Greensburg Kansas Update - Scouts Helping Scouts

Hi, Steven! Hope you are well . . .

A new website was launched last weekend about the “Scouts Helping Scouts” Organization. The website address is:

http://www.scoutshelpingscouts.org/

We are still $12,338.98 short of the goal of $25,500.00. On the website, there are pictures of the Greensburg Caravan from last June 27th, and pictures of my son Jordan and I when we delivered the first $7,300.00 to the Quivira Council on June 14th. There is also a Guestbook link on the site, and I invite any and all comments that you or others may have.

Also – please know that no BSA Insignia or Logos have been used on this site, as it is not sanctioned or endorsed by the BSA or the Heart of America Council. We cater to the needs of the BSA Units and the Girl Scout USA Units that need our help!

Thank you for all you do! Troop 42 has a WONDERFUL SITE – one that you should all be proud of! Please give my best to Dr. Joe . . . he is great guy – and I know you are fortunate to have him as your Scoutmaster!

Yours in “Leadership in Service”,
---
Jeffrey A. “Yogi” Cook
Scoutmaster, Boy Scout Troop 900
Managing Director - “Scouts Helping Scouts”
North Oak Christian Church
9900 North Oak Trafficway
Kansas City, MO 64155
Heart of America Council, BSA
scouter@kc.rr.com
" . . . And a Good 'Ole Antelope, Too!" C-29-99

Greensburg "Scouts Helping Scouts" Benefit Skating Party August 16th 7-9PM in Liberty, Missouri

To All,

First of all – THANK YOU to Ed and Mary Ellen Hughes of Troop 1214 in Liberty for putting together this idea (see below and attached flyer). Ed and I chose August 16th, because – according to District Director Jason Ballew – there is nothing else on the District Calendar that evening, and it will not interfere with Recruitment. Jason does ask, however – that we DO NOT use this as a Recruiting Tool, as School Nights begin the following week. Inviting prospective Scouts and their Families to this event would not be the best avenue to get our message across to them, and we need the best attendance possible at the School Nights. Therefore, this is for existing Scouts and their families, as well as anyone else that would like to attend. Please pass this information to everyone you can – I will work to get this in the hands of the District Commissioners throughout the Council. Ed has created a flyer (in Microsoft Publisher) that can be sent via email to anyone who would like to print some out and make available at your Pack and Troop Meetings.

Also, since T1900 will be at Camp 6th Session (so will T1214, but Ed will be at the North Star District Roundtable), Ed has volunteered to collect any donations for the “Scouts Helping Scouts” benefit. Please remember to have the checks made out to “Quivira Scout Council”, with the comment line “Pack/Troop 211 Relief Fund.” For those who would still like to make a donation but will not be at the August RT, the address for donations is:

Greensburg Scout Relief Fund - “Scouts Helping Scouts”
5510 NE Antioch Road
PMB 311
Kansas City, MO 64119
Attn: Jeffrey Cook

Here’s the latest: I received $125.00 in donations today from a family in Olathe and Troop 477 in Atlanta, Georgia (yes – Atlanta!!!). This brings our total raised thus far to $10,600.05 – or 41.57% of goal ($25,500). Phase 2 ends this Wednesday, and the monies raised during Phase 2 (currently $3,300.05) will be sent to the Quivira Council’s Office in Wichita on Thursday. As you can see, we still have work to do. Phase 3 will begin on July 26th – and will run through Labor Day weekend. Each Phase will be approximately 5-6 weeks long until we reach our goal – this way, each Phase becomes more manageable, and we can focus on the smaller steps that will still lead us to the ultimate goal.

On a bright note – Troop 211 is now scheduling monthly campouts, thanks to those who contributed equipment, uniforms, and the 2 Troop Trailers. I want to publicly thank Troop 280 in Kansas City (Thunderbird District) and Troop 376 in Liberty (North Star District) for their donation of the Troop Trailers! Thank you to Chuck Hasenyager of Troop 280 (and their fine Committee) and Bill Bland of Troop 376 (and his wonderful Troop Committee) for making this happen! Because of efforts like yours, the Scouting program in Greensburg is ALIVE!!! Now – we need to keep them alive – off life-support, and fully operational for the next 3 years – that’s the critical phase of this operation! This is what your generous donations will provide! If we can give them 3 years cushion, their chances of long-term survival is EXCELLENT!!! Remember – downtown Greensburg will probably not be fully functional for at least another 12-18 months. Many of the members of the Troop Committee had businesses in Greensburg – and they were all wiped out by the Tornado.
Should any of you have any questions, please feel free to email me, or call me at 816-616-6882.

God Bless ALL of You!!!

Yours in Scouting,

Jeffrey A. "Yogi" Cook
Scoutmaster, Boy Scout Troop 900
North Oak Christian Church
9900 North Oak Trafficway
Kansas City, MO 64155
Heart of America Council, BSA
scouter@kc.rr.com
jcook@tallgrasstech.com
" . . . And a Good 'Ole Antelope, Too!" C-29-99

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: northstar-l@yahoogroups.com [mailto:northstar-l@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Ed Hughes
Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2007 1:09 PM
To: northstar-l@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [northstar-l] Greensburg Relief Benefit Skating Party.

Northland Rolladium Skate Center in Liberty is hosting a benefit
skating party for the Scouts of Greensburg, KS.

When: August 16, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Where: Northland Rolladium Skate Center, 1020 S. Kent St., Liberty,
MO

Cost: $5.00 ($2.50 of each admission to be donated to Greensburg
relief) Quad skate rental free/inline skate rental $3.50

Who: All Cubs, Scouts, Venturers, Girl Scouts and their families and
friends.

