Spirit of Adventure Council, BSA

Hi, everyone, it's Jerry Cross.  As some of you know,  I grew up in Somerville MA. As a kid, my parents used the Scouting program to help raise me, and I did the same with my own children. I have found scouting to be an incredibly powerful tool to raise children of character. At its core, scouting is a community program with families working together to help raise each other’s kids.


In addition to the struggles we’ve all endured this past year, Scouting has an even more complicated future. However, we have found a way to help kids today and help Scouting create a safe and sustainable scouting environment.


I’ve made lifelong friends in scouting and several of them have agreed to help me spread the word to help me help kids today. Together, we are going to sponsor the pioneering area at New England base Camp.


Pioneering is one of those core scout activities. At base camp, kids learn to make their own rope, tie dozens of knots, lash and build impressive projects. Non-scouts often comment that these are the skills they think of when I think about the BSA. Please camp is open to the public, so it’s a great way for people who don’t try to go to to learn the skills and learn about the full curriculum.


You can help me and my friends by being a sponsor. Any dollar amount is welcome and helpful. You can donate today, or you can watch us on Facebook live on March 27 and give during our program. We will spend the day helping kids and staff learn the skills that we learned in our youth.

Dear Fellow Parents,

Bethan and I were delighted to find the New England Base Camp and Home Base Learning Center, where kids can continue to have the experience of childhood in the times of the pandemic. We are happy our boy, Hollis, is getting a healthy dose of fresh air, exercise, and hands-on learning instead of an all day Zoom call.

Thankfully, Base Camp has been able to provide programming without much disruption since the beginning of the pandemic. However, as winter weather sets in, new challenges arise. It’s difficult for children to learn if their toes are cold or their mittens are wet. We need your help to provide an alternative for the kids to stay warm without extended periods indoors.

In this Phase I initiative,Base Camp is endeavoring to purchase a dozen new outdoor propane heaters. These heaters would be stationed at strategic positions throughout the property, as shown on the map (click here). A future Phase II initiative would fund the construction of two pavilions.  These improvements will provide shelter and warmth during the challenging season ahead, without going indoors. Our kids and their instructors will be able to maintain educational pacing by taking short breaks to thaw out.

Please join me in making a tax deductible contribution to this campaign. The first priority is the propane heaters. The goal for this Phase I campaign is $3,600. The second initiative, to construct the two pavilions will have a goal of $15,000.

Please give what you can.

Sincerely,
Dan Kacher and Bethan Steward, parents of Hollis Kacher

It is not uncommon for us to share the news of a long-time Scout leader who has passed away. In Scouting, the trail symbol for "gone home," a dot within a circle, is often used. Baden- Powell has the symbol on his grave; it is a gentle reminder of our humanity and humility. No matter what your position in life, or your faith, there was a time before us, and there will be a time after us. We all eventually "return home."

When a scout leader, who lived a long vibrant life, helped hundreds of boys and families, and earned the role of a leader in the community finally passes, we celebrate all the meaning and value they brought to Scouting, to each of us. We take solace in the idea that a little piece of him or her lives on in each of us. In fact, in many ways, that's how Scouting remembers our heroes who have passed:  we each live out the best qualities we gained from their generosity. Our camps, our meetings, our memories are all enriched for having known them.

However, there are also those rare moments when a young Scout, so full of promise, goes home a lifetime too early. In these moments the community cannot feel enriched by the grace they left in each of us. Instead we are simply left with the great ache of unfulfilled promise.

William S. Cline, and Eagle Scout in the Class of 2016, exhibited the qualities of a true Scout in everything he did. He had a sharp mind, kind heart, and generous soul, not just in Troop 11 in Dorchester, but with everyone he met. We have all missed him since his passing in May of 2017, especially those who knew him well.

With William's parents Robert and Heather, we mourn the loss of a Scout with tremendous promise, who had already touched countless lives, not just in his troop, but in Scouting and even more broadly.   

Last week I met with William’s father.  As you can imagine, after a year the pain is still quite close to the surface. However, all things considered, he and Heather are doing well. During our conversation, Robert encouraged and approved the idea of creating a restricted endowment fund in William’s honor. Because William was an active member of Pack and Troop 11 in Dorchester, our signature Scout Reach unit, the fund would support Scout Reach. William earned his Eagle as part of Troop 11 -- he was the Troop's first Eagle Scout. Although he lived in the suburbs, William made Dorchester and Troop 11 his community.

