Local scout inspires community with service
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David Norvell Jr. couldn't stop grinning as family and friends jumped to their feet in a heartfelt standing ovation.
More than 100 people joined together at the University Carillon United Methodist Church in Oviedo to celebrate the young man from Boy Scout Troop 617's latest achievement. David had earned the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout.
The ceremony included an invocation by John Gnan, an official Eagle Charge performed by Captain Stephen Burris and awards presented by Scoutmaster Dan Diehl and Troop Committee Chairman Greg Holcomb.
But this was only a snapshot given to the audience of David's 14-year commitment to scouting. Zach Gerson, one of David's Camp Woodruff mentors, flew in to surprise David at the ceremony. His grandmother, Ruth Norvell, travelled from North Carolina to receive a special pin from David, the third member of her family to receive the honor.
The audience teared up as they watched a moving Trail to Eagle slide presentation created by David reflecting on his adventures in scouting and the friendships he cherished.
David's parents, Rena and David Sr., were especially moved by their son's achievement, for he has been overcoming challenges since the day he was a born. After surviving two open heart surgeries to fix a heart defect and a dangerous staph infection as a newborn, David fought for his life once again when he was involved in a serious car accident when he was three years old, which left him in a coma. Because of serious brain injuries, doctors gave his parents little hope as he lay in the hospital bed for 38 days dependent on a respirator.
Rena still gets chills when she thinks back to the day 16 years ago when doctors took David off the respirator and he miraculously began breathing on his own. Two days later, the boy whom specialists said would never function normally opened his eyes and said, "Mommy."
Today, not only is David a senior at Oviedo High School, an enthusiastic participant in Challenger football and baseball and a devoted community volunteer, he is now an Eagle Scout just like his dad and uncle.
David Sr. said he is especially proud of his son.
"It's very exciting; he's very deserving. David really grounds you and makes you appreciate life and what you can do," he said. "There are probably parents who look at him and say, 'Wow, he's a handicapped kid,' but we don't see that at all. We are thankful for every capability he has."
In addition to the rank of Eagle Scout, David earned The Order of the Arrow award. The Order of the Arrow is the national honor society of the Boy Scouts of America that uses American-Indian-styled traditions and ceremonies to recognize scouts, selected by their peers, who most exemplify the ideals of scouting. He also earned the God and Country award by researching the origins of the Lutheran Church along with St Luke's Lutheran Church in Oviedo.
"Only 5 percent of boy scouts get the Eagle Scout award and only 2 percent of all Boy Scouts, including cub scouts, earn the religious emblem," Rena said, with pride.
Earning the rank of Eagle Scout seemed only natural for a young man like David, as he has always been a passionate volunteer, his mother said. From helping the HOPE Foundation Food Pantry weekly by stacking shelves and mowing the property to acting as an usher at his church, St. Luke's Lutheran, Chuluota campus, David is always ready to help with a smile.
"He wants to do for other people, that's what sticks out about David," Rena said.
David's face lights up when he describes the success of his Eagle Scout project completed at the HOPE Foundation Food Pantry this year, a cause close to his heart.
As part of a pantry reorganization, food needed to be sorted and moved in and out of storage units.
"I had to sort 10,000 pounds of food by expiration date and likeness," he said.
In order to raise the money to purchase the industrial-type shelves, David organized a car wash.
"I made the most of anybody - $555 - which wasn't enough for the shelves, but Lowe's matched it," he said. "They really bent over backwards and helped us out."
David coordinated a group of volunteers in order to complete the project.
"It was a smooth process," David said. "Everybody worked together. It was the biggest Eagle Scout project done in my troop by far."
Tears come to Rena's eyes as she listens to her son enthusiastically describe his multiple adventures through the scouting program. David said he participated in mountain climbing, canoeing, hiking, white water rafting, swimming, leatherworks, archery and first aid.
