The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is rallying its troops for two separate efforts to assist families devastated by recent earthquakes in Haiti. First, the BSA is joining 160 member countries of the Switzerland-based World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) to collect aid and to help support relief agency partners such as the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army.

On February 1, the BSA will launch a separate relief effort to provide tents and sleeping bags to Haitian people who have been displaced from their homes. Visitors to www.scoutingfriends.org/haitianrelief can make a monetary donation or purchase selected items to send to Haiti.

Throughout its first 100 years, the BSA has been known for coming to the aid of the country and the world in times of great need. As the organization begins its second century, the need is indeed great. Fortunately, the BSA’s commitment of service to others is just as strong today as it was in 1910.

“Our motto has always been ‘Be Prepared,’ and we are living out our motto. We are prepared to help, and we hope all of our Scouting family and others will be part of this relief effort,” said Chief Scout Executive Bob Mazzuca. “It appears that many of their immediate needs for food, medical supplies, and shelter are being handled now, and we don’t want to duplicate efforts. Our collections are to help them as they begin to rebuild their lives.”

“We don’t want to get in the way of the work that is already being done in the area,” said James Turley of the WOSM. “We will house the supplies and boxes in the Dominican Republic and, when safe and advisable to do so, Dominican Republic Scouts will provide the supplies to the Haitian Scout organization to provide to the whole Haitian community.”

About the Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is the nation’s foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. The Scouting organization is composed of 2.7 million youth members between the ages of 7 and 20, 1.1 million volunteers and nearly 300 local councils throughout the United States and its territories.

More information about 100 Years of Scouting can be found at www.scouting.org/100years.

Much has been reported about the devastation and anguish in Haiti after the tragic earthquake, but thousands of survivors are suffering emotionally without mental health professionals to help them deal with the trauma. Recognized New York clinical psychologist Dr. Judy Kuriansky was in Haiti soon after the tragedy to answer this much overlooked need.

“The survival needs are so extensive with people desperately requiring food, water and medical care that the psychological damage is put aside,” stated Dr. Judy. “Research and clinical experience in such disasters proved that survivors suffer emotionally and need attention to their psychological trauma.”

To address this situation, Dr. Judy arrived in Haiti five days after the quake with Haitian Catholic priest Father Wismick Jean Charles to assess the mental health needs of the people. At the local hospital where their support station was set up, Dr. Judy encountered a group of Boy Scouts and immediately recruited them to be “comforters” to soothe the wounded minds and souls of hundreds of patients lined on blankets outside.

“Since so many people were in pain with limited professional staff to give them attention, the Boy Scouts filled an important role in showing the survivors that someone cared,” says Dr. Judy. The Boy Scouts were taught how to comfort patients with simple techniques used by even experienced mental health professionals.

Dr. Judy, who has offered “psychological first aid” to survivors of many past disasters like 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and the Asian tsunami, notes that people without professional training can be enlisted to give emotional support. “While research shows that a certain percentage of people do suffer severe reactions diagnosed as PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder),” says Dr. Judy, “majority of people, especially right after a disaster, need to feel they are not alone and be offered support.”

In helping others, the Boy Scouts themselves are also helped. As one Scout said, “When I aid others, I feel helped myself.”

Roger Schrimp, chairman of the Boy Scouts of America’s International Committee, brings attention to the contribution of Scouts in such tragedies by stating, ” ‘On my honor, I will do my best!’ is a pledge that each of us has taken as a Scout.”

Visit www.drjudy.com for Haiti pictures.

Source: OneWorld Experience, LLC. Press Release.

Soldiers counted down the minutes to Christmas as they tallied donated pogs, small circular paper disks used at the Post Exchange instead of coins, for a North Carolina Boy Scout Troop, Dec. 24.

Spc. Rob Campbell with 230th Brigade Support Battalion, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, launched the “Pogs for Presents” campaign by placing gift wrapped boxes for pog donations around Forward Operating Base Falcon, here, to support his former Boy Scouts Troop as they raise money for the needy.

“I’m like Santa Claus ringing a bell,” said Campbell. “Only I can’t ring a bell and [the Army] won’t let me wear a Santa suit.”

Troop 223, located in Campbell’s hometown of Southern Pines, N.C., helps needy families by collecting canned goods during the Christmas holiday season.

“I can’t collect can goods, but I can collect money to get the stuff that’s not put in the bins,” said Campbell. “When I was a boy scout it was a big deal for us.”

The former Eagle Scout came up with the idea when he realized that many soldiers did not value the paper coins. He vowed to match the donations dollar for dollar thinking he would raise around $100.

“A lot of [Soldiers] have stacks of [pogs] and unfortunately people don’t really see them as money,” said Campbell. “Everybody’s getting ready to go home and they are packing up and finding them everywhere.”

Campbell tore open the display boxes like a kid on Christmas morning; pouring out a around $214 worth of pogs. The total count was a little more than $265, after adding in cash donations from soldiers that forgot to bring pog donations the day of the count.

“I will go to [the Army Air Force Exchange Service] to [cash-in] the pogs on Christmas and then I will call my wife and tell her to write a check,” said Campbell.

According to Yvonne Ward, AAFES assistant team leader, the pogs can be exchanged at any AAFES location abroad or in the states. The cardboard coins, which display photos of Soldiers of all branches, were adopted in 2002 due to high shipping rates charged on the weight of metal coins.

“It saves taxpayers hundreds of dollars and soldiers can cash them in or take them home for souvenirs,” said Ward.

“I don’t know if it will be a problem cashing them in but I will send the donation regardless,” said Campbell referring to the large amount of pogs donated.

Campbell revealed one Secret Santa when he mentioned that Staff Sgt. Stephanie Brasington of Stafford, Va., gave a donation that almost matched the total value of pogs, raising the amount to $750 for the needy.

“It’s Christmas; to me it just makes sense,” said Brasington.

To Campbell, the importance comes from finding a way to keep his family’s time honored tradition alive even while deployed here in Iraq. His father, brother and uncles were all Eagle Scouts and he said he hopes to continue the legacy.

“I have friends that are involved or will be involved [with the scouts],” Campbell said as he made hand gestures as if he were knocking on wood. “If I have sons one day, I’d like to encourage them to be scouts.”

Story and photo by Spc. Ruth McClary, 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team