Totem Poles, Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch Duty to Country Summer Camp Sunset

Explore. Achieve. Dream. No other youth program allows young men and women to do so much to realize their full po-tential. No other program instills the character traits and leadership skills of Scouting. Not one. It is an absolute joy and a hearty challenge delivering such an essential program to our rapidly changing and growing community. In a time when Scouting membership has declined in many areas across the country, we’ve continued to grow in West Texas. Moreover, we’ve managed to trim expenses even while expanding our program. We’ve added essential capital improvements to our camp. We’ve provided numerous opportu-nities to help and train the volunteers who are the heart and cornerstones of our Packs, Troops, Crews, and Posts. We’ve stretched the hard-earned dollar of every contributor and put it to work right where it was needed most: providing unique educational opportunities and a foundation of character for our young people and future leaders. We pledge to continue to do our very best for today’s youth and tomorrow’s leaders.

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introduction ……………………. 3-7

highlights ………………………. 8-9

membership ……………………

10-11

program ……………………….. 12-13

development & finance ………. 14-15

recognition …………………….. 16-17

leadership ……………………... 18-19

table of contents

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On cover: Canopy of Stars, by Aaron Bedell All images Copyright © 2015 Aaron Bedell *unless otherwise noted

Scouting in West Texas has been a community tradition almost from the very inception of the Boy Scouts of America. A letter from the home office established a council called the "Midland Council" in Midland, TX in 1913, with E. A. Bryan, Presi-dent. However, there appears to have been little activity between that time and when the Buffalo Trail Council officially chartered in 1923. The name Buffalo Trail actually came from the trails cut in the sandstone near Big Spring by buffalo hooves as the ani-mals walked to water. By 1945, according to that year’s annual report, the council had grown from 1,431 active membership in 1936, to 4,745 active members. That year they had 162 Scouts attend a six-day camp at the Davis Mt. Camp (a pre-cursor to BTSR). Activities for 1945 included waste paper collection; old clothing collection; cooperation with Red Cross Campaign; War Chest Dinner, War & Victory Bond Campaigns; put up posters for T.B. Seal and Infantile Paralysis Campaigns; ushered at football games; Cub Day Camps; Cub Rallies; Halloween events; observation of Anniversary Week; and Christmas Good Turn. In 1948, the council acquired title to a 6,000 acre tract in the Davis Mountains for camping and it was named Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch. More than one-hundred years since the first seeds of Scouting were planted here, the roots of the program continue to grow deep and strong thanks to the dedication of hundreds of volunteers and numerous community leaders.

BTSR Summer Camp, 1949 *

The future of America Our country’s greatest strength has always been its values

The core of the Scouting program is based on the same foundation that created the greatest nation: the character of its leaders. From the beginning, Scouting has maintained as its focus the ability to impart the qualities that are most de-sired among civilized peoples. Today, that means cultivating and instructing young people in the areas of patri-otism, work ethic, independence, cooperation, self-control, life-skills, resource-fulness, persistence, humility, tolerance, generosity, patience, fair-mindedness, respect, planning, preparedness, compassion, and many other worthy attributes.

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The values of Scouting Good for our youth; essential for our society

The Buffalo Trail Council is solidly committed to helping our youth achieve their goals. Cub Scouting focuses on family values. Boy Scouting develops the individual while still emphasizing teamwork. Venturing fuels the dreams of both young men and women through high adventure oriented activities. Exploring gives young adults the opportunity to experience a potential vocation or career through hands-on educational programs. Critical life-skills and values are im-parted to each youth who participates in Scouting through a variety of ways.

The Scout Oath On my honor,

I will do my best to do my duty to God

and my country and to obey the Scout Law;

to help other people at all times; keep myself physical strong,

mentally awake and morally straight.

The Scout Law A Scout is

Trustworthy Loyal

Helpful Friendly

Courteous Kind

Obedient Cheerful Thrifty Brave Clean and

Reverent

1 Sung Joon Jang, Byron R. Johnson, and Young-Il Kim. 2012. “Eagle Scouts: Merit Beyond the Badge.”

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A recent study of Eagle Scouts confirms that boys who participate in Scouting are better prepared for the challenges of life as adults in the following ways:

They participate more often in recreational activities throughout their lifetimes. They are also better off emo-tionally, relationally, and physically.1

Youth who are involved in Scouting are more committed to learning, are goal-oriented, better planners and prepar-ers, practice self-efficacy, participate in activities with their neighbors, understand accountability, have moral-based attitudes, are open to diversity, have civic-minded attitudes, and are likely to be more spiritually mature.1