Highlights include a trip to Philmont Scout Ranch located in the Rocky Mountains of New Mexico. He trained for a year to be able to climb the mountains while carrying his 60-pound backpack.
"People didn't think he could do it and he did. He was the last boy to pass the finish line, but he crossed," Rena said.
"After the accident, I mourned the death of my son, but then God gave me the gift of my David," she said. "I am so proud of him because every day I see what Jesus' love is supposed to be. He is so awesome." |
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| Greetings!
Welcome to the February 2012 issues of our Council newsletter as we celebrate the 102nd birthday of the Boy Scouts of America.
We are publishing this newsletter on a monthly basis, in an effort to provide you timely and up-to-date information on the "goings on" in the Central Florida Council.
If you have upcoming event, information, or a special scout story you'd like to include in this newsletter, please, email our editor. |
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Tipisa Native American Weekend
 TNAW will be held February 10th -12th at Camp La-No-Che.
Activities will include leatherwork projects, beading, chokers to build, pottery, Dutch oven cooking, dancing, drumming, blacksmithing, flint knapping, stories, history, atlatl spear and tomahawk throwing, blowguns, archery, Friday show and a Saturday Pow-Wow plus much more.
What to know more? Check out this promotional video:
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Friends of Scouting
 The Central Florida Council serves over 26,000 youth members in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Brevard, Volusia, Lake and Flagler Counties. A budget of $5.7 million is needed to provide the facilities, support materials, programs, activities and professional leadership for our community. The annual FOS Campaign focuses on raising a significant portion of this budget through families who participate in Scouting and friends in the community who support the mission of Scouting. Funds are raised by coordinated presentations made by volunteers to families of Scouts at a special unit event such as a Blue & Gold Banquet or Court of Honor and at a series "Golden Eagle" community events.The annual campaign is planned, directed and conducted by volunteers. There is virtually no other volunteer-run fund raising campaign of this magnitude in the United States! Each volunteer team has a professional advisor (usually a District Executive) to assist with information, training and supplies.
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Have you ever heard of the Sunshine TOR?
 Do you wonder what a TOR is all about? The Sunshine Trade-O-Ree (TOR) is an annual event where scouts and scout friends gather together to display, collect, trade, purchase and sell all kinds of scouting memorabilia. What kind of memorabilia you might ask? Well, let me tell you that you will see anything and everything scouting related at the Sunshine TOR. There will be displays of patches of course, but you will also see older uniforms, scouting pins & buttons, coins, flags, hats, neckerchiefs, knives and other tools, newspapers and magazines and the list goes on and on. EVERYTHING scouting related can be found at the Sunshine TOR. Many TORs are conducted throughout the United States but the Sunshine TOR is one of the best. For a number of years I knew that Central Florida Council, BSA hosted a TOR every year but I did not attend. I figured that it would be another boring event where scouters would be sitting around tables trading a patch now and then. I thought that it just wouldn't be interesting for me, a guy who only recently started collecting patches. Boy was I wrong! I learned more about Central Florida scouting and made more friends at my first Sunshine TOR than I could have imagined. Because of our location here in Central Florida, we draw many more people than other TOR events can. At the 2012 Sunshine TOR we will have 100 tables that will display scouting items from all around Florida as well as the country. Collectors from Connecticut to Oregon, and all over Florida, will at the 2012 Sunshine TOR. Do you want to learn about the rich history of scouting? Do you want to make new scout friends? Do you want to earn Cub Scout and Weblos advancements or Boy Scout merit badges? Have you ever wanted to design a patch? Then come to the 2012 Sunshine Trade-O-Ree and have some fun! The Sunshine Trade-O-Ree will be held on the 3rd and 4th of February at the National Guard Armory, 2809 South Fern Creek, Orlando, Florida 32806 ( map). Doors open at 5:00pm on Friday and 9:00am on Saturday. Go to www.sunshineTOR.com to find out more about the Sunshine Trade-O-Ree. |
Training
 Looking for the latest information on BSA Training Classes being held in the Central Florida Council? The Council Training Calendar is your one-stop shop for all training classes, when they will be held, who is conducting the class, and how to register. |
| Central Florida Council Strikes "Gold"
The Central Florida Council is proud to announce that we have received the Gold Award in the Boy Scouts of America's 2011 Journey to Excellence program. This Gold Award is a testament of the devotion of our over 8,500 adult leaders and community partners in providing a quality Scouting program to our over 27,000 scouts and explorers in the Central Florida area. Through our Cub Scouting events at Camp La-No-Che in the Leonard and Marjorie Williams Family Scout Reservation and our district weekends over 83% of Cub Scouts in the Central Florida Council experienced an action packed Cub Scouting weekend program in 2011. Over 74% of the Boy Scouts of the Central Florida Council participated in the adventure of a long term Boy Scout camping experience.