Scout Reach is a fund and program that provides authentic Scouting for communities that are financially challenged.  We aim to raise $10,000 for our endowment, which will be invested and restricted. The investment income would be used to help provide Scouting and camp programs for urban and needy Scouts. Each year, one (or more) Scout Reach children will be awarded the William S. Cline Award for Scouting Selflessness at the Annual Eagle Dinner.

Please consider making a contribution and leaving a note that’ll be memorialized in William’s honor. And like everything William did in too-short life, donations in his memory will "pay it forward" for future generations.

Support Scouts while Honoring Dick Preble's Legacy of Service

Dick Preble has dedicated much of his life to serving Scouting and promoting the idea that kids belong outdoors.  Join your voice with his by supporting Scouting while honoring his legacy of service.

Every Scout who has attended summer camp or a weekend at Lone Tree Scout Reservation, Camp Onway, or Wah-Tut-Ca Scout Reservation over the past 30+ years has benefited from the leadership and service of Dick Preble.  Dick served as the camping chairman of Lone Tree and Yankee Clipper Councils for 20 years from 1986 to 2006.  Dick led the properties and program at these three council camps, coordinating camp promotions, leading building and maintenance projects, and supporting the summer camp staff.  While camping chair, Dick spent countless hours at camp during the summer months ensuring that all was running smoothly.  And in the off-season Dick was busy at work coordinating activities to get the camps ready for the following summer.


Dick attended Lone Tree Scout Reservation as a Scout during its first year in operation, 1946-1947.  His troop, Troop 26 West Newbury, MA, camped in the Ticonderoga Campsite which is now the site of Fort Preble, dedicated to and named in honor of Dick’s many years of service to Scouting and Scout Camping. 



Returning from his service in the Korean Conflict, Dick rejoined Troop 26 West Newbury, where he had earned his Eagle Scout as a youth in 1952.  Shortly thereafter Dick was asked to be Scoutmaster in 1956, a role in which he would directly influence the lives of many Scouts through his 30 years of service as scoutmaster of Troop 26.  Dick served several summers on the staff at Lone Tree Scout Reservation in the late 1950’s and returned to camp staff at Lone Tree after his retirement in 1994.  His wife, Leona, was the camp cook at Lone Tree for many summers in the 1950’s and 1960’s.

Additionally, Dick served as Scoutmaster of four National Jamboree contingent troops – 1964, 1967, 1973 and 1977.



Since retiring as camping chairman in 2006, Dick has hardly slowed down.  Donning his trademark bucket hat, Dick is regularly seen at Lone Tree and Wah-Tut-Ca repairing screens, doors, windows, organizing the workshops and doing all other types of maintenance that needs to be done in camp – and there is plenty of it to do.  Dick participated recently at the post-Thanksgiving “Why Shop When You Can Chop” service day at Wah-Tut-Ca Scout Reservation.


In addition to his contributions to Scouting, Dick continues to serve as chairman of the Town of West Newbury’s Capital Improvements Committee, on which he has served for decades.  Several years ago he received the West Newbury Citizen of the Year award.  A lifelong resident of West Newbury, Dick and his wife, Leona, still live in the same house on Church Street where they raised their four children.   

In August this year members of The Lone Tree Spirit Foundation sat with Dick and recorded his Oral History, recounting his days as a Scout, scoutmaster, staff member, and camping chairman.  A 20-minute excerpt of the interview is available online here: 



Dick’s contributions have already been recognized in many ways.  Dick has received many Scouting honors – Silver Beaver, Vigil Honor, NESA Outstanding Eagle Scout – but perhaps the one that meant the most to Dick and to those of us who look up to him was having a building at Lone Tree named for him in recognition of the legacy of service he has created.  Fort Preble was dedicated in June 2000. 



This ongoing campaign by The Spirit of Adventure Council honors those who have given a legacy of service to Scouting while raising money for Scouting’s ongoing mission – to get kids outdoors.  Dick will be honored with a stone in the “Legacy Courtyard” at New England Base Camp in Milton.  Dick’s legacy will also be captured in a digital kiosk honoring local Scouting legends within the Egan Scout Center. 

