Boy Scout Troop 325
Scoutmaster Minute
Scott Crisel Eagle Court Of Honor
August 19, 2000
George Denise, Scoutmaster

Seven years ago. There were eleven of them then. They were ten, eleven and twelve. Cute little guys. Still had their baby fat. Obedient too. If you asked them to do something, they did it. Scott was one of them.

Funny, the things you remember. First summer camp. Float test. The swim instructor announced that the guys who have a little extra body fat will find this a lot easier. Chris yelled "Go Scott!"

I remember our shooting and backpacking trip at Castle Rock, too. Scott had an allergy attack on the trail. He didn't say a thing, he just kept going slower and slower. I had to coax out of him what the problem was. He had forgotten to bring his inhaler. Fortunately, I had mine, so we shared. Part of my ability to empathize with the Scouts in the troop is that I have most of the problems they have. Makes it easier for all of us! I wondered, on the one hand, because of the allergies, how long he would last in Scouting. But I noted, on the other, that he just kept plugging along, slower and slower, but kept going, and didn't say a thing. He had staying power.

Then there was the summer camp Scott was working on projects for advancement in Tribe of Hi-Sierra. It was quite a day. He was one of the last to leave the campsite that morning, as he wanted to make sure everything was tidy before we went to breakfast. Running across the creek on a log on the way to breakfast, he fell and landed on his behind in the creek. After breakfast, he proceeded to rake our entire campsite. After lunch, he and Greg Benson painted the concrete floors in the guest restrooms. It was about 95 degrees out that day, and, of course, camp elevation is close to 6,000 feet. I reminded them a couple of times to drink more water, but in those conditions, it is hard to keep up. Both became dehydrated, but especially Scott. But he just wouldn't stop working.

He is also one of the Scouts who shows up for virtually every work detail we have. Virtually every Eagle project, every fund raiser, most of the Trails-to-First class, helping to instruct the younger Scouts in their advancement. Scott clearly exemplifies the Scout Law: "a Scout is Helpful!"

But you know how I really remember Scott? Two years ago, the entire Da Bomb patrol decided to show true spirit for summer camp. Their patrol color was blue. They had patrol t-shirts made - blue with a bomb imprinted on them. They made a flag using a white cloth with their trademark bomb emblazoned on it, and full of holes to make it look like it had been through a war, and flares hanging from it doctored to look like sticks of dynamite.

But the piece d'resistance was that they all dyed their hair blue. I appreciated the spirit of it all, but I had to do a lot of explaining to other Scout leaders and parents, who seemed to think I had a punk patrol in my troop. To this day, people ask me if I am the Scoutmaster for the troop with all the kids with the blue hair. And maybe because I am a little defensive on behalf of my Scouts, I take the time to tell them the whole story and what it represented, at which point most of them share my pride in the quality of our Scouts.

But it is still a pain in the butt, Scott. And you seemed to have more than your share of that spirit, because you kept showing up at Scout functions with blue hair for over a year after.

I mentioned earlier that I empathize well with a lot of my Scouts, because I have most of the same problems they have, both physical and mental. I identify closely with them. Now I'm going to show you just how closely.

(Put on blue wig.)

Scott, I've had to spend the last two years explaining why so many of my Scouts have blue hair. Now you can spend the rest of your life explaining why some old man in the pictures from your Eagle Court of Honor had blue hair.

Revenge is best served sweet. Thank you.