Taughannock District
Baden-Powell Council, BSA
District Scrapbook - 2013-2014

This Scrapbook page, covers district events in 2013 and 2014.
For the current page, see The District Scrapbook. 

We also have Scrapbook pages for 2009 and earlier, 2010-2012, and 2015-2016

Our Cubs traveled to the Frontier - Camp Barton
Cub Resident Camp - Leatherstocking Tales
August 14-16, 2014

Read all about it on our 2014 Cub Resident Camp page!

Taughannock District Scouts had a great time
in Scotland this summer!

Follow along on their trip on the B-P Council Blair Atholl Jamborette web pages!

Congratulations to everyone who received awards at the
Taughannock District Awards Social!
Dryden Fire Hall, April 6, 2014

And particular congratulations to Lee Stepp, recipient of the 2014 District Award of Merit!

Primitive Skills Weekend
March 15, 2014

See more photos on the District Scrapbook!

Primitive Skills Weekend
March 15-16, 2014

Photos courtesy Mark Travis

District Cubs had fun and learned at the
Loop-a-Palooza!
T-S-T BOCES - Ithaca - March 15, 2014

Taughannock District Cubs and Webelos earned belt loops and had fun at the District Loop-a-Palooza on Saturday, March 15, 2014. Cubs could earn up to seven belt loops, and Webelos could earn up to three.

"Hmmm... checkmate in four?"
Cubs colored and drew for Art Belt Loop	Measuring distances on an aerial photograph for Map and Compass
"Is that where we are?" - not unless we're in India...
No, really... it's a pizza...	... and pizza is good...
I shouldn't have told him to smile for the camera	That's much more natural...
For Nutrition Belt Loop the Cubs tried some snacks, new and old...	...but always tasty.
Sixteen Cubs got to try their hands at Photography...	... or maybe Highway Robbery?

A few pictures taken by the Cubs themselves...

Not highway robbery, just photography - here's the proof	The classic Cub taking a picture of a Cub taking a picture of a Cub...
Portrait of a Leader	Nice closeup
	Self-Portrait
One bunny portrait...	...and another

Ice Climbing at Camp Barton
March 8, 2014

Scouts, Venturers and Leaders met on Saturday, March 8th, for the first ever Ice Climbing Day at Camp Barton, organized by Tim Woods and John Udall. They met and hiked in from the dining hall parking lot to the winter lean-tos.  One lean-to was the gear staging site and one lean-to was the warming hut where stoves, hot drinks, water and snacks will be available.

As promised, I am plowing through almost 700 pictures in RAW format and well over an hour of GOPro video to make something everyone can enjoy without being a full length movie spanning two DVDs. When it is done, I will make sure it gets on the district website. 

Thanks to all who made Saturday's Ice Climbing event a HUGE success. 

Mark Travis

Homer Troop 79 at Valley Forge

Members of Homer Troop 79 attended the 102nd Valley Forge Encampment and Pilgrimage over Presidents Weekend, February 14-16, 2014.  Along with over 1,500 scouts from as far away as Virginia, Ohio, and Connecticut, the troop camped at the Valley Forge National Historic Park and enjoyed several programs including Cavalry, Artillery, and Musket demonstrations. This annual event is the oldest continuously held Scouting event in the world and was started through an act of Congress in 1912. 

Photos and information courtesy of Kevin Thompson, N3-373-12 Asst. Scoutmaster, Troop 79 

Aviation Explorer Post 62
Field Trip to Cornell UAV Lab
February 9, 2014

	The Explorers of Aviation Post 62, sponsored by the East Hill Flying Club in Ithaca, took a field trip on February 9th to the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) laboratory of Dr. Elson Shields at Cornell. A number of Flying Club members were also on hand.  Dr. Shields flies a fleet of about 35 UAVs (a/k/a "drones") to collect insects and pollen, investigating questions involving insect migration and plant disease propagation.  Dr. Shields gave the Explorers a talk about the work he does with the UAVs, from the point of view not just of a scientist, but as a licensed private pilot and ham radio operator. It's not easy landing a 6-8 foot wingspan, 10HP aircraft by remote control without an airspeed indicator!
This drone is covered in LED lights, to make it possible to fly and land it at night, to collect insects when they are most active.
This is a new design UAV Dr. Shields is experimenting with, a biplane with two wings arranged fore-and-aft rather than one-over-the-other.	The Explorers toured the "hospital", where Dr. Shields and his staff spend the winter repairing the drones after... ummm... unusually hard landings.

District Mall Show and Pinewood Derby
Shops at Ithaca Mall
February 8, 2014

A number of our District's units had displays at the Mall.