Contributions go directly to the Spirit of Adventure Council, BSA and your donations are tax deductible.  Donors are encouraged to write a message to Dick with their donation.

We all know that Camp Quinapoxet for many of us embodied all that is great about Scouting and our childhoods for many years. We all still talk about the stories of camp any chance we get and treasure all the pictures that people post of our forever loved camp. My question to you is, why did we love it so much? It was not just that it was an amazing place in New Hampshire with a lake as smooth as glass, that when the sun set on it and we were all assembled at the Frank Jepson Memorial Fire Circle singing camp songs it felt and looked like a Norman Rockwell painting. It was the people and the leaders of Quinapoxet that made that place so special for me hands down.

The enthusiasm and dedication of the leadership of Quinny was what made and kept our camp great. It was our Scout Masters, Camp Administrators, Directors, Councilors and of course our camp mothers summers in and summers out, working tirelessly to make sure that not only Quinny opened every year, but that it was pristine and our summers were packed full of fun and excitement. This was not only a summer task, these people worked all year long to make sure that our campsites were full and Quinny could give us the experiences we looked forward to all year long. 

WHO WILL BENEFIT -By us taking part in Brick Paver Program, we are tackling two things. We are first and foremost memorializing not only Camp Quinapoxet. We are literally engraving in stone those people and leaders that made Camp Quinapoxet great, that are now no longer with us. I feel (and I hope you do as well) that these people need to be honored and remembered in scouting history forever. Secondly, let’s be honest, Parenting is different today than it was in our Quinny days, but childhood is not. Kids are still full of energy and curiosity, they still need long term guidance and adult role models. They still want to explore, find snakes, ride horses and belong to a group of peers. Kids still need Scouting. But there are less and less individuals like the people we had at Quinny, with the wherewithal to volunteer. "The Base Camp" New England’s, ultimate Scouting resource center (which is what the “Brick Paver Project” is a fundraiser for this center) provides support and inspires young parents to serve in the same way our Quinny leaders did. In this way, your contribution will benefit youth (both boy and girls) and families through this center and a vibrant Scout program for years to come.

WHAT THE FUNDS WILL BE USED FOR – The effort to build Scouting’s ultimate resource center is well underway and already has a proven track record in revitalizing scouting here in New England. I am asking and challenging my friends, my Quinny family and anyone one else that is willing to support us, to raise $5,000+ in honor of our beloved Camp Quinapoxet legacy and those who got us there. Those funds will be used specifically to support the resource center (which is an amazing place) and the many scouting programs that are taking place throughout New England. We all learned how to build a fire by flint & steel at Quinny and I know thousands of young people will gain those same skills and have the same life long memories and relationships we do because of our support.

MY THOUHGTS – I, who have been a long time Scouter and volunteer myself, had lost hope that the Scouting program would re-capture its universal appeal. The efforts I am seeing being made in the revitalization of the programs through the efforts of the “Base Camp” is really giving me hope. Seeing the national organization change to embrace everyone and fixing mistakes of the past is refreshing. I have visited the scouting resource center and I would love to set something up to get a group of us to go over and have you check it out as well, because I wished we had had something like this place when we were in scouting for sure, it is most impressive. I love Camp Quinny and scouting and lord only knows where I would have ended up without both of them. But I do know I am proud to put my effort behind these exciting endeavors to make Scouting relevant again in the big picture.  

DONATION SUGGESTION – I know that we all are not rolling in money and that times are tight these days. But, I am asking that people make at least a minimum of $25 towards assisting in us reaching the goal of $5000 plus. For those of you able to give more  $ 50, $75, $100, $200, $500, $1000 that would really help get us to reach the goal. Keep in mind that all donations are Tax Deductible. PLEASE don’t just pass this by, do what you can. I would love to have 100% participation for this. 

DEDCATED BRICKS – When deciding to put my efforts into doing this, I had some people that came to mind for dedications, I asked some others as well. I am sure this list will grow in the coming weeks but please keep in mind that the more names we come up with, the more money we need to fundraise. We are starting off with 18 bricks and 1 camp dedication slate. All our dedication bricks will be places around our camp dedication slate. If you wish to dedicate a brick directly to someone that does not make this list, you can do it 1 of 2 way, you can donate $250 and send me a message that you would like your donation to purchase a brick for a specific person and they will be added to our list or you can go directly to the “Brick Paver Program” http://www.scoutspirit.org/development/alumni-groups/brick-paver/  and purchase the brick there. If you have other people that you think were instrumental in making Camp Quinapoxet what it was, we have a few more brick to fill, make a suggestion. Of course this is all contingent on us meeting the goal of $5000 plus, the beginning list is below, please do not be offended if I have forgotten someone important.