For more information, contact Ed Hughes, 816-792-0590, 816-507-0590
or 816-792-5228. Flyers will be available at August roundtable.

Yours in Scouting,

Ed Hughes, owner
Northland Rolladium Skate Center
Troop 214

---
Jeffrey A. “Yogi” Cook
Scoutmaster, Boy Scout Troop 900
North Oak Christian Church
9900 North Oak Trafficway
Kansas City, MO 64155
Heart of America Council, BSA
scouter@kc.rr.com
" . . . And a Good 'Ole Antelope, Too!" C-29-99

Greensburg Troop/Pack 211 Relief Fund Update "Scouts Helping Scouts" - Updated 7/11/07

To All,

I haven’t updated any of you for awhile – hope all of you are doing well . . . and had a safe July 4th holiday!

Currently, we have raised $3,175.05 in the Phase 2 portion of this Drive, bringing the grand total of Cash and Check donations to $10,475.05 (41.08% of Goal). We are currently $15,024.95 from our goal of $25,500.00. Unfortunately, the pace has really slowed down as of late, as this drive effort has received 2 donations in the past 10 days. With the exception of a few small items (and potentially one more trailer in late August or early September, as the other 2 have been donated to the Greensburg Units – are down there now and being used for storage right now and are jam-packed with gear), the equipment portion of this drive is over – so we must focus on the cash and check donations for the time being.

We are taking a different approach to the Collection Points, as the construction on North Oak Trafficway seems to hamper our standing by the road with our signage and buckets that are brining attention to this need. I will let you know what the new plan will be – as I am talking with Wal-Mart, Hy-Vee and other businesses for permission to set up shop right outside their entrances. Time is running out for Troop 1900, however – as we are preparing to leave for Camp on the 29th. After Camp (we will return on August 7th), we will resume the collection efforts.

We really need your help at this point. Most all of you have donated in one form or another, so I am not wanting to “go back to the well” - so to speak – but I am asking you to please spread the word. I cannot tell you how many “Thank You’s” the members of our Caravan Team received from the Scouts and Leaders of Greensburg – it was WAY TOO MANY TO COUNT! They were in tears, and so were we. If you could see and hear what we saw and heard, I think you would agree with me that this effort needs to continue and shift into overdrive. The equipment that we delivered on the 27th now allows them to go on monthly campouts – beginning with this month, and they do have one planned.

Please know that the residents of Greensburg are resilient – yet frustrated. As a story was told to me by our “tour guide” (a member of their Troop Committee and a member of the Greensburg School Board) – within hours and the first few days after the Tornado, so many relief organizations from the State and other places came in with promises for relief, etc. Some came through – but they are still waiting for the majority of the promises to be made into reality. Many of the relief organizations have come and gone – yet there is still major work to be done. They are especially appreciative of FEMA and the Salvation Army (both of which are STILL on the scene and will be for probably the next year to come), and from the Scouts: The Quivira Council (who has come through in a BIG WAY to financially help the families of the Scouts – with MUCH PRAISE going to Fred Meijering and his Council Staff – they have been remarkable!) and our “Scouts Helping Scouts” effort (which is designed to cover Scouting Equipment, Uniforming and Personal Equipment Needs and Scouting Budget Expenses for Pack 211 and Troop 211 for at least the next 3 years).

Those adults who took part in the Caravan: April Hale, Willy Mead, Mike Reddy, Larry Bechtel (along with his father) and Mike Costanzo – all can attest to what is written above.

I can tell you that I was hesitant at first when my SPL and I started talking about beginning this effort on May 5th (the day after the Tornado), because I wasn’t sure whether we should begin now, or wait until the rebuilding effort finishes. The problem with waiting is that (as we later found out), it is going to take a year or more just to rebuild over 50% of the homes that were destroyed, and another year to rebuild the rest. The downtown area won’t be rebuilt for another 12-18 months. They won’t even have electricity until at least this fall. To compound this, they have had record rainfall since May 4th. IF WE WOULD HAVE WAITED FOR THE REBUILDING EFFORT TO FINISH, THERE WOULD PROBABLY BE NOTHING LEFT OF TROOP AND PACK 211 TO ASSIST, REBUILD AND RE-EQUIP. ONCE WE FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMUNITY WITH A CONTINUED LEGACY OF SCOUTING SINCE 1913, WE DECIDED WE NEEDED TO START ASAP. Based on the hugs, tears, thank you’s, and looks in the eyes and faces of those we met, we did the right thing – AND PLEASE DON’T LET ANYONE TELL YOU OTHERWISE! Please trust me on this one – WE SAW IT FIRST HAND, AND WE KNOW THIS IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, and we have to keep doing it!

Please remember that the PLC of Troop 1900 (along with their Scoutmaster (me), and the Troop Committee) has committed to raising every cent of the goal of $25,500, regardless of how long that takes. This is also a promise that was made to the Scouts and Leaders of Greensburg on June 27th. They are extremely weary of some promises of aide (as mentioned above) with nothing to show for it as of yet. This is a promise that we told them they could bank on.

So . . . WE NEED YOUR HELP! PLEASE – PASS THE WORD!

If you are asked where to send donations, please give them this address:

Greensburg Scout Relief Fund “Scouts Helping Scouts”
5510 NE Antioch Road
PMB 311
Kansas City, MO 64119
Attn: Jeffrey Cook

Again – checks need to be made payable to “Quivira Scout Council” with the comment line “Troop/Pack 211 Relief Fund.”

Remember, the total monetary goal for this project is $25,500.00.

Thank you ALL for your help on this! I am PROUD of ALL OF YOU, and VERY PROUD to be Scoutmaster of Troop 1900!!! If you knew “my boys” (all 42 of them) - you would be too!!!

