While Scouts throughout Penn’s Woods Council, Boy Scouts of America, are just getting 2009 under way, they also will be spending large parts of this year focusing on 2010.
That’s because the Boy Scouts of America looks at Feb. 8, 1910, as the day the Boy Scout movement officially began in the United States, said Cletus J. McConville Jr., Penn’s Woods Scout executive.
Penn’s Woods Council takes in Cambria, Somerset, Bedford, Blair and Indiana counties and parts of Westmoreland, Armstrong and Huntingdon counties.
Its service center is at 201 W. High St., Ebensburg.
McConville said Feb. 8 through Feb. 14, 2010, has been designated as Boy Scouts of America Anniversary Week.
The day before the start of that week – Feb. 7 – Scouting’s Keystone District (Cambria County), Forbes Trail District (Somerset County) and Fort Bedford District (Bedford County) each will hold a Klondike Derby, he noted.
A Klondike Derby is a Scouting skills contest in which participants move from station to station with a sled loaded with the gear they will need to participate in the various contests.
The Keystone District derby will be held at Duman Lake Park between Belsano and Nicktown; the Forbes Trail District derby at Listie Grove near Somerset; and the Fort Bedford District derby at the Bedford County Sportsmen’s Club near Bedford.
Cub Scout packs hold Pinewood Derbies in the winter.
Pack members – with help from parents or other adults – build a small car to run on a wooden or aluminum track, with the dens and packs racing their vehicles.
A councilwide camporee will be held April 24-26 at Camp Seph Mack at Yellow Creek State Park in Indiana County.
The camporee will include skills competitions and exhibitions and a major campfire show featuring skits and songs performed by Scouts, fireworks and professional entertainment.
“The camporee will get Penn’s Woods Council’s party started for Scouting’s 100th anniversary,” McConville said.
“We will be announcing some major activities to take place in 2010,” he added.
One event, McConville said, will take place on Feb. 8, 2010.
At noon that day, he said, Scouting rededication ceremonies will be held in Ebensburg, Somerset, Bedford, Hollidaysburg and Indiana as well as in Johnstown and Altoona.
Each ceremony will be planned to last for about a half hour and will be designed primarily for adults, he said, noting that the Scouts themselves will be in schools.
He said that troops and packs have been asked to schedule their February 2010 meetings for the week beginning Feb. 8 as well.
The troops and packs will be asked to hold rededication ceremonies as part of their meetings that week, McConville said.
Local News
Related Photos
-
Cub Scouts from Somerset County learn about raising flags and their proper display at the Klondike Derby. Submitted Photo
Discussion
Scout movement to mark 100th anniversary next year
- Local News
-
-
Johnstown man charged with giving fatal Methadone dose to girlfriend
A Johnstown area man has been charged in the death of his girlfriend, who died in August from an illicit drug that he allegedly gave to her while she was a patient at Indiana Regional Medical Center.
-
Somerset County teacher accused of using insulting names
School board members and administrators say they’re still investigating whether a teacher called her eighth- and ninth-grade algebra students names like “retard,” “idiot” and “moron.”
-
Seward tax preparer set to plead in federal court
A Westmoreland County tax preparer is scheduled to plead guilty or no contest to charges that he filed fraudulent income tax returns for his customers and asked some of them to lie to Internal Revenue Service investigators.
-
Blogging with heart
Anyone else have this issue: The more I know, the more I want to learn.
As I am writing my heart month stories for this week’s packages, I occasionally come across a term or description unfamiliar to me. So I look it up. And then the definition or article has something else that sounds important, so I look that up. -
Police probing financial irregularities at Indiana County parish
State police say they’re investigating financial “irregularities” at a Catholic parish with five worship sites in Indiana County, after the local diocese reported the problems to police.
-
Video: Young bear, wolf play together
It’s like something out of a children's book: A bear cub meets a wolf cub and they become the best of friends. Even though they are different species and ferocious predators, the unlikely couple stays pals for life.
-
Two Cambria district judge offices to be cut
Two of Cambria County’s 10 magisterial districts could be eliminated as President Judge Timothy Creany looks at realigning boundaries to cut costs while taking into consideration caseloads of the district judges and population changes.
-
Westmont couple inseparable, even in death
People who knew James and Marjorie Landis of Westmont said the two were nearly always together.
-
Company buys valuables from people ready to unload
Jan Hagerich’s buffalo nickel was “healthy” – which was unhealthy for her finances.
-
Special Olympics return to region
More than 300 athletes eager to show off their skills, along with 135 coaches, will be coming to the region to take part in the 2012 Special Olympics Pennsylvania Winter Games.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Johnstown man charged with giving fatal Methadone dose to girlfriend
Obama Gives Education Waivers to 10 States
Giffords Aide to Run for Her Seat
LA School in Sex Abuse Scandal Reopens
Winter Slamming North Asia, Parts of Europe
Syrian Forces Renew Bombardment of Homs
States, Banks Reach Foreclosure-abuse Settlement
Raw Video: Italy's Mount Etna Bursts Into Life
Greeks March; Angry Despite Debt Deal
Raw Video: U.S. Pullout Celebration
Raw Video: Annual Empire State Building Run-Up
Man Killed in Courthouse Shootout
Air Force Airlines: Leaders Get Polished Service
Ga Girl Fights Off Kidnapper at Walmart
Nevada Highway Patrol, City Settle Beating Case
Homs Bombardment Continues, Global Outcry Grows
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
