Troop 638 Vicksburg Mississippi

I promise I will do better at updating the site

2011-09-07T21:32:00.000-07:00

It has been about two years since I have updated the Troop site and OMG all the news we will have to fill you in on ----

I will get with Mr Mike and Ms Sherri and get you some new articles ASAP

TTFN

Summer Camp 2009

2009-07-06T12:49:00.000-07:00

We all had a blast at Kia Kima even though I know that Ms Tracye was a little home sick for Camp Mack Morris! Patrick in shooting sports was GREAT and it was awesome to learn to shoot from a former Marine! Whooah!

Happy 4th Boys Sorry This Is A Little Late!

2009-07-06T12:19:00.000-07:00

We the people in order to form a more perfect union establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our prosterity do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America ....

Take Me To The River!

2009-06-09T16:03:00.001-07:00

The Scouts and Leaders enjoyed the beautiful Buffalo River in Arkansas!

Canoe Trip

2009-06-06T03:47:00.000-07:00

WE LEAVE SATURDAY (TODAY) AT 8:00AM FROM HAWKINS CHURCH. WE WILL RETURN BACK LATE MONDAY EVENING.

BE SURE AND EAT A GOOD BREAKFAST THAT MORNING WE WILL BE STOPPING FOR LUNCH ON OUR WAY TO THE BUFFALO RIVER. IT IS AROUND 6 OR 7 HOUR DRIVE.

WHAT TO BRING

WEAR CLASS A TO TRAVEL

SWIM SUIT

SUNGLASSES WITH EYEGLASS FLOATS

WATER SHOES OR SANDALS

TWO EXTRA SHIRTS

SHOES TO WEAR OTHER THAT THE ONES THAT WILL GET WET

HAT THAT CAN GET WET

SUNSCREEN (WATER PROOF)

MOSQUITO REPELLENT

SLEEPING BAG

TOILETRIES (FOR SHOWER)

TOWEL FOR RIVER

TOWEL FOR SHOWERS

CHAIR

WATER BOTTLE

IF YOU HAVE A LIFE VEST THAT YOU LIKE TO WEAR AND CAN BRING IT.

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A GOOD TIME AND BE SAFE AND LISTEN TO YOUR LEADERS AT ALL TIMES.

Thanks Scouts From The Mayor

2009-06-04T07:22:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all the Troop 638 members who supported me on Tuesday June 02. Thank you for standing in the hot sun and waving at cars. Thank you for being courteous to those who were not so courteous to you! I know the out come was not what we expected or hoped for but that is the nature of politics. I hope that you learned that anything worth having is worth working hard for. And even in defeat we must hold our heads up high and know we did the best we could. We did the right thing and even though life seems very unfair right now we will live through this and it will make us stronger people. Never stop standing up for what you believe in --- make a difference in your community on a daily basis. You can and will determine the future of this city because you are her future (you are the future Mayors, Adermen, and Supervisers). Thank you again for your support! It will never be forgotten!

Sincerely,

Mayor Laurence Leyens
and
Ms Tracye Prewitt

PORTER"S CHAPEL UMM BBQ TODAY

2009-05-16T04:19:00.000-07:00

You are to be there dressed in a class b shirt of some sort... You are to be there at 9 am. You are there to work not play or be rowdy... No going inside the church building unless told to do so by an adult. Minister's (Chance's house) is off limits as well. Come out and bring money there will be a bake sale (YUMMO) as well as eating chicken for lunch. You will need around $9 dollars for the chicken dinner.

To Serve And To Protect

2009-05-15T04:25:00.000-07:00

In memory of all those who have died in the line of duty!

In memory of my Grandfather Deputy John Pat Malone Sr

EOW 1/10/54

The Mayor Needs YOU!!!!!!!

2009-05-11T21:09:00.000-07:00

The Laurence Leyens Re Election Campaign Needs Bright Smiling Faces

All teenagers who are interested in helping the Mayor with his campaign especially on election day which is JUNE 2nd please let Mrs Tracye know ASAP so I can get you on the contact sheet down at headquarters or go to the ReElect Laurence Leyens Facebook Page and sign up!

Grown ups we need you too to help with canvassing neighborhoods and assisting our teenage workers at intersections and precincts etc!

All are welcome to help --- we have alot of work to do before JUNE 2nd!

Please help us get Laurence back in office!

Progressive Government with proven results ---- 8 years of progress can not be a bad thing! We don't think so and we are anxious for more!!!!! So have your grown ups vote Leyens June 2nd!

Hey Boys Don't Forget

2009-05-08T20:35:00.001-07:00

SUNDAY IS MOTHER'S DAY

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stay Healthy And Flu Free!!!!!! From CNN.com

2009-04-29T21:30:00.000-07:00

Regular flu season precautions advised in current outbreak

Story Highlights
Take standard flu season precautions to avoid infection, CDC advises
Chief risk factor is traveling to areas where swine flu has been identified
No vaccine for new strain exists but antiviral drugs can shorten duration

By Andrea KaneCNN
(CNN) -- As reports of swine flu continue to rise in the United States and around the world, the average American is probably asking, "How should I protect myself?"
Health officials' advice is to follow common-sense precautions: Wash your hands, stay home if you're sick and listen to your local health authorities.
"Very frequent hand-washing is something that we talk about time and time again and that is an effective way to reduce transmission of disease," said Dr. Richard Besser, acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"If you're sick, it's very important that people stay at home. If your children are sick, have a fever and flu-like illness, they shouldn't go to school. And if you're ill, you shouldn't get on an airplane or another public transport to travel. Those things are part of personal responsibility in trying to reduce the impact. "
So far, Mexico has been hardest hit by swine flu. Cases have been confirmed in the United States, as well as countries including Canada, New Zealand, Spain, United Kingdom, and Israel.
"In areas with no disease yet, a lot of what we can do sounds simple and repetitive but helps," said Dr. Anne Schuchat, interim deputy director of the CDC's Science and Public Health Program. In addition to washing hands often, she recommends covering your mouth when coughing and sneezing and avoiding touching your eyes and nose in case the virus is on your hands.
The World Health Organization calls the situation a "public health emergency of international concern," and the United States has declared a "public health emergency," likened by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to preparations for a potential hurricane. No authorities are calling the outbreak a pandemic.
The CDC expects U.S. numbers will grow and recommendations will change depending on what happens in individual communities, said the CDC's Schuchat.The public should pay attention to what is happening nearby and heed the guidance of local health officials regarding school, work and public events.
Because so much is still unknown at this point, the main risk factor is people traveling to areas where cases have already been identified. "However this virus may already be in other places in the United States," CDC spokesman Tom Skinner told CNN. "With enhanced surveillance, we will see more cases and that is why it makes good sense to be proactive, by doing things we know are effective in reducing exposure." Explainer: Swine flu facts »
Schuchat noted swine flu symptoms are relatively general and nonspecific. "So many different things can cause these symptoms. it is a dilemma," she said. "It is a challenge that we are wrestling with. There is not a perfect test right now to let a person or doctor know exactly what this is."
But Schuchat specifically advised anyone who feels ill after returning from Mexico to see a doctor.
Unfortunately, since this is a new strain of influenza, the flu vaccine for this past flu season offers no protection. "However, we do have anti-virals that work against this swine flu," said Skinner, referring to oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza). "Someone who has [swine flu], if they are treated early, the anti-flu medicines work against this."
According to Skinner, health officials are still trying to figure out where exactly the virus originated, how transmissible it is and why it is mild in some cases and deadlier in others.
CNN's Mary Carter contributed to this report.

Backpacking Campout Saturday May 02, 2009

2009-04-29T19:29:00.000-07:00

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE BACK PACKING CAMP OUT THIS WEEKEND AT CAMP HOOD....

WE WILL LEAVE FROM THE CHURCH AT 8:30 AM SATURDAY MORNING..

REMEMBER YOU WILL BE WALKING TO THE CAMPSITE.

CARS AND THE TRAILER WILL BE LEFT AT THE GATE.

SO PACK ACCORDINGLY....

WE WILL RETURN SUNDAY SOMEWHERE AROUND NOON....

FOOD IS PROVIDED FOR SATURDAY LUNCH AND SUPPER THAT NIGHT AND SUNDAY BREAKFAST......

Friday Events!

2009-04-21T14:47:00.000-07:00

RELAY FOR LIFE

FRIDAY MEETING AT WARREN CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

AT 3:30 PM FOR SET UP.

HOPE YOU CAN BE THERE!

IT'S LOADS OF FUN AND IT MAKE FOR SOME GOOD COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND THERE ARE SOME OF YOU THAT CAN USE THIS....

WEAR YOUR TYE-DYE SHIRT.

COME ONTO THE FIELD AND I AM SURE THAT YOU WILL SPOT SOMEONE.

CAN'T MISS THEM WITH THOSE SHIRTS......
MS SHERRI & MR MIKE

Mark Your Calendars!!!!!!

2009-04-20T21:21:00.000-07:00

JUST THOUGHT I WOULD GET YOU OUT A FEW EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED SO FAR.....

WE WILL BE HELPING WITH THE SET UP FOR RELAY FOR LIFE @ WARREN CENTRAL HIGH ON APRIL 24TH, JUST LIKE WE DID LAST YEAR...IT WILL HELP SOME OF YOU WITH COMMUNITY SERVICE THAT YOU NEED. I WILL LET YOU KNOW THE TIME WE WILL MEET SOON.

DR WALTER JOHNSTON WILL BE GIVING BOY SCOUT PHYSICALS ON MAY 11TH AT THE STREET CLINIC ON GROVE ST...NOT THE CLINIC WE HAD THEM DONE LAST YEAR. REMEMBER YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PHYSICAL TO GO TO SUMMER CAMP.

LOOKS LIKE THE NEXT EVENT IS A CAMP OUT. MAY 1ST, 2ND, 3RD LOCATION UNKNOWN, IT IS A TOSS-UP BETWEEN CAMP HOOD AND ROCKY SPRINGS. I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHICH ONE SOON. THEY WILL BE WORKING ON THE CAMPING MERIT BADGE (BACK PACKING):

WE ARE PLANNING A CANOE TRIP ON THE BUFFALO RIVER JUNE 6TH, 7TH, 8TH. WE WILL LEAVE ON A SATURDAY AND COME BACK ON MONDAY. PLEASE LET ME OR MR. MIKE KNOW IF YOU WILL BE GOING AT TONIGHT'S MEETING. WE HAVE TO RESERVE THE CANOES WAY AHEAD OF TIME. SO PLEASE LET US KNOW..... YOU CAN SHOOT ME A E-MAIL IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE AT THE MEETING TONIGHT......

NEXT EVENT IS SUMMER CAMP JUNE 28 THROUGH JULY 4TH....WE WILL BE RETURNING ON JULY 4TH.... THIS YEAR IT IS GOING TO BE AT CAMP KIA KIMA IN HARDY, ARKANSAS...WEBSITE IS http://www.kiakima.com/ ..
ADDRESS IS: 629 KIA KIMA TRAIL
HARDY, AK. 72542
NOT SURE OF THE COST PER SCOUT YET, I WILL GET BACK WITH YOU ON THAT....

I HOPE THIS HELP YOU IN YOUR SUMMER PLANNING....
MS SHERRI

Hoppy Hoppy !!!!!!

2009-04-17T19:18:00.000-07:00

Happy Belated Easter Ya'll!

For God So Loved YOU That He Sent His Only Son! Never Forget You ARE Loved!

Don't Know Much About St Patrick's Day ... Now You Do!

2009-03-17T16:43:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of the holiday, National Geographic News rustled up other facts related to St. Patrick's Day festivities. Take heart—we skipped the blarney.

• St. Patrick's Day marks the Roman Catholic feast day for Ireland's patron saint, who died in the 5th century. St. Patrick (Patricius in Latin) was not born in Ireland, but in Britain.
• Irish brigands kidnapped St. Patrick at 16 and brought him to Ireland. He was sold as a slave in the county of Antrim and served in bondage for six years until he escaped to Gaul, in present-day France. He later returned to his parents' home in Britain, where he had a vision that he would preach to the Irish. After 14 years of study, Patrick returned to Ireland, where he built churches and spread the Christian faith for some 30 years.
• Many myths surround St. Patrick. One of the best known—and most inaccurate—is that Patrick drove all the snakes from Ireland into the Irish Sea, where the serpents drowned. (Some still say that is why the sea is so rough.)
But snakes have never been native to the Emerald Isle. The serpents were likely a metaphor for druidic religions, which steadily disappeared from Ireland in the centuries after St. Patrick planted the seeds of Christianity on the island.
• In the United States, it's customary to wear green on St. Patrick's Day. But in Ireland the color was long considered to be unlucky, says Bridget Haggerty, author of The Traditional Irish Wedding and the Irish Culture and Customs Web site.
As Haggerty explains, Irish folklore holds that green is the favorite color of the Good People (the proper name for faeries). They are likely to steal people, especially children, who wear too much of the color.
• Colonial New York City hosted the first official St. Patrick's Day parade in 1762, when Irish immigrants in the British colonial army marched down city streets. In subsequent years Irish fraternal organizations also held processions to St. Patrick's Cathedral. The various groups merged sometime around 1850 to form a single, grand parade.
• Today New York's St. Patrick's Day parade is the longest running civilian parade in the world. This year nearly three million spectators are expected to watch the spectacle and some 150,000 participants plan to march.
• Dublin's St. Patrick's Day parade is little more than 75 years old. This year festival organizers will launch 15,000 pounds (7 metric tons) of fireworks to cap their celebration, which is expected to draw 400,000 spectators.