PS: If you do not wish to receive these periodic updates, please email me and I will remove you from the list. Thank you – it is not my intention to load up your email inbox . . .

Yours in Scouting,
---
Jeffrey A. “Yogi” Cook
Scoutmaster, Boy Scout Troop 900
North Oak Christian Church
9900 North Oak Trafficway
Kansas City, MO 64155
Heart of America Council, BSA
scouter@kc.rr.com
" . . . And a Good 'Ole Antelope, Too!" C-29-99

Greensburg Pictures 6/27/07

To All,

As promised, here are the pictures from yesterday’s Caravan to Greensburg. The pictures are:

1. The Caravan Crew at 6:30AM yesterday morning (before the 643 Mile Trip) at Red Bridge United Methodist Church
2. The Pack and Troop 211 members that greeted us in Greensburg in front of what is left of the Scout Building (this is EXACTLY WHY we MUST continue to work towards our goal)
3. The Scout Trailers before moving them to storage at Bob Wedel’s new storage shed that was being re-constructed.
4. The Scout Trailers in line at Bob Wedel’s new storage shed that is being rebuilt. Bob is the Lakota District Commissioner, Pack Cubmaster and Troop Committee Chairman.
5. Most houses in Greensburg are still untouched, because of the massive clean up that has to take place. The first step was to clear the debris from the streets, which took weeks – then the next step was to bring what debris you could out to the curb. This process is still going on.
6. The East side of the Scout Building – Note: look at the devastation behind it (to the west of the Scout Building). The 100 year old trees are gone – all small limbs on the trees in the 3 square miles of devastation are gone, and all trees are approximately 20-25 feet tall now. As you can see, the Scout Building – made of formidable granite and stone – is almost gone.
7. Old Glory – reminding us that even in the face of adversity - “Our Flag Was Still There . . . “ you can’t imagine how many flags we saw flying where houses once stood . . .
8. The Largest Hand Dug Well in the World – Greensburg’s pride and joy. Right now – it is deemed unsafe until inspectors are able to certify it. It is not a high priority at this time . . .
9. Look at downtown Greensburg. Notice the Grain Elevator in the background. Bob Wedel and his wife live 2 miles southwest of the Grain Elevator. Before the tornado, they could not even see the top of the Elevator because of the large trees obstructing the view. Now – all they have to do is stand in their yard, look to the northeast, and they get a full view of the entire grain elevator – 2 miles away.
10. Another look at the devastation in downtown Greensburg.

Folks, I took 118 pictures, and would gladly provide any of you a CD of them. They are all shot in RAW Format – so they will have to be converted from 16-Bit to 8-Bit, then saved as jpeg format (like the 10 I have sent you – including the 4 in this email). It may take awhile to change all of them, but I would gladly do it. They are ALL 8MB in size (I’ve been a photographer for a long time – so I like RAW format) and they would choke the email system if I sent them without converting them.

During our 16 Square Block tour yesterday, we learned some things . . .

1. Almost all of the power poles and power lines were gone in a matter of seconds. They have no power, and won’t any time soon (weeks, if not months). All of the debris has to be cleared first.
2. Water and Gas lines are now operational, but that is little consolation – as the water lines are still flooding the exposed basements, making them dangerous pools. Some gas lines are still not capped yet because of the massive debris that is still very prevalent and hiding the gas leaks.
3. 90% of the houses damaged are still left untouched. That’s how much devastation they had.
4. Out of the 88 businesses in Greensburg, almost all were gone in a matter of seconds.
5. Their Fire Department (FEMA Provided), is as big as a small city right now. This replaced the Volunteer Fire Department that was wiped out.
6. Their emergency plan was this: In the event of a disaster, here is the order of storm shelters: a). Gymnasium (GONE) b). Community Center (GONE) c). Basement of Baptist Church (GONE) - In fact, all the Churches in Greensburg were leveled by the storm.
7. When President Bush visited Greensburg, he went into the crowds – something Presidents just don’t do for security reasons. He waited and talked with everyone who wanted to talk to him – and promised his support. FEMA and The Salvation Army have done an OUTSTANDING JOB – according to our tour guide.
8. No rebuilding can take place until electricity is reestablished. Electricity cannot be reestablished until the debris is hauled off and burned. This will take months. (Remember the 3-Year Plan for funding the Troop and Pack? It will take that long for families to get fully back on their feet)
9. Curfew is STILL 10PM-8AM, and will be for quite some time. NO ONE is to be on the streets after 10PM. There is a large representative of police departments from all around an 8-State Region constantly patrolling the city, and the National Guard’s Temporary HQ is on what is left of the Football Field.
10. All Schools are gone – their Insurance Company just wrote a check for $16.4 Million to replace the 3 schools – the largest check this Insurance Provider had ever written.
    

There’s more – the remaining 110 pictures tell the story. All I know is that we MUST RAISE THE REMAINING MONEY TO HELP OUR FELLOW SCOUTS, AND THE SOONER, THE BETTER! If you saw what the 17 of us saw yesterday, you would absolutely agree.

Again, here is where we are at: (equipment phase 1A is complete for the most part – Scout Shirts and current Scout Books are STILL NEEDED – Both Boy Scout AND Cub Scout)

Cash Raised so far in the past 6 weeks: $10,255.05 ($7,300 already delivered on 6/14/07)

Goal: $25,500.00

Goal Shortfall: $15,244.95

Again, here is the address for donations:

Greensburg Scout Relief Fund “Scouts Helping Scouts”
5510 NE Antioch Road
PMB 311
Kansas City, MO 64119
Attn: Jeffrey Cook

Checks need to be made payable to: “Quivira Scout Council”, with the comment line “Troop/Pack 211 Relief Fund.”

