Occoneechee 104 S79?

Recently Occoneechee lodge issued a flap to raise funds to support breast cancer research.  Profits from the sale of this flap will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.   A pre-order form for this patch is still posted on the website.  However since the lodge flap has already been issued and is currently available from the lodge trading post, I strongly recommend contacting a lodge brother directly and inquiring about availability, instead of sending in an order.   I know several members of Occoneechee lodge read this blog regularly.

Occoneechee is at least the fourth lodge to have issued patches in support of breast cancer research.   The other lodges are Ajapeu 33 (three flaps), Japeechee 341, (1 flap), and Tahosa 383 (two flaps).

Ajapeu 33 S54?	Japeechen 341 S30?
Tahosa 383 W1?

Japeechen was the first lodge to issue a flap for this cause back in 2007.  I had previously reported the very personal reasons behind Japeechen issuing their flap.   I also previously covered Ajapeu’s issues.

I know of no coordinated effort on a national, regional or sectional effort for cause.  Each of these lodges apparently have acted independently. At least one lodge had compelling and personal reasons for its advocacy. This is not a cause I would not have expected an organization within the Boy Scouts of America to support and champion but I am fully supportive of their efforts.

These flaps are attracting attention from the collecting community.   If you know of any other lodge patches issued for this cause, please feel free to share that in the comments.

One hundred years ago today, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was founded by W. D. Boyce.     The Scouting movement was started in the United Kingdom in 1907 by Lord Baden-Powell.     Boyce brought Scouting to the US after meeting with “the unknown Scout” in London, many legends springing up around this encounter.     From that humble beginning sprang the largest youth movement in the free world.

There are celebrations planned around the country and online on this date.     Scouts and Scouters are being encouraged to wear their uniforms on this date.   The BSA also has events planned throughout the year in honor of its centennial,   with the high point being this Summer’s National Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill.   If   you see any links to coverage of today’s anniversary events, please add them in the comments.     I will try to add some myself as I find them.

Happy Birthday to the BSA!

Last night while falling asleep in front of the TV with my cats, I was watching “Pawn Stars” on The History Channel.     The show features a Las Vegas pawn shop and the stuff that’s brought in there to be sold or pawned.

One of the potential customers was an elderly gentleman who visited in complete Scout uniform looking to sell a large accumulation of stamps.     He was looking to raise money to send boys to camp.     He was hoping there would be something of great value in the pile of unsorted used postage stamps still on paper.   He referred several times to a “million dollar stamp”.   The horde, from what could be on TV, was very unremarkable and seemed to be heavy in stamps from the Third Reich.   Those who buy patch collections could sympathize with the plight of someone trying to buy this:   imagine if it was a completely unsorted and unfocused patch collection.

An expert was brought in by the pawn shop owner to look over this accumulation.     He found nothing of value and said this collection was essentially worthless.     As a former stamp collector, I’d add the time spent soaking these off the paper,   then sorting and cataloging these items for sale would not add up to a minimum wage job.     Nevermind it would take many years for even the best stamp dealer to sell such a quantity of low end items.     For example, imagine being a patch dealer trying to sell a large number of unsorted district event patches or very common CSPs and lodge flaps.

The pawn shop owner could not buy the stamps, but in the end he did make a donation to send kids to camp.

Wednesday night (11/11/09) Rush Limbaugh was in New York to attend the banquet at the Westchester-Putnam Council.     According to Limbaugh, his good friend, Roger Ailes, chairman and CEO of the Fox News Channel, was presented with the council’s “2009 Good Scout Award”.   Limbaugh introduced Ailes.

Limbaugh says this about the Boy Scouts:

…I was a Boy Scout once, for a year.   But one of the reasons I wanted to go was because the values that are the Boy Scouts are American values, traditional American values.   That room last night, as I said in my remarks before presenting Roger, that room was America, and it’s values like that are going to save this country…

Limbaugh also played on his show Thursday a brief quote from Ailes’ acceptance speech:

…Every generation gets called to meet a challenge. This generation will as well. I am heartened to know that what the enemies of America don’t know is that someday they will meet the courage, resilience, dedication of these young Americans we are so proud of, and they will keep America free…

Someone needed how to tell Limbaugh how to pronounce “Westchester-Putnam”.     I know he’s deaf now, but I expect he heard those counties’ names at least a few times during his years broadcasting in New York City!

Given the nature of the two people I just quoted, I remind readers that I will actively moderate any comments I deem inappropriate for this blog. This is also appearing on Facebook where comments will not be as actively moderated.

