| First Day |
| Rookie Campout |
| Other Campouts |
| Summer Camp |
| Camporees |
| Order of the Arrow |
| Dave Vana |
| The "New" Scouting Program |
| Games |
I was a Boy Scout from 1969 until 1978 in Troop 955 in the Chicago Area Council (CAC). I lived in Park Ridge, a suburb that abutted Chicago but the church, Edison Park Lutheren, was only two blocks from home. Plus my dad was a scout in the CAC and I think he really wanted me to go the same council summer camp, Owasippe, that he went to. There was a point early on when I wanted to quit the troop. There was a bully who would pick on me and I didn't want to deal with it anymore. But my parents insisted that stay in at least until I made the rank of First Class, then I could quit if I wanted to.
Well two things happened. One, patrol leader elections came up and I was nominated along with the bully. I won! A short while later, the bully got tired of the program and he quit. Two, after you have been in the program a while, everything becomes easier. You have more experience and natural friendships form. So by the time I reached first class, there was no way I was going to leave. And that's one of the smartest moves I have ever made in my life.
