Alamo Area BSA

 
Boy Scouts of America

Live Scouting

Advancement

Silver Beaver Nominations For 2020 Due December 22nd.

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What is a Silver Beaver? It is the highest recognition award that can be granted to a Scouter by a local Council. The Silver Beaver Committee does not view this award as a popularity award nor it is a step above the District Award of Merit for some Silver Beaver Honorees have never received this Award. The Silver Beaver Award is given for service in this Council. If you wish to nominate a Scouter for this award it should be on the basis of service to the Council or long time service to a district and/or a unit. Also, service in the community outside of Scouting is of importance for consideration.

The nomination must be on the form from the Council’s website. Please provide complete information such as the Scouters Service record.  A letter may accompany the form giving the reason for ones nomination of a Scouter (It should be only one page), however such a letter is not required for the Award.

The closing date for nominating a Scouter for this award is December 22, 2020. All nominations after this date will be held over for next year.

Please mail or drop nominations by the Council Office or they can also be emailed to Terry Ellis at terry.ellis@scouting.org.

 

The USAA Foundation, Inc. Grants $50,000 – Personal Management Merit Badge

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The USAA Foundation, Inc. is sponsoring the ‘Personal Management’ Merit Badge class, for the third consecutive year. The ‘Personal Management’ Merit Badge, is an Eagle required badge and one of the most difficult to obtain. As the presenting sponsor all ‘Personal Management’ Merit Badge sessions will be taught by USAA employee volunteers. USAA’s team of volunteers will help Scouts explore new areas of interests, while learning valuable financial skills.

The Alamo Area Council is honored to have received this $50,000 award in support of Financial Literacy and You(th)!. Thank you, USAA Foundation, Inc. for your steadfast support of Scouting youth!

For more information, visit www.AlamoAreaBSA.org/PersonalManagement and watch the video below or email the USAA Foundation Personal Management Merit Badge Counselors team at USAA@AlamoAreaBSA.org.

Mesquite District Honors Two Scouters with the Award of Merit

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Mesquite District is honoring two of its Scouters with the District Award Award of Merit. Brenda Cowey and Dewey Barber are both being recognized with the highest award a District can bestow on a volunteer.

 

Brenda Cowey is very active working with youth in the Stockdale Area and has been a BSA volunteer for over seven years. She serves as the Cubmaster of Pack 137 and the Committee Chairman for Troop 118. Both units are very active and support the Alamo Area Council and Mesquite District by participating in most programs including Bear Creek Summer Camp and Day Camp.

She is also very active in other youth programs in Wilson County serving as a volunteer in 4H and coaching youth soccer.

 

Dewey Barber earned the rank of Eagle Scout as a youth. And has 11 years of volunteer service between the Calcasieu Council in Louisiana, Far East Council in Okinawa, and the Alamo Area Council.

He has served as the Membership Chairman for Mesquite District and currently is the District Commissioner. He has also been active with the OA in the Alamo Area Council and served as an Order of the Arrow Assistant Lodge Chief of Administration. He is also completed Woodbadge, Powderhorn, and has been honored with the Unit Leaders Award of Merit and the William Boyce Unit Organizer Award.

Dewey has an exceptional past service outside of Scouting having served his country through the US Army for 20 years.

 

The awards were selected from nominations by fellow volunteers finalized by the Mesquite District Advancement Committee consisting of Sami Jensen, and Chris and Richard Morris.

Due to the Covid 19 situation their awards will be presented at an appropriate time when groups start meeting again. If you would like to congratulate them in the meantime contact Brenda at becowey14@yahoo.com and Dewey at dewey.barber@yahoo.com.

 

And, CONGRATUALTIONS from the VOLUNTEERS of MESQUITE!

 

 

 

 

 

 

On My Honor – To Be Prepared: Conor Ferguson

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The Alamo Area Council is proud to announce the selection of a member of Troop 285 to be a recipient of a Meritorious Action Award. Conor Ferguson was honored  for his actions with the presentation of a Medal of Merit.

On January 4, 2019, Conor Ferguson, age 13, was returning to San Antonio with his grandfather, James Wallace, age 67, who was driving the car.As they exited the interstate onto a busy roadway, Mr. Wallace fell unconscious at the steering wheel. Conor immediately grabbed the steering wheel and although unable to reach the brake pedal, he steered the car away from other vehicles, onto the grass and finally against a wall to stop the car.

Two other drivers stopped and helped to move Mr. Wallace out of the car and administered CPR. Conor called his father to tell him what had happened and give his location then he called Emergency Services to give them the information.

Because of his ability to recognize the situation and remain calm, Conor successfully managed to maneuver a moving vehicle to a safe area and call for help.

Troop 285 is sponsored by Coker United Methodist Church in San Antonio, Texas.

 

 

Details of Eagle Extensions Due To Corona Virus Challenges

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The Alamo Area Council Advancement Committee has developed procedures to help youth members apply for an extension for Eagle requirements if the Corona Virus inadvertently impacted their ability to complete them before their 18th birthday. The procedures follow guidelines published by the National Council BSA. Normally extensions to complete Eagle requirements after the 18th birthday can only be granted by the National Council and that still is the policy. However, local councils are allowed to grant up to a three month extension for Eagle requirements if the need is because of Corona Virus concerns. The deadline to apply for these extensions is 9/30/20.

Click on the link below to see the PDF containing AAC procedures and the required information form, National Guidelines on non Corona Virus related extensions, and the National Guidelines of Corona Virus related extension requests.

Extension Request

Coyote Districts First Virtual Eagle Scout – The legacy of an Eagle

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Mr. Ed Watson had the pleasure to watch his son, Matthew Watson of Troop 501, get his eagle rank at the Coyote Districts first virtual Eagle Board of Review last Thursday April 23rd, 2020.  On the Board was Mr. Grant Huguenin, Mr. Mark Wilder and Mr. John Payne.  Also Present was his Scoutmaster Mr. Scott Patton and Mr. Joe Skop to see this first virtual board.  Mr. Kevin Book, Committee Chair of Troop 345 was hosting the meeting with their troop Zoom account.   As if that were not enough, this is also a story of generations of Eagles.  While Matthew was in his board Mr. Ed Watson and I were in the “lobby” with the rest of the volunteers of the online meeting where he shared the story of his family and the legacy of scouting that we got to wittiness that night.

 

“During WW2, my dad was a marine in the jungles of the South Pacific. Shortly after arriving, he observed some marines very comfortable in the jungle; yet others were very uncomfortable. He asked the comfortable marines why. They replied that they were boy scouts.

After the war, my Dad wanted to earn his eagle. Unfortunately for him, the maximum age was changed to 18.

My dad really believed in scouting values and guided me toward the path he wanted. I made Eagle in 1963. Later, my 2 sons, Peter (1983) and Tim(1985), each earned the Eagle badge.

So, life took a curve and God blessed me the gift a 2nd family.  In the family tradition, my older son, Matthew (Gift of God) earned his eagle via zoom on April 23, 2020. His 12-year-old brother is 2nd class and wants to walk in his older brothers’ footsteps.

Hopefully, the tradition continues with something my dad started.”  

 

It is worth noting that Kevin Book has worked very hard with our eagle board chair and a team of volunteers to make this happen during this time of social distancing.  Thank you for your help!

Congratulations to Matthew and thank you to the entire Watson family for all they have done for scouting.

 

 

 

 

Scouting Adventures