Because of heightened interest in the 90th anniversary, participation in this year's food drive nearly doubled, said district executive Jay Whitmore.

"We had close to 1,000 Scouts compared to less than 500 last year," he said. "And because of this type of impact, we're trying to tie in the 90th anniversary with several more of our regular annual programs."

In June, an anniversary event at the council's Camp Powhatan will include digging up a 1975 time capsule—and burying a new one.

"We thought window displays were a good way to get Scouting's message to the public, and the 90th anniversary seemed an ideal time for them," said Scout Executive Jeff Rand. "We had several dozen displays, many of them up for all of February. And we plan to do it again next year."

Units were encouraged to use their imaginations in developing the displays. The council recognized all participants and presented special awards to those judged best in each Scouting program.

Scouting's 90th anniversary celebration continues from June 16 through Oct. 31 with phase three, the Great Leadership Search. Council events and activities will honor adults and youth who are exemplary leaders, both in and out of Scouting.

Leave No Trace training and resources available

The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and Leave No Trace, Inc. (LNT) offer a series of courses nationwide designed to prepare individuals to teach the minimum-impact camping skills and ethics of Leave No Trace.

One course geared toward Scouts will be held at Philmont Scout Ranch, Sept. 18 to 22, as part of the fall schedule at the Philmont Training Center. For information, contact Susan Benepe, NOLS Outreach Dept., 288 Main St., Lander, WY 82520, (307) 332-1292, outreach@nols.edu.

You can also learn more about the Philmont course and other NOLS Leave No Trace courses for 2000 at the LNT Web site, http://www.lnt.org. Included are course descriptions, dates, tuition, and enrollment forms.

Two types of LNT courses are available: (1) the Leave No Trace Master Course, typically a five-day session for people who actively teach others backcountry skills or provide recreation information to the public, and (2) the Leave No Trace Trainer Course, a two-day format taught by an LNT Master Educator providing trainees with skills to teach LNT techniques and ethics to clients, friends, and family.

The Web site also tells how to obtain a variety of LNT resources, such as:

• Regional Skills & Ethics booklets on specific ecosystems ("Rocky Mountains") or activities ("Rock Climbing") to order or download directly from the site;
• Posters, videos, activity books, and plastic reference cards (in English and Spanish);
• Leave No Trace membership information pamphlets;
• Expert help for local events, which includes (1) the Traveling Trainers, a touring team that Subaru of America sponsors and that conducts LNT training sessions in local communities coast to coast, and (2) a nationwide network of more than a thousand Leave No Trace Master Educators who will conduct workshops and other educational programs for adults, schools, and youth groups.

In addition to the LNT Web site, information on resources is available from Leave No Trace Inc., P.O. Box 997, Boulder, CO 80306, (800) 332-4100.

Go online for Scouting magazine

Each issue of Scouting magazine can be found on the BSA Web site at http://www.scouting.org/mags/scouting/. Posted is the current issue, plus contents of the magazine's five previous issues.

The site allows readers to submit a letter to the editor, a Worth Retelling item, or a response to a question from the Front Line Stuff column. They can also test their wits with an interactive version of the Family Fun Page. A special customer service form provides a way to e-mail questions about a magazine subscription to either Scouting or Boys' Life.

Scouting magazine indexes for recent years are available, as well as unit anniversary notices, rules for any reader contest currently in progress, and the winning entries to recent competitions.

Report to the Nation

Secretary of the Army Louis Caldera meets with members of the BSA's Report to the Nation delegation in Washington, D.C. Left to right are Jonathan Fulkerson of Paragould, Ariz.; Garrett Asanuma of Simi Valley, Calif.; Tyler Scott Sanchez of Gonzales, La.; Adrianne Johnson of Philadelphia, Pa.; Robert Kollar of Centralia, Wash.; Carey Mignerey of Roswell, Ga.; Dennis Mills II of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Henry Lawson of New York, N.Y. The youth met several government leaders and toured national landmarks during their February trip to the nation's capital.

Annual High Adventure Rally Gives Scouters Planning Tips and Trip Ideas

Since 1986, Scouters in the Sam Houston (Texas) Area Council have had a major assist in keeping their high adventure activities from turning into misadventures.

The council's annual High Adventure Rally in Houston attracts 300-plus volunteer leaders. They come in search of ideas and information about high adventure trips that are challenging, fun, and financially "doable." They usually find them, too.

"We hold the rallies in September, when outstanding high adventure activities of the past summer are still fresh in the minds of those who enjoyed them," says Steve Leland, the council's director of camping services. "We invite units with some of the best activities to come and share their experiences. They bring pictures and stories and lots of tips on how other units can do the same things."

