Staff Writer
AUGUSTA — Twelve scouts from the Katahdin Area Council and the Pine Tree Council — including Caribou Troop 184 Eagle Scout Keagan Page and Limestone Troop 193 Eagle Scout Nick Whitehead — were received in Augusta on Feb. 17 for a Statehouse celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.
Photo contributed by Allison Page
Eagle Scouts Nick Whitehead, left, of Limestone and Keagan Page, center, of Caribou were two of 12 Maine Boy Scouts who were given the opportunity to speak with Governor Baldacci, right, in celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Boy Scouts on Feb. 17 in Augusta.
The House Speaker, Hannah Pingree, announced all 12 Scouts to the representatives during a House of Representatives session. During the session the Scouts were given the experience of being honorary pages.
The scouts also were given an opportunity of speaking with Gov. Baldacci in the Governor’s Cabinet Room for about half an hour.
“They seemed to enjoy themselves,” said Field Director for the Katahdin Area Council Chuck Majors. “They learned a lot of information about Maine, the Statehouse and the legislative process.” Majors also added that the Scouts asked some very intelligent questions and one particularly entertaining question when a young Scout asked Gov. Baldacci “what is it like to be governor?”
The trip was due largely to the coordination efforts of Katahdin Area Council volunteer executive board member Greg Morin of Frankfort.
“I think this is something that we’d like to do each year with our council,” Majors said. This was the first time that the Council visited Augusta in about three years and according to Majors, it went much smoother due to the coinciding of the Statehouse celebration and the scouts’ school vacation week.
With Scouts attending the Celebration from Frankfort, Bangor, Holden, Caribou, Limestone and Newport, the Council was well represented.
Their educational trip also included a tour of the Statehouse and lunch in the Capitol cafeteria. Whitehead and Page thoroughly enjoyed their trip to Augusta and plan to attend the National Jamboree in July to celebrate the 100th year of Boy Scouts.
The Governor’s proclamation recognizing the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America follows:
WHEREAS, the Boy Scouts of America has been at the forefront of instilling the timeless values of leadership, achievement, community service, character, and environmental stewardship in youth since its founding in 1910; and
WHEREAS, this national youth movement has made serving others through its values-based program its mission; and
WHEREAS, the Boy Scouts of America is committed to helping millions of youth succeed by providing the support, friendship, and mentoring necessary to live a happy and fulfilling life; and
WHEREAS, the Katahdin Area and the Pine Tree Councils of the Boy Scouts of America and their Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops, and Venturing crews are celebrating Scouting’s 100th anniversary with the theme “Celebrating the Adventure, Continuing the Journey”; and
WHEREAS, there are more than 525 community organizations that make Scouting available for more than 14,000 youth members in our State who participate in the Scouting program as a means of character building, citizenship training, and personal fitness,
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOHN E. BALDACCI, Governor of the State of Maine, do hereby proclaim February, 2010 as Scouting Anniversary Month throughout the State of Maine, and urge all citizens to recognize this observance.
