Posts Tagged ‘Scouts’
Explorer Post 121
I have been working on a few submissions to The Rawlins County History Book Vol. III. The deadline is August 15. Here is one I worked on with John Mickey. He will be submitting some pictures, too. You’ll have to buy the book to see John’s pics.
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Explorer Post 121
The Atwood Explorer Post 121 organized in 1975. It was Atwood’s first and only Explorer Post. The Post was open to girls as well as boys beginning in 1976.
John Mickey was the group’s advisor, which began with six or seven members. The group’s goal was to raise money for high adventure trips such as white water canoeing. Post members sold candy and food, hosted dinners and sold Christmas trees. They raised enough money for several trips at no cost to the young men and women who were members of the post.
Post members took their first trip to the Green River in Utah in May, 1976. The group included Bill Focke, Kevin Finley and Mark Leitner as well as their advisor, John Mickey. They used the Boy Scout Troop 121 canoes and traveled to Utah in Billy Horton, III’s van.
Led by Bill Focke, the Post grew to twenty members by the fall of 1976. The group worked hard all winter and achieved their goal of traveling to Lake Powell in May 1977. The Lake Powell trip included overnight stays in Denver and a vacant school in Grand Junction. The group stayed three nights on a rented house boat on Lake Powell where they enjoyed water skiing, sunbathing, fishing and shopping in the cities. The group was chaperoned by John and Betty Mickey, Steve Finley and Anita Weishapl (now Finley).
The group set bigger goals for 1977-78. They raised funds to buy three canoes and travel to Canada. The Atwood Rotary Club furnished a fourth canoe. The Canada excursion included stops at Turtle Mountain on the U.S.-Canada border, Duck Mountain on Singush Lake and Winnipeg where the group swam at the Pan Am Pool. On the last night of the trip, the boys surprised the girls with a paddle boat ride, music and dancing on the Red River.
Post members traveled to Silver Dollar City in 1979. The group stayed at Roaring River State Park where they canoed, fished and explored caves. Post members went to Worlds of Fun amusement park and a Royals baseball game in Kansas City on their trip home. The group took its last trip in 1980. They visited the Black Hills including stops at Sylvan Lake, Passion Play, Mount Rushmore and a gold mine in Deadwood.
Explorer Post 121 received the Nation Honor Unit Recognition award in 1978 and 1979.
Submitted by John Mickey