Paul Langley 
Paul Doherty
Kenny Simmons 
Frank Jepson
Frank Burns
Bob "Hobar" Hutchinson
Bob Cleland
Gray Tremblay 
Bill Campbell 
Elliot Vining 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP - In appreciation for your support each donor of $25 or more, will receive a commemorative patch and all will receive an invitation to the official unveiling of the project and to the camp (camp Sayre in Milton, MA) to see the programs. There you will experience the impact your contribution has made and see that same look in kids eye we had, back in Quinny’ s hay day!

Honoring Donald A. Doliber Sr. by Funding Investment in the Leaders of Tomorrow

If you know him and hear the name “Don Doliber”, you are sure to smile. Whether it was in his classroom, his office, a Masonic Lodge, at Rotary, or at a camp…Don Doliber is one of the greatest educators the North Shore of Massachusetts has known. How fortunate are we that he is still here and still working for us all to this very day!

Specific to Scouting, Don’s dedication to education and development of youth into leaders is tough to match.
He has positively influenced tens of thousands through Scouting.  Society benefits from this in countless ways, including those that he has mentored who today try to follow his lead in service to the program. 

This is his legacy in Scouting, and is one I am trying to build on.

New England Base Camp is a property in Milton Massachusetts owned by the Spirit of Adventure Council. Unlike many Scout properties, this one is open to the public and is an innovative way of introducing the outdoors and Scouting to families.

It is a physical cornerstone in the Council’s strategy for reaching underserved communities that need Scouting now more than ever, with hopes that the youth we attract and serve today will eventually be the leaders of tomorrow.  Like Don's investment in many of us, this will have a positive impact on society for decades to come.

Renovations to Base Camp are ongoing, and part of that is a Legacy Courtyard to honor Scouting Heroes. It is hard to envision any Scouting legacy project in New England without Donald A. Doliber Sr.’s contributions prominently displayed.

Please join me in this project. Our goal is to raise $5,000 to help build this Legacy Courtyard so others can memorialize the good so many do while directly investing in the youth of today on their road to becoming our leaders of tomorrow.

A Few of the Ways Donald A. Doliber Made the Difference and Became a Scouting Legend

His work as charter youth member and adult leader establishing Troop 11 in Marblehead in 1955 lives on with a successful program to this day.

Since 1991 he has served on the Parker Scholarship Committee carefully reviewing candidates and awarding hundreds of thousands of funds to worthy Scouts perusing college degrees.

His time staffing and serving as Camp Director at Norshoco and Indian Pond positively affected thousands of Scouts over more than a decade of service.



Again as a youth and adult, he helped countless Scouts “seek a higher vision” of what serving others through Scouting is all about.


And for 20 years, his involvement as the Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster of the Brownsea II Training program formed a fraternal feel among staff and alumni that carried a successful leadership development course through to today.



What is a Scout Hero?  There are the obvious examples that all Scouts revere such as Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting and William Boyce, who brought Scouting to America.  There were heroes like Dan Beard and James West, who developed and grew the Boy Scouts of America.

But for me, I see Scout Heroes around me all the time.  They are those who have made the commitment to Scouting and the youths they serve.  My particular Scout Hero is someone who has been involved in Scouting for over 60 years.  He has served at all levels of Scouting and in many different roles.   He has dedicated his life to service to youth and others, not just in Scouting but also in his community and the surrounding area.  My hero is Tom Kehoe.

My first experience with Tom, as was the case for many in the former North Shore District, was when he served as the District Advancement Chair.  He was dedicated to this role.  He held training sessions for Eagle candidates and their parents.  Each Eagle candidate he met with waited nervously for his comments on their Eagle application.  The number of yellow sticky notes covering the pages would determine how much work needed to be done to make the application acceptable for submission.  Tom was very thorough in his comments and suggestions but he was also fair and wanted the best work from each candidate.  Tom earned his Eagle in 1966 and has long been an active member of the Yankee Clipper, now the Spirit of Adventure, Council’s National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) Committee.  Tom was honored as the NESA Outstanding Eagle Scout in 2015.

