Owls and Hawks and Flying Tennis Balls, Oh My!

At the most recent troop meeting, the scouts were treated to a little presentation by Raptor Inc., a non-profit company that rescues, rehabilitates, and educates about birds of prey. The presenters, who introduced themselves as Dan and Bob, talked about local birds of prey and allowed some preserved bird claws to be passed around in the seated scouts. Dan and Bob had also brought three birds that were considered “permanently injured,” or in other words had problems that would prevent them from being able to live properly, and so can not be released back into nature. In order of presentation, the birds Dan and Bob had brought were a Great Horned Owl, a tiny Eastern Screech Owl, and a feisty Red Tailed Hawk. The Great Horned Owl was reasonably behaved, but the Screech Owl made a small release of excess weight on the church floor, and the hawk constantly wanted to try taking off in flight as well as leaving some excess weight on the ground as well. Overall, the presentation was well received by the Troop, and Dan and Bob were thanked for taking the time to come out and talk about the birds.

After helping load all the stuff Dan and Bob had brought so they could return the birds home (and let that Hawk go and fly, no doubt), the scouts began to play a game called “Wall Ball”, which is like playing dodge ball except with tennis balls tossed at the wall. I can only describe the scene of scouts playing the game as a fast-moving mass of flailing limbs and green dots bouncing all over creation. Elsewhere, some level of sanity had been preserved as Boards of Review were being held for several scouts who were ready to go to the next rank, and from what I know is that all scouts who had been ‘reviewed’ will get their next rank patch at the next Court of Honor.

After full sanity had been restored by ending the Wall Ball game, several new appointments were announced and sworn in. First, five scouts were sworn in as new Den Chiefs, they being: Elliot Horstman, Steven Kuharski, Alex Stringfellow, and Grant and Ross King. The new Den Chief Counslor; Mr. Dunham, was sworn in after them, and lastly, Steven LaCount was sworn in as the new Chaplain’s Aide.

-Ben Hallenbeck; Troop Historian