Thursday, May 30, 2013
Long Valley's Troop 36 brought scouting to Washington Township; set to commemorate birthday with current, former members.
Washington Township is often known for its dedication to cultivating the Scout culture, and turns up Eagle Scout and Gold Award recipients on a regular basis. The start of that culture came with the inception of Long Valley’s Boy Scout Troop 36 on January 13, 1938, chartered by the Long Valley Fire Department and the Long Valley Presbyterian Church. Scoutmaster R.E. Matteson and Assistant Scoutmaster Frank E. VanOver oversaw a troop of 13 boys ranging in age from 12 to 17. Troop 36 was the first organized group of Scouts in Washington Township. “Although the faces of Troop 36 have changed, its Boy Scouts still meet every week, and still strive to be: “Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, …
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Boy Scouts of America expected to make decision that could overturn policy on sexual orientation restriction this week.
For more than 100 years, the inclusion of openly gay males to the Boy Scouts of America has been banned. This week, however, a single vote may change that. It is believed the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) National Board will make a decision this week, as early as Wednesday, either reinforcing its current policy or lifting the ban on homosexuals. If the policy is overturned, it would remove the ban as a national policy, but leave the decision of whether or not to include openly gay males to each local chapter. For one Long Valley troop, the change would actually be welcomed. “[Allowing homosexuals to join Scouts] Is not an issue,” said Troop 36 Scoutmaster Jay DeBoey. “It’s not something we concern ourselves with. [Sexual orientation] is not …
Monday, January 28, 2013
Troop 36 braves cold to take part in annual event in Pennsylvania.
This past weekend Boy Scout Troop 36 from Long Valley competed in the Patriots Path Council, Black River district Klondike Derby at Camp Trexlar in Kunkletown, Pennsylvania. The competitive event involved field demonstration of Scout skills on everything from knot tying and compass use to fire building and woodsman tool use. The event is staged in January so that the scouts can make use of a team-pulled sled resembling that of a dog sled, to carry their equipment from one station to the next. The stations are spread out around the scout reservation and it takes the best part of five hours for a team to be tested at all 13 stations. Troop 36, established in 1938 and Long Valley's oldest Troop, started it’s 75th anniversary year by …
Kevin Nedd
3:23 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Freedom of association also allows a private organization to react to changing market conditions such as declining enrollment, lost sponsorship, and evolving public sentiment. The BSA sees the handwriting on the wall. more ›