Tom is also known for his participation in Jamborees.   This includes Mass Jam since 1985.  Mass Jam occurs every 4-5 years and involves all the Scout Councils of Massachusetts and includes some Councils in surrounding states.  The event draws close to 7000 Scouts and leaders.  Tom has served as a Scoutmaster, a member of the staff, a Council representative on the Steering Committee and as the Chair of Mass Jam 2013.  Mass Jam is occurring in 2018 and Tom continues to serve as Co-Chair of the event.  He has been running meetings for the past 2 years planning a successful event for all.  Tom has also attended or served on staff for seven National Jamborees and attended 5 World Jamborees.  

Tom has served on the Executive Board of the former Yankee Clipper Council and continues to serve on the board for the Spirit of Adventure Council.   Tom is also committed to making Scout camps better to provide a safer and more fulfilling and fun experience for those attending camp.  He has served as the area camp visitation leader and instructor, the area camp program vice chair and the National Camp Accreditation Program team leader.   Each summer he is a familiar face as he and the team visit several camps and report their findings.

Tom’s direct service to youth outside of Scouting was as a Marblehead Junior High/Middle School teacher where he taught math and science for 35 years.  While there, for 15 years he led an outdoor mini-course providing experiences in hiking, mountain climbing, cross country skiing and backpacking for 60 9th graders each year.  Tom has now retired from teaching.  I have encountered many of his students through the years and they always have fond memories of their time in his class.

Tom also serves his community of Manchester-by-the-Sea.  He served 5 years on the Manchester Planning Board.  He is currently in his 12th year on the Manchester Board of Selectmen.  For 2 of those years he was vice-chairman and for 3 years served as its chairman.  He has been a member of the youth commission, recreation committee and Manchester-Essex playing field committee.  Tom has been a member of the Manchester Fire Department and serves as the emergency response coordinator and emergency planning committee member.

As you can see, Tom is dedicated to service.  We are fortunate that the Boy Scouts of America, his Troop in Manchester, the District, the Council and so many other areas in Scouting have been the recipient of his knowledge, caring, time and commitment.  This is why Tom is my Scout Hero.

If Tom has had a positive impact on your life, I ask you to join me in honoring Tom.  Our campaign is  preserving the legacy and building the future.  The legacy is Tom and the many other Toms who have given so much.  The future is scouting through the Spirit of Adventure Council.  How do you do this?  By joining me in contributing a tax deductible donation through this GoFundMe page.  These funds will go to the camps of the Spirit of Adventure Council.

Building Capacity for Diversity at New England Base Camp-let me give you some background as to why I think this is important. My family has been deeply committed to the Scouting program for several years.  My husband and I have served as Cub Scout Den Leaders for both of our children (since my oldest was 6-now he's 17) as well as holding various other Pack, Troop and District positions.  We  have given so many hours to the Scouting program because we value the family building  and character development that benefits all of us as individuals and our communities.  And we have had a lot of fun doing it!

I have had the pleasure and pride of watching young boys develop from eager and excited Tigers into caring, thoughtful young men who epitomize the Scout oath and law, and the added benefit of meeting so many wonderful families.  Over the years, I have watched the BSA begin to catch up with our rapidly changing society;  although our local council has been ahead of the curve for many years. I am so pleased that with their most recent vote, Scouting will now be open to everyone. 

Why does this matter to me?  Last year, my youngest child Chris came out as transgender and started high school as Claire.  At the time, she was already a Star Scout on the verge of earning her Life rank.  Even though her Scout friends and the Troop and Council leadership were supportive, until now no girl has been allowed to earn the rank of Eagle.  While that may not be something Claire decides to do, we are thrilled that now she (and girls all over the United States) has that option.  

What is "capacity building?" How does it relate to girls as full participants, women in leadership and diversity in general with regards to the Boy Scouts?  Capacity Building has a simple definition when we think about the physical accessibility of our camps and resources. The physical changes include things like separate sleeping quarters for girls, separate shower facilities, and better accessibility for disabled Scouts and participants.  But the real capacity building, the real weight of the work, comes in the way we think, govern, and interact.  In order to effect a culture change in the BSA, we need to expand our capacity to truly welcome and embrace new families, not just sisters of current members. This is NOT JUST a story about girls welcomed into Scouting, it’s a shift to embrace families from all walks of life into Scouting, and we need the capacity to do it right!

