Camp Tracy

Some of you will recall that Jacob worked at Camp Tracy with the Webelos Wilderness program this last summer. A few months ago, Jake mentioned that he would like to work at the camp again this winter. The next I heard about it, he had an interview! (Way to hustle, boy!) He was accepted to work with the cub scouts, and maybe a weekend with the boy scouts when they were really busy. He is two full years younger than the other staff members, so we understood this arrangement. However, after the first "busy" weekend, Leaders discovered that Jacob has some special qualifications that they like to take advantage of 1) He loves to be outdoors, rain, sleet, hail, Bring It On! 2) He has boundless energy. They can point to a mountain, say, "I want you to hike boys up and down that slope all day. " and Jake says, "Sure." and loves every minute of it. So he has been invited back for several weekends to work with the scout age boys. He has been working the rifle range in the evening and the snow-shoe and skiing trails all morning. He took these photos this weekend.

This is looking down on the camp from a snowshoe trail.Jacob told me that it is tradition for the scouts to retire a flag each weekend at the winter camp. The flag this weekend was a big one. In Jacob's words: "Only three groups of people can retire flags, Mom, the government, the U.S. Military, and the Boy Scouts of America. It took all of us to hold that flag, and my arm hurt from saluting before it was over. We salute the flag as it burns until no part of it is recognizable as a flag." I share this because it is so sweet to me that my son is learning about patriotism, and gets to participate in such a manner. As a mom, I am so grateful for scouting! It is an inspired program, providing needed guidance by dedicated men for growing boys. Marilyn Monroe may sing about diamonds being a girl's best friend, but for me, give me Eagle pins. I want what those boys have gained by the time they bestow that pin on their mother. I want it for all of my boys. It benefits all the people they associate with, all the time. Grow, boys, grow.