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While we celebrate these and many other successes of 2011, we now begin our journey to providing an even greater level of excellent Scouting program to an even greater number of youth in our communities. The Boy Scouts of America's 2012 Journey to Excellence program has many benchmarks we must reach and surpass to achieve Gold status and the Central Florida Council, through our dedicated adult leadership and community partners, looks to continue our legacy in reaching for the stars to provide an excellent Scouting program to Central Florida area.
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| Scout Show
The Central Florida Council is pleased to announce the 2012 Central Florida Scout Show. The largest one day event in Central Florida Scouting! This event is scheduled for Saturday, April 28th at the University of Central Florida - Bright house Stadium. Thanks to McDonald's for their sponsorship of this event.
The Scout Show is a council-wide event that brings all of our Scouts and programs together participating at the same location. We serve Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia Counties.
This is a wonderful opportunity to experience the adventure of Scouting as the Boy Scouts Handbook literally comes to life with exhibits of Scout crafts and skills displayed on a variety of levels.
Turner Wallis, the Scout Show Committee Chairman and his team is excited about the 2012 Central Florida Scout Show. The theme for 2012 is: Prepared. For Life.
You and your unit are cordially invited to join us in this unique Scouting experience.
2012 Camp Card
The Central Florida Council Camp Card fundraising program is designed to help Scouts earn their way to a Summer/Day Camp program. Units participating in the 2012 program will earn up to 40% commission, ($2.00) on each $5 Camp Card they sell. Camp Card Leader Guide with campaign details will be available on January 9th at the Camp Card/Scout Show kick off at McDonald's Sand Lake area at 7:00pm.
The Camp Card program is a 3 months campaign RISK FREE to your unit, simply return any unsold cards.
Timeline:
| January Roundtable | Commitment forms for Camp Cards | | January/February Meeting | Unit Camp Card Sales Kickoff
Committee Meeting (or PLC) to plan your interactive booth for the Scout Show | | February Roundtable | Discount cards are distributed. The sale begins!
Scout Show Booth Commitment forms are due | | February-April Meetings | Track Camp Card sales and have Scouts with successes share!
Continue planning your Scout Show booth | | April 28th | Scout Show Event
Money, Prize Orders and unsold cards are DUE | | June Roundtable | Prizes arrive and are distributed |
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Belt Loop College
 Something amazing, fun, and awe-inspiring recently roamed the campus of Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, FL. Cub Scouts and Scouters from all over the Brevard coast came out for a fun filled day of academic and sports at the 1st Annual Central Florida Council, Riverside District Belt Loop College. This event, held on Saturday, December 10th, 2011 offered 17 different belt loop and pin awards for our scouts to personally choose from, and register for. Each were able to select 3 belt loops OR 1 pin and 1 belt loop to earn during this exciting day. The full list of offered awards is provided to the right. The cost for the day was $10, and included all materials, all their bling (awards), and a commemorative patch. The Belt Loop College (BLC) had participation from 24 different packs, and totaled 98 scout participants. This means nearly 300 awards were earned and presented in the same day. Absolutely Incredible! Besides being well attended, the Scouts, most importantly, had a great time. One Tiger Cub, while leaving for the day, looked up at his mom and said, "Mom, if they have this again next year, sign me up". This statement encapsulates many of the outstanding survey results received after the event as well. Kudos go out to the BLC Facilitators and Staff! |
2012 Council Board Retreat
 The Central Florida Council Board Retreat is an annual event where Council and District leadership gather to evaluate and prepare the Central Florida Council to continue its Journey to Excellence in providing Scouting programs to the Central Florida area.