New England Base Camp wants to expand its offerings for LGBTQ families, Latino families, families with special needs, immigrants, and so many other families who would appreciate the Scouting program.  The camp itself is "powered by Scouting” - but - you don't have to be a Scout to attend.  Everyone's invited. This camp is located 7 miles from Fenway Park, 10 miles from the Freedom Trail and in the middle of the 8,000 acre state park called the Blue Hills Reservation. Base Camp has organically been a melting pot, and has also become a test kitchen for program ideas and feedback.

Opening its doors to the public, Scouting has inspired new ways of looking at this hundred-year-old proven curriculum. Base camp now provides service to homeschooling families, houses a competitive swimming team, and a rock climbing association. They have hired a diverse camp staff and sponsored spotlight days celebrating diversity in spirituality, culture, ethnicity, ability, gender and identity. All of these activities and people can find roots in the Scouting curriculum. 

The camp and its leadership are dedicated to respecting and maintaining the long-term participants that Scouting has always served effectively, while expanding to reach diverse families.

Please join US in supporting the capacity building and diversity initiative launched by New England Base Camp.

Please Give Today! A generous and anonymous donor has agreed to match contributions made before November 11 or up to $10,000 whichever comes first! Also, when you give, please be sure to leave a comment, and consider volunteering for one of our spotlight days . Volunteering for an afternoon will give you a chance to see Scouting in action!

Please take some time to see what we have been up to by visiting us here .

Before I tell you anything about this fundraiser I want to share my story. My Mother signed me up for Cub Scouts when I was just old enough to be a Tiger Cub and I have been with the program ever since. I moved through the Cub Scout program as most do with no drama, earned by Arrow of Light, and got to crossover to Boy Scouts. A couple years into my Boy Scouting career I had to make one of the hardest decisions of my life. Do I come out of the closet as an open gay youth Scout in the program or do I hide in the closest so I can still participate in all the things I loved doing so much? If I were to come out would I still be able to participate in troop meetings, camping trips, and how would I ever achieve my dream of becoming the Senior Patrol Leader (the youth member running the troop)?? Being gay in Scouting was something that was rarely talked about within the troop- It was known it just wasn't allowed.

I went about the next several years of my life living two very different lives. The life I was living in Scouting- Doing all I could to pretend to be a heterosexual boy progressing through the ranks on my way toward earning my Eagle.  I even went on camping trips to places full of dirt and insects! Then there was my life at school where I was an openly gay student. I would attend the occasional GSA meetings, participate in the World Language Club, founded and started the recycling club at my high school, and even went on a school trip to France. I was awarded the privilege participate in these activities for who I was.

I made very conscious choices to make it a point that friends in these two different lives I have created never crossed paths. If it were to happen I would debrief the school friends on what were "allowable topics for discussion." Luckily for me at this point in my life I Scouted in a different town than where I lived which made this dual lifestyle work.

I am now an openly gay man registered in the Boy Scouts of America, a program that has done so much for me. This is something I had only ever dreamt of and never saw it as a possibility when I was still a teenager. I have been privileged with more leadership and character building real life experience than almost any other 24 year old can claim. I have been able to build an awesome social network of individuals from all different backgrounds and talents. There is a laundry list of great things the Scouting curriculum has done for me. For that, I am forever in debt for all those who put themselves out there for change- whether part of the LGBT+ community or an ally.

I have always been one for inclusion on all levels. When the gay issues was still being jerked around I always thought, why should we stop with the LGBT community? There is a whole gender we are completely neglecting to be a part of our Scouting curriculum. Why can't girls participate?! Now THEY CAN!

Scouting has been around for over 100 years and according to research (Tufts University Study, Baylor University Study) and anecdotal evidence, the curriculum is a powerful tool for character education and community parenting.

Society is shifting and the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is learning. Currently, the BSA has made a new commitment to making its signature curriculum available to ALL youth:  from the impoverished to the wealthy, from Muslims to Christians, from gay to straight youth and parents, and most recently to girls.   - ALL who want to raise children of character?