Please – look at the pictures, then look in your hearts . . . and if you can give, please consider doing so. They need our help, and it can’t come fast enough. One thing, though – most Residents are (as they wrote on their homes) “HERE TO STAY!” Greensburg will survive – let’s continue to give their Legacy of Scouting Service a fighting chance to survive as well. That is a promise all of us made to Bob Wedel and his Scouts and Leaders yesterday.

On behalf of the PLC of Troop 1900, thank you so much for helping us help them! Your kind emails and words of encouragement have been passed on to our Scouts, as well to the Scouts of Greensburg. Yesterday, we proudly told them that we not only represent Troop 1900 - but proudly represent the Units of the Heart of America Council, and our Scouting Friends in 26 States. This is “SCOUTS HELPING SCOUTS!”

God Bless Each and Every One of You! You all are the best . . .

LET’S SPREAD THE WORD!!!

Yours in Scouting,
---
Jeffrey A. “Yogi” Cook
Scoutmaster, Boy Scout Troop 900
North Oak Christian Church
9900 North Oak Trafficway
Kansas City, MO 64155
Heart of America Council, BSA
scouter@kc.rr.com
" . . . And a Good 'Ole Antelope, Too!" C-29-99

Greensburg, Kansas Caravan "Scouts Helping Scouts" - Updated 6/28/07 6:15AM

To All,

After a 640 mile Roundtrip in one day – we are back! I will update tonight with a couple of pictures from the trip. I’ll tell you this – the pictures on the news does not show the full extent of the damage, as we were not prepared for what we saw yesterday . . . it is a very humbling experience.

Thank you to ALL who participated to make this happen – and to those who were with us in spirit! By the looks in eyes and on the faces of those in Troop 211 and Pack 211, we did the right thing.

I will go into much more detail tonight . . . we delivered $27,327.55 in equipment yesterday! We left Red Bridge UMC at 6:50AM, arrived in Wichita at 10:45 – left Wichita at 11:30, and arrived in Greensburg at 1:25PM. We were there for 2 1/2 hours, and got home at 9:30 last night.

Please remember – Phase 2 is still on . . . we have collected $10,255.05 in cash and check donations – but, we are still $15,244.95 short of the goal of $25,500.00. With what we saw yesterday, along with a walking tour of a 16 square block area in the heart of Greensburg, we ABSOLUTELY NEED to raise every penny of this goal. Hopefully, the pictures I send tonight will help convey this . . .

May God Richly Bless ALL of You!

Yours in Scouting,
---
Jeffrey A. “Yogi” Cook
Scoutmaster, Boy Scout Troop 900
North Oak Christian Church
9900 North Oak Trafficway
Kansas City, MO 64155
Heart of America Council, BSA
scouter@kc.rr.com
" . . . And a Good 'Ole Antelope, Too!" C-29-99

Upcoming Schedule for Greensburg Collection Point

To All,

The collection dates for the next Month are as follows:

Monday, June 25th 6:30PM-8:30PM
Tuesday, June 26th 6:00PM-7:00PM
Thursday, June 28th 6:00PM-7:00PM
Monday, July 2nd 6:30PM-8:30PM
Tuesday, July 3rd 6:00PM-6:45PM (Eagle Board of Review scheduled for 7PM for EJ Deml)
Thursday, July 5th 6:00PM-7:00PM
Monday, July 9th 5:30PM-6:30PM (Troop Order of the Arrow Election Night)
Tuesday, July 10th 6:00PM-7:00PM
Thursday, July 12th 6:00PM-7:00PM
Monday, July 16th 5:30PM-8:00PM (PLC and Committee Meeting Night)
Tuesday, July 17th 6:00PM-7:00PM
Thursday, July 19th 6:00PM-7:00PM
Monday, July 23rd 6:30PM-8:30PM
Tuesday, July 24th 6:00PM-7:00PM

After that – Troop 900 Camp Preparation – for 6th Session. The dates will resume on August 9th.

All locations will be North Oak Christian Church, 9900 N. Oak Trafficway, KCMO 64155.

The following is what the needs are at the present time:

1. Cash/Check Donations
2. Scout Shirts (Field Uniform)
3. Current and Updated Scout Handbooks, Merit Badge books, Cub Scout Books, miscellaneous Scouting Books

For more information, please contact me at 816-616-6882. If you can’t make it by the Church – please call me and I will make arrangements to meet you for picking up your donation.

Thank you ALL for your help on this!

Yours in Scouting, always . . .
---
Jeffrey A. “Yogi” Cook
Scoutmaster, Boy Scout Troop 900
North Oak Christian Church
9900 North Oak Trafficway
Kansas City, MO 64155
Heart of America Council, BSA
scouter@kc.rr.com
" . . . And a Good 'Ole Antelope, Too!" C-29-99

Greensburg Update 6/25/2007 8:30AM

To All:

With few exceptions, we have collected all of the equipment that we need for the Caravan on Wednesday! There are a few that I will be collecting today and tomorrow. May thanks to Eagle Scout Jeffrey Gentes for his GENEROUS DONATION of personal gear for the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of Greensburg! Last night – 4 of us (Willy and Taylor Mead, Jordan and me) drove the 92 miles to Leeton (just north of Clinton, MO), and spent almost 4 hours gathering equipment – sleeping bags, jackets, socks, everything you can think of – for the Scouts – including American Flags (2 extremely nice ones – 1 for each unit – 8 1/2 feet long! They are HUGE!!!). All told, Jeff donated over $5,100 in personal equipment to the cause! Thank you, Jeff – and to all the employees of The Pickle Suit!!! You have truly made a difference!