*By law, pubs in Ireland were closed on St. Patrick's Day, a national religious holiday, as recently as the 1970s.
• According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 34 million United States residents claim Irish ancestry, or nearly ten times the entire population of Ireland today, which stands at 3.9 million. Among U.S. ethnic groups, the number of Irish-Americans in the U.S. is second only to the number of German-Americans.
• Since 1820, 4.8 million Irish have legally immigrated to the United States, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The agency reports that only four countries—Germany, Italy, Mexico, and the United Kingdom—have sent more native-born residents to become naturalized U.S. citizens.
• Chicago is famous for dyeing the Chicago River green on St. Patrick's Day. The tradition began in 1962, when a pipe fitters union—with the permission of the mayor—poured a hundred pounds (45 kilograms) of green vegetable dye into the river. (On the job, the workers often use colored dyes to track illegal sewage dumping.) Today only 40 pounds (18 kilograms) of dye are used, enough to turn the river green for several hours.
According to the Friends of the Chicago River, a local environmental group, more people are likely to view the Chicago River on St. Patrick's Day than on any other day.
• Guinness stout, first brewed by Arthur Guinness in Dublin, Ireland, in 1759, has become synonymous with Ireland and Irish bars. According to the company's Web site, 1,883,200,000 (that's 1.9 billion) pints of Guinness are consumed around the world every year.
• Robert Louis Stevenson, the 19th-century Scottish author of Kidnapped, Treasure Island, and other novels, brought a store of Guinness with him during a trip to Samoa in the South Pacific, according to the Guinness Web site.
• Ireland is about 300 miles (480 kilometers) long and 200 miles (320 kilometers) wide. Those facts, along with other features, led Swedish geographer Ulf Erlingsson to recently conclude that the Atlantic Ocean island is the same one identified by ancient Greek philosopher Plato as Atlantis in his famous dialogues Timaeus and Critias.

2009-03-16T21:59:00.000-07:00

May the friendships you make,

Be those which endure,

And all of your grey clouds

Be small ones for sure.

And trusting in Him

To Whom we all pray,

May a song fill your heart,

Every step of the way.

Say What????????

2009-03-15T04:27:00.000-07:00

Communications Requirements

Do ONE of the following:
a. For one day, keep a log in which you describe your communication activities. Keep track of the time and different ways you spend communicating, such as talking person-to-person, listening to your teachers or the radio, watching television, reading books, and other print media, and communicating online. Discuss with your counselor what your log reveals about the importance of communication in your life. Think of ways to improve your communications skills.
b. For three days, keep a journal of your listening experiences. Identify one example of each of the following, and discuss with your counselor when you have listened to:
1. Obtain information
2. A persuasive argument
3. Appreciate or enjoy something
4. Understand someone's feelings
c. In a small-group setting, meet with other scouts or with friends. Have them share personal stories about significant events in their lives that affected them in some way. Take note of how each scout participates in the group discussion and how effective each one is in telling his story. Report what you have learned to your counselor about the differences you observed in effective communication.
d. List as many ways as you can think of to communicate with others (face-to-face, by telephone, letter, e-mail, fax). For each type of communication discuss with your counselor an instance when that method might not be appropriate or effective.

Do ONE of the following:
a. Think of a creative way to describe yourself, using, for example, a collage, short story or autobiography, drawing or series of photographs, or a song or skit. Using the aid you created, make a presentation to your counselor about yourself.
b. Choose a concept, product, or service in which you have great confidence. Build a sales plan based on its good points. Try to persuade the counselor to agree with, use, or buy your concept, product or service. After your sales talk, discuss with your counselor how persuasive you were.
Write a five-minute speech. Give it at a meeting of a group.
Interview someone you know fairly well, like, or respect because of his or her position, talent, career or life experiences. Listen actively to learn as much as you can about the person. Then prepare and deliver to your counselor an introduction of the person as though this person were to be a guest speaker, and include reasons why the audience would want to hear this person speak. Show how you would call to invite this person to speak.
Attend a public meeting (city council, school board, debate) approved by your counselor where several points of view are given on a single issue. Practice active listening skills and take careful notes of each point of view. Present an objective report that includes all points of view that were expressed, and share this with your counselor.
With your counselor's approval, develop a plan to teach a skill or inform someone about something. Prepare teaching aids for your plan. Carry out your plan. With your counselor, determine whether the person has learned what you intended.

Do ONE of the following:
a. Write to the editor of a magazine or your local newspaper to express your opinion or share information on any subject you choose. Send your message by fax, email or regular mail.
b. Create a Web page for your scout troop, school, or other organization. Include at least one article and one photograph or illustration, and one link to some other web page that would be helpful to someone who visits the web page you have created. It is not necessary to post your web page to the internet, but if you decide to do so, you must first share it with your parents and counselor and get their permission.
c. Use desktop publishing to produce a newsletter, brochure, flier or other printed material for your scout troop, class at school, or other group. Include at least one article and one photograph or illustration.
Plan a troop court of honor or campfire program. Have the patrol leaders' council approve it, then write the script and prepare the program. Serve as master of ceremonies.
Learn about opportunities in the field of communication. Choose one career in which you are interested and discuss with your counselor the major responsibilities of that position and the qualifications, education, and preparation it requires.

For Travis! From Mrs Tracye

2009-03-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

To everyone who's lost someone they love

Long before it was their time

You feel like the days you had were not enough

When you said goodbye

And to all of the people with burdens and pains

Keeping you back from your life

You believe that there's nothing and there is no one

Who can make it right

There is hope for the helpless

Rest for the weary

Love for the broken heart

There is grace and forgiveness

Mercy and healing

He'll meet you wherever you are

Cry out to Jesus, Cry out to Jesus

With Sympathies

2009-03-08T14:03:00.001-07:00

We extend our sympathies to Travis Sigh in the death of his father Robert

Visitation is Monday 5-8pm and Tuesday 9 am until hour of service at Riles Funeral Home

Services are at 10 am Tuesday at Cedar Hill Cemetery

Yeah We Had Some Troop Members At The......

2009-03-07T14:40:00.000-08:00

Run Through History today!

Burhman Gates
Nancy Gates
Cameron Gates
Nathan Prewitt
Tracye Prewitt

if you were there and we didn't see you let me know so we can add you to the list!

Why You Go To School!

2009-03-06T16:35:00.000-08:00

Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.

Proverbs 4:7 NLT

2009 Run Thru History ----- Lets Go Walkin Troop 638!

2009-03-05T18:55:00.000-08:00

Saturday March 7, 2009
Vicksburg National Military Park
Vicksburg, Mississippi
10-K race starts at 8:30 a.m. at the park memorial arch
5-K race walk starts at 8:35 a.m. in front of the park visitor's center
Blue/Gray 1 Miler starts at 10:00 a.m. in front of the Battlefield Inn

Cost is:

Runners must register in person at race headquarters/Battlefield Inn/ beginning Friday March 6th from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and again on Saturday March 7th from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 a.m. $27.00 each. The entry fee for the Blue/Gray 1 Miler is $14.00. T-shirt availability nor size is guaranteed to late entrants.

Age Groups & Awards:

Separate categories for men and women in both the 10-K run and 5-K race walk will include the following age groups: 14-under; 15-19; 20-24; 25-29; 30-34; 35-39; 40-44; 45-49; 50-54; 55-59; 60-64; 65-69; 70-74; 75-79; 80-84; 85-89; 90-94; 95-99; 100 & over. Awards will be given three deep in each age group. Overall awards will be given to the top three male and top three female finishers, as well as to the winners of the Masters (40-49), Grand Masters (50-59), and Senior Masters (60 & above) in both the 10-K run and 5-K race walk.
Separate categories for boys and girls in the Blue/Gray 1 Miler will include the following age groups: 0-5; 6-7; 8-9; 10-11; 12-13; 14-15. Awards will be given three deep in each age group. Overall awards will be given to the first male and first female finisher of the Blue/Gray 1 Miler.

Mardi Gras Facts 2009

2009-02-24T19:59:00.000-08:00

Did you know that beads and baubles were first thrown from floats starting in 1871

Did you know that the colors of Mardi Gras stand for: purple = justice; green = faith; gold = power... these colors became the offical colors in 1872

Did you know that Mardi Gras means: Mardi = Tuesday; Gras = Fat

Mardi Gras arrived in the new world (USA) around 1699 when a French explorer named Iberville arrived about 60 miles south of New Orleans, on the Mississippi River, and named it Point du Mardi Gras, due to the holiday being celebrated in his native country on that day.

Fat Tuesday is a legal holiday in New Orleans

Fat Tuesday has occurred every year except during 1918 and 1919 due to World War I, and again in the 1940s due to World War II. During the 1920s and 1930s the parties were not as prolific because of Prohibition and the Great Depression.

NOTICE

2009-02-17T21:21:00.000-08:00

If you see this post and bring your handbook to the next meeting you are first in line for cookies!!!!!!

Laissez Bon Temps Rouler

2009-02-17T21:12:00.000-08:00

Mardi Gras 2009

All We Need Is

2009-02-14T15:21:00.001-08:00

LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!!!!!!

Don't Forget

2009-02-07T22:11:00.000-08:00

To be at the church at 3:30 pm Friday so we can get off in plenty of time to make the Friday night parades..........Bring enough money to purchase snacks on the road as well as Friday supper out, Saturday supper out, and Sunday lunch out... and if you intend on buying Mardi Gras items from vendors etc they must be approved by an adult and you MUST have enough money to eat on first ---then if you have enough money you can buy Mardi Gras stuff! You are representing yourself, your parents, your troop, your leaders, and the church so you need to be on your BETTER THAN BEST BEHAVIOR! The buddy rule is to be STRONGLY enforced at all times.... Bring appropriate clothing... bring a jacket to keep warm!

PLEASE ATTEND MONDAY'S MEETING ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE GOING TO MARDI GRAS! We will be getting ready and going over plans for the trip etc....

With The Great Privilege Of Being A Citizen Of This Nation Comes Great Responsibility

2009-01-21T18:34:00.000-08:00

From Parade Magazine

On Tuesday, Barack Obama was sworn in as our 44th President. On this historic occasion, PARADE asked the President-elect, who is also a devoted family man, to get personal and tell us what he wants for his children. Here, he shares his letter to them.

Dear Malia and Sasha,

I know that you've both had a lot of fun these last two years on the campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn't have let you have. But I also know that it hasn't always been easy for you and Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that new puppy, it doesn't make up for all the time we've been apart. I know how much I've missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey. When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me—about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn't count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, girls, that's why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation. I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential—schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college—even if their parents aren't rich. And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity. I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you'll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other. Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war and other dangerous situations to protect our country—but when we do, I want to make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that we try our best to settle our differences with others peacefully, and that we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and women safe. And I want every child to understand that the blessings these brave Americans fight for are not free—that with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility.
That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean something. She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better—and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It's a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be. I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you've had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much—although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential. These are the things I want for you—to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have. That's why I've taken our family on this great adventure. I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.

Love,

Dad

Inspiration For 2009

2009-01-15T18:11:00.000-08:00

Chillin The Hills 5K /10K

2009-01-13T19:20:00.000-08:00

We will be participating by helping out

Friday January 16 5-7pm at Purks YMCA; we will hand out race packets

Saturday January 17 7:30am Horizon Casino Levee Street Parking Lot; we will man water stations, or whatever they ask us to do.

This will be for service hours and we all need those!

There will be refreshments after the race!

We should be done by 12/noon

Wear your class A shirts and jeans (wear your long johns too it is gonna be COLD)

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler --- Throw Me Something Mister; Time Again!

2009-01-10T14:54:00.001-08:00

MARDI GRAS TIME!!!!!!! FEBRUARY 13TH 14TH 15TH
IT IS THAT TIME AGAIN AND THOUGHT I WOULD GET OUT A FEW DATES AND TIMES FOR YOU ALL.

WE WILL BE LEAVING THE CHURCH FEBRUARY 13TH AT 3:30PM RETURN BACK SUNDAY AFTERNOON.....

WE WILL BE STAYING AT TICKFAW STATE PARK AGAIN THIS YEAR IN CABINS 1, 6, 10

WE WILL GO BY THE SAME SCHEDULE THAT WE HAVE GONE BY THE LAST FEW YEARS
(MANDEVILLE PARADE FRIDAY NIGHT UP EARLY SATURDAY AND GET TO ST CHARLES BY NOON AND STAY UNTIL AROUND 10:00 TO 10:30)

WE NEED TO GET A IDEA OF WHO ALL IS GOING TO PLAN FOR TRANSPORTATION, MEALS ETC.... PLEASE EMAIL ME AND LET ME KNOW ....

ALSO IF ANY OF YOU HAVE WREATH OR POPCORN MONEY PLEASE TURN IN NEXT MONDAY NIGHT TO MR MIKE OR ME.

We Need A Head Count For Mardi Gras

2009-01-06T19:22:00.000-08:00

Yes it is almost that time of year again and we need to know how many folks are going to Mardi Gras... so we can get enough cabins reserved.

Please let Mr Mike or Ms Sherri know if you are going or not!

Thanks

And

Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!

Come On Let's Go Walking In Vicksburg

2009-01-05T08:14:00.000-08:00

January 17, 2009

Route starts at Horizion casino and ends back there --- route takes you all through downtown Vicksburg.....

10K Run starts at 8:30 am
5K Walk starts at 8:35 am

go to http://www.mstrackclub.com/ to download an application and race information..... or stop by the YMCA on Clay for more information.

Come on come walkin with me! I hope to see you all there!

We Have The Power.....

2009-01-03T10:01:00.000-08:00

New Year ----- New You! You CAN Do It!

