September 1999

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Chris Altsman 1, Chip Palmer 1, Matthew franklin 2, Terry Bradshaw 2, Chuck Slaughter 3, Ben steed 6, Heather Thomas 10, Randy Smiley 10, Eric Alexander 11, Matt Hite 12, Clayton Moore 14, Tres Binkly 14, Christopher Corley 21, Barry Gilbert 21, Stephen King 21, Brent Klein 21, Michael Palmer 23, Heather Locklear 25, Clint Felton 28, Chris Hightower 28, Trevor Kos 28

After completing their requirements at Camp MK Brown on August 21st, we are proud to announce the five newest members from Troop 80 to become members of the OA. They are Chase Tillery, Daniel Wetzel. Randall Waddell, Adam Cox, and our lone adult was Alan Cox. They all survived the day of hard labor, the lack of food, and the night under the stars. Michael Slade completed his “Vigil” and he will receive it at a special award ceremony at the OA’s Fall Fellowship Banquet at WTAMU on November 13th. For those that were elected, but unable to attend this Ordeal, a make up Ordeal will be held at a later date. Congratulations to these outstanding scouters.

Into scalded milk, mix sugar, extract and melted butter. Combine cold milk and cornstarch and mix well. Add to mixture along with salt and eggs. Beat well. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 450 for 10 min. Top with nutmeg and bake another 25 min at 350

Who is Ted Abrahamson? Let’s find out. Ted is a 1948 graduate of Amarillo High. He served in the US Army and then earned an Associate of Science Degree from Amarillo College. He earned a Bachelor Degree in Civil Engineering from Texas Tech and a BA from WT in Canyon. He worked for the city of Amarillo as the City Traffic Engineer until 1972 and then he started his own company. He will receive his 60 year pin in scouting this fall. He danced with the original Kwahadi Indian Dancers in Troop 9 where he earned his Eagle. Ted has been with Troop 80 since 1963 and he has also received the highest Council level award available to scouters, the Silver Beaver.

It was a success with 44 scouts and 18 leaders roughing it down at Camp Don. It was real hard to do all that eating, sleeping, swimming, fishing, and not much else. Randy Reed put on a great second annual Webelos weekend. Except for the few items at the bottom of the pool, there were no big surprises at the camp. Several families were able to come down and camp with their sons and quite a few came down for that awesome BarBQ dinner. You can also do the archery, rifle, and shotgun shooting while just hanging out with your son. We even let the scouts camp with their families if they want. Don’t forget those Sunday morning omelets made to order. Be sure to add this event to next years calender now for one heck of a good time.

We are proud to announce that Troop 80 now has an additional three new Eagles. Chris Eaves built a recycling bin at his church for his service project. Adam Cox did his service project for the High Plains food bank. Chris Hightower also did his service project at the High Plains food bank. These scouts have achieved the highest rank that one can receive in scouting. They will be recognized at the next Court of Honor to be held in September.

If you have a story item about a scout that you think needs to be in the next newsletter, send your ideas to Terry Slade 5122 W. 16th Amarillo, Tx 79106-4419 or e-mail them to tmslade@actx.edu

This could be considered as good news. We will only be running one tree lot this year, which could make things easier for everybody. The drawback is that we will want to work a little harder to make the one lot look even better. More on that to come later. There will be a sign-up sheet available at the next Court of Honor so that you can pick out your shifts now. And now for the really great news, you will only have to sign-up for 3 shifts to work this year. Such a deal!!!!

Mark your calender for Tuesday, September 7th, at 7:30pm as the next Troop 80 Court of Honor. As of this printing, we will present five Eagles and maybe even a sixth could be possible. We will hand out over 300 merit badges and numerous ranks that our scouts have earned this past summer. They were very busy at all those summer camps. We encourage all parents to attend and support their sons.

What did you do after you got home from summer camp? What a couple members of Troop 80 did was pretty cool. John Filipowicz successfully completed an internship camp at the Coast Guard Academy this summer. The 1999 edition of Texas Football Preview listed Michael Slade (Tascosa) as an outstanding foot- ball player to watch in high school football this year..

The last Tuesday of each month is set aside as our troop swim night. To go, you must be in your full uniform and bring a swim suit and towel. To top off a year of swimming and such at the Maverick Club, the troop will be holding it’s yearly swim meet on the last Tuesday of November. Earn some extra patrol points for each parent that you can get to come to the swim meet and cheer your patrol to a victory.

Once you become an Eagle Scout, a lot of doors are opened to you. An Eagle Scout gets an automatic pay grade and rank increase in the military and there are quite a few scholarships, honors, and other recognitions exclusively for eagles. There is even a group called NESA (National Eagle Scout Association) and they have chapters at the five military academies. There is even a National Service Fraternity called “Alpha Phi Omega” with over 250,000 members at 350 collage chapters. Sure, you earned the Eagle, now what? Find out more by visiting WEB sites like “http://www.Eaglescout.org” and “http://www.apo.org”. Check it out.

NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION

US POSTAGE

PAID

AMARILLO TEXAS 79106

PERMIT NO. 1163

The little country schoolhouse was heated by an old fashioned, pot-bellied stove. A little boy had the job of coming to school early each day to start the fire and warm the room before his teacher and his classmates arrived. One morning they arrived to find the schoolhouse engulfed in flames. They dragged the unconscious little boy out of the flaming building more dead than alive. He had major burns over the lower half of his body and was taken to the nearby county hospital. From his bed, the dreadfully burned, semiconscious little boy faintly heart the doctor talking to his mother. The doctor told his mother that her son would surely die - which was for the best, really - for the terrible fire had devastated the lower half of his body.

But the brave boy didn't want to die. He made up his mind that he would survive. Somehow, to the amazement of the physician, he did survive. When the mortal danger was past, he again heard the doctor and his mother speaking quietly. The mother was told that since the fire had destroyed so much flesh in the lower part of his body, it would almost be better if he had died, since he was doomed to be a lifetime cripple with no use at all of his lower limbs.

Once more, the brave boy made up his mind. He would not be a cripple. He would walk. But unfortunately from the waist down, he had no motor ability. His thin legs just dangled there, all but lifeless. Ultimately he was released from the hospital. Every day his mother would massage his little legs, but there was no feeling, no control, nothing. Yet his determination that he would walk was as strong as ever. When he wasn't in bed, he was confined to a wheelchair.

One sunny day his mother wheeled him out into the yard to get some fresh air. This day, instead of sitting there, he threw himself from the chair. He pulled himself across the grass, dragging his legs behind him. He worked his way to the white picket fence bordering their lot. With great effort, he raised himself up on the fence. Then, stake by stake, he began dragging himself along the fence, resolved that he would walk. He started to do this every day until he wore a smooth path all around the yard beside the fence. There was nothing he wanted more than to develop life in those legs.

Ultimately through his daily massages, his iron persistence and his resolute determination, he did develop the ability to stand up, then to walk haltingly, then to walk by himself - and then - to run. He began to walk to school, then to run to school, to run for the sheer joy of running. Later in college he made the track team.

Still later in Madison Square Garden this young man who was not expected to survive, who would surely never walk, who could never hope to run - this determined young man, Dr. Glenn Cunningham, ran the world's fastest mile. By Burt Dubin from Chicken Soup for the Soul