From: Myrna Liddell [myrnabl@whidbey.com] Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 12:06 PM To: Rhan, Jon; Charlotte Lucas; revans45@swbell.net; Al Creasy Subject: Fwd: wolfersberger article Follow Up Flag: Follow up Flag Status: Red Envelope-to: myrnabl@whidbey.com From: "Suzanne E. Wilder" To: Subject: wolfersberger article Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2006 11:32:02 -0400 X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1106 X-WNSpam-Score: 0.9 X-WNSpam-Int: 9 75 Years of Area Boy Scouting Shenandoah Area Council Celebrates Its Diamond Jubilee with More Than 6,000 Members By Karl B. Hille By The Boy Scouts of America was a relatively young import from Great Britain when Scout troops of the Shenandoah region formed their own council in 1928. The BSA was formed in 1910, and soon troops sprouted in Luray, Martinsburg, W.Va., and Winchester. There was Scouting in Winchester as early as 1914, said William Wolfersberger , former Shenandoah Council BSA executive. But then it was not continuous. And it didnt cover the region. The council celebrated its diamond jubilee last month. In 75 years, the council has grown from nine troops and 170 scouts to more than 6,000 Scouts today in 190 troops. They have also become a more outdoor sport-oriented council, Wolfersberger said. Weve added a lot in recent years in terms of what you might call high-adventure activities, he said, such as canoe and white water excursions, and annual trips to the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, N.M. The council now includes six counties in northwest Virginia and three in West Virginia. The Shenandoah Area Council performs many behindthe-scene services for the Boy Scout troops and Cub Scout packs within the region, Wolfersberger said. The council provides supporting services for individual scout leaders and the churches and organizations that sponsor them, said Bob Ferrell, the current council executive. They also maintain the Rock Enon Boy Scout Camp in Frederick County, and a records office and scout store at the council office where leaders can purchase uniforms, supplies and badges. Were continually trying to contact new organizations that dont have Scouting or who would like to have Scouting as one of their activities and help them get started, Ferrell said. The Shenandoah Area Council employs 10 people, including Ferrell. Despite the vast amount of services they provide, Wolfersberger said the regional and national council levels of scouting do not get much attention. When I was in scouting, a lot of people werent very aware that there was some greater organization besides our troop, he said. Many of the highly visible roles for adults in Scouting are voluntary, such as scout leaders and assistants. But for those committed to the organization and its ideals, scouting also offers many career opportunities. Wolfersberger , who now maintains the museum of scouting memorabilia in the council headquarters on Youth Development Lane in Winchester retired in 1992 after being involved with scouts almost his entire life. I really didnt know anything about Scouting as a career until college, he said. After growing up in Boy Scouts, he interviewed for a position out of college and said, I basically have never worked for anybody else. He has been well pleased with the choice. Ive talked to a lot of people about it as a career, but I dont think until you go through it you can really get an idea of what you can get out of it, he said. Its been a really fulfilling career as far as Im concerned. I just never thought about looking for a new job. Ferrell did not spend more than six months as a Scout, but working for summer camps during college he got to see what Scouting could do for young boys. While their efforts have kept the Shenandoah region growing strong, local leaders have also kept an uneasy eye on issues affecting the BSA. Though the Shenandoah region has been sheltered from the worst pressures, Wolfersberger said, Scouting nationally has faced growing social pressure to relax their high moral standards. Theres always been cases of an individual who for one reason or another didnt want to salute the flag, he said. Im always surprised to find somebody made it to an Eagle Scout and told me they didnt understand they had to be reverent to God. Thats in the oath and motto. However, the values that built Scouting to its current strength will continue to uphold the organization Ferrell said. I think Scouting is one of the few organizations that havent changed our values and requirements, he said. We still have the same Scout oath and motto we did in 1910. I think in the long run, were better off staying with what we believe in. Looking to the future, Ferrell and Wolfersberger said they want to see Scouting continue to serve a high percentage of young people in the Shenandoah Valley. We want to maintain quality programs where individual troops are growing or where they are not, Ferrell said. Over all, I think the council will move forward to hopefully be able to serve more young people every year. Looking back, Wolfersberger said the key to that growth lies in the history of the organization. So long as we maintain the values that are traditional to Scouting, I think were going to find people that are willing to support it, he said. I see no alternative. Suzanne Wilder Cops and Courts Reporter The Winchester Star 540-667-3205 www.winchesterstar.com