Pack 55 had a model campsite...	...and played board games.
The Camp Barton Alumni Association had a display.	This Cub is too young to join Post 62, our Aviation Exploring Post, but maybe someday...
Ship 25 had demonstrations of knots, Morse code...	.. a few Sea Scouts...
... and a do-it-yourself bouyancy demonstrator.	Troop 34 gave Cubs an opportunity to see what to do to - and what not to do - while camping.
Troop 2 had a nature display, complete with howling coyote.	Troop 29 engaged visitors in a "hot isotope transfer" game.
Troop 4 showed pictures of their activities and gave away lollipops.	Troop 34 found time for a game of chess or two.

The Shops at Ithaca loaned us a storefront to hold our District Pinewood Derby this year - thanks!

Note the snail's eyes on the car - creative!
Congratulations to the winners of the District Pinewood Derby at the Shops at Ithaca Mall!
Tigers: Asher B, Chris P and Keyga G	Wolves: Scott C, Evert G and Kaden B
Bear: Andy S, Anthony L and Ryan A	Webelos I: Kent Y, Kayden G and Damian H
Webelos II: Gabe D, Neil H and Adam M (awards photos courtesy Chris Decker)

Eagle Scout Joe Koch
Troop 48, Lansing
January 26, 2014

Sea Scout Ship 25 tours the US Naval Academy
January 18, 2014

Sea Scouts from Ship 25, SSS Spear, traveled to the Naval Academy in Annapolis to tour the Academy and attend a session on the BSA's new NOVA STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) award program. 

The Sea Scouts in Tecumsah Square.  This bronze statue was installed in 1930 to replace the deteriorating wooden figurehead from the USS Delaware, which had stood here since 1868. The midshipmen treated it as a good-luck mascot, throwing pennies at it and offering left-handed salutes whenever they wanted a 'favor', such as a sports win over West Point, or spiritual help for examinations. On special occasions Tecumseh is painted in themes to include super heroes, action heroes, humorous figures, a leprechaun (before Saint Patrick's Day) and a naval officer (during Commissioning Week).

The group in front of a retired Blue Angels airplane.

Attending lectures for the engineering and NOVA STEM program.

Photos supplied by Kevin and Stacey Thompson

Ice Pirates 3D!
Taughannock District 2014 Winter Camporee
January 18, 2014

In a world where the oceans are full of Diet Cola, and there isn’t any ice… They were thirsty and they hate hot soda… The terrible ICE PIRATES came to Earth again! Once again, the Earth was saved, and our ice is safe.. for now. Thirteen patrols of Scouts from district troops helped repel the dastardly Ice Pirates in the 2014 Winter Camporee at Camp Barton. Each patrol of Scouts engaged in nine different sorties against the Ice Pirates, demonstrating skill in such diverse areas as firebuilding, first aid, and navigation of remote-controlled vehicles to identify aliens. The patrols prepared tasty meals involving tuna fish, onions and chocolate chips (thankfully, never all in one dish). They erected Gravitational Excitation Focusing Polarizers (or something like that), raced sleds, and some of the Scouts who stayed over Saturday night took part in a Science Fiction video festival in the evening.
Many of the Scouts sported Improvised Eye Protection Devices, styled after the immortal Spaceman Spiff...	Building  a Gravitational Excitation Focusing Polarizer (insert some other technobabble here) to drive off the Ice Pirates.
Scouts located and identified Martian animals spotted by the Mars Rover, using their trusty Field Guides to the Martian Fauna. Here, a Martian Chipmunk (scientific name Alvin orsimon)  is spotted.	Over there - it's a Greater Hebrew Bear (Ursus Davidii), and  a Cub Scout Bear (Ursus Akela)!
Three at once! On a pile of Martian Clementine boxes (strangely like those discarded by the local Wegmans' supermarket), the Scouts identify a Greater Woodbadge Owl (Oookii brownsea), a Maimer Whale (Orca Partialis) and Grey Mars Hare (Yulebee greytu).	An intrepid patrol of Earth Defenders prepare to do battle!
Scouts listened carefully to identify the Ice Pirates by sound... and special congratulations to the one Scout who not only knew the sound of a Brazilian Guiro, but could spell it correctly!	Taughannock District thanks the Grand High Commanders of the Earth Defense Forces, Brian O'Connell and Mike Homrighaus - and all the other volunteers who made the event possible! The Ice Pirates were vanquished, and our ice is safe once more. But who knows, they may return some day...

Attention to Orders:

The recipients of this message are hereby commended for their service in actions against the Ice Pirates on 18 January 2014. The world will likely not remember your names, but earth lore will never forget the character of your service

Oh, by the way. Scientists tell us there might be a slim, miniscule possibility that maybe someday, a miracle might happen that will allow the Ice Pirates back into this universe. Stand by...

MHomrighaus
Earth Defense Force, Irregular
Commanding

(In other words, thanks for your support. We couldn't have done it without you!)

The odds were in their flavor...
Our Scouts performed culinary magic at the
Hungry Games on October 11-13th!

Read about it and see lots of pictures on our Hungry Games page!

