Alamo Area BSA

 
Boy Scouts of America

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Get to Know Billy the Ranger at McGimsey – GTA @ Work

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McGimsey Scout Park Ranger and Eagle Scout, Billy Koors, salutes the camera during a break from mowing grass.

GTA @ Work

Some folks within the Scouting community have been longtime financial supporters of the Boy Scouts of America, Alamo Area Council, through the annual fundraising campaign called Friends of Scouting. Now renamed Give the Adventure (GTA), this annual time of giving provides the Council the opportunity to share with new donor families that the Alamo Area Council is a good steward of their donations. It’s also important to thank longtime donors and reassure them that their giving is valued. On behalf of the Alamo Area Council, I want to extend a sincere thank you to all donors.

Besides moving to expand our Annual Report and Adventure Guide with better and more information, our newly redesigned Council newsletter will feature a section of stories called “GTA @ Work”. These stories are meant to share some insights into where your monies are used in support of Scouting in the 13-county service area of the Alamo Area Council. (Angel’s personal note: Be sure to watch the Council GTA supported program called Scoutreach on video as the director, Josh Ozuna, shares a unique story.)

In this story, we meet Billy Koors who joined our local Scouting family on December 5, 2019. Billy is one of thirty full-time employees of the Alamo Area Council. Here is what I learned sitting with Billy and asking him questions.

Billy Koors, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, is the camp ranger at McGimsey Scout Park of the Boy Scouts of America, Alamo Area Council. The 144 beautiful acres of McGimsey are located in North Central San Antonio at the corner of NW Military Hwy and Lockhill Selma.

Top Six Questions and Answers from Billy Koors:

1. Did you have the opportunity to do Scouting as a youth?

Yes. I started as a tiger cub within the Baltimore Area Council and eventually earned my Eagle Scout rank within Troop 480. My Eagle Scout service project was building a prayer garden for my troop’s charter partner organization, Salem Methodist Church. I was also Vigil honor within my Council’s Order of the Arrow Lodge. I enjoyed my Scouting experience so much I became the Baltimore Area Council’s Assistant Ranger at Broadcreek Scout Reservation during summer camp.

2. How did you come to be the McGimsey Scout Park ranger?

I was looking for a full-time job as a ranger at a Scout camp based on my love for Scouting and my experience at Broadcreek. One late, late night doing searches on the career website, Indeed.com, I came across the open ranger position at McGimsey and I applied. To be honest, I almost forgot that I applied when I got the call from the Outdoor Adventure Director, Linda Dieguez, inviting me to interview. I’m glad she called me.

3. Anything you enjoy the most being a ranger for a Scouting camp in Texas?

Working with all the volunteers is the best part of the job. There are some good people here. Also the Texas Bluebonnets are starting to popup. We don’t have that in Maryland.

4. Anything you dislike about being a ranger?

I really don’t. I like just about everything I do. Actually, you asking me to take a photo on my tractor and asking me questions for this article maybe is uncomfortable. I like to be behind the scenes supporting stuff. 

5. What’s the best thing a volunteer or a Give the Adventure donor can do to support McGimsey?

We got several scheduled McGimsey Scout Park Service Days.  Look for those on Council calendar or volunteers can just call 210-341-8611 or email me at McGimsey@AlamoAreaBSA.org or my boss, Linda Dieguez. We can share where they can help.

I might get a donor to give flowers and plants for some camp project; but, I don’t deal directly with money donations to Give the Adventure. But, Give the Adventure is important. Sounds like more of a Linda question; but I know it helps pay for me and the other camp rangers to be here. It keeps the lights on. It keeps me riding my zero turn tractor and supports me keeping up maintenance.

6. Any final thoughts for the Scouting community to know about you or what you do for Scouting?

Nope. I’m not good at this kind of stuff. I’m getting back to my ranger schedule. Thank you.

Well, it seems Billy is pretty passionate about what he does for Scouting! He’s a product of our Scouting movement and we are glad to have him on our team. Please look for more GTA @ Work stories. One last question and we will end this story.

What’s a ranger do at a Scout camp?