On this Veterans Day, and the 91st anniversary of the end of World War, please take a few moment to remember those whose service to this country throughout the years helped to preserve and defend this nation.   It’s just a pittance of time.

(video after the jump)

On this Veterans Day, there are now just three confirmed surviving Veterans of World War I.     Since only one, Frank Buckles of the United States, still lives in the country he fought for 91 years ago,   I do not know if any special tributes will be paid to them this year.

The world was a very different place 20 years ago.   Europe was divided between two opposing powers, engaged in a “Cold War” for decades.     Germany was split in two.     A wall split its former capital, helping to make those in East Germany prisoners in their own country.     Then the wall came down and all was changed.

Last Summer those who attended NOAC were told about the Power of One.     In this case, it was the power of a few:   those who dared to dream of freedom for Germany and Europe and who lead others towards that end.

First, President Kennedy came to Berlin at the height of the Cold War.

Then President Reagan dared to believe freedom could triumph over tyranny and famously demanded the Wall come down.     His words would shake politics in the US and be derided by his opponents as reckless and poorly chosen.




Let us not forget other leaders responsible for the fall of the Berlin Wall.     Mikhail Gorbachev opened up the Soviet Union, hoping a bit of perestroika and glasnost could satiate the desire for freedom within his “Evil Empire”.     He was wrong.   However, his restraint during the heady days of twenty years ago helped prevent what could have been a very different chain of events and later became the first Soviet leader to voluntarily relinquish his position; not to die in office or be forced out by opponents, but to calmly accept his fate and step down.   Lady Margaret Thatcher, the first woman to become Prime Minister of Great Britain, was a staunch defender of freedom and ally of the United States.   Lech Walesa of Poland rose from being a dock worker to union leader and eventually the leader of a free Poland.     Karol Wojtyla rose from being a parish priest, to cardinal, and — in what I believe was truly divine inspiration — the first non-Italian elected Pope in over 400 years.     Many believe the Roman Catholic church will some day recognize him to be amount the ranks of the Saints.

Note the number of times I used the word “first” in the preceding paragraph.

These are all examples of the Power of One.

After the Wall fell, the late Leonard Bernstein led   the combined forces   of instrumentalists and singers from Germany, France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and the United States in a performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. He directed one word to be changed in the “Ode to Joy”. Freude (Joy) became Freiheit (Freedom).




O Freunde, nicht diese Töne!
Sondern laßt uns angenehmere anstimmen,
und freudenvollere.
Freiheit! Freiheit! …

(Oh friends, not these tones!
Rather, let us raise our voices in more pleasing
And more joyful sounds!
Freedom! Freedom! …)

With the news stories lately of BSA members who have run afoul of zero tolerance policies in our government run schools, I thought I would share a bit of good news.

A 10 year old Cub Scout with autism is credited with saving his teacher’s life.   He applied the lessons he learned in Cub Scouts.   As the teacher says, “He is my hero.”     CNN’s video report on this story can be seen here.

On this eighth anniversary, here’s   a musical selection for today.     Never forget the “common” man.

Unami 1 J10

Today at NOAC will celebrate the memory and legacy of the founders of the Order of the Arrow with the traditional Founders Day events.       Events center around exhibit and displays from the lodges.   Many of the exhibits highlight items, customs, or traditions from the lodge’s home area.     Many lodges give away small gifts.     In the past food and drinks were also prepared, but new health and safety regulations will curtail this aspect of the event.

In honor of the founders, I thought I’d share some of the patches that have depicted E. Urner Goodman and Carroll A. Edson.

For various reasons, Col. Edson is not as well remembered or honored as Dr. Goodman for his role in the founding of the OA.     So, it’s appropriate that the first patch I show is possibly the only lodge issue to picture both founders.   It   is the J10 from Unami 1, issued as part of a set of jacket patches Unami issued for the OA’s 75th anniversary.

Unami 1 S31+X29

Ten years later Unami lodge would picture Dr. Goodman on their X29, the bottom part of a set issued for the 2000 NOAC and the OA’s (and lodge’s) 85th anniversary.         While he is not identified, and I have been told this is supposed to be Dr. Goodman, to me the image looks more like Col.   Edson.     Compare the patch with this image of   Col. Edson for yourselves.   Can anyone confirm whose image this was supposed to be?