Boo at Barton - October 5, 2013

A record number of Cubs enjoyed a perfect fall weekend at Camp Barton at the 2013 Fall Cub Adventure weekend - "Boo at Barton"

The way to a Cub's heart is through his stomach... or something like that. Of course, some waiting time is involved, but once the foil-wrapped bundles were removed from the campfire...	...the Cubs really enjoyed their baked apples with brown sugar.
Kickball is always a hit.	Some of the Cubs carved pumpkins larger than themselves.
An unusual visitor - Cubs examine a stick insect on their leader's sleeve.	Camp Barton's own Troll Bridge.
Lunch was sloppy Joe with tater tots and chocolate pudding. What's not to like?
The Camp Barton Dining Hall was packed to capacity with hungry Cubs and leaders...	... and bats.

Aviation Explorer Post 62 Tours Elmira Control Tower

Aviation Explorer Post 62, sponsored by the East Hill Flying Club in Ithaca, flew down to Elmira on September 15, 2013. The Post members toured the control tower, and were treated to ice cream at the Fixed Base Operator. Our thanks to the EHFC member/pilots who flew the group, to the FAA control tower crew for the great tour, and to Atlantic Aviation for the ice cream!

Our Cubs joined Holmes and Watson
in A Study in Azure
at Camp Barton Cub Resident Camp

Read all about it and see lots more pictures on the 2013 Cub Resident Camp web page

Eagle Scouts Istvan Burbank, Mark Lutzi and David Tian 
Troop 2 - June 17, 2013

Eagle Scout Orion Hayes - Troop 48 - June 2, 2013

Young Eagles Soared! - May 18, 2013

	Several Cubs and Scouts from local units were introduced to flying at the EAA Young Eagles Fly-for-Free Rally on Saturday, May 18th. The weather was nice, and a Good Time was had by all - as can be seen from these pictures!

Aviation Explorer Post Meeting - May 12, 2013

Troop 2 Meeting - May 13, 2013

Cornell Robotics Merit Badge Program
April 27, 2013

The Cornell University Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Team hosted a Boy Scout Robotics Merit Badge Program on Saturday, April 27.  22 Scouts from around the district participated, teamed with other scouts to build robotic submarines, and earned their Robotics Merit Badge.   They were able to test out their creations in a small pool and engaged in robot races and robot wars.  The program was a huge success and interested units should keep an eye out for the program next Spring.  For more information, check out www.CUAUV.org

Cubs had fun at the 2013 Nature Loop-a-Palooza
Cayuga Nature Center, Ithaca
April 27, 2013

For more pictures - see our page on the Loop-a-Palooza!

Pack 85 in Homer has been busy!

Stacy Hall, the pack photographer for Pack 85 in Homer, sent along some pictures of the pack's activities for the District Scrapbook. 

This is Pack 85 Den 8 Wolf den: Mark, Cameron, Brayden, Aaron, Jackson & Nathan at their bowling Den Meeting at Hi-Lanes Bowling in Homer NY. The gentleman showing them the bowling lane equipment is Brian. He runs the place and taught the boys how the system works. This photo also includes the Den Leader, Jim McMullin and a couple siblings of one of the scouts, Montana & Cayleb.	Cameron & Mark from Pack 85 Wolf Den 8  at the Blue & Gold Dinner in February 2013.
The Tiger Den learning about the Court System with Judge Gary Shiffer from the Homer Town Court	Pack 85 Tiger Den 8 bird watching at Lime Hollow Nature Center in Cortland NY. Cubs are Aaron, Cameron & Brayden.
Both of these pictures are from the Wild West Cub Day Camp in July of 2012, which was held at the Izaak Walton League in Homer.	This is Don O'Brien and the Order of the Arrow dance team.  They really put on a good skit for the campers.
Pack 85 Den 8 Wolf den:  Mark, Cameron, Brayden, Aaron, Jackson & Nathan	The beautiful cupcakes that were made for the  2013 Blue & Gold by Mrs. Leah McMullin

Eagle Scout Andrew Thompson, Troop 79, Homer
April 13, 2013

On Saturday, April 13, 2013, an Eagle Court of Honor was held for Andrew Thompson of Troop 79 in Homer.  Before the ceremony, Rep. Richard Hanna (NY-22) presented Andrew with a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition as well as a flag that was flown over the US Capitol. (See attached picture.)  Mr. Hanna is also recommending Andrew for the US Naval Academy STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Program which would occur this summer at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.  Andrew also received letters of commendation and congratulations from the Secretary of the Navy, State Senator James Seward, and Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

District Cubs, Scouts, Sea Scouts and Explorers showed
Scouting on Land, Sea and Air
at the 2013 District Mall Show

For more pictures - see our 2013 Mall Show Page

Winter at Valley Forge Camporee was a great success!
January 19, 2013 - Camp Barton

For more pictures and information, see this page!