Scouting's 100th Anniversary
Scouting's 100th Anniversary LogoScouting's 100th Anniversary is today, February 8, 2010. 

Troop 199's Scoutmaster, Bryan Spellman, asked me to write a letter about what Scouting has meant to me, and I wanted to share it with all of our volunteers.  The text from the letter is below, and a PDF copy can be found here.  If you are looking for ways to celebrate Scouting's 100th Anniversary, I'd encourage you to check out the following websites:
Finally,  I encourage each of our Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops, Varsity Scout Teams, and Venturing Crews to sign up with the Crossroads of America Council with the Action Scout and Scouting Ambassador programs.  More information can be found on the Crossroads of America Council's 100th Anniversary page.

"What Scouting Means to Me" by Nat Baker
PDF Version

Scouts across the nation are celebrating the Boy Scouts of America’s 100th Anniversary today.  Like many of you, I find myself thankful for being a part of an organization that has positively impacted millions of people over the last century.  While I am humbled to be serving the youth and adult members of the Boy Scouts of America in the Del-Mi District, I am most proud of my time spent as a youth in the program. 

When I talk to a new parent about serving as a volunteer leader, I am reminded of the selfless acts of service by the volunteers of Cub Scout Pack 122.  Some of the best memories of my elementary school years are from Cub Scouting—the Pinewood Derby, Father-Son Cake Bake, Blue and Gold Banquets, and Webelos Adventure Camp. 

While Cub Scouting provided me with great memories, my time in Troop 199 in Fishers is remembered as being full of adventure.  After I attended a few campouts with the troop, I quickly learned that I took the Scout Motto—“Be Prepared”—to a whole new level.  If anyone needed a flashlight, spare batteries, or several extra sets of clothes, they knew that they could ask me.  I may have brought everything—including the kitchen sink—with me, but I often took much more back home.  The smell of the campfire, a view that a picture doesn’t do justice, or just a quiet moment in the woods before everyone wakes up.  Over time, I developed a love of the outdoors.  So much so that when I decided what I wanted to study in college, I chose to major in Natural Resources so that I could share my passion for protecting the environment with others.  Scouting made this possible for me.

Scouting also made me a better person.  I longed to become an Eagle Scout, and when I did, I was glad to become a “marked man”.  To this day, I still perform a “Good Turn Daily” and think of the Scout Law when faced with a difficult decision where I am not sure of the correct path to follow.  Scouting is, and always will be, my compass and map to help me find my way through life.  I hope that you, too, will find Scouting to be a worthy companion on your travels through life. 

Yours in Scouting,
Nat Baker's Signature
Nat Baker
Del-Mi District Director
Crossroads of America Council