That being said, here are the donated totals through 11PM last night:

Cash and Check Donations (and pledges – money on the way): $7,915.05
Goal (as set by Troop 1900’s PLC on 5/14/2007 and reaffirmed on 6/11/2007): $25,500.00
Percent of Goal attained: 31.04%
Note: Troop 1900’s PLC voted again on 6/18/2007 to continue the collection effort until every penny is raised of the $25,500 goal – even if that takes us into 2008!

Equipment Donations (value of) in hand: $24,427.55
Goal (as set by Troop 1900’s PLC on 5/14/2007 and reaffirmed on 6/11/2007): $25,000.00
Percent of Goal attained: 97.71%
We will surpass the equipment goal by 6AM on Wednesday morning!!! THANK YOU TO ALL!!!!

Here is the address to send cash and check donations:

Greensburg Scout Relief Fund - “Scouts Helping Scouts”
5510 NE Antioch Road
PMB 311
Kansas City, MO 64119
Attn: Jeffrey Cook

Checks need to be made payable to: “Quivira Scout Council”, with the comment line “Troop/Pack 211 Relief Fund.” All donors will receive a Thank You Letter from the Quivira Scout Council in Wichita, and from Troop 1900.

The Caravan to Greensburg will take place on Wednesday, June 27th! Again, Here are the details:

6:00AM – Meet at the Parking Lot of Red Bridge United Methodist Church. They are located at 117th and Holmes in South Kansas City (2 miles south of the Scout Service Center on the right hand side of the road – meet in the parking lot BEHIND the Church.

We will not have a chance to stop for food along the way. Please bring a SACK LUNCH to eat in Greensburg once we get there. Also – plan on bringing some snacks to tide you over along the way. It is a 205 mile trip to the Quivira Council Office, and another 85 mile trip from their offices to Greensburg. Everyone will be on their own once we leave Greensburg – I would plan on stopping in Wichita on the way home to grab a bite to eat, so please plan to bring enough money. You are not likely to be home before 9:30PM.

We will then do the following:

Connect the Troop 280 Trailer to the hitch of the vehicle that will be pulling this
Load up the trailers with additional equipment that will be brought that morning
Have a Group Picture taken of all taking part in the caravan
Distribute maps to all with instructions on the route we are taking (I-35 to Emporia, and then to Wichita)
Please Note: We will be taking up a collection for the 2 drivers that are pulling the trailers (Michael Costanzo of Troop 900 and Larry Bechtel of Troop 3) to help offset the cost of the toll from Emporia to Wichita – as it will cost a lot more for them for toll since they are pulling a trailer – both weighing in at 5,000 to 7,000 pounds.

ON THE ROAD BY 6:30AM

Travel to Wichita – Quivira Council Office at 1555 E. 2nd Street, Wichita, KS 67201 – and meet up with LeRoy Kreutzer, Field Service Director for the Quivira Council – eta 10:30AM
(Toll to Wichita for normal vehicles is $3.50 to Wichita – and $3.50 back – total of $7.00) Once we meet with LeRoy, he (and possibly others) will join us for the final 85 miles on US Hwy 54 to Greensburg – eta 1PM

At Greensburg:

We will meet with Bob Wedel, District Commissioner of the Lakota District, Cubmaster of 211 Pack and Committee Chair of Troop 211
Move the trailers to a location that they see fit – take pictures (if wanted – bring your own camera if you wish)
Unload the trailers – or be ready to move any equipment
Once we have completed everything that they need – say our goodbyes and leave for home

The work continues . . .

Here is what we need to NOW (and time is REALLY running out) . . .

Collect the remainder of the equipment that has been pledged. I have some, but the rest needs to be arranged. ALL EQUIPMENT MUST BE COLLECTED BY TUESDAY NIGHT, JUNE 26th - EXCEPT FOR THOSE WHO ARE BRINGING EQUIPMENT WEDNESDAY MORNING (AND HAVE TOLD ME IN ADVANCE THAT THEY ARE DOING THIS). PLEASE COORDINATE THIS WITH ME, SO I DON’T HAVE SOMEONE SHOW UP WITH EQUIPMENT ON WEDNESDAY MORNING AND WE HAVE NO PLACE TO PUT IT. Rest assured that I will be keeping a log . . .

IF YOU AND I HAVE NOT “HOOKED-UP” YET – PLEASE CALL ME AT 816-616-6882 SO WE CAN MEET AND GET THE EQUIPMENT TRANSFERRED!!!

Arrange transportation for all who want to go – ALL ARE INVITED, but we need drivers. If we are to make this a LONG Caravan, we needs cars, vans, etc. (and drivers). I have to know this information on Monday, as I am required to file a Tour Permit with the Council Office for this event. This involves an Out-of-Council trip, to an area that is still deemed somewhat hazardous.

Folks – this will be a CLASS “A” EVENT!!! We are representing the following, Your Troop, Your Chartered Organization, Your District, Your Council, and the Kansas City Metro Area. Let’s do it RIGHT!!!

We need UNIFORMS!!! Class “A” shirts, and plenty of them. 1 for the Scout now, and 1 for 2-3 years down the road as he grows. Scout belts, scout socks, etc. Some Scout shorts are being donated by The Scout Shop at the Council Service Center, but I don’t know how many at this time. Scout pants are not necessary right now, but we will accept them.

Finally – we need CASH AND CHECKS! We are still $17,584.95 short of the goal. We need your help! Please let everyone you know about this effort!!! We need to continue the momentum . . .