2009-01-01T13:43:00.000-08:00

5 small changes to help you lose weight

Story Highlights:

*Small changes rather than radical ones make diets more feasible

*Examples: drinking water instead of soda, using wheat instead of white flour

*By eating 100 fewer calories every day, avoid the weight gain that comes with aging

By Elizabeth CohenSenior CNN Medical Correspondent

(CNN) -- Tim Kassouf lost 45 pounds, and it all started when he got really mad at his girlfriend.Kassouf, a 24-year-old marketing manager in Baltimore, Maryland, was moaning to his beloved that he'd gained weight recently. He was worried. The men in his family are prone to heart attacks, and his grandfather died of one at age 29.But instead of giving Kassouf the sympathy he expected, his girlfriend told him off."She said, 'You keep complaining about it but do nothing about it.' I was angry she said that, but she was totally right," Kassouf said.Inspired, Kassouf made radical changes in his diet."That would last about a day," he said.So he moved on to Plan B: small changes. That worked. Four years after he got mad at his girlfriend, Kassouf weighs 200 pounds, down from 245, mostly by focusing on a few parts of his diet without changing everything."What I started to realize is, it didn't have to be all or nothing," he said.There's actually a name for what Kassouf did: It's called the "small changes approach." James Hill, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, is the father of the movement, and in this month's American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, he writes about how "small changes are more feasible to achieve and maintain than large changes."For Kassouf, small changes started with soda."I was probably drinking 10 Cokes a day," he said. By switching out those Cokes for water, Kassouf saved 1,400 calories a day.Then he worked on his snacking. He used to eat a 12-ounce bag of Doritos while watching television."The show would be over, and the bag would be empty," he said.Now, he takes a handful out of the bag and puts it on a plate, and that's all he eats, saving 1,350 calories a day.Kassouf said he lost about 5 pounds just by making the Coke and Doritos changes and then lost 15 more by cutting down on sweets and switching from white flour to wheat flour. Exercising helped him shed 25 more pounds.Hill said it's tough to say exactly how many calories you have to cut to lose a pound, but he encourages people to think of it this way: By eating 100 fewer calories each day, you can avoid the weight gain that comes with getting older.Most people gain a pound or two a year, he said, which can really add up. A svelte 130-pound 18-year-old could turn into an overweight 170-pound 38-year-old.Here are five ways to cut 100 calories out of your diet each day. Doing any one of them could keep you from gaining that typical pound or two a year. The first three tips are from from Kim Gorman, a registered dietitian with the University of Colorado's Center for Human Nutrition. The fourth one is from Starbucks, and the last one is from Hill.

1. Old: whole milk

New: 1 percent milk

Let's say you have milk with your cereal and then a glass of milk some other time during the day. Drinking 1 percent milk instead of whole milk saves you 100 calories.

2. Old: whole bagel

New: half a bagel

Give the other half of your bagel to a friend, and you'll save 100 calories. Depending on the size of the bagel, you could save even more.

3. Old: chocolate ice cream

New: chocolate yogurt or a Popsicle

Swap out the ice cream for the yogurt, and you're consuming 100 fewer calories. You'll save nearly that much if you have a Popsicle instead of the ice cream.

4. Old: latte made with whole milk

New: latte made with skim milk

Order a nonfat latte instead of a regular latte, and you'll save 90 calories.

5. Old: be a couch potato

New: take a 20-minute walk

Walk a mile every day, and you'll burn about 100 calories. Twenty minutes is an estimate of how long it takes to walk a mile; some people are slower, and others are faster. For all you pedometer wearers out there, a mile is about 2,000 steps.

It took Kassouf several years to lose 45 pounds doing the "small changes approach," but he said it's been worth the wait, because he's more likely to keep the pounds off than if he'd made big changes.By the way, Kassouf is no longer with that girlfriend who called him a complainer, but he's still grateful to her for making him snap to it and come up with a plan for losing weight.

CNN's Jennifer Pifer-Bixler contributed to this report.

Happy Happy!

2008-12-27T11:52:00.000-08:00

HAPPY 2009 YA'LL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Gift To You All! Merry Christmas And God Bless Us EVERYONE!

2008-12-20T22:44:00.001-08:00

The Gift

Written by Tracye Wynne Malone Prewitt November 12, 2008

In a lowly stable; a long time ago; a young couple welcomed their first born, a son…. And Angels sang, shepherds danced and kings took note….. They were not celebrities, they were not wealthy, and they weren’t even royalty. They were a very young commoner couple; who brought into the world its salvation. Their baby was our Messiah, the worlds Savior…. Whose name would be the name above all names… Could you imagine the weight of that moment when this young couple held their miracle, our miracle in their arms for the first time? I am sure they did like all new parents… they counted fingers and toes; these fingers and toes were on the very hands and feet that would be pierced with nails some 30 + years later. They kissed the forehead that one day would be scared by the crown of thorns. They patted the back that one day would be whipped for our sins. Mary and Joseph knew their child’s future…. They knew they would have a son, they knew would call him Jesus and they knew what his ultimate destiny would be….. Joy, sadness, fear, and love must have filled their hearts as they watched this tiny baby take in his new world. I do not profess to be anything close to a theologian but I am a mom… I do know and have felt all the emotions you feel the first time you hold your newborn in your arms.... I know the agony that Mary must have felt when she realized the brevity of the moment…. When she finally let herself think of her little baby’s fate… Joseph had a son, an heir to the family business, and I am sure slaps on the back from all of his friends and relatives but I am sure he had to share in the sadness of what was to come of his son eventually. But being the chosen couple they bore the emotions and the burdens of raising the hope of the world. Mary was there when Jesus entered our world that night in a stable and she would be there when he left our world nailed to a cross… at a strong woman, what a MOM… Remember the woman, who carried our Savior, who bore him, witnessed his life, and grieved his death…. Remember the man who risked his reputation, his livelihood, and his life to marry a pregnant unwed girl, believe that the baby she carried was the son of God, and guard the very life of Jesus from a jealous King by listening to Angels. Remember Jesus’ earthly parents this holiday season. They gave the world the ultimate gift…. Saving grace in the human form of their son… that little baby in the hay… our Lord… Jesus the Christ

Luminary Reminder From Ms Sherri

2008-12-13T21:50:00.000-08:00

HEY EVERYONE, JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE ABOUT PUTTING OUT THE LUMINARIES IN THE MORNING (SUNDAY 14TH)...BE AT MR DAVID'S AT 8:00 AND READY TO WORK....REMEMBER THE IS A HUGE FUNDRAISER FOR THE SCOUTS, SO THE MORE YOU BRING IN YOUR FAMILY THE MORE MONEY GOES INTO YOUR SCOUTS ACCOUNT. SO BRING YOUR PARENTS, BROTHER AND SISTERS, AUNTS AND UNCLES. LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED. SEE YA THERE.

LUMINARY SUNDAY DECEMBER 14, 2008

2008-12-12T14:20:00.000-08:00

Don't forget your hours count towards you Scout account for summer camp, Mardi Gras trip, and other things......

And when we get them all lit is is simply BEAUTIFUL!

A Day That Will Live In Infamy

2008-12-07T12:59:00.000-08:00

December 7, 1941 ---- The Japanese launched an unprovoked sneak attack on the US bases at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
2,388 Americans were killed; and this led to the US involvement in WWII!

After receiving the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a request for a declaration of war on Japan to the U.S. Congress. A day after the attack, Roosevelt spoke before Congress and delivered a speech to urge approval for the war.

The President opened his now famous speech with: "Yesterday, December 7th, 1941, a date which will live in infamy..." Both houses of Congress approved the war on what was almost a unanimous count. The only member who voted "no" was congresswoman Jeannette Rankin of Montana. Three days later, Japanese allies, Germany and Italy both declared war on the U.S., and Congress responded immediately by declaring war on them as well.

Sympathies To The Ragsdales

2008-12-06T22:54:00.001-08:00

In the loss of their beloved Tuffy Kitty!

Please keep them all in your prayers as they deal with the loss of their pet!

Thank you!

If anyone knows anything about the death (Tuffy was run over Saturday) ie saw anything etc please contact Ms Tracye or Mr Nathan --- thank you!

Bethlehem Drive ---- Holiday Drive Through

2008-12-06T22:31:00.000-08:00

Porters Chapel UMC

200 Porters Chapel Road

Sunday December 7, 2008

5:30-7:00 Come Join Us and Help Out!

Nativity

Home Scene

and SANTA!!!!!

Cookies!

Way To Go!!!!!

2008-12-06T22:25:00.001-08:00

WCJHS Choir 1st prize in Caroling Contest

WCHS Madrigals 1st prize in Caroling Contest

VIS Singsations 1st prize in Caroling Contest

To All our kids who participated in the Parade and Caroling Contest tonight

You all were great!

Happy Turkey And Dressing Day Boys!

2008-11-25T19:24:00.000-08:00

In all things give thanks unto the Lord .....

He is good ALL the time!

POPCORN SELLS DUE MONDAY/TOMORROW 11-24-08

2008-11-23T21:31:00.000-08:00

Bring all orders and monies for popcorn sells with you to the meeting Monday night!

Thanks!

The First Menu Of Thanksgiving ---- Not What You Would Expect!

2008-11-23T20:56:00.001-08:00

We have all seen the painitings the Pilgrims and the Native Americas sitting down to a spread much like the ones we sit down to on Thanksgiving day! A table laden with all the goodies we have come to associate with the traditional Thanksgiving meal: turkey, pumpkin pie, and a variety of other scrumptious offerings. But the first Thanksgiving came after a rocky start for the Pilgrims in their new land.... Supplies and survivors were hard to come by but thanks to God and their Native American neighbors the Pilgrims had survived and pulled together a celebration feast to celebrate the end of a year long drought and the return of plentiful crops and wildlife.

The Thanksgiving meal for the Pilgrims may have consisted of roasted venison(deer); stewed or boiled fowl, lobster, and fish. The sides would have been corn and/or wheat breads, stew of dried fruits and perhaps pumpkin, one or two boiled vegetables(such as peas or beans, squash) and only water to drink. So, you can cut out roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, popcorn, pumpkin or any other kind of pies, beer, and wine from the Pilgrims' Thanksgiving feast... Their celebration of Thanksgiving was simple fare .... fare that they would have found native to the land and seas around them.

Why no potatoes you ask? Why no pies? Why no alcoholic beverages?

There were no potatoes, oils, or butter for the mashed potatoes or baking. No ovens to roast a turkey in or bake a pies or cakes... all alcohol would have been prohibited due to the strong religious beliefs of the pilgrims....

But to me the worst hardship of all .........NO FOOTBALL!

From The History Channel

The Pilgrims' Menu

Foods That May Have Been on the Menu:

Seafood: Cod, Eel, Clams, Lobster

Wild Fowl: Wild Turkey, Goose, Duck, Crane, Swan, Partridge, Eagles

Meat: Venison, Seal

Grain: Wheat Flour, Indian Corn

Vegetables: Pumpkin, Peas, Beans, Onions, Lettuce, Radishes, Carrots

Fruit: Plums, Grapes

Nuts: Walnuts, Chestnuts, Acorns

Herbs and Seasonings: Olive Oil, Liverwort, Leeks, Dried Currants, Parsnips

What Was Not on the Menu:

Surprisingly, the following foods, all considered staples of the modern Thanksgiving meal, didn't appear on the pilgrims's first feast table:

Ham: There is no evidence that the colonists had butchered a pig by this time, though they had brought pigs with them from England.

Sweet Potatoes/Potatoes: These were not common.

Corn on the Cob: Corn was kept dried out at this time of year.

Cranberry Sauce: The colonists had cranberries but no sugar at this time.

Pumpkin Pie: It's not a recipe that exists at this point, though the pilgrims had recipes for stewed pumpkin.

Chicken/Eggs: We know that the colonists brought hens with them from England, but it's unknown how many they had left at this point or whether the hens were still laying.

Milk: No cows had been aboard the Mayflower, though it's possible that the colonists used goat milk to make cheese.

Source: Kathleen Curtin, Food Historian at Plimoth Plantation.

Third Day In Clinton Concert

2008-11-18T19:49:00.000-08:00

Third Day to perform at Mississippi College

Special to The HeraldTO LEARN MORE
For more information, call Star 93.5 at 601-925-3460, or visit http://www.star93fm.com/.

Billboard magazine rates Third Day(http://www.thirdday.com/) "not only one of the best Christian bands of the '90s, but one of the best rock bands, period."With that kind of reputation, the multi-platinum-selling band is sure to draw a huge crowd for a Nov. 23 concert at Mississippi College's A.E. Wood Coliseum.The visit to MC is part of the group's LIVE Fall Tour with special guests Needtobreathe and Revive. Winners of numerous Dove and Grammy Awards, Third Day has attracted millions of fans around the globe over their 15-year career.The visit to the Christian university follows a number of college stops this fall, including the University of Illinois on Oct. 31 and the University of Indiana Nov. 7. The group performs at First Baptist Church in Lafayette, La. on Nov. 22 before their Sunday evening stop on the Clinton campus. The concert at MC begins at 6 p.m.Tickets are now on sale at http://www.tickets.com/ <http://www.tickets.com/> , LifeWay Christian Stores on County Line Road in Jackson and in the MC Cafeteria. Tickets are $25 for general admission.Making concert plans is MC freshman Jake Cole, 18, who owns six of their albums. A resident of Star in Rankin County, he's seen the band in concert twice in Gatlinburg, Tenn. and once each in Jackson and Hattiesburg. "Third Day never does the same concert twice. Any band that can do that is incredible."A DJ on Star 93.5, MC's campus radio station, Cole is also a believer in the band's message. "All their songs have a really strong Biblical message, a strong God-center in every song."MC's college radio station is one of the concert sponsors. "I forsee a packed house at the coliseum," said Cole, a communication major with a minor in Christian Studies. Normally the home base for Choctaws basketball games, the Gold Dome seats about 5,000 fans.Third Day performers say the group's success surpassed all expectations. "Our career is like a dream I didn't even know I had," said drummer David Carr.South Carolina-based Needtobreathe and Revive, a group with roots in Australia, are also coming to Central Mississippi with a growing and enthusiastic fan base.

Are You Smarter Than An Eighth Grader --- From 1895????

2008-11-17T21:47:00.000-08:00

Questions: What percentage of this year's seniors and last year's high school graduates could pass the following 8th grade test required in 1895, even if the few outdated questions were modernized? How many college students could pass it? For that matter, what percentage of high school teachers could pass it? And - - what percentage of today's schools have standards for promotion from 8th grade equal to or tougher than those required in 1895?

