Weather in Iowa and Boy Scouts

[cyclone]

Some of you know that I grew up in Iowa - obviously, I am closely following the devastation caused by all the horrible weather up there.  Those tornadoes that struck a couple of weeks ago were very close to my hometown.  The actual path of the tornado went within a couple of miles of my former home, and relatives had some damage to the roof and siding from baseball sized hail.  Now that same area is experiencing massive flooding.  Flood stage in my tiny town is 11 ft; it was still 6 ft. over that at 2:00 this morning after cresting a day earlier.
And, of course, there's all that mess in WI, too.  Just when I think it can't possibly get worse - BAM!  Yet another tornado wipes out a Boy Scout camp in western Iowa.  I simply cannot wrap my brain around all this.  My heart goes out to the victims of all of it, and now especially to all those at that camp.  What should be a totally fun experience for those kids - gone!  It's so completely sad.

[WolfPack]

This look like its going to be a bad summer for tornadoes. our thoughts are with the family of the boy scouts. the bad thing about tornadoes is a night you can't see them until its to late not like is in the daytime .

[taterandmoon]

My mother called me last night and told me about this.  We are a scouting family and it really hit home that some of our boys are gone.  Very sad, our prayers are with the families of this boys.

[ColemanCampingFamily]

I have very mixed feelings towards the tragedy at the Boy Scout Camp. While I cry for those that were lost, I am also proud of those Scouts that stepped up and helped their fellow Scouts that were hurt. Those boys did exactly what Boy Scouts has trained them to do, and for that I find enormous pride (as an Adult Leader and Parent of a Cub Scout). Pride in the fact that my son could some day be faced with the same situation and react in the same way that these Scouts reacted, but at the same time fear with the fact that my son could be faced with this situation. I have never been more proud of a bunch of kids in my whole life. I felt as if these kids were my own. That is what Scouting means to our family....while it may just be the three of us, we are a part of a bigger "family" of Scouts. And what touched my heart more than anything was when my 8 year old Wolf Scout looked at me and said that he wanted to say a prayer for the families of the Scouts that lost their lives. At that point in time, I realized that my son was a Scout for life, and that he truly "got" that brotherhood that all Scouts feel. It was an amazing moment for me as a parent, and as a Cub Scout Leader.

[taterandmoon]

I whole heartedly agree.  

You do have a "Lifer" on your hands.  Great Job!



Glad to see more Scouting families on here.  I am also an adult leader, in fact Cubmaster and hubby is Scoutmaster of our local Pack and Troop.

[ScouterMom]

Our family was also moved by the loss of those promising young men - a very sad time, and yet a time to be proud of their training and courage.

I have been a scout leader, both Cub Scouts & Boy Scouts, for many years.  I have had the priveledge of being a part of the growth of so many truly wonderful kids, it really makes me proud to have had even a small part of the lives of the truly remarkable boys in my son's troop.  I see what a difference Scouting has made to the kids I know - and I wish every child had that opportunity.

Scouting has made a huge impression on my son - and is a large part of the kind of person he is today - a young man I am VERY proud of.  All of his closest friends are scouts, including his adopted brother Will (one of our scout family who has been living with us for the past 2 yrs) They are a 'tight' family - there for each other thru anything. They've learned, not just 'skills' like first aid and cooking -  but compassion, loyalty, commitment and teamwork.  I have seen our small group of boys help each other thru family illnesses and deaths, house fires and car accidents, Eagle projects, jobs and graduation parties. Like a true family, they support each other, and share joys and sorrows.

In this screwed up, scary world - I am so grateful that scouting has been there for my son, and for his friends - and so sorry that this world lost some of it's most promising boys in that tornado.

Laura