Scout earns 121 badges

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This kid earned all 121 merit badges that are offered by the Boy Scouts of America. And he did it to honor his grandma.

As an Eagle Scout myself, I know that being a scout is not always easy. You often are ridiculed for what you do. But Scouting taught me many values that I still hold with me today.

For example, my love of the outdoors was truly developed while camping every month with the Scouts. This enjoyment of the outdoors, and of writing, showed me where I want my career to go.

One great example of when my outdoor skills were ridiculed, was on a campout in college. A group of the guys along were trying to get the fire started. Any outdoors person knows that you don't build a fire using full logs and gas. But that is what they were trying. After sitting there for 45 minutes while they made fools of themselves, I calmly asked if I could start it.

They laughed and said sure and started to had me the gas. I said, "No thanks. And to top it off, I'll do it without a match, in under 5 minutes."

They laughed and didn't think I could do it. I grabbed some lent from my bag and my flint and knife. I kicked away the mess they had made in the fire pit and started fresh. I put down the lent, then some dry bark chips, then twigs and small branches in the tee-pee shape. I struck the flint to the steel, and got a flame. I nurtured the fire and soon it was roaring. (fire building was probably my favorite part of the campouts in scouts)

Then one of the guys says, "what, are you a boy scout or something?" Laughing, obviously meaning it as an insult.

I said, "Actually, I am an Eagle Scout."

He countered with, "Oh, I didn't mean it as an insult. That's cool."

And he was right. It was cool. While Scouts doesn't always have the best image, I do know that if I was stuck in the woods, I would know enough to survive for at least a while.

So to Shaun Goldsmith, who worked very hard for his 121 badges, I tip my hat. Good work Shaun.

Also, 2010 marks the 100 anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. They were founded on February 8, 1910.

How about this:
Boy Scouts of America Silver Dollar Centennial Commemorative Coin

A new House bill recently introduced to celebrate the centennial of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) with the minting of a commemorate silver dollar has exceptionally strong bipartisan support.

Rep Pete Sessions [R-TX] introduced the new bill on April 22, 2008. The bill looks to be soundly popular with an already 296 cosponsors lined up to provide their early signature for the "100 Years of Scouting" commemorative coin.

Rep. Sessions commented,

“Boy Scouts are a significant part of American culture, shaping the values, citizenship, and skills of millions of young men,” Sessions stated. “As an Eagle Scout with four generations of Boy Scouts in my family, I strongly value the Boy Scouts’ history of instilling a sense of duty to God, country, and self.”

Not altogether surprising, in the 110th Congress, 248 members of the House of Representative and the Senate have participated in Boy Scouts of America as Scouts or adult leaders.

The bill, H.R. 5872, is entitled the Boy Scouts of America Centennial Commemorative Coin Act and calls for 350,000 silver $1 coins to be minted in 2010. The collector coin would contain 90% silver and 10% copper.

Given the history of the organization and the support of congress, this bill would seem a likely candidate for passage. It is now under consideration in the House Committee on Financial Services.

In addition to the commemorative coin initiative, Sessions is also building support for a U.S. postage stamp to celebrate “100 Years of Scouting.” Currently, Sessions has garnered the support of over 320 Senators and Members of Congress for a letter to the U.S. Postmaster General, requesting a commemorative stamp for the 100th anniversary of Boy Scouts of America.

In 1960, the United States Postal Office celebrated the Boy Scouts of America’s 50th Anniversary with the introduction of the 4 cent commemorative stamp depicting a Scout holding up the Scout sign.

What a sweet coin.