To that end, Scouting in Boston created a year round; open to the general public, camp called The New England Base Camp . The camp itself is "powered by Scouting” - but - you don't have to be a Scout to attend.  Everyone's invited.  This camp is located 7 miles from Fenway Park, 10 miles from the Freedom Trail and in the middle of the 8,000 acre state park called The Blue Hills Reservation. Base Camp has ORGANICALLY BEEN A MELTING POT, AND HAS ALSO become a test kitchen for program ideas and feedback. Opening the doors to the public, Scouting has inspired new ways of looking at this hundred-year-old proven curriculum.  Base camp now provides service to homeschooling families, houses a competitive swimming team, and rock climbing association. We have hired a diverse camp staff and sponsored spotlight days celebrating diversity in spirituality, culture, ethnicity, ability, gender and identity. All these activities and people can find roots in the Scouting curriculum.

This is how the time tested, community building Scouting curriculum reinvents itself. It doesn't need to create a new "modern" curriculum. It doesn't outsource the volunteer scout leader job to a paid staff member. It doubles down on its core: the scout oath and law, and its eight methods; and opens the doors - to - everyone.  We are committed to constantly strengthening these inclusionary principles in order to bring the Scouting values to more and more families and youth.

Culture change is difficult, and this initiative deserves everyone’s support. The camp and its leadership are dedicated to respecting and maintaining the long-term participants that Scouting has always served effectively, while expanding to reach diverse families.

We want to change the image of the BSA in Boston. Too long this wonderful character building curriculum has been seen as only available for white, Christian, suburban boys. For the 50% of American youth who are girls, for the 50% who are of color (Asian, black, Latino, and others), for the nearly 1 in 5 families that are not Christian, and for the LGBT youth, and those from urban environments, we want you to know that Scouting is for you Too. One recent success we have had is outreach to the Islamic community.  Also, our current annual attendance is already 40% girls.  We’re committed to this wonderful growth and evolution.

Please join US in supporting the capacity building and diversity initiative launched by New England Base Camp.

A comprehensive calendar of spotlight days (found here) to celebrate and learn about the diversity in spirituality, culture, ethnicity, ability, gender and identity has been launched through base camp. All these activities and people can find roots in the Scouting curriculum. The time tested, community building curriculum that's proven to increase character in young people.

Please join US in supporting the capacity building and diversity initiative launched by New England Base Camp.

Please Give Today! A generous and anonymous donor has agreed to match contributions made before November 11 or up to $10,000 whichever comes first! Also, when you give, please be sure to leave a comment, and consider volunteering for one of our spotlight days . Volunteering for an afternoon will give you a chance to see Scouting in action!

Please take some time to see what we have been up to by visiting us here , https://www.newenglandbasecamp.org/take-a-look!

We all know and love Vee and see him as the embodiment of all that is great about Scouting. His leadership and gentle nature, combined with his love of the outdoors made him one of the most impactful and respected Scouters of his day. As my Scoutmaster at old Troop 222 Watertown--which he founded--he guided a number of us to Eagle Scout, oversaw countless camping trips, and coached all of us through the ethical decision making process that stays with us to this day.  I'm so proud of my father and it's a joy everyday that he is still here to see me carrying on in his footsteps as Scoutmaster, but with Troop 248 Waltham, the friendly rivals of 222 back in the day. 

Once a Scout, always a Scout. Those of us who experienced Vee's leadership and mentorship can help preserve his legacy in a thriving Scouting program for generations to come. The Spirit of Adventure Scouting Council is busy building the ultimate resource center and camp close to home in Milton, called New England Basecamp. It’s open to the public and welcomes everyone yet retains the critical traditions of Scouting. As part of that development they would like to simultaneously honor some of our greatest Scouters and ensure the future of Scouting. 

Parenting is different today than it was in Vee’s day, but childhood is not. Kids are still full of energy and curiosity, they still need long term guidance and adult role models. They still want to explore, pick up frogs and belong to a group of peers. Kids still need Scouting. But there are less and less folks like Vee with the wherewithal to volunteer. New England Basecamp provides support and inspires young parents to serve in the same way Vee did. In this way, your contribution will benefit youth and families through a vibrant Scout program for years to come.