On behalf of the Scouts and Leaders of Troop 1900 – THANK YOU SO MUCH for all of your help! We accomplished a lot, but we have a long ways to go!!! Remember – this is NOT a Troop 1900 event – we are simply the “go-to” guys for this project, the coordinators, and the delivery mechanism. This is an ENTIRE KANSAS CITY SCOUTING EVENT – and ALL WILL BE RECOGNIZED. We are not doing this for our own glory – and as much work as my Scouts have put in this, trust me – it’s not glamorous work! This is “Scouts Helping Scouts!” I am proud that my PLC wanted to do this – and I hope you are proud of the choice they made as well . . .

IMPORTANT!!! Please let me know ASAP if you are planning to take part in the caravan as I need to make a list of everyone who makes the trip to Greensburg and back! Let’s represent the Kansas City area properly!!! I NEED TO KNOW BY TONIGHT AS I HAVE TO FILE A TOUR PERMIT TOMORROW WITH THE HEART OF AMERICA COUNCIL OFFICE!!!

Final caravan update tomorrow. Until then . . .

May God Bless Each and Every One of You!!!

Yours in Scouting, always . . .
---
Jeffrey A. “Yogi” Cook
Scoutmaster, Boy Scout Troop 900
North Oak Christian Church
9900 North Oak Trafficway
Kansas City, MO 64155
Heart of America Council, BSA
scouter@kc.rr.com
" . . . And a Good 'Ole Antelope, Too!" C-29-99

Greensburg Caravan Update - 6/23/2007 12:30PM

To All:

WE HAVE A DRIVER FOR THE 2ND TRAILER!!! HOW HOW!!! Please join me in thanking LARRY BECHTEL, Scoutmaster of Troop 3 in Harrisonville who has graciously volunteered his time and vehicle for this event!

The Caravan to Greensburg will take place on Wednesday, June 27th! Again, Here are the details:

6:00AM – Meet at the Parking Lot of Red Bridge United Methodist Church. They are located at 117th and Holmes in South Kansas City (2 miles south of the Scout Service Center on the right hand side of the road – meet in the parking lot BEHIND the Church.

We will not have a chance to stop for food along the way. Please bring a SACK LUNCH to eat in Greensburg once we get there. Also – plan on bringing some snacks to tide you over along the way. It is a 205 mile trip to the Quivira Council Office, and another 85 mile trip from their offices to Greensburg. Everyone will be on their own once we leave Greensburg – I would plan on stopping in Wichita on the way home to grab a bite to eat, so please plan to bring enough money. You are not likely to be home before 9:30PM.

We will then do the following:

Connect the Troop 280 Trailer to the hitch of the vehicle that will be pulling this
Load up the trailers with additional equipment that will be brought that morning
Have a Group Picture taken of all taking part in the caravan
Distribute maps to all with instructions on the route we are taking (I-35 to Emporia, and then to Wichita)
Please Note: We will be taking up a collection for the 2 drivers that are pulling the trailers (Michael Costanzo of Troop 900 and Larry Bechtel of Troop 3) to help offset the cost of the toll from Emporia to Wichita – as it will cost a lot more for them for toll since they are pulling a trailer – both weighing in at 5,000 to 7,000 pounds.

ON THE ROAD BY 6:30AM

Travel to Wichita – Quivira Council Office at 1555 E. 2nd Street, Wichita, KS 67201 – and meet up with LeRoy Kreutzer, Field Service Director for the Quivira Council – eta 10:30AM
(Toll to Wichita for normal vehicles is $3.50 to Wichita – and $3.50 back – total of $7.00) Once we meet with LeRoy, he (and possibly others) will join us for the final 85 miles on US Hwy 54 to Greensburg – eta 1PM

At Greensburg:

We will meet with Bob Wedel, District Commissioner of the Lakota District, Cubmaster of 211 Pack and Committee Chair of Troop 211
Move the trailers to a location that they see fit – take pictures (if wanted – bring your own camera if you wish)
Unload the trailers – or be ready to move any equipment
Once we have completed everything that they need – say our goodbyes and leave for home

The work continues . . .

Here is what we need to NOW (and time is REALLY running out) . . .

Collect the remainder of the equipment that has been pledged. I have some, but the rest needs to be arranged. ALL EQUIPMENT MUST BE COLLECTED BY TUESDAY NIGHT, JUNE 26th - EXCEPT FOR THOSE WHO ARE BRINGING EQUIPMENT WEDNESDAY MORNING (AND HAVE TOLD ME IN ADVANCE THAT THEY ARE DOING THIS). PLEASE COORDINATE THIS WITH ME, SO I DON’T HAVE SOMEONE SHOW UP WITH EQUIPMENT ON WEDNESDAY MORNING AND WE HAVE NO PLACE TO PUT IT. Rest assured that I will be keeping a log . . .

IF YOU AND I HAVE NOT “HOOKED-UP” YET – PLEASE CALL ME AT 816-616-6882 SO WE CAN MEET AND GET THE EQUIPMENT TRANSFERRED!!!

Arrange transportation for all who want to go – ALL ARE INVITED, but we need drivers. If we are to make this a LONG Caravan, we needs cars, vans, etc. (and drivers). I have to know this information on Monday, as I am required to file a Tour Permit with the Council Office for this event. This involves an Out-of-Council trip, to an area that is still deemed somewhat hazardous.

Folks – this will be a CLASS “A” EVENT!!! We are representing the following, Your Troop, Your Chartered Organization, Your District, Your Council, and the Kansas City Metro Area. Let’s do it RIGHT!!!

I will will be meeting with Jeff Gentes (of “The Pickle Suit”) to pick up personal gear at his warehouse in Leeton on Sunday at 6PM (we will meet at 4:30PM on Sunday to drive to Leeton). I will need at least 1-2 vehicles besides my own to help with this. We will be picking up sleeping bags, mess kits, backpacks, and other personal items for each Scout in the Pack and Troop.

