Blazing a New Trail – BSA Abraham Lincoln Council

Sea Scouting Task Force Area 3 Rendezvous

On the weekend of May 20 –22 the Abraham Lincoln Council and the Venturing / Exploring District hosted the first ever Taskforce Area Three Sea Scout Rendezvous. This event took place in two locations: at Camp Illinek and the Island Bay Yacht Club.

Abraham Lincoln Council’s own Peter Schmidt, the Area Three Boatswain, was the lead organizer of this first time event that saw participations from units that were located outside the council and even one attend that was outside area three. Support was provided by the two local Venture Crews; 402 out of Harvel and 41 out of Divernon. In attendance was the current Central Region Venture Office Association President Dustin Readenour from Greater St. Louis Area Council (GSLAC) along with the Area Three President Christina Vogt also from GSLAC, which in Venturing are youth leadership positions.

In this weekend event, most everyone participated in the many activities that Peter had set forth. This included those of the aquatic (sailing, canoeing and kayaking, no paddle races and learning opportunities) there was even a regatta at the end of the day. There were also land based games like that of Bags and other competitions such as building a Windsail Racer. A land ship ceremony took place Saturday evening which included a Change of the Watch. It was at this time that Peter Schmidt received his promotion to Central Region Flotilla Boatswain and now has a position on the national youth Sea Scouting Board.

This event impressed the Central Region Flotilla Commodore Dr. GH McNeal, top adult leader in the region, so much that he has chosen to arrange the Central Region’s 100 Anniversary Celebration of Sea Scouts to be held next year in Springfield, Illinois.

The dates for the event will be May 18-20, 2012.