In the beginning...

This blog will cover our troop’s efforts and updates for our 2010 FRC (Flag Retirement Ceremony) trip around the nation. But we wanted to give you a little background first. In 2008 we invited 3 scouts from another troop to join 5 of our older scouts on a trip to South Dakota to participate in the Mt. Rushmore Flag Lowering Ceremony. We had a FANTASTIC time!

Getting the approval to participate in Mt. Rushmore’s ceremony was no easy task. We sent a fax, emails and were on the phone on the designated date. We dialed their number every 2 minutes for 1 hour and 42 minutes until we were able to get through to the ranger. We were the third group to be assigned a date. Thankfully we were able to get the date that we wanted – Flag Day (June 14) 2008. We were thrilled when we found out that they had over 400 requests for only 120 spots – and we got in!!! Us…a little troop from Shawnee, KS. We told the scouts that if 2 ‘old’ folks can be this persistent then they should be just as tenacious in their efforts to raise the funds needed to attend.

The scouts did a little bit of everything from selling popcorn and poinsettias to working the kitchen at Lakeside Speedway, picking up trash at the American Royal BBQ to cleaning up construction sites or having a fundraiser at Applebee’s. Our church and local VFW’s, DAV and Women’s Auxiliary also donated to our trip. We were thrilled and honored at their generosity.

The Scouts worked for weeks on the simple positioning of everyone, who stood where, who did what, etc. Once the Eagle Project was completed and we had a flag pole at the church they practiced for weeks on the entire ceremony. They felt they were prepared and ready to go for it after their last practice. High fives all around!! Little did they know what awaited them at Mt. Rushmore.

For 6 months the Senior Patrol Leader (Evan) worked with the adults to plan the other activities. Everything was kept hush-hush. Earlier in the planning the scouts told me that they didn’t want to hear about all of the details. I told them about the secret trips I would take with my boys. I would tell them what kind of clothes to pack but everything else was a surprise. They liked that idea and requested that we take that angle. I warned them that if they agreed to this now then they wouldn’t be able to ask for details as the trip got closer. They didn’t care…at that time. Sure enough as the time drew nearer they wanted more information and it really bugged the tar out of them that one of their own – Evan knew everything and wouldn’t disclose any information to them. Evan was bribed, threatened and begged to reveal information. Everything was done in jest and it was hilarious!! The buildup made for an even more exciting trip!!

We took the secrecy one step further. The scouts did not know on a day-to-day basis what was going on or what they were doing. Evan would tell them the night before what they were to wear or bring the next day and then the guessing games would begin!! Hilarious!! This was so much fun and exciting that the boys voted to do this again for our 2010 trip! Evan had a great plan; we went to the Badlands, grouped into teams and went through a maze, drove to Wyoming to see Devil’s tower, went to Bear Country USA – and then the big event…Mt Rushmore.

We arrived a little early and thank goodness we did. The program changed at the last minute so the guys had to do some last minute switches and practicing. They were VERY stressed. They’d done all of that practicing and felt like it was for nothing. One of their level-heads told them that only a few things had changed. Most of what they had practiced was still the same. Except of course the last minute knowledge that Evan would be leading the Pledge of Allegiance. HELLO!! You should’ve seen the look in that boys’ eyes!! HA!! I don’t think I’ve ever seen his eyes get that wide before!!!! After they were comfortable with the new program they went into the crowd and starting thanking the veterans and current servicemen. The ceremony itself was VERY nerve-wracking but the time spent in the crowd was really cool and is a very large part of their memory of the event. The scouts sorta dawdled out of there. It was like they just wanted to absorb a few more minutes of ‘the moment’. The servicemen from the Hawaii Army Reserves and the South Dakota & Missouri National Guards were great and stopped to pose for pictures with the boys before they left. They were laughing and joking around so much that I think we were able to get one picture of everyone looking at the camera. All of the other shots were of the servicemen laughing and talking with the scouts. I like those pictures best…Very cool!

Our remaining days in SD were spent at Evan’s Plunge, Needles Highway, and Reptile Gardens. Our older scouts went Wild Caving while the younger ones took the public cave tour. While in SD we managed to address some of our fears. Whether it was fear of heights, snakes, dark spaces or driving on a very narrow and steep highway (most of us didn’t realize this was a fear we had until the moment presented itself!!)…everyone stepped up to the challenge, attacked them and came out on top! The folks up in South Dakota were very hospitable and extremely friendly people. The cabins at the High Country Guest Ranch were VERY clean, the food was great and such fabulous folks-we would highly recommend them!