We need UNIFORMS!!! Class “A” shirts, and plenty of them. 1 for the Scout now, and 1 for 2-3 years down the road as he grows. Scout belts, scout socks, etc. Some Scout shorts are being donated by The Scout Shop at the Council Service Center, but I don’t know how many at this time. Scout pants are not necessary right now, but we will accept them.

Finally – we need CASH AND CHECKS! We are still $17,634.95 short of the goal. We need your help! Please let everyone you know about this effort!!! We need to continue the momentum . . .

On behalf of the Scouts and Leaders of Troop 1900 – THANK YOU SO MUCH for all of your help! We accomplished a lot, but we have a long ways to go!!! Remember – this is NOT a Troop 1900 event – we are simply the “go-to” guys for this project, the coordinators, and the delivery mechanism. This is an ENTIRE KANSAS CITY SCOUTING EVENT – and ALL WILL BE RECOGNIZED. We are not doing this for our own glory – and as much work as my Scouts have put in this, trust me – it’s not glamorous work! This is “Scouts Helping Scouts!” I am proud that my PLC wanted to do this – and I hope you are proud of the choice they made as well . . .

IMPORTANT!!! Please let me know if you are planning to take part in the caravan as I need to make a list of everyone who makes the trip to Greensburg and back! Let’s represent the Kansas City area properly!!! I NEED TO KNOW BY SUNDAY NIGHT!!!

More later this weekend . . . God Bless Each and Every one of you!
---
Jeffrey A. “Yogi” Cook
Scoutmaster, Boy Scout Troop 900
North Oak Christian Church
9900 North Oak Trafficway
Kansas City, MO 64155
Heart of America Council, BSA
scouter@kc.rr.com
" . . . And a Good 'Ole Antelope, Too!" C-29-99

Greensburg Caravan Update - Updated 6/22/2007 8AM

To All:

The Caravan to Greensburg will take place on Wednesday, June 27th! Here are the details

6:00AM – Meet at the Parking Lot of Red Bridge United Methodist Church. They are located at 117th and Holmes in South Kansas City (2 miles south of the Scout Service Center on the right hand side of the road – meet in the parking lot BEHIND the Church.

We will then do the following:

Connect the Troop 280 Trailer to the hitch of the vehicle that will be pulling this (WE STILL NEED A VEHICLE for this trailer)
Load up the trailers with additional equipment that will be brought that morning
Have a Group Picture taken of all taking part in the caravan
Distribute maps to all with instructions on the route we are taking (I-35 to Emporia, and then to Wichita)

ON THE ROAD BY 6:30AM

Travel to Wichita – Quivira Council Office at 1555 E. 2nd Street, Wichita, KS 67201 – and meet up with LeRoy Kreutzer, Field Service Director for the Quivira Council – eta 10:30AM
(Please note – the Emporia to Wichita portion of this trip has a Toll involved – and those pulling the trailers will likely pay more. We will take a collection at the meeting site to help offset that cost for the Trailer drivers. For the rest of us – it’s $3.50 to Wichita – and $3.50 back – total of $7.00) Once we meet with LeRoy, he (and possibly others) will join us for the final 90 miles on US Hwy 54 to Greensburg – eta 1PM

At Greensburg:

We will meet with Bob Wedel, District Commissioner of the Lakota District, Cubmaster of 211 Pack and Committee Chair of Troop 211
Move the trailers to a location that they see fit – take pictures (if wanted – bring your own camera if you wish)
Unload the trailers – or be ready to move any equipment
Once we have completed everything that they need – say our goodbyes and leave for home

The work continues . . .

Here is what we need to NOW (and time is running out) . . .

Collect the remainder of the equipment that has been pledged. I have some, but the rest needs to be arranged. ALL EQUIPMENT MUST BE COLLECTED BY TUESDAY NIGHT, JUNE 26th - EXCEPT FOR THOSE WHO ARE BRINGING EQUIPMENT WEDNESDAY MORNING (AND HAVE TOLD ME IN ADVANCE THAT THEY ARE DOING THIS). PLEASE COORDINATE THIS WITH ME, SO I DON’T HAVE SOMEONE SHOW UP WITH EQUIPMENT ON WEDNESDAY MORNING AND WE HAVE NO PLACE TO PUT IT. Rest assured that I will be keeping a log . . .

IF YOU AND I HAVE NOT “HOOKED-UP” YET – PLEASE CALL ME AT 816-616-6882 SO WE CAN MEET AND GET THE EQUIPMENT TRANSFERRED!!!

Find a Driver for the 2nd Trailer – VERY IMPORTANT!!! THIS IS A LARGE, CONVERTED HORSE TRAILER, and fully-loaded, is about 7,000 pounds!!! F-250 CLASS VEHICLE OR ABOVE – PLEASE!!! The tower of the Troop 280 trailer will need a 2 inch heavy duty ball hitch for the truck.
Arrange transportation for all who want to go – ALL ARE INVITED, but we need drivers. If we are to make this a LONG Caravan, we needs cars, vans, etc. (and drivers). I have to know this information on Monday, as I am required to file a Tour Permit with the Council Office for this event. This involves an Out-of-Council trip, to an area that is still deemed somewhat hazardous.

Also – Please plan on bringing a sack lunch for the trip! We will not have time to stop and get something to eat in Wichita, and there will be no place to eat in Greensburg. This will be a LONG DAY!!! Please know that you will not make it back to KC until around 9PM that night! Make plans accordingly . . .

Folks – this will be a CLASS “A” EVENT!!! We are representing the following, Your Troop, Your Chartered Organization, Your District, Your Council, and the Kansas City Metro Area. Let’s do it RIGHT!!!

