District Executive Report

11/30/2009

Hi All Friends of Scouting,

I hope that everyone enjoyed a great and hopefully relaxing Thanksgiving with family and friends.  In this season of Thanksgiving it is only fitting that I first extend my sincere thanks to all volunteers of the Scouting Program.  The Scouting movement does not exist without you.  Your dedication to the Council, District, and local Units makes sure that our youth learn timeless values such as citizenship, character, and mental and physical fitness.  Volunteers in the Scouting program may be the only avenue that many of these youth would be able to have that type of secure foundation of values training.  You are making a difference!

 It has been a very busy year in the Wheatland District for the first 11 months of 2009.  I hope that you will join me first in thanking all volunteers for their continuous support of the Scouting Program in the Wheatland District.  We have been a strong and ground breaking district all year round.  The Wheatland District has added 8 new units from this time last year and has had a number of great programs all year round.

With your help the Wheatland District has jumpstarted Scouting in communities that have ceased to having Scouting for a time, some longer than others.  We now have every school district in the Wheatland District with at least one unit and we are now looking to expand Scouting in the communities that may have room to add a Troop or a Venturing Crew in 2010.

The Wheatland District also recently had the groundbreaking event “Night at the Museum” at the Sternberg Museum.  An event that was met by rave reviews from both youth and volunteers.  At this event youth spend a weekend at the Sternberg Museum in Hays and had the chance to participate in many great programs including owl pellet dissection, paper airplane building, and received some great behind the scenes tours of the museum.   At the end of the day on Saturday Night the participants then set up their “Campsites” in the museum’s lobby were they would sleep that night, but not before they viewed several wildlife videos and the grand finale, the viewing of “Night at the Museum” starring Ben Stiller.

I fell asleep in the museum as well and woke up several times by what I thought was museum exhibits walking around.  For some reason I remember taking to George Sternberg at night.  Was it a dream or did it really happen?  It seemed real to me. I cannot sure one way or another as I fell right back asleep; it was an exhausting day filled with non-stop activities. 

Thanks to all those that helped make this event special for those that were able to attend.  I know I had a lot of fun.  I especially enjoyed eating those “snakes” for supper.  I did find it interesting that the “snakes” guts tasted a lot like tomato sauce and pepperonis.  I didn’t have the chance to ask the chefs if all snakes tasted like pizza, but I can I only assume they all taste that way.

I hope that everyone has a great week as we move into the final month of 2009.  I will continue to write an update report to the district and plan to continue these journals at least on week days for the foreseeable future.

Yours in Scouting,

Matt

Matt Stuchlik

Wheatland District Executive

Coronado Area Council, BSA

316-641-6899