Local Boy Scouts Mark Scout Week
Cub Scout awarded for saving toddler, Eagle Scout give out blankets to Children in Hospital, Local Scouts collect turkeys for Sandy victims, Scout collects shoes for the needy, Scout saves four year old girl from drowning — the headlines across the nation speak regularly of young men prepared and willing to serve their communities. Sunday began National Boy Scout week celebrating the 103rd anniversary of the program. Here in Jackson,Boy Scout Chairman Cliff Kirkpatrick says that involves scouts making up four Cub Scout packs, four Boy Scout troops, two Varsity Scout troops and two Venture Scout crews. Altogether, Kirkpatrick says there are 210 youth involved in the valley. However, he points out that the program’s venture crews also involve girls. Broken down, he says there are 217 cub scouts, 68 boy scouts, and 25 Venturers. Nationally, less than two percent of those in Boy Scouts achieve the distinguished rank of Eagle Scout which involves extensive skills training and community service. Here in Jackson, Kirkpatrick says that figure is much higher. In the past ten years, he says there are 35 to 40 boys who have achieved Eagle. That’s about 50% higher than the national average. Kirkpatrick believes it may be because of the setting that is so outdoor oriented, but he adds that adults involved in scouting here have a lot to do with guiding them to success as well. Local Boy Scouts are most visible in Jackson during the annual Elk Antler Auction and again during Scouting for Food for the Jackson Hole Food Cupboard. Nationally, 181 Scouts later became astronauts and of the 12 astronauts who walked on the moon, 11 had been Scouts. 206 members of the 112th Congress had been Scouts, 15 of the nation’s 50 governors were Scouts – and by the way, Wyoming’s Governor Matt Mead at one time had been a member of Jackson Troop 67.