At the 1999 rally, representatives of eight area units gave detailed accounts of how they planned, prepared for, paid for, and carried out recent high adventures. These included coral reef sailing and scuba diving in Florida, climbing 14,000-foot peaks in the Colorado Rockies, and whitewater canoeing in North Carolina.

As always, the program featured a class called "High Adventure Opportunities," covering such vital preparatory steps as planning an itinerary, budgeting, gathering equipment, finding accommodations, and more.

"Most Scout troops aren't flush with money," says Charles Waligura, the council's high adventure chairman, who also chaired the '99 rally. "They do things on a tight budget but still want to give the kids a memorable trip. We pay special attention to helping them do this."

One money-saving tip passed along at the '99 rally: Arrange to stay overnight at military bases along your route, where housing is often available at little or no charge.

"Scouts are welcome at many bases," Waligura says. "Often, they'll even open up their commissaries for inexpensive meals. The trick is contacting them well in advance."

Air Force bases are especially accommodating, says Bruce Robinson of the council's high adventure committee. "Each base has a designated BSA liaison officer to handle arrangements. To find bases in specific areas, check an official state highway map, then dial directory assistance for the phone number."

After several years, it would seem that such "wisdom of the road" might become somewhat repetitive, but that isn't the case, Waligura says.

The annual sessions have been held for 13 straight years, but this type of basic information still comes as fresh news to many Scouters, he says.

"Because of turnover among volunteers, about half of those attending the rally each year are brand-new," Waligura explains. "This encourages us to continue having the event."

—Bill Sloan

did you know...?

In Scouting there is no such thing as a Tiger, a Cub, or a Webelos. Nor is there a Venture crew or a Venture Scout, although a boy can be a Varsity Scout.

Here's why:

• Tiger, Cub, and Webelos (never "Webelo") are used only as modifiers. A boy is a Tiger Cub, a Cub Scout, or a Webelos Scout; he might attend a council facility called Cub World or participate in a weekend camp-out called Webelos Woods.

• A Venture patrol is organized for Scouts, age 13 and older, within a troop. The patrol's elected youth leader is the Venture patrol chief, and Scouts who belong to the patrol are referred to simply as Venture patrol members. On the other hand, a boy is a Varsity Scout when he is a member of a Varsity Scout team, a stand-alone, individually chartered unit in the BSA's program for young men at least 14 but not yet 18.

• A Venturing crew is a unit in Venturing, the new BSA program for young men and women, age 14 to 21, who are called Venturers. The program's adjective form is always Venturing, as in Venturing Oath, Venturing Code, and Venturing program conference.

Enter Scouting's "Great Tastes in Camp Cooking" Recipe Contest Got a favorite Dutch-oven recipe for cobbler or a new way to cook potatoes on the trail? How about spilling the beans on your personal recipe for barbecue, seafood, or hearty soup? Or sharing the secrets of a favorite dessert or side dish? Enter Scouting magazine's Great Tastes in Camp Cooking recipe contest and you could be the winner of a BSA Supply Division gift certificate of up to $400 and a Leatherman Pulse compact multipurpose tool. RULES FOR ENTERING The contest is open to all registered BSA adult volunteer members. Not eligible are BSA professionals and youth members. All entries should be field-tested outdoors—either cooked over a charcoal or wood fire or by using a backpacker-style gas stove. Recipes must be for an entree, side dish, or dessert. Up to three recipes may be submitted, but only one recipe may be entered in each category. All entries must be submitted on, or formatted for, letter-size (8 1/2 by 11) paper and contain the the following information: (1) entrant's name, address, daytime phone number; (2) category entered; (3) name of dish and number of servings; (4) all ingredients with exact measurements; (5) complete directions for preparation. Due to the large volume of recipes expected, entries cannot be acknowledged or returned. For the purpose of the contest, all recipes become the property of Scouting magazine. Entries must be submitted by postal mail or electronically via the entry form on the Scouting magazine section of the BSA Web site. Entries must be postmarked no later than Sept. 30, 2000, and received no later than Oct. 4, 2000. Mail entries to Great Tastes in Camp Cooking Contest, Scouting Magazine, S204, 1325 W. Walnut Hill Ln., P.O. Box 152079, Irving, TX 75015-2079. Winners must certify that their recipe is original or is a significant adaptation of another published recipe, and that they have personally prepared the entry outdoors. WINNERS AND PRIZES A grand-prize winner for "best recipe overall" will be selected from all entries and receive a $400 BSA Supply Division gift certificate. In each category, additional winners will receive Supply Division gift certificates as follows: 1st Place— $300; 2nd Place—$200; 3rd Place— $100. In addition, all winners will receive a Leatherman Pulse compact multipurpose tool (shown above). Winning recipes will be published in the March-April 2001 issue of Scouting magazine and on the Scouting magazine Web page. Leatherman® PulseTM

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