 The retreat begins Friday, March 9th at 6:00pm with a succulent steak dinner in the W.T. Bland Dinning Hall, followed by an evening program. Saturday morning will begin with breakfast at 7:00pm followed by the Council Executive Board meeting. Group workshops and planning sessions will follow the Board meeting bringing the retreat to an end around lunch. Fun, fellowship and few surprises are included, too. Camp program areas will be open for your enjoyment on Saturday afternoon with activities such as rifle and shotgun, archery, canoeing and more.
 If you would like to camp overnight, a variety of accommodation are offered at Camp La-No-Che. To RSVP for this event and join your fellow Council and District leadership please click here for information flyer or click here to register online. |
SEAL Training
 Upcoming SEAL Courses in Florida for 2012:Southern Region SL-53-FL-2012 Date: June 16-24, 2012 Location: Miami, Florida Vessel/type:SSTV Trident (45' Viking Sportfish Convertible) motor vesselCost: $250 Contact: Skipper Lee Popham, Popham@earthlink.netThe age for each candidate is 14 and it is a Co-ed training venue.Candidates must have the adult leaders recommendation and approval to attend.There is also a preliminary testing give by the Course Director before entering the course. All applications are due March 1st, 2012. The courses will be located as noted and applications may be downloaded from this link:www.newseascout.org/index.php?option=com_edocman&task=document.viewdoc&id=6&Itemid=183 |
| Celebrating the Sea Scout Centennial
2012 is our time to celebrate the Centennial of Sea Scouts.
Sea Scouting had its beginning at a camp fire in England when Lord Baden-Powell voiced the hope that older Scouts would be interested in learning about boat management and seamanship. He stressed the need for young men to prepare themselves for service on their country's ships. Following the campfire, there was activity in England that resulted in Lord Baden-Powell's older brother, Warington, writing a book called Sea Scouting and Seamanship for Boys. It was enthusiastically received by the young men of Britain and soon found its way to the United States. Sea Scouting in America was founded in 1912. That year, Arthur A. Carey of Waltham, Massachusetts, had Sea Scouts using the schooner Pioneer and was appointed Chairman of the National Council Committee on Sea Scouting. That summer, Charles T. Longstreth organized a Sea Scout patrol on his yacht in Philadelphia. Both of these men prepared pamphlets on Sea Scouting and Carey's Cruising for Sea Scouts was the first literature related to Sea Scouting. For many years the Sea Scout program was aimed at older boys who had graduated from Boy Scout troops. Sea Scout units began to be called ships. The age-old organization of skippers, mates, boatswains, coxswains and crews began to be used.  | | Sea Scout Overview |
In 1972, Sea Scouts became a co-ed organization, and many young ladies have particpated and served with distinction in the program. Earning the top award in Sea Scouting, that of Quartermaster, and even serving as the National Boatswain.
