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Year of Growth
December 31, 2010
By Anthony Holt
Anthony Holt at his Eagle Project. His team built the benches, bird
bath, hummingbird and butterfly feeders and his Bear Den made and
painted the bird houses. Nov. 2010
Photo Courtesy of Anthony Holt
Thousands, maybe even millions of scouts, both boys and men, with their families celebrated the 100th anniversary of Boy Scouts in America throughout the 2010 year. I have shared in many of the celebrations with my family. As well. But I realized with each month that I found myself growing as a scout. These are my monthly blogs, or thoughts, throughout this year.
January 1, 2010: A New Year…with my family, watching the Rose Bowl Parade. Then I heard the host say something about the Boy Scouts turning 100. There, in the parade, were Eagle Scouts carrying merit badges, made out of petals, flowers and other stuff. Then came THE FLOAT. It was a work of art, which the world was seeing. Just like me! Then the host said, “This float won the award for “Best Depiction of Life in the USA.” What an honor!
February 2010: Make-up snow days for school. My brother, Alex is so lucky. Grandma took him to Jefferson City for a luncheon there. It was for Missouri Eagle Recognition Day. Alex got his Eagle last year.
April 2010: Spring was here and it was a good time to get outside. Alex and I went to Lake Jacomo with other scouts from the Heart of America’s council. We helped clean trails, make new trails and retire old trails, under the council’s Good Turn.
The end of April also brought Arbor Day. The Arbor Day Foundation got together with the Boy Scout’s people for the 100th Anniversary. If you bought a tree from them for $20, they would plant another in Flathead National Forest in Montana, to replace ones that were burned down in a forest fire. Alex and I brought 5 trees for our mother. As a family, we planted them in our yard to celebrate the scout anniversary.
May 2010: My grandmother surprised Alex and I with tickets to the Kansas Speedway. This was a new adventure for all of us, even Grandma. We went there to see #19, Alex Lloyd, a rookie driver, driving the Boy Scout Indy car. Even though we didn’t win…we didn’t crash either. I think that Alex and I were the only people in the stands wearing our Boy Scout uniforms.
Heart of America Council brought the Major Gifts Tour to the Liberty Memorial, in Kansas City, Missouri. It was a lot of paintings, which artists had done with scouts in them. My family and I even saw some from Norman Rockwell. My favorite was one called “The Scoutmaster.” It was a man rolling up his sleeves, to get down to business. What was his troop number? 220-The Lee’s Summit Troop out of the Lee’s Summit Christian Church. COOL!
June 2010: I started one of my many camps. I attended NYLT, National Youth Leadership Training, were I learned different ways that patrols are suppose to run. I learned leadership games, and ideas on how to work together. I met a lot of other scouts from the region there.
June was also the month that Alex and I went to Bartle Scout Reservation, with Lee’s Summit’s Troop 220. This troop opened up to us and welcomed us with respect. I liked how organized about everything they were. It was awesome to see how another troop camps.
July 2010: This was the experience of a lifetime, and possibly my biggest growth, I went to the 2010 National Scouting Jamboree. We went across the country to meet up with about 44,000 other scouts in A.P. Hill, Virginia. I was the patrol leader for my group. Talk about a hard job. I learned a lot of responsibilities on this adventure. I learned about time management, taking care of others and about being a part of something bigger than my whole town. I also learned that scouting is everywhere. I got upset that President Obama went on The View, instead of coming to see all of us. I was glad that Eagle Scout Mike Rowe was able to deliver his message…”A scout is clean…but is not afraid to get dirty.” I loved being a part of a historic moment, because there will never be another 100th Anniversary.
August 2010: The Kansas City Royals had the Royal Gathering of Eagles at Kauffman Stadium. Grandma, Dad, Alex and I got to watch a baseball game and the Royals recognized some Eagle Scouts. Did you know that Mr. Kauffman was an Eagle Scout?
September 2010: Across the Kansas City metro area, other scouts and I gathered food for the Harvesters. It was part of the Scouting Out Hunger food drive. We worked really hard to help the food pantries in our areas, assist people that are hungry.
On September 11, Alex, my brother, lead a short patriotic program with other Boy and Cub Scouts for a Patriot’s Day remembrance.
I also attended the Heart of America’s own Centennial Campout at Camp Naish in Bonner Springs, Kansas. Even though it rained and it was the first really cold day of fall, it was really cool. We had all kinds of stations to do different activities, and got to watch the Order of the Arrow dancers. I think all 11,000 scouts had something to do.
October 2010: Adventure Base 100 came to the American Royal Bar-B-Que contest. It had different parts of scouting throughout. There were knot tying stations, a zip line, a rope bridge and a trailer, that was a part of the actual Boy Scout Museum from Irving, Texas.
November 2010: The Union Pacific Engine came to Union Station. This train was built just last year and they painted it in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Boy Scouts in America. Is is bright yellow, with the Boy Scout ranks and crest on it, and even the year “2010.” I was so happy to see it, because there was talk that it wasn’t coming to Kansas City.
December 2010: I realize that December isn’t here yet, but my biggest challenge lies ahead. My biggest challenge is to complete getting my rank of Eagle Scout. My project was guide my workers to make benches, a bird bath, hummingbird feeders, butterfly feeders, a butterfly house and birdhouses, all out of recycled items for the Pleasant Hill Middle School’s rain garden. This way, the school can have an outdoor classroom for art or even science. My project is completed and I only have a few more steps.
This year has been a GREAT and fun year to be a Boy Scout. We have had opportunities to earn badges and patches for only this year. You were able to see different parts of the scouting history and if you attended them, be a part of that history.
I think with all this year experiences, to help celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Boy Scouts in America, I feel that being an Eagle Scout during this year will be the memory that will stay with me…FOREVER!!!
Publisher’s note: Since Anthony has written this, he has completed all requirements for his Eagle Scout.
Anthony, the Lee's Summit Tribune is very proud to be a part of your life on your road to Eagle.
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Blocked sewer line results in 40,000 gallon wastewater overflow in Greenwood near Lake Winnebago
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