Nacha Tindey 25 eR1980-1

Nacha Tindey 25 honored and depicted Dr. Goodman on their eR1980-1, issued shortly after Dr. Goodman’s death.     There were three rockers issued for this patch   for the lodge’s events that year.

When Tsoiotsi Tsogalii 70 earned the E. Urner Goodman Camping Award in 2003, they issued an arrowhead shaped patch, A1.   The design was intended to depict this award and shows Goodman’s image.     Both Skyloo 442 and Coosa 50 issued flaps when their lodge’s earned this award, however they do not depict Dr. Goodman.

Echockotee 200 S26+X15

The last patches in this post come from Echockotee 200.     This lodge depicted Dr. Goodman on their 2004 NOAC sets, X15 and X16.

If you know of any other OA patches depicting the two founders, please feel free to add them in the comments.

Kaylene Trick © 2009 Order of the Arrow, Boy Scouts of America

Last night at the National Order of the Arrow Conference the 2009 Distinguished Service Awards were presented.   49 brothers were bestowed this honor and recognized for their exceptional service to the Order and bestowed.     I believe one brother in particular earned a special place in OA history last night.   Quoting from the NOAC 2009 Live! section on the National OA website:

Kaylene Trick
Kay is a Vigil Honor member of Susquehanna Council and Woapea Sisilija Lodge. She is a member of the Order of the Arrow National Committee. According to her DSA nomination form, Kay’s “service to youth spans more than 20 years and includes leadership to Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, Venturing, and the Order of the Arrow.”

I take this opportunity to extend my sincerest congratulations to Brother Trick and all the other recipients of the Distinguished Service Award.

Harry Patch, 111, passed away quietly at about 9am BST today.   He was the last surviving British army vetaran from World War I.     A more detailed story can be read online from The Times.     The BBC has published a photo tribute to him online.

His death comes only a week after the passing of Henry Allingham, 113,   the last founding member of the RAF.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said, of his passing, “..The noblest of all the generations has left us, but they will never be forgotten. We say today with still greater force, We Will Remember Them…”

The article states:

…The Ministry of Defense called Patch “the last British survivor of the First World War,” although 108-year-old Claude Choules of Australia is believed to have served in the Royal Navy during the conflict…

Mr. Patch served in the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, so it is only fitting that tributes to him are being led by the current Duke of Cornwall, the Prince of Wales.

Claude Choules, who served in the Royal Navy, is now considered to be the last surviving veteran of WW1 to have served in the British forces.     He currently lives in Australia, and is apparently a citizen of that country, and is why Mr. Patch was the last surviving British veteran.   I think the writer was sloppy in saying “believed to have served” as I am not aware of any questions surrounding Mr. Choules’ service.

Only three confirmed veterans of WW1 still survive.     In addition to Mr. Choules, there is John Babcock (who served for Canada), and Frank Buckles (the last surviving US veteran).

Tipisa 326 eX2001-1

… Man walked on the Moon.     It truly was a great leap for mankind.   Alas, due to a lack of national will and poor political leadership on this issue, the legacy of this achievement has been squandered.     Instead of making great strides in space exploration, our astronauts today are barely able to achieve low Earth orbit.

I am amazed that a significant portion of Americans today doubt we ever landed on the Moon.     In my opinion that is an colossal display of ignorance.

After the break are several clips from the CBS News coverage of this event.     I am posting them both in honor of the anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing and the recent passing of Walter Cronkite.       Pay attention to what Vice President Agnew has to say (in part 3, I think) when asked for a comment about this great event.

The risk of this mission was great. Success was not assured. In the event of a failure, rescue was not possible. Recognizing this possibility, President Nixon had prepared a speech that would have been delivered in the event of the astronauts being stranded on the moon:

“Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace. These brave men, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice.

“These two men are laying down their lives in mankind’s most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding. They will be mourned by their families and friends; they will be mourned by their nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a Mother Earth that dared send two of her sons into the unknown.

“In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man. In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood.

“Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man’s search will not be denied. But these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts.

“For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind.”

A small ceremony would have followed with their souls being commended to the “deepest of the deep” and communications would then be cut.

Thank God that did not happen. Instead this remains one of the greatest achievements of our technological age.

I’m sure most who read this blog now know about the death of Walter Cronkite.     However, there was one detail buried in CBS’s coverage of this story that those involved in Scouting might find interesting:

…Walter Leland Cronkite was born in St. Joseph, Missouri on November 4, 1916, the only child of a dentist father and homemaker mother. When he was still young, his family moved to Texas. One day, he read an article in “Boys Life” magazine about the adventures of reporters working around the world – and young Cronkite was hooked…

I do not know how active Cronkite was in the Boy Scouts, or if he was even a member at all.