The camp ranger is responsible for the upkeep, maintenance, and proper use of all camp facilities. Besides seasonal volunteer support, Rangers often get help in the form of volunteer Campmasters. Here are eight things a ranger and his campmaster team do:

  1. Prepare camp and facilities for safe and welcome use by participants of Council, District, or Unit coordinated events. 
  2. Assist new leaders in getting the unit set up at camp.
  3. Advise unit leaders and administer first aid.
  4. Meet with leaders in regard to conservation and related camp Good Turns.
  5. Be the supper guest of a unit.
  6. Organize and conduct a nature hike with leaders.
  7. Arrange convenient check-in/checkout schedules.
  8. Secure loan of camp equipment for units.
Click to Learn More about McGimsey Scout Park

Watch the Video:

Eagle Scout and McGimsey Scout Park Ranger, Billy Koors, shares some words with Angel Martinez.

Thorlo Sock Sale Starts May 5th

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When Jim Throneburg invented the Thorlos brand in the early 1980s, he dreamed of two new guiding possibilities:

  1. Sustainability of the company beyond his own lifetime.
  2. Being the best in the world at foot protection.

As a result, we at THORLO shifted our primary focus from the sock business to the relationship business. Our official vision and mission became all about Sustainable Relationships, and the Thorlos brand experience was born.

Room to Roam: Take That Hike!

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By: Terry Ellis for the Alamo Area Council, August 11, 2017

Fun Can Be So Simple

Camps are over and it is so Hot, but I remember some great hikes as a youth and with cooler weather a few months off I will be ready to hit the trail.

The Flaming Arrows, my patrol back in Troop 66 in Oklahoma decided to earn the Hiking Merit Badge. Four of us completed the four, ten mile hikes together, and one of the highlights was a big mug of root beer at Bob’s Drive-in. We somehow routed those hikes to end there.

Another goal we set and met was if we collected pop bottles while hiking we might earn enough to get an official BSA bugle for $10.00. We stashed them all along our trail and one of our dad’s picked them up for us at the end of the day. We were the only patrol with a bugle in the Troop. Thanks Coca Cola, Nehi, and all of the others.

Hiking can be good exercise, help boys earn badges, and provide a lot of fun.

I was sent to a school several years ago to run an after school program for 4th and 5thgraders with no plan other than what I could dream up. So I grabbed my hiking staff lined up the boys and outside we went.

It was an older school so it had a large school yard with lots of trees. Ten boys watched me stick my staff in every hole in the foundation and behind every bush. Geez, we saw all kinds of bugs and spiders and even picked up a little trash. I saw some birds in a low area over a rise so they got down low and moved slowly towards them. I whispered charge, and they ran and came close to catching one.

One little voice I heard said “this is more fun than being inside.” Then we walked around naming trees and taking votes on which one was the most beautiful and on and on for an hour.

THEY had fun and we had little planned, but used our imaginations. Just think with your Den or Patrol, with water bottles, a staff, and a fanny pack with trail food the adventures your boys can have.

I asked some of our staff about their favorite trails on our properties.

Ken Lamb, the Bear Creek Scout Reservation Director, recommends hiking the Rickenbacker Trail at Bear Creek. It starts in the valley and passes Ghost Cave and ends at Sika Hill (Burnt Hill) Sika Hill is the second highest point at the camp, but also has the best views on the property.

Mark Sanchez, Armadillo Scout Service Executive, who used to work at the Mays Family Scout Ranch, likes to hike down to the Medina River from the parking lot. There is a high bluff along the river with beautiful views and he comes back along Elm Creek where you will see more wildlife and many trees. Mark said he has even found arrowheads on his hikes.

Ted Borcherding, Scout Service Area Coordinator, likes to hike across the dam at McGimsey Scout Park and follow the road in the back along the road winding up at the Dining Hall. He likes to stop in the campsites along the way looking for different animals like deer, rabbits, and hawks.

Hiking for all ages just takes imagination and natural areas are near, but away from the hustle and bustle of the big city.

Here are some more ideas for fun:

  • Some Cub Packs have hikes in December to cut cedar trees for Christmas.
  • Many a Scout has had his first cooking experience while on a trail.
  • Hike and find good pieces of wood for hiking staffs and have them carve their initials.
  • Add award attainment to the day – whittling chit, tree and plant identification, and some other skills like hiking first aid.
  • Hike to a “hidden fishing hole”.
  • Do a cleanup and make it into a hike.
  • The Historical Missions Trail.

Ideas for hiking fun and the possibilities on our properties are unlimited as we have ROOM TO ROAM in the Alamo Area Council.

Scouting Adventures