Scouts are more likely to participate in service clubs, do-nate their time and money to non-profits, take active roles in problem-solving, environmental stewardship, political roles, and civic leadership.1

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

WELL-BEING

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

2014 Highlights Buffalo Trail Council, BSA

PROPERTIES/EQUIPMENT Completed construc on of a new 5,000 square foot pavilion dedicated for the First Year Camper Program • Added 30,000 addi onal acres for backpacking and cavalcades through a new partnership with Caldwell Ranch • New equipment including 5‐ton truck, light tower/generator, 5‐ton dump truck, and bulldozer • Construc on nearly completed on a new shower house facility at WB Stowe campsite PROGRAM Increase of BTSR summer camp par cipants • Developed new programs at BTSR • Increased par cipa on in ac vi es • Es mated 700 in a endance at Pushmobile Derbies • New ATV Pilot Program for 2014 • Summer Camp and High Adventure Camps scored 100% on Na onal Inspec on • Day camps in all districts • 3rd Interna onal Camporee Scheduled at BTSR with an es mated 200 Scouts from Mexico a ending • Over 700 par cipants at spring and fall Cub‐O‐Rees at BTSR DEVELOPMENT Dis nguished Ci zen Dinner raised $165,000 • Successfully conducted new Sustainability Awards Luncheon • Spor ng Clay Tournament raised over $50,000 • New Life me Achievement Award Banquet planned with proceeds going toward Endowment and debt reduc on • Record increase in popcorn sales RELATIONSHIPS/MEMBERSHIP Top three councils for membership growth in Southern Region • 7 new partnerships formed with local Churches, Service Clubs and Community Organiza ons • At‐Risk Youth Programs—In School Scou ng, R.O.P.E., and G.R.O.W. programs show con nued growth and success ADMINISTRATION Compliance with BSA standards reviewed regularly • Achieved Silver Award in the Journey to Excellence program • Con nued diversifica on of board • Strengthened internal controls • Balanced Opera ng Budget • Growth in Net Assets over $300,000 • New gi s to endowment of $15,000 OTHER Con nued expansion of BTSR year‐round usage • New computer systems for camp and headquarters office • Successfully reintroduced council‐wide Scou ng for Food community good turn OUR VISION In 2015 we will con nue the process and development of capital improvements at Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch. Due to the popularity of BTSR we are literally overflowing with campers and must expand our facili es to con nue to deliver the promise of Scou ng to these boys. New facili es will include a dining hall, sustainability/nature center, mul ple new program pavilions, addi onal shower houses, and a great deal of infrastructure upgrades and expansions. We will be reaching out to our communi es to secure funding for these cri cal needs.

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Membership

Traditional membership grew by a total of 2.7%, including exceptional growth in the area of Cub Scouts and Ventur-ing, placing us in the Top Three for the Southern Region. Council-wide growth was generally strong. Although the climate for joining Scouting re-mains quite positive and the need has never been greater, there are new challenges to re-cruitment which require changing methods and approaches.

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Scoutreach & Special Programs Special emphasis con nues to be placed on reaching “underserved” popula ons throughout the council boundaries. Tradi onal Scou ng programs were established and delivered using tradi onal means and prac ces. Non‐tradi onal methodology was employed to deliver the various programs in some areas. Partnerships with other organiza ons play a big role in providing Scou ng in hard to serve demographics. Campfire, Casa De Amigos, R.O.P.E., G.R.O.W., and the new Propel program are at the forefront of providing innova ve program to youth that we o en have had a difficult me reaching.

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Cub Scouts        1,758 Boy Scouts           727 Venturers             254 TOTAL TRADITIONAL YOUTH  2,739 

Buffalo Trail Council 

Tradi onal Membership 

Non‐Tradi onal (LFL, Exploring, etc.)TOTAL               64 

One of the core elements of the Scou ng program is giving back to our neigh‐bors and the people in our communi es through a variety of different service opportuni es. Each me we recite the Scout Oath, we’re reminded that we are to do this at all mes. Scou ng for Food (SFF) is a wonderful chance to let our friends, neighbors, and other ci zens throughout the Permian Basin know that we are a vibrant and ac ve organiza on that delivers its promise. 2014 marked the first year for the return of this community good turn as a council‐wide event in nearly a decade. Scouts from Packs and Troops through‐

out Odessa and Midland pitched in to collect more than 3,450 pounds of food and enough money to provide more than 2,800 meals to needy families throughout our communi es. The collec on day tradi onally occurs in the month of January, immediately following the heaviest season for food banks when their stores are in most cri cal need of replenishing.