Happy Bastille Day to our friends in France!

In honor of the occasion I share a great scene with you from the film, “Casablanca”.

Representatives of thirteen British colonies, in Congress assembled, declared their independence from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.     Thus was born the United Sates of America.       The United Kingdom would not recognize this independence until the Treaty of Paris was signed seven years later.

After the jump is a clip from the recent miniseries, “John Adams”.

Tu Cubin Noonie 508 S47

Happy Canada Day to my friends to the north. Last year I posted some anecdotes of my time traveling in this country, living near its border, and shared a fitting tribute for this day. Long live “The Maple Leaf Forever“.     Alexander Muir was inspired to write this song in 1867, the year of Canada’s confederation, by the sight of a large maple tree on his property in Toronto.

I think the flap pictured here, 508 S47,   might be the only Canadian related Order of the Arrow patch.     I find that hard to believe, but can’t find another one right now.   This was issued for the 10th Canadian Jamboree in 2001, held on Prince Edward Island.

Another musical tribute to the Dominion of Canada is after the jump.

I would hope I don’t have to tell too many people what happened on June 4, 1944.     There has been a lot of coverage of events marking this anniversary all day in the media.   However, there has been less coverage of the actual event being marked on this day.   General Dwight D. Eisenhower explained to his troops what they were about to do:

You will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped, and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944. Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41.

The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeat in open battle man to man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground.

Our home fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men.

The tide has turned.

The free men of the world are marching together to victory. I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty, and skill in battle.

We will accept nothing less than full victory.

Good luck, and let us all beseech the blessings of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.

Marian Anderson

In 1939 Marian Anderson was a great contralto, a star of the European operatic stage,   yet she was barred from singing on many stages in her home country simply because of the color of her skin.

In 1939 she was refused permission by the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.) to sing for a racially integrated audience at Constitution Hall.     This is said to have upset Mrs. Roosevelt, then First Lady, greatly who resigned her D.A.R. membership in response.   The Roosevelts along with the NAACP, arranged for an outdoor concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Easter Sunday (April 9th) 1939.

A brief newsreel clip of these event can be seen on YouTube.

In conjunction with the commemoration of the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln’s birth, this famous concert will be commemorated in Washington, D.C. today.

Near the end of her singing career, Marian Anderson sang at the inauguration of President Kennedy.     The Boy Scouts of America presented her with the Silver Buffalo award in 1990.

I’m going to stray from patches to show you a clip of one of the most eloquent (?) speeches recently delivered in the US House of Representatives.   It also gives me a chance to pick on my friend Robert Mathis…

You might wish you had captions or a translation for this.     The “gentle lady… gentle woman” from Florida also wore a rather unusual gown.

The “gentle woman from Florida” has a rather colorful vocabulary that one would more commonly find among high school dropouts, than a member of House of Reprsentatives.     At least I would have expected that.

It’s good to know the Gators had such an outstanding “corch”.     I hope the UNC basketball team also has an outstanding “corch” that can lead them to a national championship this year.

“… Them the Gators don’t take no jive!”

Irena Sendler

Earlier today my mother sent me a short video from Glen Beck’s tv show.       TV puts me to sleep, so I don’t watch his show.   The story behind the video was one I feel I need to share.

On May 12, 2008 a great woman passed to her eternal reward.

Irena Sendler was born in Warsaw in 1910.         In 1940 she found herself working as a social worker in Warsaw during the German occupation.     The tragedy of the Warsaw ghetto should be well known to all.     As a social worker she had free access within the city during the Nazi tyranny, allowing her to enter and leave the ghetto.     Using this access she was able to help thousands of Jewish children escape.

She was captured by the Gestapo in 1943, severely tortured and sentenced to death.   Zegota was able to bribe the German guards and secured her release.     After the war she was imprisoned by the communists, in part for her resistance activities during the war.     She was recognized at Yad Vashem as one of the “Righteous among the Nations”.         She was praised by Pope John Paul II for her wartime efforts.

Read her Wikipedia entry and watch the video after the jump for more about her story.

Beck’s video simplifies the story.   She was nominated for the Nobel Peace Price in 2007.     The Nobel organization bestowed the prize that year upon Vice President Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

In her last years Beck says she was attended to in a nursing home by one of the children she helped save.