8th Grade Final Exam: Salina, Kansas - 1895

This is the eighth-grade final exam* from 1895 from Salina, Kansas. It was taken from the original document on file at the Smoky Valley Genealogical Society and Library in Salina, Kansas and reprinted by the Salina Journal.

Grammar (Time, one hour)

1. Give nine rules for the use of Capital Letters.

2. Name the Parts of Speech and define those that have no modifications.

3. Define Verse, Stanza and Paragraph.

4. What are the Principal Parts of a verb? Give Principal Parts of do, lie, lay and run.

5. Define Case, Illustrate each Case.

6. What is Punctuation? Give rules for principal marks of Punctuation.

7-10. Write a composition of about 150 words and show therein that you understand the practical use of the rules of grammar.

Arithmetic (Time, 1.25 hours)

1. Name and define the Fundamental Rules of Arithmetic.

2. A wagon box is 2 ft. deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft. wide. How many bushels of wheat will it hold?3. If a load of wheat weighs 3942 lbs., what is it worth at 50cts. per bu, deducting 1050 lbs. for tare?

4. District No. 33 has a valuation of $35,000. What is the necessary levy to carry on a school seven months at $50 per month, and have $104 for incidentals?

5. Find cost of 6720 lbs. coal at $6.00 per ton.

6. Find the interest of $512.60 for 8 months and 18 days at 7 percent.

7. What is the cost of 40 boards 12 inches wide and 16 ft. long at $.20 per inch?

8. Find bank discount on $300 for 90 days (no grace) at 10 percent.

9. What is the cost of a square farm at $15 per acre, the distance around which is 640 rods? 10.Write a Bank Check, a Promissory Note, and a Receipt.

U.S. History (Time, 45 minutes)

1. Give the epochs into which U.S. History is divided.

2. Give an account of the discovery of America by Columbus.

3. Relate the causes and results of the Revolutionary War.

4. Show the territorial growth of the United States.

5. Tell what you can of the history of Kansas.

6. Describe three of the most prominent battles of the Rebellion.

7. Who were the following: Morse, Whitney, Fulton, Bell, Lincoln, Penn, and Howe?

8. Name events connected with the following dates: 1607, 1620, 1800, 1849, and 1865?

Orthography (Time, one hour)

1. What is meant by the following: Alphabet, phonetic orthography, etymology, syllabication?

2. What are elementary sounds? How classified?

3. What are the following, and give examples of each: Trigraph, subvocals, diphthong, cognate letters, linguals?

4. Give four substitutes for caret 'u'.

5. Give two rules for spelling words with final 'e'. Name two exceptions under each rule.

6. Give two uses of silent letters in spelling. Illustrate each.

7. Define the following prefixes and use in connection with a word: Bi, dis, mis, pre, semi, post, non, inter, mono, super.

8. Mark diacritically and divide into syllables the following, and name the sign that indicates the sound: Card, ball, mercy, sir, odd, cell, rise, blood, fare, last.

9. Use the following correctly in sentences, Cite, site, sight, fane, fain, feign, vane, vain, vein, raze, raise, rays.

10.Write 10 words frequently mispronounced and indicate pronunciation by use of diacritical marks and by syllabication.

Geography (Time, one hour)

1. What is climate? Upon what does climate depend?

2. How do you account for the extremes of climate in Kansas?

3. Of what use are rivers? Of what use is the ocean?

4. Describe the mountains of N.A.

5. Name and describe the following: Monrovia, Odessa, Denver, Manitoba, Hecla, Yukon, St. Helena, Juan Fermandez, Aspinwall and Orinoco.

6. Name and locate the principal trade centers of the U.S.

7. Name all the republics of Europe and give capital of each.

8. Why is the Atlantic Coast colder than the Pacific in the same latitude?

9. Describe the process by which the water of the ocean returns to the sources of rivers.

10.Describe the movements of the earth. Give inclination of the earth.

The top of the test states > "EXAMINATION GRADUATION QUESTIONS OF SALINE COUNTY, KANSAS April 13, 1895 J.W. Armstrong, County Superintendent.Examinations at Salina, New Cambria, Gypsum City, Assaria, Falun, Bavaria, and District No. 74 (in Glendale Twp.)"

According to the Smoky Valley Genealogy Society, Salina, Kansas "this test is the original eighth-grade final exam for 1895 from Salina, KS. An interesting note is the fact that county students taking this test were allowed to take the test in the 7th grade, and if they did not pass the test at that time, they were allowed to re-take it again in the 8th grade."
*Sources - this exam information was sent to this author on February 12, 2001 by OkieVan@aol.com, a reader of this Grandfather Economic Report series. Another confirmation regarding authenticity > Sept 2003 email from Dionee Schwenke of Cape Coral, Florida (Dionees@cs.com), who is writing a book about her teaching career and researched the above exam: "I know the test reflects what was in the textbooks of that era, and that it is similar to the test my mother had to take in the 1920s before she could be certified in Nebraska. I confirmed the authenticity of the test you mentioned by the old fashioned way, picked up the phone. First to Mary McIntyre at the Smoky Valley Genealogical Society & Library, 785-825-4624 (got that info from a query to the Salina newspaper). Ms. McIntyre assured me the test was fact, not fiction, and told me it had been written by J. W. Armstrong, the superintendent of Salina County schools in 1895. They even have on record the names of students who took the test--and the answers--but they can't divulge that info because of privacy laws. Then she gave me the name of his granddaughter, Mary Laas. 785-825-5140. Mrs. Laas was fun to visit with; told me about growing up across the section from her grandfather; how the family still has the hand written notes her grandpa made as well as a typed copy; how his family once nursed Buffalo Bill back to health. . . I asked about needing permission to include the test in my book and she said go ahead, it is public property now that it has run in the newspaper. They have had a lot of calls in Salina, not just at the Laas home but at the Genealogical Society as well."
Another good reference is the Smoky Valley Genealogical Society's (Salinas, Kansas) web site > http://skyways.lib.ks.us/kansas/genweb/ottawa/smoky.html. You will note on that site a link "1895 School Exam" which takes you to the test shown above at > http://skyways.lib.ks.us/kansas/genweb/ottawa/exam.html

Here's A Link For Ya'll

2008-11-16T13:39:00.001-08:00

This link is to the embassy's for the USA in all the countries of the world......... There are also email addresses not just snail mail addresses ............ Please write these countries (two of your choice and request that they at least write you back and tell you all about their country (the language, customs, religions etc) and who knows they might send you some stuff from the country as well but if you ask for stuff do so in a nice polite way..... Please be cordial to the folks receiving the letter or email... you are after all representing your country, state, the troop, your parents and yourself!

http://www.usembassy.gov/

Wreath Order Update

2008-11-14T22:16:00.001-08:00

Scouters,

The wreaths are scheduled to be here the Monday or Tuesday afterThanksgiving. I believe this is December 1 or 2.

Mr. Mike

Do You Know What This Means>>>>>>>>>>>>>

2008-11-11T18:43:00.000-08:00

Why do we say; the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month? Or why do some people call it Poppy Day or why do we wear poppies on Veteran's day?

Remembrance Day – also known as Poppy Day, Armistice Day (the event it commemorates) or Veterans Day – is a day to commemorate the sacrifices of members of the armed forces and of civilians in times of war, specifically since the First World War. It is observed on 11 November to recall the end of World War I on that date in 1918. (Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.)

In Flanders Fields

By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) Canadian Army

In Flanders Fields the poppies grow Between the crosses row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.

The poppies field poem is why we call Veterans Day, Poppy Day and why we wear poppies on Veterans Day!

Let's Go Walkin Vicksburg

2008-11-06T21:42:00.001-08:00

On Saturday, November 8,Mississippi is goin’ walkin’!Communities across the state will show their commitment to living healthier lives.Join Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippiand the Mississippi Main StreetAssociation as we take the first stepstoward a healthier life. Join us at 9 am at the Riverstage Plaza in downtown, Vicksburg… A FREE and fun one mile trek is a great way to start your day! Hope to see you all there!For details, contact your localMississippi Main Street office at:601-634-4527 or Vicksburg Main Street at:601-634-4527
One Day. 50 Towns. One Goal.

Honoring Our Veterans

2008-11-06T19:16:00.000-08:00

Veterans Day November 11

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. ~Elmer Davis

Freedom is never free. ~Martin Luther King Jr

We the members of Troop 638 salute all of our veterans --- thank you for insuring to us the blessing of liberty ---- Thank you for your service and your families sacrifices to our great nation! Long may freedom ring!

Meet Barack Obama

2008-11-06T19:07:00.000-08:00

Meaning of the name “Barack”: One who is blessed

Barack's nickname when he was young: Barry

Birthdate: August 4, 1961

Birthplace: Honolulu, Hawaii

Height: 6’1”

Alma Mater: Columbia University (1983); Harvard Law School (1991)

Marital Status: Married

Wife’s Name: Michelle Obama

Date of Marriage: October 18, 1992

Children: (2) Malia Ann Obama, born 1999; Natasa Obama (known as Sasha), born 2001 Residence: Chicago, Illinois

Parents: Barack Obama. Sr., from Kenya, and Ann Dunham, from Kansas (Mother and father have passed away)

Religion: Christian

Hobbies: Poker and basketball

So what kind of puppy do you think the Obama's will get --- bear in mind that one of the girls is allergic---- ????? Post your guesses under comments!

Time Is Running Out

2008-11-02T00:11:00.000-07:00

Popcorn and wreath sale forms are due in the next couple of weeks.... That means you need to be wrapping up your attempts to make troop bucks as soon as possible! And please get your forms and all monies in on time PLEASE! Thank you so much in participating in this fund raiser for your camps (Summer as well as Mardi Gras etc etc)....

Happy Boo Day Ya'll

2008-10-29T19:21:00.000-07:00

Halloween Fun Facts:

*Halloween, referred to as All Hallows Eve, was originally a pagan holiday in which they honored the dead. It was celebrated on October 31 since this was the last day of the Celtic calendar. The celebration dates back some 2,000 years

*Halloween was born. The first Halloween celebration in America took place in Anoka, Minnesota in 1921.

*More than 93% of children, under the age of 12, will go out trick-or-treating

*Halloween candy sales average about $2 billion annually in the United States. It is the largest candy-purchasing holiday, bigger than Christmas, Easter and Valentine's Day!

*About 99% of pumpkins that are marketed domestically are turned into jack-o-lanterns

*Over 10% of pet owners dress their pets in Halloween costumes

*Halloween is second only to Christmas in spending.

*The jack-o-lantern tradition comes from an old Irish folk tale about a man named Stingy Jack. It was said that he was unable to get into heaven and was turned away from the devil because of his tricky ways. So he set off to wander the world looking for a resting place. For light, Stingy Jack used a burning coal ember in a hollowed out turnip. When the Irish immigrated to the U.S. during the Great Potato Famine of 1845-1850, they found that turnips were not as readily available like they were in the homeland. So they started carving pumpkins as a replacement for their tradition.

*The biggest pumpkin in the world tipped the scales at a whopping 1,446 pounds. This gigantic gourd was weighed in October 2004 at a pumpkin festival in Port Elgin, Ontario, Canada.

*The number one candy of choice for Halloween is Snickers

*More than 35 million pounds of candy corn will be produced this year. That equates to nearly 9 billion pieces - enough to circle the moon nearly 4 times if laid end-to-end. ( I LOVE candy corn)

*Magician, Harry Houdini died on Halloween, 1926 in Detroit, MI.

I Memory of Marcol Ellis

2008-10-29T14:20:00.000-07:00

Marcol Ellis
PORT GIBSON — Marcol Ellis died Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008, at Claiborne County Hospital in Port Gibson. He was 24.Mr. Ellis was a member and deacon at Second Baptist Church in Port Gibson.He is survived by a daughter, Karli M. Ellis of Vicksburg; his mother, Ernestine Moore of Port Gibson; four brothers, Danny Moore of Dallas, Texas, and Ricky Ellis, Melvin Ellis and David Moore, all of Port Gibson; five sisters, Ulrica Jones and Charlene Moore, both of Port Gibson, and Carlene Moore Mason and Yolanda Moore, both of Indianapolis, and Debra Moore of Dallas; his maternal grandmother, Carrie Ellis of Jackson; and aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.Services will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at Second Baptist Church with the Rev. Leon Nelson officiating. Burial will follow at the Ellis Family Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1 until 6 p.m. Saturday at Thompson Funeral Home of Port Gibson and Sunday at the church from noon until the service.

"You only get just one time around You only get one shot at this One chance, to find out The one thing that you don't wanna miss One day when it's all said and done I hope you see that it was enough, this One ride, one try, one life... To love...."

From the Song One Life To Love by 33 Miles

Scouting Loses One Of Its Own

2008-10-28T20:59:00.000-07:00

Melvin Spell Sr. died last night .... Melvin was involved in Scouting for over 30 years in the Holmes County, Mississippi area... He was a Scoutmaster of the Boy Scout Troop 64 in Lexington. During his scouting time he lead many scouts to Philmont Boy Scout Ranch in Cimarron, NM, making this trip on ten different occasions. He was a Vigil member of the Order of the Arrow. He received the prestigious awards of Wood Badge and the Silver Beaver.. He will be greatly missed by his family as well as by the boys and men he led as a loyal Scoutmaster. He was devoted to and loved Scouting! Please keep his family in your prayers.......

SCHEDULED MEETING LOCALE CHANGED!

2008-10-24T20:13:00.000-07:00

The troop will meet at David King's house on Monday 10/27 at 6:00pm to pass out luminaria flyers in the Glenwood circle neighborhood.

After completing this task, we will proceed to the church for our regular meeting to prepare for the Fall Camporee.

Patrol leaders, please call your patrol members to make sure they know about this change in our regular schedule.

Your attendance and participation will be rewarded by a deposit to your scout account.