Scou ng For Food

Big Bend Cub Scouts      116 Boy Scouts        32 Venturers        15 TOTAL TRADITIONAL YOUTH  163 

Chaparral Cub Scouts      433 Boy Scouts      297 Venturers        50 TOTAL TRADITIONAL YOUTH  780 

Comanche Trails Cub Scouts      608 Boy Scouts      196 Venturers          5 TOTAL TRADITIONAL YOUTH  809 

Lone Star Cub Scouts      371 Boy Scouts      115 Venturers          4 TOTAL TRADITIONAL YOUTH  490 

Scoutreach Cub Scouts      230 Boy Scouts        87 Venturers      180 TOTAL TRADITIONAL YOUTH  497 

District Membership Totals

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Council and District Boundaries

Programs

Every program experienced growth, particularly Cub Scout events such as Cub-O-Ree which was expanded to two dates in spring and two dates in autumn. Interest in Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch continues to flourish. Scout Troops from all over the region and as far away as Florida and California have come to enjoy the enchanting scenery of the Davis Mountains and the top-shelf program offered by some of the most experienced staff members in a three state area.

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Zoiks!! Record Increase in Popcorn Sales! Thanks in part to the courage and enthusiasm of Captain Corn and his sidekick, Popcorn Girl, sales of the fluffy, crunchy, bu ery stuff surged. Overall sales were $363,470 or a 32.5% increase over the previous year. Dozens of Cub Scouts qualified for free Day Camp by selling over $1,000 each. Boy Scouts selling $2,000 or more earned a free week at Summer Camp. Several lucky Scouts scored a new iPad Mini, col‐lectors’ patches, and more when they filled up a sales sheet which qualified them for a special drawing. Congratula ons to Pack 641 which was in the Top 20 for the na on with over $50,000 in sales!

Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch

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Summer Camp A endance

BTSR offers year‐round backpacking and horse‐back cavalcades to Scouts, churches, civic groups, and businesses. A er building up our infrastructure and establish‐ing key rela onships, we have finally reached the point where we will be offering Philmont‐style, week‐long high adventure backpacking experienc‐es that fully u lize the more than 100,000 total acres of land that we have access to throughout the Davis Mountains.

Our next step will be to secure addi onal funding for road improvements, commissary buildings, compos ng toilets, and addi onal program sites such as a Na ve American Indian Village, climbing outpost, Cowboy Ac on Shoo ng Range, Circle H western homesteading and archaeology program, and many more.

Ac vi es & Events

The Horse Program

Total Youth   3,065 

Total Adults      781 

Troops        133 

Youth      2,620 

Adults           647 

Base Camp 

Youth    445 

Adults    134 

High Adventure 2014 was a program rich year for BTC. Mul -ple camping events and exci ng one-day ac-vi es gave Scouts cause to be enthusias c. 

Merit Badge Academy

10 Commandments & Duty to God Hikes

Mul ple Flag Re rement Ceremonies

Spring Camp‐O‐Ree

Don’t Mess With Texas trash pick‐up

Snyder Fish‐A‐Thon

8 weeks of Summer Camp at BTSR

District Day Camp or Twilight Camp

Webelos Resident Camp at BTSR

Campout with the Rock Hounds

4 Cub‐O‐Rees

Pushmobile Races

Winter Camp

Few councils can boast an ac ve horse program like the one at BTSR. Weekend cavalcades are available almost year‐round and the week‐long cavalcades held throughout summer camp are among the first programs to fill up each season.

With more than 50 head of hors‐es, our program is also one of the most robust. Crew members get to experience the best of the backcountry without the hassle of carrying a 40 pound pack plus they get to take advantage of some great western style meals.

As a bonus, Scouts who par cipate in the pro‐gram are able to qualify for the challenging Horse‐manship Merit Badge.

Development & Finance

Increases in volunteer manpower and heightened aware-ness throughout the community helped create a nurturing environment for philanthropic work.

2014 Financial Statement (unaudited)

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 Ongoing Capital Improvements

At the heart of nearly every council is its camp and Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch is no excep on. As the popularity of our camp has grown, so has the

demand on its physical re‐sources. As a result, pro‐gress is being made towards raising awareness for funds necessary to make improve‐ments, big and small.

