Tuesday, January 27, 2009

2008 Silver Beaver

The Blue Grass Council Silver Beaver Selection Committee recently met and Daniel Gaeddert has been chosen to receive the Silver Beaver Award. He has been very active in Scouting with his Troop in Georgetown, Kawida Lodge, and the past 5 years volunteering at Camp McKee to teach the Weather Merit Badge.

A good friend and an honorary member of Troop 12, "Congratulations Weather Man"! A well deserved recognition for one of the greats in our Council.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Wallace H. "Bud" Jeffrey

HAMPDEN, ME - Wallace H. "Bud" Jeffrey, 85, died peacefully Jan. 21, 2009, after a short illness. He was born Oct. 29, 1923, in Springfield, Vt., son of Walter H. and Gladys H. Jeffrey. Bud grew up in Vermont and graduated from Newport High School, Newport, Vt., in 1941 and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich., in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science in forestry. He was a Navy veteran serving in the Pacific Theater in World War II. Bud began his career with the Boy Scouts of America in 1954, first serving as a district executive in the Calvin Coolidge Council, Bellow Falls, Vt., during which time he was also director of Camp Plymouth, the council camp, for eight years. In 1963 he was appointed district executive of the Daniel Webster Council, Manchester, N.H., and he served the western area north of Keene, N.H., as well as serving as director of Camp Carpenter, also the council camp. In 1966 he became Scout executive of the Lone Tree Council, Haverhill, Mass., and in 1969 he became the Scout executive of the Katahdin Area Council, Bangor. In 1971 he was hired by the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America to develop and direct the Maine National High Adventure Area in northern Maine. During the next 15 years he, with the assistance and support of his wife, Pat, brought 19,000 older Scouts from all over the country and world to canoe, hike and camp in Maine's wonderful woods and waters. Bud retired in 1985 and continued working for the Boy Scouts on a volunteer basis. For this and other volunteer work he was awarded in 2006 the Silver Beaver-the highest award given to volunteers by the Boys Scouts of America. He also served on the Girl Scout Camping Committee. And while a member of First Congregational Church, Brewer, he was moderator, chairman of the trustees and chairman of two successful Capital Campaigns. He also served on Maine's "Project Learning Tree," which helped Maine students from kindergarten through high school become more informed regarding sound environmental stewardship. Since 1993 Bud and Pat have enjoyed spending their retirement years with their grandchildren and selling antiques and collectibles in various shops throughout Maine. Bud is survived by his 107-year-old mother, Gladys Jeffrey; his wife of 60 years, Patricia W. Jeffrey; and two sons, Michael and his wife, Alayna, of Bangor and David of Orrington. There are five grandkids, Jay and his wife, Julie, Ryan, Kyle, Clara and Benjamin. He was predeceased by a son, Jay Warren Jeffrey in 1976. A memorial service to celebrate Bud's life will be held 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, at Hampden Congregational Church, 101 Main Road North, Hampden, with the Rev. Deborah M. Jenks officiating. All are invited downstairs to the fellowship hall after the service to share in light refreshments and a continued time of remembrance. Interment will be at a later date in the family lot in Chester, Vt. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bud's memory to the Maine High Adventure Staff Association, for the benefit of the Maine High Adventure program. Donations may be sent to Deb Howard, MHASA, 20 Forest Glen Drive, Rockport, ME 04856. Cremation arrangements entrusted to Hampden-Gilpatrick Funeral Home, 45 Western Ave., Hampden.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Sea Base 2008 - 2009

Every High Adventure trip is just that. HIGH ADVENTURE!

Our trip this year back to the Florida Sea Base was very different from last year. Everything that Sea Base offers is great. We all loved the VIVID and Captain Kate. The skills that we all learned were awesome. Who knows, maybe someday, one of our Scouts will buy a boat and continue what we did?

The program was A+. The food was unbelievable. I lost 8 pounds at Philmont and gained 8 on this trip. The fishing was good. I think Doug and I expected to catch something every hour, but we really weren't that far out in the ocean.

The weather was wonderful. 80's and 90's during the day. Slight chill when the sun was down. We had just a few drops of rain as we were coming back to dock.

This adventure really helped Don and "Goffy" (a new nickname from Captain Kate), advance in their Sea Scout advancement. Doug, Caleb, Sam, Graham, and Drake found a new love for sailing and snorkeling.

I love the Florida High Adventure Sea Base! I've had the grand opportunity to go twice. Thank you Benjamin Alexander. I hope to get to go back again some day.

It really is that good.

Still today, when I sit or stand still, I can feel the VIVID rocking side to side and up and down. I wish that feeling would never go away.


http://sailingvesselVIVID.com/index.html



CRS122708B The Kentucky Boys did well.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Heading Home

Up at 7:00. Pack up and get into our uniforms. Flag ceremony and a hot breakfast. The bus, along with Benjamin Alexander's crew, picks us up at 8:15. We say good bye to a great place.

We leave out of Fort Lauderdale at 1:00 and make it back to Louisville around 4:45.

Of course we stop and eat supper at the Clay City Dairy Queen.

We arrive back to Pikeville at 9:15 pm. A very long day.


Hand Salute!

So long Sea Base.


Always good food at the DQ!

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Back to Islamorada

We sail and motor back in to the base at Islamorada. Lunch on the boat. We do our final religious readings and Thorns and Roses. We didn't stay up until midnight last night, so we popped the cork on the sparkling cider when we saw the base. We dock around 2:00. Unload and clean up the boat. Hot shower and some paperwork.

We are treated to a luau and some great skits. Our guys do "Fidget the Midget" and it gets all sorts of laughs and applause. Visit the Trading Post for patches and souvenirs.

Although we are back on land, we all still feel like we are rocking and swaying on the boat.


Sam can get 3 Rice Crispy Treats in his mouth at one time.


Home sweet home.


Fidget the Midget and his morning routine.


Luau style party time at Florida High Adventure Sea Base.