There are 5 Ships in the Central Florida Council, and they are always looking for young men and women to join them in their adventures. For more information, please contact our Council Commodore, Jim McIlwain. |
Central Florida Council set to collect the Voice of Scouts, Parents & Volunteers in March
 As part of a national Boy Scout of America program, the Central Florida Council is excited to announce their participation in the Voice of the Scout. With over four million members, this program is being adopted as a key way to collect experiences and deliver upon the expectation of members as they participate in Scouting.Beginning mid-March, parents, Scouts & Venturersover 14, volunteers and chartered organizations will begin seeing surveys delivered into their email inboxes for Voice of the Scout. The surveys have been designed to be very brief but will give needed insight into the variety of experiences at the unit and district within our council.Surveys will stay open for three weeks, then information will be referenced for making key decisions to drive Scouting forward, as guided by the people that matter most- our members. It will be a continuous program, in that we will launch these surveys twice per year, with no household receiving more than one survey every six month.Due to the sheer volume of surveys in this program, we must deliver via email to effectively and efficiently collect opinions. To make the most of this program we will begin asking for emails updates regularly, so please make sure we have your most recent email by completing your email information on all membership applications, registration flyers and when asked by your District & Unit.Voice of the Scout is how we will help guide our decision-making for our future programs and operational delivery. Please take a few minutes of your time to participate!
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2012 Eagle Encampment
 Save the Date June 17-22, 2012 Camp Ithiel, Gotha, Florida Following a very successful inaugural event in 2008, this is the Council's ultimate camp for advancement and Scouting knowledge. Six merit badges required for Eagle Scout are offered this week, plus in-depth information about service projects, NESA, paperwork and many other important details needed for obtaining the highest award in Scouting. This in an intensive week, thus, Scouts should be aware that all of the merit badges offered at camp require work done outside of camp to complete. In order to have the merit badges completed at camp, work done prior to camp must be brought to camp along with properly filled out partial merit badge blue cards. If prior work has not been completed, partial work will be credited at conclusion of camp. Blue cards will not be issued at the conclusion of Eagle Encampment. Instead, official accomplishment documents will be provided to each participant which should be provided to each unit's advancement chairman to ensure the participant receives proper credit at the Troop level
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| What's Going Around: LOWER EXTREMITY INJURIES
Kids in Central Florida have been taking hits below the belt, as Centra Care physicians have seen quite a jump in lower-extremity fractures and injuries. Bumps, breaks and bruises to the legs, feet, knees and ankles have increased over 100%.
Fractures
Typical symptoms of a fractured bone are pain, swelling, bruising and sometimes deformity at the site of injury. It can be difficult to diagnose a fracture just on symptoms alone, and remember, just because you can bend or move the injured arm or leg, doesn't mean it's not broken. To avoid further injury, it is best to get an x-ray of any traumatic injury (fall, twist, or sprain) if there are any concerns like severe pain, swelling or pain that doesn't resolve after a short period of time.
Sprains and Strains
Stretching or tearing a ligament constitutes a sprain. You'll notice localized pain, of course, but other symptoms include swelling, bruising and limited movement in the affected joint. You may possibly feel a pop or tear when the injury occurs.
A strain is a stretched or torn muscle or tendon, like a hamstring. Strains can happen suddenly or develop over long periods of time. Symptoms include pain, muscle spasms and difficult movement.
Lacerations
One of the biggest concerns when it comes to cuts is infection. So be sure to clean the wound thoroughly by pouring clear water over it. Apply an antibacterial ointment and keep covered with a bandage; repeat these steps at least once a day. To stop any bleeding, apply constant pressure with a gauze pad or clean cloth. Something that's very important to know about cuts, is that they should be evaluated by a doctor quickly, because if you need stitches, that procedure should take place within 8-12 hours of the injury.
Contusions
According to the National Institutes of Heath, muscle contusion is second only to strain as the leading cause of sports-related injuries. Often appearing blue or purple in appearance, these bruises are often painful and swollen. You can get skin, muscle and bone bruises. Bone bruises are the most serious. It can take months for a bruise to fade, but most last about two weeks.
For more "What's Going Around?" Check out the Centra Care web site.
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| Caring for Your Tent
A little care is all your tent asks. Treated well, a quality tent should deliver years of service. Here's how to care for yours.