I will arrange with Jeff Gentes (of “The Pickle Suit”) to pick up personal gear at his warehouse in Leeton on Sunday – if possible. I will need at least 2 vehicles besides my own to help with this. We will be picking up sleeping bags, mess kits, backpacks, and other personal items for each Scout in the Pack and Troop.

We need UNIFORMS!!! Class “A” shirts, and plenty of them. 1 for the Scout now, and 1 for 2-3 years down the road as he grows. Scout belts, scout socks, etc. Some Scout shorts are being donated by The Scout Shop at the Council Service Center, but I don’t know how many at this time. Scout pants are not necessary right now, but we will accept them.

Finally – we need CASH AND CHECKS! We are still $17,884.95 short of the goal. We need your help! Please let everyone you know about this effort!!! We need to continue the momentum . . .

On behalf of the Scouts and Leaders of Troop 1900 – THANK YOU SO MUCH for all of your help! We accomplished a lot, but we have a long ways to go!!! Remember – this is NOT a Troop 1900 event – we are simply the “go-to” guys for this project, the coordinators, and the delivery mechanism. This is an ENTIRE KANSAS CITY SCOUTING EVENT – and ALL WILL BE RECOGNIZED. We are not doing this for our own glory – and as much work as my Scouts have put in this, trust me – it’s not glamorous work! This is “Scouts Helping Scouts!” I am proud that my PLC wanted to do this – and I hope you are proud of the choice they made as well . . .

IMPORTANT!!! Please let me know if you are planning to take part in the caravan as I need to make a list of everyone who makes the trip to Greensburg and back! Let’s represent the Kansas City area properly!!! I NEED TO KNOW BY SUNDAY NIGHT!!!

More later this weekend . . . God Bless Each and Every one of you!

Yours in Scouting, always . . .
---
Jeffrey A. “Yogi” Cook
Scoutmaster, Boy Scout Troop 900
North Oak Christian Church
9900 North Oak Trafficway
Kansas City, MO 64155
Heart of America Council, BSA
scouter@kc.rr.com
" . . . And a Good 'Ole Antelope, Too!" C-29-99

Caravan is SCHEDULED!!! Greensburg Scout Relief Fund Update - "Scouts Helping Scouts"

To All:

Here it is – the information we have been waiting for . . .

The Caravan to Greensburg will take place on Wednesday, June 27th! Here are the details

6:00AM – Meet at the Parking Lot of Red Bridge United Methodist Church. They are located at 117th and Holmes in South Kansas City (2 miles south of the Scout Service Center on the right hand side of the road – meet in the parking lot BEHIND the Church.

We will then do the following:

• Connect the Troop 280 Trailer to the hitch of the vehicle that will be pulling this (WE NEED A VEHICLE for this trailer)
• Load up the trailers with additional equipment that will be brought that morning
• Have a Group Picture taken of all taking part in the caravan
• Distribute maps to all with instructions on the route we are taking (I-35 to Emporia, and then to Wichita)
• Travel to Wichita – Quivira Council Office at 1555 E. 2nd Street, Wichita, KS 67201 – and meet up with LeRoy Kreutzer, Field Service Director for the Quivira Council – eta 10:30AM
• Once we meet with LeRoy, he (and possibly others) will join us for the final 90 miles on US Hwy 54 to Greensburg
  

At Greensburg:

• We will meet with Bob Wedel, District Commissioner of the Lakota District, Cubmaster of 211 Pack and Committee Chair of Troop 211
• Move the trailers to a location that they see fit – take pictures (if wanted – bring your own camera if you wish)
• Unload the trailers – or be ready to move any equipment
• Once we have completed everything that they need – say our goodbyes and leave for home
  

Now – the work begins . . .

Here is what we need to NOW . . .

1. Increase the collection of equipment. I have some, but the rest needs to be arranged. ALL EQUIPMENT MUST BE COLLECTED BY TUESDAY NIGHT, JUNE 26th - EXCEPT FOR THOSE WHO ARE BRINGING EQUIPMENT TUESDAY MORNING (AND HAVE TOLD ME IN ADVANCE THAT THEY ARE DOING THIS). PLEASE COORDINATE THIS WITH ME, SO I DON’T HAVE SOMEONE SHOW UP WITH EQUIPMENT ON WEDNESDAY MORNING AND WE HAVE NO PLACE TO PUT IT. Rest assured that I will be keeping a log . . .
2. Find a Driver for the 2nd Trailer – VERY IMPORTANT!!! THIS IS A LARGE, COVERTED HORSE TRAILER, and weighs A LOT!!! F-250 CLASS VEHICLE OR ABOVE – PLEASE!!! The tower of the Troop 280 trailer will need a 2 inch heavy duty ball hitch for the truck.
3. Arrange transportation for all who want to go – ALL ARE INVITED, but we need drivers. If we are to make this a LONG Caravan, we needs cars, vans, etc. (and drivers)
   

Folks – this will be a CLASS “A” EVENT!!! We are representing the following, Your Troop, Your Chartered Organization, Your District, Your Council, and the Kansas City Metro Area. Let’s do it RIGHT!!!

I will arrange with Jeff Gentes (of “The Pickle Suit”) to pick up personal gear at his warehouse in Leeton on Sunday – if possible. I will need at least 2 vehicles besides my own to help with this. We will be picking up sleeping bags, mess kits, backpacks, and other personal items for each Scout in the Pack and Troop.

We also need UNIFORMS!!! Class “A” shirts, and plenty of them. 1 for the Scout now, and 1 for 2-3 years down the road as he grows. Scout belts, scout socks, etc. Some Scout shorts are being donated by The S