Topping the list are a new dining hall and kitch‐en. This facility will eliminate what is probably the largest bo le neck of summer camp ‐ ea ng in shi s. The result of a unified meal me will not only be increased program opportuni es for campers but also fer le ground for addi onal bonding and fellowship that occur during meals. New program areas and pavilions are on‐track to be built in the near future.

First Annual Sustainability Awards Luncheon 

Special Events

This first‐of‐its‐kind event was held on August 13th at MCM Grande in Odessa. In addi on to recognizing Charles Acker, an Eagle from Mo‐nahans, as youth honoree, Whi ng Petroleum was also honored for its North Ward Estes CO2 Flood Project as a model of sustainability. The event emphasized Scou ng’s commitment to environmental educa on programs.

The 27th Annual Dis nguished Ci zen Dinner was held on November 11th to honor Tim Leach, one of the Permian Basin’s most humble yet ac ve leaders. As a local company, Concho is one of the top contributors of our community.

Timothy A. Leach, Chairman & CEO of Concho Resources Honored as Dis nguished Ci zen 

Financial development actually covers three different areas: 

Opera ng funds are used to provide direct support to our units through programs, training, camping, professional staff, and a host of other costs that are necessary to operate on a day‐to‐day basis. These includes sources like FOS, special events, and founda ons.  Capital funds are those related specifically to land, buildings, and some equipment. Most o en, donors are sought out to fund specific projects as they are needed. Endowment funds are acquired for the purpose of long‐term invest‐ment to protect and enhance the future of Scou ng. Sources may in‐clude bequests, wills, trusts, founda ons, or memorials in the form of outright or deferred gi s of cash, stocks, royal es, property, or equity. Buffalo Trail Council ascribes to a well‐balanced finance plan which in‐cludes allowances for a en on to and improvement of each essen al area.

*unaudited

Our Annual Fund Drive’s 

Three Areas of Emphasis

Friends of Scou ng      $323,735 Special Events        $251,748 Founda ons        $129,000 TOTAL DIRECT SUPPORT    $704,483* 

Other Development Areas Include

United Way        $104,419 Product Sales (net)      $162,544 

Exciting council activities such as Pushmobile, Cub-O-Ree, and Summer Camp gave excellent opportunities for Scouts to earn the badges needed for advancement. Thanks to some very robust growth and rekindling of the time-honored, traditional pro-grams of Scouting, we’ve experienced a renaissance of interest throughout our commu-nities over the past year. This couldn’t have been accomplished without the persistence and dedication of a multitude of adult leaders who not only took the helm of some great events, they also lead the charge for helping to inspire hundreds, if not thousands, of youth to earn thousands of merit badges, skill awards, and rank advancements.

Recognition

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Buffalo Trail Council Mission Statement

To prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their life mes by ins lling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law 

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61    Tenderfoot 

44    Second Class 

27     First Class 

32     Star 

37    Life 

20    Eagles 

1,304  Merit Badges 

Boy Scouts 

117  Tiger Cub 

280  Bobcat 

167  Wolf 

123  Bear 

67  Webelos 

63  Arrow of Light 

Cub Scouts 

Ranks And Awards Earned Top 12 Merit BadgesCooking      74 First Aid      65 Swimming      47 Personal Management    46 Family Life      36 Chess        34 Ci zenship in the World  33 Archery       30 Horsemanship      30 Rifle Shoo ng      30 Emergency Preparedness  29 Environmental Science    28 

The Buffalo Trail Council would like to congratulate the following young men for their significant achievement in a aining the rank of Eagle Scout. Their journey to Eagle was no small task; their accomplishment is the pinnacle of the Scou ng program! 

Eagle Scout Class of 2014

Josiah Bencomo, Troop 30   Ft. Davis Marc Perez, Troop 30     Ft. Davis Joey Aceves, Troop 129   Andrews Nathan Farrar, Troop 129   Andrews Dus n Savell, Troop 129  Andrews Nolan Barmore, Troop 37   Monahans Timothy Linton, Troop 775   Odessa Timothy Gregg, Troop 775   Odessa Seth Hodges, Troop 775   Odessa Ryan Adams, Troop 175   Midland Miciah Avampato, Troop 232   Midland Clayton Bisbee, Troop 158   Midland Daniel Dalager, Troop 158   Midland Sco  Drebenstedt, Troop 158   Midland Luke Jacobsma, Troop 270   Midland Bradley Keith, Troop 175   Midland Timothy Snell, Troop 232   Midland Kevin Sparks, Troop 232   Midland William Telschow, Troop 196   Midland Kayden Thomas, Troop 231   Midland Gerardo Vazquez, Troop 19   Midland 

