Heat 4Q Comeback: Experience & Teamwork Win Out

So much for the Bulls' great defense all season.  Heat come back form 12 down with two minutes to go by spreading it around three great players and team defense.  They shut down the MVP at the end of the game.

Connor will do a great job as SPL next year.  Next up: Find the rest of the Big 3 to round out a strong, experienced Senior Patrol.

John Conard-Malley Eagle Court of Honor: Scoutmaster Remarks

Thank you Selectman Heavner, Commander Lanza, Mr. Case, and Coach Carabillo for joining us to celebrate a great accomplishment tonight. You all give a great deal to our community, to our country, and to Scouting. That, as always, is a great example to our scouts.

Kyle and Rich, congratulations to you! No scout ever gets to sit in John’s chair without very active love and support of his parents. One down, one to go!

I often talk about great campouts and “high adventure” trips an Eagle Scout has been on. I am not going to talk much tonight about John summiting Mt. Washington in winter 2009. I expect he will talk about that some. Except, I want to say how proud I am of you for doing that trip. Know that you making it through is one of the highlights of our time in scouting for Josh Gilbert, Mr. Bartholomew, and myself.

There are many ways to lead in this troop. John is not often the guy in front; he doesn’t call attention to himself. He is reliable and kind and sets an example for the other scouts.

In the Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu wrote:
“The best leader is one that people are barely aware of. The best leader puts great value in words… and says little. So that when his work is finished the people all say, “We did it ourselves!”

In John’s case. it would be better to say, “The best leader puts great value in movies… and says little.” John has been troop Historian for the past four years. As we’ve all sat and watched his movies from summer camp, troop campouts, and that 2009 Mt. Washington trip, we all said to ourselves, “We did it ourselves!”

Not everyone knows that John leads in Scouting in another way. The Patrol Leader Handbook says, “Good leaders accept leadership roles because they want to make a difference. Good leaders are servant leaders. They focus on helping others succeed.” Three years ago we asked him to serve on staff of National Youth Leader Training. This summer will be the third time he’s been invited back on staff – a great way to represent the troop and give back to scouting, and help the next generation of scouts develop into leaders.

Coach Carabillo talked about all the hard work that went into, and how much you learned from, your Eagle project. But that is only one part of being an Eagle. The bigger part is the example you set every week at troop meeting, on the campouts and service projects, at summer camp, and in your every day life. That is what people see and how they will form their impression of you and of what it means to be an Eagle Scout from Troop 76.

Finally, I mentioned John being kind – the 6th point of the Scout Law. It is another way of leading by example. Amelia Erhart said, “One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.” John has always looked out for scouts who need it. It is one of the reasons we miss you at summer camp…besides the movies. And why we’ll miss you in the troop.

But I imagine we will get by. John, you have done a great recording the traditions of the troop. Even more important, you’ve done a great job upholding them.

Great Weekend

Nice article in today's Hartford Courant about our December campout, what makes the troop great, and the upcoming Mission Impossible.  Great to see us in print.  Thanks, Sharon!

Two great Eagle Courts of Honor for two great scouts.  Huge attendance and lots of alums in attendance.  Always great to have them around.

Three scouts led the color guard for Mr. Don Skinner's installation as chief officer of the Simsbury Masonic Lodge on Saturday evening.  The Masons sponsored Ryan Holwesko's Eagle project, and Mrs. Skinner has been involved with the troop for many years, spearheading our involvement with special needs scouting.

Two nice shakedown "runs" in fresh snow and sunshine at Stratton Brook with the February Mt. Washington crew.  Maybe the strongest group yet.  It will be a great trip.

Great troop turnout at Special Olympics Snowshoeing, both as mentors and as participants.  Tim Carr, Dan Skinner, and Ben Glatfelter were super fast.  Thanks to Ryan Holowesko, John Boysen, Richard Havighorst. and Tyler Drake for helping out.

Way to Go, Supporting our Veterans!

Troop 76 took some time off school on Veterans Day to show our thanks.  30+ scouts, plus parents and adult leaders attended Simsbury's Veterans Day ceremony at Eno Memorial Hall at the invitation of the VFW and American Legion.

Thanks to all our veterans for protecting our rights.  We are proud to support you.

Mt. Monadnock Summit

The last time we tried Mt. Monadnock in November, we got turned around just above treeline by rime ice and 30+ mph winds.  Four years later, the weather was perfect and the summit was great.  Cam Ballard and Pat Sullivan did a fantastic job leading the younger scouts.  Nate and Ross successfully led the Ventures up the Spellman Trail ("the most challenging on the mountain"), several with full winter packs to get ready for Mt. Washington in February.  Derek, Jack, and Tim reconned the lower elevations to build confidence and endurance.  A great hike all the way around.

Good job cooking by the patrols.  I wasn't so sure where we stood on cleaning up after cooking last night, but Nate had the show under control in the morning.  Great job getting the whole camp broken down, cooked and fed, cleaned up, and litter swept to get everyone on the road on time.

Thanks to Mr. Greenberg for his excellent dutch oven cooking (dinner and dessert) and breakfast.  As always, great adult company to go along with great scouts.