Scouts being helpful

[red feather]

I apologize for not providing a link to news articles concerning this, but you can Google Joplin boyscouts to access the information available.

 

Over 1000 scouts and scouters from around the country converged on Joplin MO this weekend to help in the recovery. I have no first hand knowledge of what the other groups did, but the group of 100 plus scouts and scouters that I was honored to work with did clean up saturday in the debris field at the destroyed Irving Elementary School within sight of the destroyed St.Johns Hospital. Removing and sorting debris from around the building to facilitate access to crews that will remove the structure.

 

This was done over a 6 hour period starting at 90 plus degess at 10am and climbed to over 100 degree temperatures and was done in the truest scouting spirit. Safety areas were designated, as the building is still falling down, a first aid area, and a rehydration area were set up. No scouts went into the structure. Volunteers were paired up to monitor each other and water breaks were set every 45 minutes and then 30 minutes as temperatures climbed. This duty was performed at a level that is in the hightest scout ideals. A scout is Helpful.

 

This was all done in over 100 degree temperatures. Only three scouts were treated onsite for heat related conditions. All are fine due to the planning and training of scouters at the site. One scout was transported to a local hospital for x-rays after dropping a concret block on his foot. This happened in the first 15 minutes and was a lesson learned by all. I have no information on his status.

 

Of the 1000 plus there were cubscouts, boyscouts, venture crews and scouters. All working together in the highest tradition of scouting.

 

I was able to witness local residents thanking the scouts for their efforts and one family traveling through to view the debris field seeing the scouts working went to a local store and purchase cold watermelons, slice them, and bring them to the scouts working in the heat.

 

Major kudos go to the Joplin area scout council for all they did to organize this project and the care that they took to provide all scouts and scouters the opportunity to provide this service, keep us safe and taken care of. Feeding all volunteers at the Frank Childress Camp Site free of charge, providing meals, ice and water at the work sites, and providing a program for the scouts and scouters at the campsite.

 

Words are not enough to describe what we witnessed there in the debris field even three months or so after the tornado.

 

I think the best lesson we learned came from one of our youngest scouts during the Thorns and Roses the troop that I serve performed this morning. Thorns were all the heat that was endured. Until this one young first year scout said his thorn was seeing the damage and destuction that the people who lived and died in the path of tornado and what the people in Joplin were enduring. Really put the temperature that we experienced yesterday into perspective.

 

humbling, both the experience and young scouts perspective.

 

yis

red feather

 

 

[CalicoPenn]

What a great story.

 

Now if y'all will excuse me, I got some dust in my eyes when I read about the youngest Scout in your Thorns and Roses.

[CCbytrickery]

/high fives to those Scouts!

 

[SSScout]

It's why we do what we do.

 

http://www.morningsun.net/newsnow/x181933013/FIRST-IN-PRINT-More-than-1-000-scouts-team-up-to-help-Joplin

 

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