CAMPOREE 2008

2008-10-23T16:22:00.000-07:00

Return to Mafeking
Western
District
Fall
Camporee
2008
Hood Scout
Reservation
11/1-2/2008

Camporee Schedule:
SATURDAY 11/1/2008 2:00 PM
Arrival, Check-In, Troop site Assignments
4:00 PM.
SPL Meeting
5:00 PM
Event Coordinators Meeting
7:00 PM
General Orientation Session for all
7:30 PM
Round Robin Events begin
1:00 AM
Camporee Events End. Patrols finish the current event and report back to Headquarters

SUNDAY 11/2/2008

1:00 AM
Camporee Events End. Patrols finish the current event and report back to Headquarters
9:00 a.m.
Reveille, Breakfast, and Cleanup
10:00 a.m.
Assembly and Awards Ceremony, Religious Service (Scout’s Own),
10:30 a.m.
Pack up gear, break camp, clean up campsite, check out, and depart for home

REMEMBER!

2008-10-18T22:23:00.000-07:00

NO MEETING MONDAY --- October 20, 2008

Porters Chapel UMC Revival will be going on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday (Oct 19,20, 21)

Church starts at 6:30 ---- all are welcome to attend!

It's Monday

2008-10-13T22:28:00.000-07:00

Great to see you all at the meeting!

Nice to see Curtis --- been a long time Dude!

We worked on Citizenship in the world as well as

planned our camping trip and packed the trailer for it...........

For those who were not there we wrote letters to embasseys of various countries these embasseys are located in Washington DC.

Go to http://www.usembassy.gov/ to learn more about all the different embassies!

Boys remember NO horse play in the church and you are NOT allowed in Sunday School and/or youth rooms without an adult ----- Whomever got into the Disney Cookies those belonged to YOUTH at the church and not to you----- Please be CONSIDERATE of church property and personal and private property of others.......... Also we do not hit each other with rod and reels ---- you could really injure someone with rough housing such as this ...... This behavior will NOT be tolerated.... Sorry I have to fuss but if we keep on ramsacking the church they will ask us to leave! Please don't put our troop in that situation! Thanks!

October Calendar

2008-10-08T09:06:00.000-07:00

THIS SATURDAY OCT. 11, @ 7:00AM @ THE WELCOME CENTER BY THE OLD BRIDGE, FOR OVER THE RIVER RUN. WEAR YOUR TIE-DYE SHIRTS....

OCT. 18, WE WILL BE CAMPING FOR ONE NIGHT AT TBA (we can not camp at Hood this weekend). THIS IS A PRACTICE CAMPOUT BEFORE THE FALL CAMPOREE. AS YOU KNOW THERE WILL BE A LOT OF NIGHT EVENT THE SATURDAY NIGHT OF FALL CAMPOREE AND WE PLAN TO PRACTICE ON THIS CAMPOUT.

WE WILL LEAVE THE CHURCH FRIDAY OCT. 18 @ 4:30PM AND RETURN SATURDAY SOMEWHERE AROUND 5:00PM OR 5:30PM. PLEASE, EAT BEFORE YOU COME OR BRING YOUR SUPPER. THE TROOP WILL SUPPLY BREAKFAST AND LUNCH ON SATURDAY.

NO MEETING ON MONDAY OCT. 20. THE CHURCH IS HAVING A REVIVAL.......

FALL CAMPOREE IS NOV 1ST AND 2ND. WE WILL LEAVE SATURDAY MORNING (TBA) AND RETURN SUNDAY (TBA)...

Red Carpet Invitational

2008-10-02T19:26:00.000-07:00

October 11, 2008 ---- ALL DAY ----Times TBA---- Warren Central Campus-----

Join Big Blue as they welcome bands from around the region to the Warren Central Campus for a day of marching competition.....

Concessions will be sold as well as Southern Belle "Big Blue Band" and "Love Their Vikes" tee shirts, Big Blue car tags etc etc....

Band members (who are not band crew/competition band) your help is needed to run the event contact a band director to see how you can help!

Big Blue is selling ads as well as sponsorships in their program

full page ad is $100.00

1/2 page ad is $50.00

1/4 page ad is $25.00

business card ad is $20.00

and a sponsorship is $10.00

If you would like to purchase an ad contact Mrs Tracye or any Big Blue Member!

GOOOOOO BIG BLUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Over The River Run Is Coming

2008-09-29T15:14:00.000-07:00

And River Region Health Systems needs you to help run the race! Contact Ms Sherri for more details --- as you know I will be walkin it if any of you want to join me (I double dawg dare ya)!

Title
20th Annual Over the River Run

Location
Old Mississippi River Bridge

Start Time
10/11/2008 8:00 AM

End Time
10/11/2008 12:00 PM

Description
The Over the River Run is an annual race over the Mighty Mississippi River in historic Vicksburg, Mississippi. The event gives competitors three races to choose from: a 5 mile run, 5 mile walk and a 1 mile fun run. Food, refreshments and entertainment will be provided at the conclusion of the race. To register for the Over the River Run click on the attached file to print a registration form or visit http://www.mstrackclub.com/.
All Day Event

2008 Entry Form Front.pdf
OTRR 2008 entry form Back.pdf

Take Care Of Our Home ---- Keep PCUMC Clean

2008-09-29T15:04:00.000-07:00

It has been brought to my attention that someone has been not taking care of the church particularly the downstairs area.... There has been graffiti on the walls and somethings have been broken etc...... We must respect the church and their property they are very gracious to let us use their facilities without asking too much in return.... PLEASE do not rough house in the church and or fellowship hall and do not and I will repeat that DO NOT write on the tables or walls or floors --- graffiti is ultimately VANDALISM!

A Scout is trustworthy, courteous, clean, and reverent....

WAY TO GO BIG BLUE

2008-09-28T16:55:00.000-07:00

All superior

#1 Drumline

#1 Color Guard

#1 Band

#2 Overall

Copiah Marching Festival

Big Blue Members in Troop 638

Jay Prewitt

Conrad Reihsmann

Josh Barrett

Randy Breland

Scott Bryan

Chance Ragsdale

It's Time To Shape Up!

2008-09-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

Get Fit Mississippi

Get Inspired
Get Moving
Get Motivated
Get Healthy
Get Fit……………..

We don’t want to be number one any more ……
Number one obese state in the Nation that is……

So put down that hamburger and lace up those walking shoes!

The time is now and we will show you HOW…..
At http://www.getfitmississippi.com/

· online journaling
· online message boards
· online support groups
· online recipes, inspirational stories, and fitness news
· and much much more

Any questions contact your Vicksburg Area Point Person for GetFit; Tracye Prewitt at getfitvicksburg@yahoo.com

Happy Ice Cream Cone Day

2008-09-22T17:36:00.000-07:00

On September 22 1903 the Ice Cream Cone was patented.

1903 - On September 20, 1903, Italo Marchiony (1868-1954), an Italian immigrant living in New York, NY, filed a patent application for a "molding apparatus for forming ice-cream cups and the like." U.S. Patent No. 746,971 was issued to him on December 15, 1903. His patent drawings show a mold for shaping small cups, complete with tiny handles - not a cone.
When cones became popular after the 1904 St. Louis Fair, Marchiony tried to protect his patent through legal channels but failed. Since Marchiony's patent was for only the specific mold construction and there were lots of other ways to mold cones, his patent was not much good. Marchiony's ice cream and wafer company thrived at in Hoboken, New Jersey until his plant was destroyed by fire in 1934. He retired from his business in 1938. It wasn't until Marchhiony's obituary was printed in the New York Times on October 29, 1954, that this story was made public.

Happy Fall, Ya'll !!!!!!!!

2008-09-21T22:18:00.000-07:00

"There comes a time when autumn asks,"What have you been doing all summer?"

Anon

2008 Fall Family Football Fest (Fight Youth Obesity Event)

2008-09-21T16:37:00.000-07:00

Museum and Heart Assoc. Fight Youth Obesity By Elaina Jackson, American Heart AssociationSep 16, 2008
Email this article
The American Heart Association and the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum (MSHOF&M) are teaming up to educate local families about making healthy choices at the 2008 Fall Family Football Fest.

The event will include fun activities for kids like football drills, cheerleading clinics, games and prizes. Parents will receive healthy tips about getting their family moving and planning healthy meals.

The football fest will be held Saturday, September 27th at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum located at 1152 Lakeland Drive in Jackson, MS from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Ben Williams, a former college All-SEC and NFL All-Pro defensive lineman, will be present at the Fall Family Football Fest. Parents and kids will also get a chance to meet Mississippi Sports Hall of Famers Willie Richardson, W.C. Gorden, Harper Davis and Ben Williams. “We are joining with the American Heart Association to encourage children and families to stay active this fall by participating in sports or finding other ways to get moving,” said Michael Rubenstein, Museum Executive Director. “Physical activity and healthy eating habits are important factors in creating a healthier generation of Mississippians,” said Rubenstein.

September is national Go Healthy Month – a time where children and their parents are encouraged to begin healthy habits. Today, 11 million kids are overweight, and an additional 13 million are at risk for being overweight. As a result more and more kids are developing conditions and diseases that would normally be associated with adults—like high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and type-2 diabetes. Mississippi was has the highest rate of cardiovascular disease in the nation and was recently named the state with the highest rate of obesity. The American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation have joined together to form the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to empower kids and their families to make healthy choices to live longer, stronger lives.

For more information about the 2008 Fall Family Football Fest or how you can prevent heart disease and stroke for yourself and your family call the American Heart Association at 601-321-1200 or the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum at 1-800-280-FAME (3263). Media partners for this event include JACK-FM and WJTV.

About the American Heart AssociationFounded in 1924, the American Heart Association today is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of heart disease and stroke. These diseases, America’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers, and all other cardiovascular diseases claim nearly 870,000 lives a year. In fiscal year 2006–07 the association invested more than $554 million in research, professional and public education, advocacy and community service programs to help all Americans live longer, healthier lives. To learn more, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit americanheart.org.

Brain Food

2008-09-10T15:33:00.000-07:00

How to Eat for a Sharper Mind
Smart food for every age.
By EatingWell , EatingWell.com
Are you getting enough of the right nutrients to support healthy cognitive function and improve memory? EatingWell’s quick guide to food solutions will show you how.

Prenatal
Go fish. Women who eat fatty fish, such as salmon, during their third trimester of pregnancy have babies who tend to perform better on cognitive tasks. Researchers think the omega-3 fatty acid DHA is needed during this time to build neurons and their connections.
Food solutions: Salmon and other fatty fish, DHA-fortified eggs and yogurt.
Infant/Baby
Add iron. By 5 or 6 months, babies have used up the iron stores they’re born with and need to get iron from food or supplements to support brain development.
Food solutions: Iron-fortified cereals.

Child/Teen
Morning fuel. School-aged children should start their day with low-glycemic-index breakfast foods.
Food solutions: Bran cereals, oatmeal or whole-wheat bagels.

Young Adult
Got iron? 10 percent of women are anemic, and new studies show that being even mildly iron-deficient affects learning, memory, and attention. Luckily, restoring iron levels to normal also restores cognitive function.
Food solutions: Dark leafy greens, beans, meat or soy.

Older Adult
Eat your antioxidants. People who eat more brightly colored fruits and leafy vegetables have less cognitive decline than those who don’t; antioxidants in produce may mop up free radicals and protect neurons from damage.
Food solutions: Berries and other fruits, greens and turmeric (which contains curcumin).

NEVER FORGET

2008-09-09T19:07:00.000-07:00

Fly your flags on September 11

In memory of those who died and in honor to the heroes who risked their lives to save others!

Be Prepared ----

2008-08-30T21:30:00.000-07:00

Prepare For Gustav Now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*Fill up your car now --- keep it full

*Be sure to get cash from the ATM now because if we lose power CCards/DCards and ATM cards and machines will not work.....

*Do everything that requires electricity now (like washing and drying clothes, and washing dishes etc now)....

*Make sure you have cell phones charged and all batteries charged if you use rechargable ones also be sure to have extra regular batteries for back up.

*Remove anything from your yard that can be blown around and cause damage or injury.

*If you have a generator be sure you have plenty of gas for at least three days.

*Expect to be without power and possibly water for several days and prepare for that scenario!

*Help protect your family against potential weather disasters and emergency situations by compiling an emergency supply kit.

The kit can be assembled over a five-month period on a weekly basis. Perishable items should be changed or replaced every six months.

Essentials
Battery-operated radio
Flashlight
Extra batteries
Do not include candles, which cause more fires after a disaster than anything else

Water
3 gallons/person, minimum, in a food-grade, plastic container Additional water for sanitation

Food
Minimum three-day supply of non-perishable food that requires no refrigeration or preparation and little or no water.
Fill up your propane canisters or buy an extra full one.... to use on your gas grill
Dry cereal
Canned juice
Peanut butter
Ready-to-eat canned meats
Canned fruits
Ready-to-eat soups (not concentrated)
Canned vegetables
Quick energy snacks, graham crackers

First Aid Kit
Create one for your home and one for each car.
Scissors
Assorted sizes of safety pins
Thermometer
2" sterile gauze pads (4-6)
Tweezers
4" sterile gauze pads (4-6)
Needle
2" sterile roller bandages (3 rolls
Sunscreen
3" sterile roller bandages (3 rolls
Cleansing agent/soap
Triangular bandages (3
Latex gloves (2 pairs
Petroleum jelly or other lubricant
Tongue blades (2)
Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
Moistened towelettes

Non-Prescription Drugs
Laxative
Anti-diarrhea medication
Aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever
Antacid (for stomach upset)
Activated charcoal (use if advised by the Poison Control Center)
Syrup of ipecac (use to induce vomiting if advised by the Poison Control Center)

Tools and Supplies
Whistle
Shut-off wrench, to turn off household gas and water
Crowbar
Aluminum foil
Paper, pencil
Plastic sheeting
Medicine dropper
Compass
Needles, thread
Matches in a waterproof container
Signal flare
Pliers, screwdriver, hammer
Assorted nails, wood screws
Heavy cotton or hemp rope
Plastic storage containers
Non-electric can opener, utility knife
Cash or traveler's checks, change
Mess kits, or paper cups, plates and plastic utensils
Tape, duct and plumber's tape or strap iron
Map of the area (for locating shelters)
Patch kit and can of seal-in-air for tires

Sanitation
Disinfectant
Plastic garbage bags, ties (for personal sanitation uses)
Soap, liquid detergent
Household chlorine bleach
Feminine supplies
Personal hygiene items
Toilet paper, towelettes, paper towels
Plastic bucket with tight lid

Clothing and Bedding
Sunglasses
Hat and gloves
Blankets or sleeping bags
One complete change of clothing and footwear per person
Rain gear
Sturdy shoes or work boots
Thermal underwear

For Baby
Formula
Bottles
Powdered milk
Diapers
Medication

For Pets
Food
Leash, harness or carrier
Records of vaccinations
Non-tippable food and water containers

Important Papers
Important Family Documents
Important telephone numbers
Record of bank account numbers
Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates)
Inventory of valuable household goods
Copy of will, insurance policies, contracts, deeds, stocks and bonds
Record of credit card account numbers and companies
Copy of passports, social security cards, immunization records

Family Medical Needs
Insulin
Prescription drugs
Denture needs
Extra eye glasses
Contact lenses and supplies
Heart and high blood pressure medication

Entertainment
Games and books

Content was contributed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Hurricane Gustav Information

2008-08-30T18:44:00.000-07:00

Troop 638 will be helping with the shelter at Hawkins UMC

Be at the church Sunday August 31 at 11:00 am

Wear your purple shirts and come prepared to work not goof off.....

