WINTER
ADVENTURESWinter
is a great time for Scouting! As temperatures drop, you
can find adventures all around.
Whether
it's a hike on a frosty morning or a cold weather
campout with fellow Scouts and leaders, BSA's outdoor
skills will show you what to do.
How
about traveling on skis or snowshoes across mountain
snows? With plenty of preparation, the right equipment,
and good leadership, Scouts on winter journeys can build
igloos and other snow shelters that are sturdy,
windproof, and cozy inside.
Layers
of clothing are important for staying warm on chilly
days. Many Scouts button up red wool jackets that have
the same sharp appearance today as they did long
ago.
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SCOUTING'S
RED JACKET
The
red jacket was adopted in the mid-1940s by the staff at
Philmont Scout Ranch, the BSA's high adventure base in
northern New Mexico. Scouts who had completed Philmont
treks were soon wearing the jackets, too.
Officially
known as a jac-shirt, Scouting's red jacket is
hard to miss in camp, at Scout meetings, and unit
events. For everyday wear, the jac-shirt is a terrific
way for you to show pride in your connection with the
BSA.
A
silhouette of a black bull sewn on the left shoulder of
a red jacket shows that an older Scout has been to
Philmont, a destination many younger Scouts hope to
reach soon. That's as true today as it was for Scouts of
long ago.
Advertisements
in 1950s issues of Boys' Life magazine featured several
jackets for Scouts, including the all-wool red
jac-shirt. Identical in style, today's jac-shirt is made
of a wool blend that increases durability. Find yours at
www.scoutstuff.org
.
The
Order of the Arrow uses the jac-shirt as its official
jacket and encourages members to identify themselves
with a large, round OA jacket patch sewn on the back.
Embroidered jacket patches can be worn by Scouts and
Scouters who have completed certain other BSA programs
and trainings, too, or have been to a high adventure
base or jamboree.
Here's a sampling of the jacket
patches recognized by the BSA.
In
addition to the red jac-shirt, scoutstuff.org
offers other Scouting outerwear that looks good and will
help keep you warm around home, on your way to school,
and during BSA adventures. Check out the washable
wool jacket. Cut along the same lines as its famous
red brother, the green jacket features a Scout emblem on
the left pocket.
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PREPARING FOR
EMERGENCIES
Winter
can be an ideal season for you to review your first aid
skills and advance your ability to the next level.
You'll be better prepared for emergencies that might
occur on the trail and ready to do your best if you come
upon an accident in your community or home.
The
appearance of the first aid merit badge has changed over
the decades, but the importance of the subject has
always been strong.
Illustrations
in vintage BSA manuals show that Scouts have always been
learning and practicing the best first aid skills of the
time.
The
1940 Boy Scout Handbook illustrated several accidents
that could require first aid...
...then
showed a Scout practicing all his bandaging skills at
once.
As
medical knowledge has grown through the years, first aid
treatments have dramatically improved. Much of what was
presented in early Scout manuals is outdated now. Even a
year or two can bring enough changes to certain first
aid methods that regular refresher courses are important
for keeping your knowledge current.
First
aid skills developed along the trail to Eagle build a
solid foundation of expertise for approaching
emergencies with confidence. Doing the best you can with
the knowledge you have can almost always make situations
better.
Just
as first aid techniques have evolved, first aid kits
have also become more useful. It is interesting to lift
the metal lid of an antique BSA kit and see what's
inside. This one from the 1920s contains ointments for
treating burns and poison ivy, mercurochrome for
cleaning wounds, and several bandages to use as
dressings.
For
the latest in first aid supplies, look to
www.scoutstuff.org and a selection of kits just right
for a single Scout to carry or for a group of Scouts on
the trail for several days or more.
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PLANNING FOR
THE PINEWOOD DERBY®
Cub
Scout packs across America are gearing up for this
year's Pinewood Derby. The first derby was held in the
spring of 1953 by a Cub Scout pack in Manhattan Beach,
California. The next year Boys' Life Magazine published
plans for a race car that looks very much like the cars
of today.
Since
then, more than 100 million model cars have sped down
tracks at pack Pinewood Derbies all across America.
That's a lot of opportunities for Cub Scouts and their
parents or guardians to share the joy of building racers
together, experiences every bit as important as which
car is the first to cross the finish line.
Start
working on your racer with an official Pinewood Derby
Car Kit from scoutstuff.org.
You'll also find everything you need to tune up your car
with good looks and speed. Publications offer design
ideas and construction tips from the experts.
Personalizing
your Pinewood Derby racer is one of the most enjoyable
steps in building a car. Let your imagination go wild as
you choose colors and designs. Stumped for ideas? Try
these scoutstuff.org
accessories and wraps.
Infused
with spirit and energy, your car will be one of a kind.
To learn more, explore the BSA's own Pinewood Derby
website:
http://www.pinewoodderby.org/
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A BACKWARD
GLANCE
As
the calendar turns over to the year 2011, the Boy Scouts
of America moves into a future full of opportunities
built on Scouting's core values. It's also satisfying to
remember the remarkable celebration of Scouting's 100th
anniversary year. From local events to the 2010 National
Jamboree, the Boy Scouts of America reintroduced itself
to the nation as an exciting, meaningful program for the
nation's youth.
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(This
edition of the Be Prepared Newsletter was
developed and written by Robert Birkby, author of the
Centennial edition of the Boy Scout Handbook.)
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