One hundred years in the making, the Boy Scouts of America is commemorating Scouting and the impact it has had on countless lives nationwide. On Feb. 8, the Old North State Council of the Boy Scouts will celebrate history in the making, their centennial anniversary.

Monday, Feb. 8 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Old North State Council will hold a birthday party at the NewBridge Bank Park in downtown Greensboro, N.C. The price of admission is one can of non-perishable food. The event includes meeting Guilford, the Grasshoppers’ mascot, the taking of a special centennial photo as well as a collection of items for the local time capsule.

“The Boy Scouts has created a foundation for leadership and service to America’s youth,” said John Meeks, executive director for the Old North State Council (ONSC) of the Boy Scouts of America. “Scouting trains our youth to live and work with honesty and character. I feel that Scouting is as fundamental and important today as it was 100 years ago when our journey began.”

A First Class Scout from Troop 42 in High Point couldn’t agree more, “Scouting has made a big impact on my life. My father taught me the Scout Law at the age of six,” said Michael Founds. “I am so excited to be a part of this anniversary in Scouting. I know it’s going to continue to play a role in my life now and in the future.”

More information about the Boy Scouts of America’s 100th anniversary can be found at www.scouting.org/100years. For more information about what the Old North State Council is doing locally for the anniversary, visit www.100yearsofncscouting.org.

For those Boy Scouts of America members interested in attending the birthday celebration, please enter NewBridge Bank Park only by the Bellemeade St. Gate.

The Old North State Council, headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., covers an eight-county area, including Alamance, Caswell, Davie, Davidson, Guilford, Person, Randolph and Rockingham counties. The council serves over 10,000 young people annually in the Cub Scout, Boy Scout, Venturing and Learning for Life programs. For more information, please visit www.bsaonsc.org.

About the Boy Scouts of America
Serving nearly 4.7 million young people between 7 and 20 years of age with more than 300 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 www.scouting.org.

Source: Old North State Council Press Release.

The Occoneechee Council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has announced that a total of 414 young men earned their Eagle Scout Award in 2009. That is a nine percent increase over 2008’s total of 380. Earning the rank of Eagle is Scouting’s highest achievement.

“The Occoneechee Council has some of the best new leaders, ready and eager to serve their fellow man, in the very near future,” said John Akerman, Scout Executive for the Occoneechee Council. “Every one of these young men should be proud of their achievement.”

This year Scouting is celebrating its 100th Anniversary and more young men than ever are earning the rank of Eagle Scout and becoming responsible citizens in their communities.

The National Council average for young men earning the Eagle Scout Awards is five percent. The Occoneechee Council’s average is 6.4%.

“We have many results-oriented youth who are very well qualified to lead in their fields of endeavor,” said Edward Miller, Council Advancement Chairman. “That is one of the purposes of Scouting, to train future leaders.”

To achieve the rank of Eagle a Scout must earn a total of 21 merit badges, including 12 that are required. He also must design a Leadership Service Project and lead his fellow Scouts in carrying out that project.

About The Occoneechee Council, Boy Scouts of America
The Occoneechee Council of the Boy Scouts of America is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina and serves the following North Carolina counties: Chatham, Cumberland, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Harnett, Lee, Moore, Orange, Vance, Wake, and Warren. The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. 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 Occoneechee Council, visit ocscouts.org or call 800-662-7102.

Source: Occoneechee Council 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