We will be there to help others who are going through a difficult time so please be considerate!

Troop Committee Meeting

2008-08-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

AUGUST 28TH

@ BURHMAN'S HOUSE

@ 7:00PM.

AGENDA:
TRIP TO USS ALABAMA (NO DATE SET YET)
COMMITTEE POSITIONS
UPCOMING EVENTS

ENJOY THE DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-08-24T13:05:00.000-07:00

National Waffle Day

Celebrates the patenting of the waffle iron by Cornelius Swarthout of Troy, New York on August 24, 1869.

The origin of the waffle:

The waffle dates back to the 1300s in Greece. Greeks cooked flat cakes between two metal pans. At the time, they topped it with cheeses and herbs. Pancake syrup wasn't around back then.

Waffles today:

Waffles are commonly eaten as breakfast or a snack. They are also an occasional dinner meal for some people.

Thank You

2008-08-22T19:28:00.000-07:00

Troop 638 in conjunction with Troop 76 would like to thank Sheriff Martin Pace for speaking to our troops about being good citizens... This kicked off our pursuit of the Citizenship in The World Merit Badge... Thank you Sheriff Pace for taking time of your day to spend with us. We appreciate all you and your fellow deputies do for our community.....

Court Of Honor

2008-08-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

Honor is like an island, rugged and without shores; we can never re-enter it once we are on the outside. [Fr., L'honneur est comme une ile escarpee et sans bords; On n'y peut plus rentrer des qu'on en est dehors.]

Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux

Saturday

August 23, 2008

7:00 pm

Porters Chapel United Methodist Church

Scouts wear your Class A Shirts

Parents please bring finger foods

Needed: paper products (plates, cups, napkins) and plastic utensils....

All awards and merit badges earned at summer camp as well as any other rank advancements and merit badges will be awarded at this time....

Congrats to all Scouts earning awards and thank you to all leaders who help our kids succeed!

HEAR YE HEAR YE!!!! IMPORTANT REMINDERS!!!!!

2008-08-12T15:04:00.000-07:00

REMINDER OF CAMPOUT THIS WEEKEND

BE SURE AND SEND SUPPER WITH YOUR SCOUT FOR FRIDAY NIGHT. BREAKFAST AND LUNCH ON SATURDAY THE SCOUTS WILL COOK.

WE WILL LEAVE THE CHURCH AT 4:30PM FRIDAY AND RETURN BACK TO THE CHURCH AT 5:30PM SATURDAY, IT IS JUST A ONE NIGHT CAMPOUT.

LIST OF THINGS SCOUTS WILL NEED TO BRING:
SCOUT HAND BOOK
FRIDAY NIGHT SUPPER
COMPASS (IF THEY HAVE ONE)DON'T GO BUY ONE I AM SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH
BLUE SHIRT FOR FRIDAY
TIE DYED SHIRT FOR SATURDAY
SWIM SUIT JUST IN CASE WE GET WET AT THE CREEK

HOPE TO SEE YA THERE!!!!!!

OTHER DATES YOU MAY WANT TO PUT ON YOUR CALENDAR:

COURT OF HONOR SATURDAY AUGUST 23. TBA

NO MEETING ON LABOR DAY!!!!!!!!

POPCORN SALES DUE IN NOV 17TH IF YOU NEED A SALES SHEET LET BURHMAN KNOW AND HE WILL GET YOU ONE.

WREATH SALES ENDS NOV 3RD. MR MIKE HAS NOT GOT THOSE SALES SHEETS OUT YET, SO BE LOOKING FOR THOSE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

FALL CAMPOREE IS FRIDAY OCT. 31ST NOV. 1ST AND 2ND AT CAMP HOOD. ----- This is a football weekend and Halloween folks!

AND DON'T FORGET THE LUMINARIES IN DECEMBER. LET YOU KNOW ABOUT THE DATES LATER.

Citizenship In The World

2008-08-10T21:54:00.000-07:00

http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts/advancementandawards/meritbadges/mb-CITW.aspx

Citizenship in the World

Citizenship in the World

BSA Supply No. 33260

Scouts who earn the Citizenship in the World merit badge will discover that they are already a citizen of the world. How good a citizen each person is depends on his willingness to understand and appreciate the values, traditions, and concerns of people in other countries.

Requirements
*Explain what citizenship in the world means to you and what you think it takes to be a good world citizen.

*Explain how one becomes a citizen in the United States, and explain the rights, duties, and obligations of U.S. citizenship. Discuss the similarities and differences between the rights, duties, and obligations of U.S. citizens and the citizens of two other countries.

*Do the following:
Pick a current world event. In relation to this current event, discuss with your counselor how a country's national interest and its relationship with other countries might affect areas such as its security, its economy, its values, and the health of its citizens.

Select a foreign country and discuss with your counselor how its geography, natural resources, and climate influence its economy and its global partnerships with other countries.

*Do TWO of the following:
Explain international law and how it differs from national law. Explain the role of international law and how international law can be used as a tool for conflict resolution.

Using resources such as major daily newspapers, the Internet (with your parent's permission), and news magazines, observe a current issue that involves international trade, foreign exchange, balance of payments, tariffs, and free trade. Explain what you have learned. Include in your discussion an explanation of why countries must cooperate in order for world trade and global competition to thrive.

*Select TWO of the following organizations and describe their role in the world.
The United Nations
The World Court
World Organization of the Scout Movement
The World Health Organization
Amnesty International
The International Committee of the Red Cross
CARE

Do the following:
Discuss the differences between constitutional and nonconstitutional governments.

Name at least five different types of governments currently in power in the world.

Show on a world map countries that use each of these five different forms of government.

*Do the following:
Explain how a government is represented abroad and how the United States government is accredited to international organizations.

Describe the roles of the following in the conduct of foreign relations.
Ambassador
Consul
Bureau of International Information Programs
Agency for International Development
United States and Foreign Commercial Service

Explain the purpose of a passport and visa for international travel.

*Do TWO of the following (with your parent's permission) and share with your counselor what you have learned:
Visit the Web site of the U.S. State Department. Learn more about an issue you find interesting that is discussed on this Web site.

Visit the Web site of an international news organization or foreign government, OR examine a foreign newspaper available at your local library, bookstore, or newsstand. Find a news story about a human right realized in the United States that is not recognized in another country.

Visit with a student or Scout from another country and discuss the typical values, holidays, ethnic foods, and traditions practiced or enjoyed there.

Attend a world Scout jamboree.

Participate in or attend an international event in your area, such as an ethnic festival, concert, or play.

Resources:

Scouting Literature
American Business, American Cultures, American Heritage, American Labor, Archaeology, Architecture, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Communications, Energy, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Science, Journalism, Law, Public Health, Soil and Water Conservation, and Space Exploration merit badge pamphlets

Books
Ammon, Royce J. Global Television and the Shaping of World Politics: CNN, Telediplomacy, and Foreign Policy. McFarland & Company, Inc., 2001.

Breuilly, Elizabeth and Joanne O'Brien, Martin Palmer, and Martin E. Marty. Festivals of the World: The Illustrated Guide to Celebrations, Customs, Events and Holidays. Checkmark Books, 2002.

Burgess, John. World Trade: Exploring Business and Economics. Chelsea House, 2001.

Canter, Laurence A., and Martha S. Siegel. U.S. Immigration Made Easy. 11th ed. Nolo, 2004.

Dresser, Norine. Multicultural Manners: New Rules of Etiquette for a Changing Society. Wiley, John & Sons, Inc., 1995.

Fridell, Ron. Terrorism: Political Violence at Home and Abroad. Enslow Publishers, Inc., 2001.

Friedman, Thomas L. The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization. Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1999.

Giddens, Anthony. Runaway World: How Globalization Is Reshaping Our Lives. Routledge, 2000.

Giesecke, Ernestine. Governments Around the World. Heinemann Library, 2000.

Janello, Amy, and Brennon Jones, eds. A Global Affair: An Inside Look at the United Nations. Jones & Janello, 1995.

Lewis, Barbara A., and Pamela Espeland. Over 500 Service Ideas for Young People Who Want to Make a Difference. Free Spirit Publishing, Inc., 1995.

Longworth, Richard C. The Global Squeeze: The Coming Crisis for First-World Nations. Contemporary Books, 1998.

Perkins, Ralf. International Red Cross (World Organizations). Franklin Watts, 2001.

Powell, Jillian. World Health Organization (World Organizations). Franklin Watts, 2001.

Power, Jonathan. Like Water on Stone: The Story of Amnesty International. Northeastern University Press, 2001.

Shpigler, Debra R. How to Become a U.S. Citizen. 5th ed. Peterson's, 2004.

Terraroli, Valerio. Treasury of World Culture: Monumental Sites, UNESCO World Heritage. Skira, 2004.

Turkington, Carol. The Complete Idiot's Guide to Cultural Etiquette. Penguin Group, 1999.

Turner, Barry, ed. The Statesman's Yearbook: The Politics, Cultures and Economies of the World. Palgrave Macmillan, 2004.

Organizations and Web Sites
The American Academy of Diplomacy

1800 K St. NW, Suite 1014

Washington, DC 20006

Web site: http://www.academyofdiplomacy.org/

American Institute for Foreign Study

River Plaza

9 West Broad St.

Stamford, CT 06902-3788

Toll-free telephone: 800-727-2437

Web site: http://www.aifs.org/

Amnesty International

322 8th Ave.

New York, NY 10001

Web site: http://www.amnestyusa.org/

British Broadcast Company

Web site: http://www.bbc.co.uk/

Cable News Network

Web site: http://www.cnn.com/

C-SPAN

Web site: http://www.c-span.org/

Embassy World

Web site: http://www.embassyworld.com /embassy/inside_usa.htm

Federal Reserve Bank of New York: The Basics of Foreign Trade and Exchange

Web site: http://www.ny.frb.org /education/fx/index.html

International and Foreign Law Tutorial

Web site: http://www.infoctr.edu /tutorial/international /IntLaw_Tutorial_Intro.htm

International Committee of the Red Cross

Web site: http://www.icrc.org/

International Criminal Police Organization

Web site: http://www.interpol.int/

National Constitution Center

525 Arch St.

Independence Mall

Philadelphia, PA 19106

Toll-free telephone: 866-917-1787

Web site: http: http://www.constitutioncenter.org/

The New York Times

Web site: http://www.nytimes.com/

Peace Corps

Web site: http://www.peacecorps.gov/

People to People International

World Headquarters

501 E. Armour Blvd.

Kansas City, MO 64109-2200

Web site: http://www.ptpi.org/

Presidential Classroom

119 Oronoco St.

Alexandria, VA 22314

Toll-free telephone: 800-441-6533

Web site: http://www.presidentialclassroom.org/

Sister Cities International

1301 Pennsylvania Ave. NW,

Suite 850

Washington, DC 20004

Web site: http://www.sister-cities.org/

United Nations

UN Headquarters

First Avenue at 46th Street

New York, NY 10017

Web site: http://www.un.org/

U.S. Agency for International Development

Information Center

Ronald Reagan Building

Washington, DC 20523-1000

Web site: http://www.usaid.gov/

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Web site: http://www.unesco.org/

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Web site: http://uscis.gov/

U.S. Department of State

Web site: http://www.state.gov/

U.S. Department of State Youth Exchange Programs

Youth Programs Division

U.S. Department of State

SA-44 301 4th St., SW - Room 568

Washington, DC 20547

Web site: http://exchanges.state.gov /education/citizens/students/

U.S. Embassies and Consulates

Web site: http://usembassy.state.gov/

The Wall Street Journal

Web site: http://www.wsj.com/

The Washington Post

Web site: http://www.washingtonpost.com/

The World Factbook

Web site: http://www.odci.gov/cia /publications/factbook/index.html

World Health Organization

Web site: http://www.who.int/en/

World Organization of the Scout Movement

Web site: http://www.scout.org/

IMPORTANT DATES

2008-08-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

Campout at Rocky Springs ----- August 15-16

Court Of Honor ---- August 23 -------- more information to follow

Citizenship In The World Merit Badge ----- Start Date August 25

All That Matters

2008-07-23T16:22:00.000-07:00

“It doesn't matter whether you're successful or not......What matters is that you give the world the best, and the best will come back to you.”

Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa, M.D.

Love Is In The Air -----

2008-07-11T13:34:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Ed and Julia on their upcoming wedding! May your life together be blessed with every happiness!

