September 28, 2008 by Mike Webb.

The boy scouts and cub scouts went out in force on Sat. Sept. 27th as they teamed up for a town-wide popcorn sale in Hoopeston.  Approximately $900.00 was sold on this day and on their way to reaching our goal for $12,000.00 as sales just begin.

Boy Scouts will be having Show-n-Sell at the Olympic Hardware store on Sat. Oct. 11th from 7:00 am-12:00 noon and Sunday Oct. 12th from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm.

 Scouts don’t forget to call or email your total sales for the first week ending Saturday Oct. 4th, 2008.  Please email or call the Scoutmaster Mike Webb by 10:00 pm on the 4th.

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September 7, 2007 by Mike Webb.

Thirty years ago today, Voyager 1 was launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla., on a mission to investigate Jupiter and Saturn. It accomplished its mission, sending back photos and scientific data from the two planets, but the spacecraft didn’t stop there.Today, the spacecraft is still flying and still communicating with NASA, even though it is nearly 10 billion miles away and its transmissions take 14 hours to reach Earth. By 2015, Voyager 1 is expected to leave the solar system and scientists say it could wander the universe forever.

Attached to the side of Voyager 1 is a gold-plated phonograph record containing photos, natural sounds of Earth and 90 minutes of music from all over our world. If anyone finds Voyager during its eternal mission, the record should help them understand a little bit about life on Earth in 1977.

Source Boy’s Life.org - Pedro’s Weblog

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September 4, 2007 by Mike Webb.

The lightsaber wielded by Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars movie will be launched into space aboard the shuttle Discovery later this year.

NASA is carrying the lightsaber into space to help celebrate this year’s 30th anniversary of Star Wars. The shuttle’s launch, which will carry seven astronauts to the International Space Station, is scheduled for Oct. 23.

 Source - Boy’s Life (Pedro’s Weblog)

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August 11, 2007 by Mike Webb.

Boy Scout Clayton Abrams, 11, of Salt Lake City was at his church trying to earn a merit badge last week when he caught sight - - - To read this entire story, just click here.

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August 2, 2007 by Mike Webb.

 LONDON - Scouts around the world celebrated the 100th anniversary of their movement Wednesday, but those at its birthplace couldn’t show off one of their fundamental skills — firebuilding.

Baden-Powell, a lieutenant-general in the British army, organized that camp to teach boys outdoor skills and physical fitness. He detailed the experiences in a book called Scouting For Boys, and the movement gained footing when boys organized themselves into groups, persuaded adults to become their leaders and used Baden-Powell’s ideas as the basis for camps, treks and other activities.

Older girls were allowed to join during the 1970s. Membership was extended to all girls, ages 6 to 25, in 1991.

“When (Baden-Powell) first ran the camp, he brought together different social classes from public schools and less fortunate backgrounds,” said Jon Grimes, 19, a Scout and student at Southampton University. “It was about crossing the social divide and making friends. Our camp this year will be about making friends between people from different cultures.”

But unlike Baden-Powell’s boys, today’s scouts are banned from lighting campfires on Brownsea Island. The National Trust acquired the island in 1962 and forbids fires in order to protect the island’s wildlife.

The campfire ban did not dampen the spirit of the 300 scouts on Brownsea Island who celebrated the centennial canoeing, hiking, making pottery, learning archery and participating in dance and drum workshops.

“Two days ago, I arrived here on a boat with 300 strangers - now they are all my friends,” said Mariama Irele, 17, from Senegal. “If young people around the world can repeat what has happened here today, then we really can help build a more friendly world.”

Some centennial celebrations began as early as Saturday, when Prince William opened the 21st World Scout Jamboree, in eastern England, with 40,000 youngsters from more than 160 countries.

Scouts from around the world are taking part in events. Sunrise ceremonies were celebrated as far afield as Ecuador and Bhutan. Scouts in Romania are forming a human chain around the Parliament building in Bucharest to illustrate the role that young people will play in the future.

About 1,000 scouts are cooking a huge campfire breakfast in Namibia and groups from all over Malawi will be camping at the top of the Mulanje mountain, one of the highest peaks in Africa.

“If Baden-Powell knew just how successful the movement he founded all those years ago had become, he would be delighted,” said Alastair Frankl, 17, from Manchester. “Only Scouting can bring together so many young people from such different backgrounds.” - From Yahoo News

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