Tent Care in the Field
Tip #1: When selecting a setup spot, look for an established campsite with a smooth, level surface with no vegetation. Clear away tiny debris (pine cones, twigs, small rocks) that could jab you in the back or poke a hole your tent floor. Avoid disturbing a site any more than that. As prescribed by Leave No Trace principles: "Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary." Also from LNT: "Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent."
Tip #2: Use a footprint- a custom-cut ground cloth designed specifically for the floor plan of your tent. Footprints protect your tent floor from abrasion, and in the morning they provide a clean surface where you can fold and roll your tent.
A reader asked how to avoid having water collect between the tent floor and a footprint during rainy conditions. Our advice:
- Use a footprint, which is customized for your tent's specific dimensions, not a generic ground cloth such as an 8 x 10 sheet of nylon or plastic. If only a nonspecific ground cloth is all this is available, tuck any excess material under the tent floor. Any material that extends beyond the tent's perimeter could catch water and collect it.
- Avoid sleeping atop any uneven surface. Any small depressions or troughs under your tent could create low points where runoff could accumulate.
- Stake your tent tautly and use guylines to keep the rainfly taut. Sagging could expose a small portion of even a custom-cut footprint and turn it into a collection zone/catch basin.
Dale Karacostas of Cascade Designs, points out another potential culprit: condensation. Dale's thoughts:
"Condensation can occur between the floor and the footprint and could easily give the appearance of leaking or water migration. This occurs when the ground is cold and the footprint is as well. The tent floor is slightly warmer allowing a small microclimate of differential temperatures to exist between the 2 layers.
The moisture that is held by the slightly warmer air around the floor can condense on the footprint, since it is colder and therefore has a lower dew point. This same thing occurs with a Therm-a-Rest mattress and a cold tent floor. You will often get condensation under the mattress that can appear like a leaking floor. It isn't (most likely). It is more likely that the condensation build up between the 2 layers (warm Therm-a-Rest and cold tent floor) caused the moisture."
Tip #3: When you climb inside your tent, leave boots or camp footwear (and all the debris clinging to them) outside or in the vestibule.
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From the Council Key 3 ...
Happy Birthday Scouts and Scouters! Can you believe that only a short 102 years ago on that memorable day, 8 Feb 1910, that Scouting was founded in America. To get closer to home, the Scouting movement became a reality here in Central Florida in 1922, when 5 counties; Orange, Seminole, Lake, Brevard and Osceloa were chartered as the Central Florida Council (CFC). Our legacy has continued to grow through the decades by meeting the challenges brought on by society and social change. The Volunteers, Professionals and Youth have all played a major role in the success that we in the CFC currently enjoy. Scouting has had significant influence on the character traits of many individuals whom not only earned the rank of Eagle Scout, but went on to become very well known leaders in this country; Neil Armstrong - Astronaut and first human to step on the moon: Gerald Ford - 38th President of the United States; Sam Walton - Founder of WalMart; many members of Congress, University Presidents, Captains of Industry, etc. the list goes on and on. These members of society were truly products of our movement and directly reflect the core values we strive to instill in our youth of today.
Today is like no other time in our history. It is a time with historic change; the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve (our newest high adventure camp - get on the list for the 2013 National Jamboree!), updated training resources, new training programs for youth and adults; upgrades to our own Camp La-No-Che; just to name a few. Get involved, be a part of it!
The Scouting program continues to evolve with the times and offers so many great opportunities for our youth while continuing to instill those same values and traits that have been our bedrock for the past 100 years. Our mission and vision have not changed:
"The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law."
"The Boy Scouts of America will prepare every eligible youth in America to become a responsible, participating citizen and leader who is guided by the Scout Oath and Law."
Are there challenges ahead; absolutely! Are we ready to face those challenges; absolutely! I look forward to many more birthdays with the Central Florida Scouting Family and I thank each and every one of you for all that you do.
- Bo Terry, Council Commissioner
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