Sonnet 116

by William Shakespeare

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no; it is an ever-fixed mark,
That looks on tempests, and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error, and upon me prov'd,
I never writ, nor no man ever lov'd.

Thanks Camp Mack Morris

2008-07-11T12:31:00.001-07:00

Thanks For The Memories:

C.O.P.E. --- You guys always go above and beyond for us.

Shooting Sports --- We were blessed with a pair of sharpshooters who were always aiming to please.

Healthcraft --- You always kept in stitches literally and figuratively.

Handicraft --- You helped us get in touch with our creative side.

Scoutcraft --- You always kept us tied in knots.

1st Year Camper --- Thanks for teaching us the basics.

Waterfront/Aquatics --- You kept us safely afloat.

Nature/ Eco-Lodge --- Bunnies, Roosters, and Snakes OOOOOHHHH MMMMYYYYY!!!!!!

Horsemanship --- You taught us the art of GIDDY UP and for that we thank you.

Death Marches, Ziplines, Seconds in the mess hall.....

Slushes, Bubblers, and Tubing ---- Wow you guys have it all!

Thanks Shane, Nate, Mr Dee, Robbie, Angela, Wendy, Mr Fitz, Mrs Mary, Dave, Mr Joe, Mr Don, and the rest of the most wonderful staff in the world .... for another memorable year!

WE LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!

DOGGIE WISDOM

2008-07-11T12:12:00.000-07:00

All I Really Need to Know I Learned from my Dog

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride.

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

Take naps and stretch before rising.

Run, romp, and play daily.

Be loyal.

Never pretend to be something you're not.

Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.

If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

Thrive on affection and let people touch you - enjoy back rubs and pats on your neck.

When you leave your yard, make it an adventure.

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout - run right back and make friends.

Bond with your pack.

On cold nights, curl up in front of a crackling fire.

When you're excited, speak up.

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

2008 CAMP AWARDS

2008-07-08T21:28:00.000-07:00

Jay Prewitt ---- Above And Beyond Award

Josh Prewitt ---- COPE with it Award

Austin Mann ---- Capt Jack Award

Micheal Mann ---- The Shorts In The Dryer Go Round And Round; Round And Round Award

Josh Barrett ---- Giddy Up Award

Jake Barrett ---- Splish, Splash Award

Travis Sigh ---- Leaf It To Me Award

Curtis Tunnel ---- Were Those Banjos ???? Award

Jade Pollock ---- Sail Away Award

Noah Burnette ---- But I Took A Shower BEFORE I Left Home Award

Nick Harmon ---- Take Me To The River Award

Scott Bryan --- Tent; Who Needs A Tent Award

Cameron Gates ---- The Gershwin Award

Will Ghrisby ---- Eco-Lodge Lizard Award

William Hahn --- Ready, Aim, FIRE Award

Mr. Mike ---- I'm All Pruney Award

Mr. Steve ---- Dish Pan Hands Award

Mr. Joey ---- Take Me To Your Horses Award

Mr. Nathan ---- The Tarzan Award

Mr. Burhman ---- The Famous Angus Award

Mr. Charlie ---- 1st Year Camper Award

Ms Tracye ---- Just Call Me Crash Award

Exercise Raises The Good And Lowers The Bad As Far As Cholesterol Is Concerned

2008-07-08T11:33:00.000-07:00

Whether you are trying to prevent high cholesterol, or have already been diagnosed with it, exercise can be an important weapon in the fight against high cholesterol and heart disease. According to recent studies, regular exercise has the ability to lower LDL levels (also known as “bad” cholesterol) and raise HDL cholesterol (also known as “good” cholesterol).
How low can your cholesterol levels go if you regularly exercise? Current studies suggest that LDL cholesterol can be lowered by 5 to 10%, whereas HDL cholesterol can be raised by between 3 and 6% with regular exercise. While most of these studies involved aerobic exercises, such as swimming, running, and jogging, there are a handful of studies that have also looked at the healthy benefits of other forms of exercise, such as yoga and walking, in lowering cholesterol, too. Regardless of which type you select, exercise can be an important part of your cholesterol-lowering regimen.
Current guidelines suggest that you get at least 30 minutes of exercise a day for most days of the week. If you haven’t exercised in a while, it is important to start out gradually so that you don’t injure yourself or get burned out. For some people, just finding the time to exercise can be an issue. If this sounds like you, the 30-minute interva l can be divided up. Additionally, there are shortcuts you can fit into the day that force you to get some exercise.
In any case, exercise has many benefits – besides lowering your cholesterol. Exercise can also strengthen your heart, bones, and other muscles of the body, in addition to helping you to lose weight.

Eat This Not That To Combat Cholesterol

2008-07-08T10:55:00.000-07:00

Cholesterol Fighting Foods:

Soy ---- soymilk (low fat vanilla varieties are yummy), soybeans (Edamame),tofu, soyjoy bars

beans and lentils

Salmon

almonds and other nuts
garlic

margarines (fat free or low fat varities)

alvacado (guacamole is made with alvacados)

tea

dark (bittersweet) chocolate ----yes I said chocolate but not milk chocolate and only in moderation

oats (oatmeal, cheerios, etc)

blueberries

pomegrante juice

barley

Cholesterol Helping Foods (bad bad for you):

Whole milk (drink only fat free or skim varities or opt for fat free soy milk instead)

Whole milk dairy products like ice cream, cheese, yogurt etc (opt for low fat or non fat options)

Processed meats (like bacon, sausage, liverwurst, hotdogs etc)

Fast food fries

Tropical oils (used in manufactured foods ---- these are coconut oil and palm kernel oil --- read your labels)

Baked goods ---- (particularly manufactured baked goods)

Don't Know Much About Cholesterol

2008-07-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

Recently (well this week in fact) the AMA has decided to start prescribing medications to combat high cholesterol in children as young as 8.... This is to reduce their risk of developing heart disease in the future! I have decided to teach you a little about cholesterol and ways to combat it through diet and exercise instead of meds! We are just too unhealthy in America today --- obesity is rampant as is sedetary lifestyles! Mississippi for the third year in a row has been ranked the fattest state in the USA! We can turn this unhealthy way of life around in Mississippi starting here and starting now!

The below facts and figures are from MSN health

What is high cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a type of fat called a lipid. The body uses it for many things, such as making new cells. Your liver makes the cholesterol that your body needs. You also get cholesterol from the foods you eat.
Your body needs some cholesterol. But if you have too much, it starts to build up in your arteries. (Arteries are the blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart.) This is called hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis . It is usually a slow process that gets worse as you get older.
To understand what happens, think about how a clog forms in the pipe under a kitchen sink. Like the buildup of grease in the pipe, the buildup of cholesterol narrows your arteries and makes it harder for blood to flow through them. It reduces the amount of blood that gets to your body tissues, including your heart. This can lead to serious problems, including heart attack and stroke.
To find out how you are doing, compare your total cholesterol number to the following:
Best is less than 200.
Borderline-high is 200 to 239. Even borderline-high cholesterol makes you more likely to have a heart attack.
High is 240 or above.
What are the symptoms?
High cholesterol doesn't make you feel sick. But if cholesterol builds up in your arteries, it can block blood flow to your heart or brain and cause a heart attack or stroke.
By the time you find out you have it, it may already be clogging your arteries. So it is very important to start treatment even though you may feel fine.
What are the different kinds of cholesterol?
Cholesterol travels through the blood attached to a protein. This package of cholesterol (a lipid) and protein is called a lipoprotein. Lipoproteins are either high-density or low-density, based on how much protein and fat they have.
Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) are the “bad” cholesterol. LDL is mostly fat with only a small amount of protein. It can clog your arteries. If you have high cholesterol, your doctor will want you to lower your LDL.
High-density lipoproteins (HDL) are the “good” cholesterol. HDL is more protein than fat. It helps clear the bad cholesterol from your blood so it does not clog your arteries. A high level of HDL can protect you from a heart attack.
Triglycerides are another type of fat in the blood that can affect your health. If you have high triglycerides and high LDL, your chances of having a heart attack are higher.
It may help to think of HDL as the “Healthy” cholesterol and LDL as the “Lousy” cholesterol. Or you could remember that HDL should be High and LDL should be Low.
Experts have come up with the best level for each type of cholesterol. Compare your numbers to these targets:
LDL should be less than 100. LDL increases your risk of heart problems, so the lower your LDL, the better. A level of 160 or above is high.
HDL should be more than 40. HDL over 60 helps protect against a heart attack. HDL below 40 increases your risk of heart problems. The higher your HDL, the better. A high HDL number can help offset a high LDL number.
Triglycerides should be less than 150. A level above 150 may increase your risk for heart problems.
What causes high cholesterol?
Many things can cause high cholesterol, including:
Diet. Eating too much saturated fat and cholesterol can raise your cholesterol. Saturated fat and cholesterol are in foods that come from animals (such as beef, pork, veal, milk, eggs, butter, and cheese), many packaged foods, stick margarine, vegetable shortening, and snack foods like cookies, crackers, and chips.
Weight. Being overweight may raise triglycerides and lower “good” HDL.
Activity level. Not exercising may raise “bad” LDL and lower HDL.
Overall health. Diseases such as hypothyroidism can raise cholesterol. Smoking may lower HDL.
Age. Cholesterol starts to rise after age 20. In men, it usually levels off after age 50. In women, it stays fairly low until menopause. After that, cholesterol levels rise to about the same levels as in men.
Family. Some people inherit a rare disease called a lipid disorder. It can cause very high total cholesterol, very low HDL, and high triglycerides. If you have this problem, you will need to start treatment at a young age.
How is high cholesterol diagnosed?
Doctors use a blood test to check cholesterol.
A fasting cholesterol test (also called a lipoprotein analysis) is the most complete test. It measures total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides. You cannot have food for 9 to 12 hours before this test.
A simple cholesterol test can measure total cholesterol and HDL. You can eat before this test. Sometimes doctors do this test first. If it shows you have high cholesterol or low HDL, then you will get a fasting cholesterol test.
How is it treated?
The two main treatments are lifestyle changes and medicines. The goal of treatment is to lower your "bad" LDL cholesterol and reduce your risk of a heart attack. You may also need to raise your "good" HDL cholesterol. A high level of HDL helps reduce your risk of heart problems.
Some lifestyle changes are important for everyone with high cholesterol. Your doctor will probably want you to:
Follow the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet. The goal is to reduce the amount of saturated fat you eat. Eating saturated fat raises your cholesterol. The TLC diet helps you learn to make better food choices by picking lean meats, low-fat or nonfat products, and good fats like olive and canola oils.
Lose weight, if you need to. Losing just 5 to 10 pounds (2.3 to 4.5 kilograms) can lower your cholesterol and triglycerides. Losing weight can also help lower your blood pressure.
Be more active. Exercise can raise your “good” HDL and may help you control your weight.
Quit smoking, if you smoke. Quitting can help raise your HDL and improve your heart health.
Sometimes lifestyle changes are enough on their own. But if you try them for a few months and they don't lower your cholesterol enough, your doctor may prescribe a cholesterol-lowering medicine called a statin. You also may need medicines to lower triglycerides or raise HDL.
You may need to start taking medicine right away if your cholesterol is very high or if you have another problem that increases your chance of having a heart attack. People who have a high risk for heart attack benefit from taking higher doses of statins to lower their LDL cholesterol as much as possible. The more these people can lower their LDL, the less likely they are to have a heart attack.1 To find out your risk, use this Interactive Tool: Are You at Risk for a Heart Attack?
It is important to take your medicine just the way your doctor tells you to. If you stop taking your medicine, your cholesterol will go back up.
You will need to have your cholesterol checked regularly. Your results can help your doctor know if lifestyle changes have helped or if you need more or different medicines.

Happy 4th A Little Late!

2008-07-06T22:00:00.000-07:00

In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.

~Franklin D. Roosevelt

Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better.

~Albert Camus

We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it. ~William Faulkner

Camp Mack Morris Here We Come!

2008-06-24T07:44:00.000-07:00

Be at the church ready to roll at 8 am sharp Saturday morning June 28....

Wear your RED Class B tee shirt and bring your Class A Shirt to put on when we stop.

Pack all Troop tee shirts (Camp Mack Morris Tee shirts also), green scouting (or like) shorts/pants, belt if needed, and your class A shirts (make sure they are up to date with patches etc)

Troop Tee Shirt Schedule will be handed out sometimes Saturday or Sunday.... see Mr Mike

You are required to wear Class A clothing in the mess hall for meals.... you are NEVER to wear a cap in the dining hall (you will lose it if you do).... We will have a Troop photo taken at some point in the week and we will wear BSA Class A Clothing in the photo (green shorts/pants and all)

We will stop to eat lunch on the way Mr Mike will provide $6.00 for lunch you are responsible for the rest.

We will get to camp set up and leave to attend the minor league baseball game in Jackson TN Area at 7:00 pm that night (admission will pay for a hotdog and drink (we think))..... Admission is covered by Troop.

Camp starts Sunday, June 29, with registration at 1:00 pm, so lunch will be brunch at McDonalds in Camden

There is a camp store you are responsible for anything you want to purchase from the store--- junk, food, cokes, slurpees etc....... bring money but spend it wisely it will run out and you will be there all week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DRINK plenty of water (bubblers are a your friend)............... stay hydrated! If you get lite headed see Wendy or whoever the health officer is immediately ---- cause take it from me when you get light headed you have let it go tooooo long! DRINK ---- DRINK ---- DRINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There will be the DEATH MARCH again this year ---- Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday Mornings we will meet at the Dining hall at 5:15 am and the hike will take 1 to 1 1/2 hours to complete and cover around 2 -4 miles --- You have to do 2 days to earn the patch and the right to purchase the ultra cool tee shirt (tee shirts will be sold starting Thursday)...... Contact Ms Tracye if you are interested!

We will leave on Camp Mack Morris on Saturday July 05 at 10:00 am

We will stop for lunch in the Memphis/Wolfchase/Jackson area around 12:30 pm (most will go to Hooters but some of us will go to Olive Garden --- there are other choices in the area) some stippend will be given for lunch but if you go over that amount you are responsible for that extra cost......