The effort to build Scouting’s ultimate resource center is well underway and already has a proven track record of revitalizing Scouting. We are endeavoring to raise $2,000 in honor of Vee’s legacy and those funds will be used specifically to support the wilderness survival program at the camp. We all learned how to start a fire by friction and with flint and steel from Vee. Thousands will gain the same skill and confidence with your contribution. 

Development of the camp is underway and renovations to the wilderness survival program area are scheduled for this spring. Please contribute today so we can support the effort. Vee will visit the camp and see his legacy in action. 

As a dedicated Scouter following in my father's, Vee's, footsteps, I believe strongly that Scouting is the type of experience that is missing from today's youth.  I give my time to advance the revitalization of Scouting locally.  I've watched the national organization change to embrace everyone.  And, most importantly, I’ve seen Basecamp work it’s magic with my current Scouts and parents.  I am proud of the forward movement in our local Council, and I encourage you to support it and help it achieve even more.

In appreciation for your support each donor will receive a commemorative patch and an invitation to the camp to see and participate in the programs. You’ll experience the impact your contribution made in the eyes of all the Scouts and children.

Hello Friends & Alumni of Troop 5 West Roxbury!

It's been too long since I've connected with most you.  I am reaching out to solicit your support in a unique opportunity to honor Bill Barrett as one of Boston's Scouting Heroes.  I was recently speaking with Spirit of Adventure Council Exec Chuck Eaton about plans for a Scouting Legacy courtyard at New England Base Camp in Milton (aka Camp Sayre), and I quickly realized that this project couldn't go forward without our Scoutmaster and Friend Bill Barrett being included.  


We all can remember that Bill embodies all that is great about Scouting.  His altruistic and selfless, dedicated, and caring nature, combined with his love of the citizenship, service, outdoors, and youth development made him one of the impactful Scout volunteers of his day.  Over his 25-year tenure as Scout Master from 1969 to 1994, he lead hundreds of camping trips, about a thousand Friday night meetings at West Roxbury High or St T's, guided (and prodded) dozens of boys to the rank of Eagle, and dedicated well over a cumulative year of his life at Adams Pond and Wild Goose camp.  Most importantly, he coached all of us through ethical decision making processes that stay with us to this day -- extending his impact beyond West Roxbury to develop ethical community, government, military, and business leaders across our country.







Bill's service for over 60 years as a Scout and Scouter in Troop 5 is unparalleled, and his greatest legacy would be ensuring that Scouting thrives for generations to come in Boston.  Chuck and the Council team are busy building the ultimate resource center and camp close to home in Milton. It’s open to the public and welcomes everyone yet retains the critical traditions of Scouting. As part of that development, the council will simultaneously honor Bill and other great Boston Scouters to help ensure the future of Scouting.   Kids still need Scouting, but I've seen first hand as an ASM with my sons' troop in VA that there just aren't folks like Bill willing and able to volunteer for years on end.  The Base Camp at Camp Sayre provides support and inspires young adults to serve in the same way Bill did. In this way, your contribution will benefit youth and families through a vibrant Scout program for years to come.

The effort to build Scouting’s ultimate resource center is well underway and already has a proven track record of revitalizing Scouting.  We are endeavoring to raise $2,500 in honor of Bill's legacy and those funds will be used specifically to support inner city Scouting programs and low income kids that normally couldn't experience the joys of camping -- just like Bill did for the youth of West Roxbury with camperships that were always there to make sure money didn't stand in the way from us spending two weeks in Barnstead, NH.  

Like most of you, I’ve followed the national organization’s change to embrace everyone in a challenging time in our nation's history, and I'm confident that Camp Sayre can work Scouting’s magic with Boston's Scouts and parents. I am proud to put a collective Troop 5 Alumni effort behind our local exciting endeavor make Scouting relevant and honor Bill Barrett for a lifetime of leadership!  Please contribute what you can along with any stories and pictures of Bill you'd like to see in the exhibit's electronic register.  In appreciation for your tax-deductible support each donor will receive an invitation to the camp to see and participate in the programs. You’ll experience the impact your contribution made in the eyes of all the Scouts and children! I hope all of you can contribute and I hope to make it up to Boston for the dedication ceremony.  

Cheers!
Matt Reardon
Troop 5 ('80-'87), ASM ('88-91)

p.s. - Please spread the word.  I've been more or less out of Boston since high school and have lost contact with way too many of the faces in these pics.  I am counting on you all to forward this link!