Patrick Hooper of Andrews became an Ea‐gle Scout when he was 12 years old. But he didn't stop there. He set out to successfully earn every merit badge the BSA offered. It was a feat that may have never been ac‐complished by any other Scout since 1910. He went on to become only the 16th Scout in the na on to complete all degrees of Eagle Palms since the award was introduced in 1927. Patrick is now top of his class as a marine cadet in Tex‐as A&M’s ROTC program. He, and other Eagles from Buffalo Trail Council, are our future leaders among leaders.

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An Eagle with Many Feathers

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Leadership

Under the visionary leadership of our executive board, high expectations and a challenging course have been engi-neered for the future of Scouting in West Texas. In addition to raising the bar for program, membership, community outreach, and camping, additional emphasis has been placed on updating and improving camping fa-cilities and a variety of heavy equipment used for maintenance and transportation.

First Year Camper Pavilion Completed Thanks to funding provided through the generosity of an anonymous founda on, the dream of a dedicated program site to serve the im‐mensely popular and ever‐growing Trail to Eagle Program (first year camper program) was realized. Ground was broken on the 5,000 square foot, solar‐powered pavilion in September which was completed before the end of the year. Hundreds of young men will now be able to enjoy a fully‐equipped and be er‐than‐ever ex‐perience with a view from the site that should inspire dreams of becoming an Eagle Scout.

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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

President  Charles House 

Council Commissioner  Byron Welch, Ed. D 

VP Finance (Treasurer)  Paul Lucas 

Assistant Treasurer  David Baker 

Past President  Deana Savage, Ed.D 

VP Development  Pat Canty 

VP District Opera ons  Gary Wood 

VP Program  Bob Ferguson 

VP Proper es  Ralph Truskowski, PE 

VP Membership/Rela onships  Vacant 

VP Governance  Frank Stowers 

Corporate Secretary  David Chapman 

PROFESSIONAL STAFF 

Scout Execu ve/CEO  David Chapman 

Assistant Scout Execu ve/Camping Director  Mark Richardson 

Development Director/CFO  Aaron Bedell 

District Director Chapparal  Ma  Vercher 

District Execu ve, Comanche Trails  Michael R. Adam 

District Execu ve, Big Bend  Vacant 

District Execu ve, Lone Star  Zack Mullins 

Camp Director  Mark Richardson 

Scout Reach Execu ve  PJ Aguire 

RANGER 

BTSR Head Ranger  Dan Damon 

SUPPORT TEAM 

Accoun ng Assistant  Mary Pearce 

Camping Registrar  Gracie Quintela 

Scout Store Manager  Eilda Pacheco 

Registrar  Hailey Harpole 

PART-TIME SUPPORT TEAM 

Big Spring Satellite Office  Eunice Thixton 

Odessa Satellite Office  Willy Brown 

Larry Adams, CPA 

David Baker 

Bruce Brady 

Blaine Bushman 

Chris  Callicoate 

Pat Canty 

Toby Eoff 

Robert Ferguson 

Marcus Fernandez 

David Garcia, RTSBA 

Ron Harkrider 

Charles House 

Richard Johnson 

Dr. Randall Kelly 

Stephen Lambert 

Paul Lucas 

Javier Morales 

James Parks 

Jordan Partee 

Deana Savage, Ed.D 

Frank K. Stowers 

Sandy Thomas 

Dr. Steve Thomas 

Don Tomlin 

Ralph Truszkowski, PE 

Dan Wagoner 

Dr. Byron Welch 

Gary Wood 

Grant Wright 

David Chapman

EXECUTIVE BOARD 

PRESIDENTS COUNCIL 

Steve Castle 

Neil Florer 

Sam Howell II 

William B. Kent 

Ken Peeler 

K. Kyle Peeler 

Mark Philpy 

James Riggen 

John Sco  

Charles Smith 

Ladd Smith 

Don Tomlin 

Kyle Womack 

Non-Profit Org. U. S. Postage

P A I D Midland, TX 79711

Permit # 76

Phone: 432.570.7601 Fax: 432.570.7611

www.buffalotrailbsa.org

Today’s youth. Tomorrow’s Leaders.

Buffalo Trail Council

Boy Scouts of America

1101 West Texas Avenue

Midland, TX 79701-6171

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