Then we head back stopping only for gas and potty breaks...

We will arrive backat the church at on Saturday evening July 05 at around 6:00 pm (hot tired and all camped out)

Stay Hydrated! Keep An Eye On Your Electrolyte Balance

2008-06-22T16:33:00.000-07:00

Mrs Tracye found out the hard way the other day about electrolyte imbalance and what happens to you when this occurs! She fainted and fell and injured herself pretty badly. She also spent 24 hours in the hospital. I am on my way back to health but the foggy brain (the lick I took to the head was significant) will take time to clear... as will all the scrapes and bruises! SO please boys stay hydrated! DRINK plenty water; gatorade; powerade; eat fruit..... Take care of yourselves and when we tell you to visit the bubblers alot at camp we MEAN IT!

Electrolytes are substances that become ions in solution and acquire the capacity to conduct electricity. The balance of the electrolytes in our bodies is essential for normal function of our cells and our organs.
Common electrolytes that are measured by doctors with blood testing include sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate. The functions and normal range values for these electrolytes are described below.
Sodium: Sodium is the major positive ion (cation) in fluid outside of cells. The chemical notation for sodium is Na+. When combined with chloride, the resulting substance is table salt. Excess sodium (such as from fast food hamburger and fries) is excreted in the urine. Sodium regulates the total amount of water in the body and the transmission of sodium into and out of individual cells also plays a role in critical body functions. Many processes in the body, especially in the brain, nervous system, and muscles, require electrical signals for communication. The movement of sodium is critical in generation of these electrical signals. Too much or too little sodium therefore can cause cells to malfunction, and extremes (too much or too little) can be fatal. A Normal blood sodium level is 135 - 145 milliEquivalents/liter (mEq/L), or in international units, 135 - 145 millimoles/liter (mmol/L).
Potassium: Potassium is the major positive ion (cation) found inside of cells. The chemical notation for potassium is K+. The proper level of potassium is essential for normal cell function. Among the many functions of potassium in the body are regulation of the heartbeat and function of the muscles. A seriously abnormal increase of potassium (hyperkalemia) or decrease of potassium (hypokalemia) can profoundly affect the nervous system and increases the chance of irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), which, when extreme, can be fatal.
The normal blood potassium level is 3.5 - 5.0 milliEquivalents/liter (mEq/L), or in international units, 3.5 - 5.0 millimoles/liter (mmol/L).
Chloride: Chloride is the major anion (negatively charged ion) found in the fluid outside of cells and in blood. An anion is the negatively charged part of certain substances such as table salt (sodium chloride or NaCl) when dissolved in liquid. Sea water has almost the same concentration of chloride ion as human fluids. Chloride also plays a role in helping the body maintain a normal balance of fluids.
The balance of chloride ion (Cl-) is closely regulated by the body. Significant increases or decreases in chloride can have deleterious or even fatal consequences:
Increased chloride (hyperchloremia): Elevations in chloride may be seen in diarrhea, certain kidney diseases, and sometimes in overactivity of the parathyroid glands.
Decreased chloride (hypochloremia): Chloride is normally lost in the urine, sweat, and stomach secretions. Excessive loss can occur from heavy sweating, vomiting, and adrenal gland and kidney disease.
The normal serum range for chloride is 98 - 108 mmol/L.
Bicarbonate: The bicarbonate ion acts as a buffer to maintain the normal levels of acidity (pH) in blood and other fluids in the body. Bicarbonate levels are measured to monitor the acidity of the blood and body fluids. The acidity is affected by foods or medications that we ingest and the function of the kidneys and lungs. The chemical notation for bicarbonate on most lab reports is HCO3- or represented as the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2). The normal serum range for bicarbonate is 22-30 mmol/L.

Fitness Tips > Fitness Products

Unlike protein, carbohydrates and fats, vitamins do not yield usable energy when broken down. They assist the enzymes that release energy from carbohydrates, proteins and fats, but they do not provide energy themselves. (thus, beware of claims for "energy vitamins" or for diets that replace foods with vitamin supplements)
Vitamins and minerals are widely available from the natural foods we eat. So, before you reach for the vitamin jar, try eating your vitamins from natural foods. Here are some of the best sources for electrolytes:
Note the nutritional powerhouses: spinach and broccoli. Now you know why your mother always forced you to eat your vegetables as a child!

Minerals or Electrolytes: (what they do and where to find them naturally)

Sodium
Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, supports muscle contraction and nerve impulse transmissions
salt, soy sauce, bread, milk, meats
Chloride
Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, aids in digestion
salt, soy sauce, milk, eggs, meats
Potassium
Maintains fluid and electrolyte balance, cell integrity, muscle contractions and nerve impulse transmission
potatoes, acorn squash, artichoke, spinach, broccoli, carrots, green beans, tomato juice, avocado, grapefruit juice, watermelon, banana, strawberries, cod, milk
Calcium
Formation of bones and teeth, supports blood clotting
milk, yogurt, cheddar cheese, Swiss cheese, tofu, sardines, green beans, spinach, broccoli
Phosphorus
Formation of cells, bones and teeth, maintains acid-base balance
all animal foods (meats, fish, poultry, eggs, milk)
Magnesium
Supports bone mineralization, protein building, muscular contraction, nerve impulse transmission, immunity
spinach, broccoli, artichokes, green beans, tomato juice, navy beans, pinto beans, black-eyed peas, sunflower seeds, tofu, cashews, halibut
Iron
Part of the protein hemoglobin (carries oxygen throughout body's cells)
artichoke, parsley, spinach, broccoli, green beans, tomato juice, tofu, clams, shrimp, beef liver
Zinc
A part of many enzymes, involved in production of genetic material and proteins, transports vitamin A, taste perception, wound healing, sperm production and the normal development of the fetus
spinach, broccoli, green peas, green beans, tomato juice,lentils, oysters, shrimp, crab, turkey (dark meat), lean ham, lean ground beef, lean sirloin steak, plain yogurt, Swiss cheese, tofu, ricotta cheese
Selenium
Antioxidant. Works with vitamin E to protect body from oxidation
seafood, meats and grains
Iodine
Component of thyroid hormones that help regulate growth, development and metabolic rate
salt, seafood, bread, milk, cheese
Copper
Necessary for the absorption and utilization of iron, supports formation of hemoglobin and several enzymes
meats, water
Manganese
Facilitates many cell processes
widespread in foods
Fluoride
Involved in the formation of bones and teeth, helps to make teeth resistant to decay
fluoridated drinking water, tea, seafood
Chromium
Associated with insulin and is required for the release of energy from glucose
vegetable oils, liver, brewer's yeast, whole grains, cheese, nuts
Molybdenum
Facilitates many cell processes
legumes, organ meats

Happy Father's Day, Daddy!!!!!!!! Thanks For EVERYTHING!

2008-06-15T11:58:00.000-07:00

This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears all nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.

This is my Father's world: I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; his hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise, the morning light, the lily white, declare their maker's praise.

This is my Father's world: he shines in all that's fair; in the rustling grass I hear him pass; he speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father's world. O let me ne'er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.

This is my Father's world: why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King; let the heavens ring! God reigns; let the earth be glad!

To All Our Dad's

2008-06-15T08:39:00.001-07:00

Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope.

~Bill Cosby

Take The Presidents Challenge With Me ---- I Am Headed Toward A Bronze Medal! So Who Else Is In?

2008-06-13T08:18:00.000-07:00

If you're already active and want a new challenge, this program is for you.
The Presidential Champions program challenges you to see just how high you can raise your activity level. The guidelines are simple. You can choose from a variety of activities. We'll give you a personal activity log to help track your progress along the way. There's even a special option for performance athletes and others who train at more advanced levels.Your goal is to see how many points you can earn by being active. You'll earn points for every activity you log. Points are based on the amount of energy each activity burns. So the more active you are, the more points you'll get.The first goal to aim for is a Bronze award. Then you can keep going for a Silver or Gold. So what are you waiting for?

http://www.presidentschallenge.org/the_challenge/presidential_champions.aspx

The Rules:

1. Choose an activity.

Just about any physical activity where you're using large muscle groups and burning energy counts. Going running. Playing golf. Martial arts. They're all on the list of activities. You can take the Challenge by yourself, or together with friends and family.

2. Get active.

You'll earn points for every activity you log. Points are based on the amount of energy each activity burns. So the more active you are, the more points you'll get. This program has a 750-point daily cap to encourage staying active every day. Earning a Bronze award takes 20,000 points. For example, if you run 5 miles every day, you can reach that amount in about six weeks. More moderate activities will take a little longer.

3. Track your activity.

Our personal activity log makes it easy for you to track the time you spend on activities, right online. You can log your time as often as you want, in amounts as short as 5 minutes. Although you can't log time for activities you haven't done yet, you can go back up to 14 days to enter past activities.

4. Order your award.

When you reach your goal, your activity log will remind you that you've earned an award. You can order it right online or by mail. Then you can continue on in the Presidential Champions program for a Silver or Gold award.

That's all there is to it.

The only thing left is to sign up and pick your first activity.

These Shoes Were Made For Walkin'

2008-06-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

Walking a little can go a long way

Story Highlights

*Walking every day brings many health benefits

*A brisk walk in the afternoon will help you get a better night's sleep, experts say

*You can significantly reduce breast-cancer risk by walking, one study says

*Walking may help ward off Alzheimer's disease, studies say

By Lambeth Hochwald

What if there was something simple you could do every day that would burn calories, be good for your heart, and help you stay young. You'd do it, right?Researchers and doctors say walking cuts breast-cancer risks, protects your bones, helps you sleep, and more.Well, that's why researchers and doctors are so gung ho about walking, especially in light of new research that credits it for everything from cutting breast-cancer risks to helping you sleep.Walking is not just a weenie activity for the nonathletic, says Michelle Look, M.D., national medical consultant to the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk and a physician who specializes in sports medicine in San Diego, California: "It's good for just about anybody, and the health benefits are particularly significant for women." Here, eight reasons to start walking -- or just walk a little more often. Health.com: Sneak more walking into your life

1. It's great for the heart

In a recent study conducted at Duke University Medical Center, researchers found that walking briskly for 30 minutes every day lowers your odds of developing metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors linked to higher risks of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Roughly 24 million women in the United States have metabolic syndrome. Don't have time for a daily half-hour walk? Try multitasking: A British study found that active commuting (incorporating walking and cycling into your sedentary commute) is associated with an 11 percent reduction in heart-disease risk, especially among women.

2. It cuts breast-cancer risks (yes men can and do get breast cancer too at alarming rates in fact)

Walking, even for a few hours a week, significantly reduces breast-cancer risk, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The thinking is that walking helps reduce levels of body fat, a source of estrogen. The research looked at 74,000 postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 79. Those at a normal weight lowered their risk by 30 percent; those who were overweight, by 10 to 20 percent. Younger women may also gain similar benefits.

3. It helps you sleep

A brisk walk in the afternoon will help you get a better night's sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Experts say that walking may boost levels of the feel-good hormone serotonin, which relaxes you. Or, the rise in body temperature brought on by walking may signal the brain to lower your temperature later, which promotes sleep. (Avoid a walk two hours before bed --that's too late to cool down.)

4. It cuts down on aches and pains

Walk the "Chi" (pronounced chee) way and you could have fewer achy days. Nine years ago, Danny Dreyer, an ultra-marathoner then living near San Francisco, California, invented ChiWalking, which incorporates ideas from Tai Chi, yoga, and Pilates. It looks like regular walking but, because you consciously relax, improve the alignment of your body, and involve arm movements, puts less stress on the legs while you walk. That means fewer aches. "ChiWalking can cut down any risk of injury," says Alice Peters Diffely, a ChiWalking instructor in Portland, Oregon. "Your whole body will feel better."

5. It makes you happy

Walking can relieve depression, anxiety, and stress. Just one 30-minute walk may make you feel better when you're down, University of Texas researchers found. Head out for 90 minutes five times a week and you'll get the biggest boost, according to a new study from Temple University. One possible explanation: Walking helps the body produce endorphins, the mood-boosting chemicals linked to "runner's high." Health.com: Get the most out of your walk

6. It keeps you slimmer

Walking for 30 minutes a day can prevent weight gain in most people who are physically inactive, according to another Duke study. And researchers from Brown University and the University of Pittsburgh showed that women who walked for an hour five days a week and consumed 1,500 calories a day lost and kept off 25 pounds over the course of a year. The reason walking helps control your weight: It's easy! "The harder the exercise is, the less people will do it," says Johnny Benjamin, MD, chairman of the department of orthopedics at Indian River Medical Center in Vero Beach, Florida. Health.com: How one woman lost 45 pounds by walking with friends

7. It staves off senior moments

Several studies in older people suggest that walking -- even for as little as 45 minutes a week -- helps ward off Alzheimer's disease. Regular strolls are also linked to mental sharpness in seniors. But regardless of your age, walking is likely to help keep your mind active, Benjamin says-particularly if you stroll with friends; walking while talking is a surefire brain booster.

8. It protects your bones

Just 30 minutes of walking three times a week does wonders to prevent and treat thinning bones. This kind of exercise, which uses 95 percent of your muscles, actually pushes your bones to get stronger so they can handle the load. "Walking," Look says, "is not just for cardio."

In Memory

2008-06-12T12:09:00.000-07:00

Sam Thomsen, 13; Josh Fennen, 13; Aaron Eilerts, 14; and Ben Petrzilka, 14.

“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure its worth watching.”

More Little Sioux Info

2008-06-12T07:51:00.000-07:00

Little Sioux Scout Ranch Tornado Information
The Mid-America Council appreciates your thoughts and prayers during this tragic time. If you are not a familiy member, please do not call the Durham Scout Center. Information will be posted as it becomes available.
The Mid-America Council is setting up a Victims' Assistance Fund. Donation information will be posted as it becomes available.