survival skills.
“This show is about gathering our assets, our people who have accomplished so much and have that experience to offer, and those who can lead the organization into this century. We’re pleased to be introducing families to the Scouting way of life, and of making them aware of the values in our programs,” said Jay Garee, Executive Director of the Mohegan Council, Inc. Boy Scouts of America.
There was plenty to do and see, and Boy Scouts participated proudly.
Edward Salate, Troop 151 bugler, announced the morning colors, Troop 54 presented them. Hunter Foote, an accomplished fiddler, played the National Anthem. A Troop 4 Scout led the pledge of allegiance.
And the fun had barely started.
From the presentation of Joe Tanner, astronaut, to the Aldrich Astronomical show, there were programs and presentations to excite, entertain, and amuse.
In addition, there were booths where Scouts of all ages entertained and participated in presentations designed to inform the world about the value and true mission of Scouting.
“To walk through these halls is to walk through Scouting,” Dan Flynn, of Warren, Mass., said.
In addition to the numerous booths offering information on products or skills related to outdoor life, there were those devoted to information on Scouting from the other side - leadership and volunteer opportunities.
To listen to veterans of the Scouting life is to gain an appreciation for those unseen men and women who labor to establish and maintain standards of leadership, quality of performance, and of course, funding and guidance for all programs under the Scouting banner.
Janice Bemis, now of Albany, New York, and her family had traveled to Worcester for the event. She was delighted, she said, to witness the success, the excitement, and to reminisce about her ties to the city and to the Mohegan Council.
She began her association with the council in 1987, she said, when she lived in Worcester’s Main South area. Her three sons, now grown, are all Eagle Scouts.
“I began as a Cub Scout den mother, and was hooked. I saw the value, and the need. There is so much value in scouting. It’s been my consuming interest,” she said.
She wore, not a uniform, but a red cape upon which were sewn hundreds of patches she’d earned through her Scouting efforts.
According to Garee, Bemis has been one of the legendary leaders in the council. There is always a need for individuals with the talent and willingness to take part in our volunteer programs, he said.
The Mohegan Council currently serves almost 5,000 youths, ranging in ages from 6 to 18, and engages over 1,800 registered volunteers in the delivery of 140 programs.
Since the council was organized almost a century ago, more than half a million individuals in the Worcester region have benefited from their association with Scouting.
Eagle Scout projects continue to enrich the area’s communities, as they improve the lives of those young men who undertake Scouting’s crowning achievement.
According to Garee, enrollment in Mohegan council has grown.
Treasure Valley Scout Camp, encompassing parts of Rutland, Paxton and Spencer, is busy with summer and winter programs, despite the $600,000 worth of damage caused by 2008’s December ice storm.
With recent improvements, including a full time camp director, a camp enrollment of close to 1,000 is anticipated this year. And, he says, the programs may change, but the values remain.
“We want to prepare young people to make ethical choices and strong choices throughout life,” he said.
Mohegan Council’s Massasoit District serves all Boys Scouts of America in southwestern Worcester County; Charlton, Brookfield, East Brookfield, North Brookfield, New Braintree, Southbridge, Sturbridge, Ware, Warren, and West Brookfield.
For further information, contact:
John Ebersold, District Chairman, (508) 885-9520; jebs27@aol.com;
Dave Hardies, District Commissioner, (508) 752-3769; dhardies@bsamail.org
Greg Jaques, District Exceutive, (508) 752-3769; gjacques@bsamail.org.