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Scout Ashes


thenry

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Does anyone do Scout ashes at their campfires? I first seen this at WOLT a few weeks ago and thought it was so neat. We were all given ashes from that fire and told to start our own at our camp outs.I started mine last weekend and hope to have everyone get excited about it as much as I am. I'm looking for more info and history on this subject since I've been told Mr. Powell started this. Thanks in advanced for any help!

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Our pack has done this for about three years. A year ago at camp school we got ashes with a pedigree that goes back to 1933. Includes a campfire lit by Lady Baden-Powell, every National Jamboree and probably 20 or 25 Philmont treks. A lot of this is lost on Cub Scouts but the parents appreciate the significance and hopefully the boys will at some point.

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We were told that the ashes had traveled around, They had come from International Jamboree, World and National Jamboree and of course Philmont. That's why I'm trying to get it started with our Pack hoping the Parents and kids will want to keep it going.

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First, after reading the subject line I was expecting a message about a cremated Scout! The term is campfire ashes. I've still got my Woodbadge ashes at home.

 

Second, it is Sir Powell at least (Do I sound like Emily Post yet?)

 

Third, yes it is a neat tradition.

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In the morning following a campfire a small container of ashes is collected from the previous night's fire. The ashes are saved until the next campout and added to that campfire. This continues for years and years and in some small, metaphysical way, the ashes from all the campfires are linked.

 

The story is that B-P started this tradition. There are numerous ash pedigrees floating around that you can add to your campfire and claim the heritage of those ashes. If anyone wants to PM me, I'll be glad to send a vial of ashes and can e-mail the pedigree chart.

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I just started doing this with my troop last May. The boys really enjoy it -- partly because of the traditional aspect, but possibly also because I add some non-dairy creamer in with the scoop of ashes. The fire flares a bit when the creamer hits it (I'm told that sugar works also). They haven't figured out the secret yet and I'm hoping it'll stay that way for a while.

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I have seen and participated in Scout Ashes (we call it Scout Spirit Ashes) a few times.

 

We are in the process of rebuilding a troop that almost folded. We had our first family campout a while back and had a Scout Spirit Ashes ceremony. It was planned so a few of us had ashes to put in the fire.

 

We plan to do this at all future campfires.

 

A great tradition.

 

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Just to qualify my process. I "pre-load" the scoop with a layer of non-dairy creamer before I start our ceremony. This way the creamer hits the fire first (and all at once) and provides a better effect. The amount you need probably depends on the size of the scoop you use. The more creamer the better the effect. You may want to test-drive the process first. I set the pre-loaded scoop inside the container we keep the ashes in and cradle the container in my one arm. At the prescribed moment I reach into the container and draw out the scoop. The

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this practice goes back at least to the 1959 SM Handbook regarding Summer Camp, under "Special Campfires":

 

to quote the Handbook:

 

First Campfire

 

Ashes from the previous year's lst campfire have been kept and are called forward, and the Scoutmaster says, "Scouts, you have now been in camp one day and have attended part of our first campfire. Earlier in the evening you listened to the traditions of our troop and the responsibilities of every Scout. Will you help us keep these traditions as good campers should?" Answer: "I will." Scoutmaster: "I hold in this vessel some of the ashes of last years's campfire. They stand for all that we enjoyed in our past . I now place some fo these ashes on the right shoulder of each one of you and pronounce you campers in good standing, entitled to the rights and obligations of our camp."

 

i would imagine this practice starts well before this publication, & expect someone older and wiser to quote from such

 

seems to me such modern-day versions of this are wonderfull traditions to continue

 

 

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My Post keep getting cut off, Why???? Hmmmm

 

Yes we do.

 

I started the tradition eith-in our pack 6 years ago. The ash's I used were from the days when I was a scout. The Linage of those ashes trace all the way back to a Jamboree in the 1930's.

 

Each of my scouts get a small film canister full the next day and a peice of paper with the history of the ashes.

 

 

YIS

 

SM41

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