Members of Senior Girl Scout Troop 736 built a stage in the Rotary Arboretum for their Gold Award Project. They will be presenting a play “The Fairest Flower of the South” on the stage at 5 p.m. Sunday. Attendees must bring their own seating.

¢ John Richards has accepted the appointment as scoutmaster of Baldwin Boy Scout Troop 65. He succeeded David Garrison Sr. during a Court of Honor ceremony Aug. 29 at the First United Methodist Church in Baldwin.

As scoutmaster, Richards will assist the scouts in the planning and execution of scouting activities including advancement, camping, service work and high adventure.

Richards, a native of Baldwin, was a member of Baldwin Cub Scout Pack 3065 and Troop 65 between 1966 and 1977. He attained the rank of Eagle Scout in 1977. He served as a Cub Scout leader between 2000 and 2004, holding the positions of den leader and assistant cubmaster.

Richards has been a member of the Order of the Arrow, an honors camping society, since 1973. He holds a brotherhood in the order and most recently served as order chapter advisor.

Richards is a 1978 graduate of Baldwin High School. He has taught as an assistant professor of history at Baker University since 1997.

¢ Members of Baldwin Boy Scout Troop 65 concluded a summer of camping that included high adventure in New Mexico, a battlefield tour, and a week at Camp Theodore Naish Scout Reservation.

Dr. Rick Dietz volunteered for a week of duty in early June taking care of campers at Philmont Scout Ranch near Cimarron, N.M. His son, Patrick Dietz and a friend, Brandon Baltzell, accompanied him, both troop members.

Twenty Scouts and four adult Scouters camped at Camp Naish, near Bonner Springs, from June 12-18, continuing a tradition of Baldwin Scouts at Naish that began in 1930.

Troop members raised funds through food booth sales and trash collecting the second and third weekends in July when Thomas the Tank Engine visited Baldwin. A small group of Scouts and leaders camped from July 15-17 at Hole in the Rock, a historic Native American site near Baldwin Junction. The troop also conducted a Safe Swim training at the Baldwin pool, with some participants completing requirements for their Swimming Merit Badge and others receiving certification in Safe Swim Defense.

Mark Shuck, troop committee member, and Tom Wilson, assistant Scoutmaster, led eight Baldwin scouts on a 10-day, 70-mile high adventure wilderness trek in late July and early August at Philmont Scout Ranch.

On Aug. 10, six Scouts, four adult Scouters and a guest toured the Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield near Springfield, Mo. The Scouts, who visited the site to fulfill requirements to earn the American Heritage Merit Badge, also served as color guard for the unveiling of a monument on the 144th anniversary of the battle.

The planned family campout at Pomona Lake was rained out, so five Scouts, several parents, and a number of family members attended a rescheduled campout Aug. 19-21 at Lake Faulkner, a private lake located on the southwestern edge of Baldwin.

Troop 65 concluded its summer season with a Court of Honor on Aug. 28 at the First United Methodist Church in Baldwin.

During the ceremony the Scouts were awarded 178 camping beads, which are color-coded according to camping conditions: 70 black for rain; 54 green for fair weather camping with temperatures above 39 degrees, 54 red beads for Camp Naish, and 18 orange beads for high adventure.

Scouts recognized

Those who received awards included:

¢ Trey Anderson, who earned camping, fishing, lifesaving, reptile/amphibian and swimming merit badges; Tenderfoot rank, and Fourth of July flag placement pin.

¢ Brandon Baltzell, who earned the camping and emergency preparedness merit badges, First Class rank, 12-month Camping Award, the polar bear and snorkeling patches, Fourth of July flag placement pin, and a 1-year service star.

¢ Thomas Bollig, who earned citizenship in the nation and orienteering merit badges, second class rank, 12-month camping award, safe swim training, Fourth of July flag placement pin, and a 1-year service star.

¢ Alex Coffey, who earned the metalworking merit badge, the Philmont Arrowhead and Duty to God, high adventure patch, Fourth of July flag placement pin, and became a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow.

¢ Keenan Coffey, who earned the climbing and shooting merit badges, second class rank, polar bear swim patch, safe swim training and 1-year service star.

¢ David Cook, who earned the geology, shotgun shooting, and space exploration merit badges; First Class rank, Philmont Arrowhead and Duty to God, High Adventure Patch, Fourth of July flag placement pin, and 3-year service pin.

¢ Justin Cook, who earned First Class rank, Philmont Arrowhead and Duty to God, high adventure patch, Fourth of July flag placement pin, and 3-year service star.

¢ Matt Davis, who earned the auto mechanic and golf merit badges, safe swim training, became an Ordeal member of the Order of the Arrow, and received a 5-year service star.

¢ Patrick Dietz, who earned the archery, rifle shooting, and shotgun shooting merit badges; 12-month camping award, safe swim training, snorkeling patch, and 1-year service star.

¢ Mitchell Elsea, who earned the archery merit badge, snorkeling patch, and 1-year service pin.

¢ David Garrison, who earned archery and metalworking merit badges, Philmont Arrowhead, high adventure patch, polar bear swim patch, Fourth of July flag placement pin, and 3-year service star.

¢ Daniel Goodin, who earned the first aid merit badge, Fire ’em Chit, Totin’ Chip, safe swim training and Fourth of July flag placement.

¢ Josh Hoffman, who earned Tenderfoot rank, safe swim training, Fourth of July flag placement pin, and 1-year service star.

¢ Jake Hogsett, who earned the archery and rifle shooting merit badges, Philmont Arrowhead, high adventure patch, Fourth of July flag placement pin, and became a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow.

¢ Ryan Hundley, who earned the basketry and first aid merit badges, Scout rank, Fire ’em Chit and Totin’ Chip, Fourth of July flag placement pin and 1-year service star.

¢ Brian Jones, who earned lifesaving and nature merit badges, and became an Ordeal member of the Order of the Arrow.

¢ John McCall, who earned the first aid and leatherwork merit badges, Fire ’em Chit and Totin’ Chip.

¢ Andrew Morgan, who earned the first aid, leatherwork and wood carving merit badges, Scout and Tenderfoot ranks, Fire ’em Chit, Totin’ Chip, and safe swim training.

¢ Kyle Pattrick, who participated in safe swim training.

¢ Sam Richards, who earned the camping and lifesaving merit badges, First Class rank, safe swim training, Fourth of July flag placement pin, and became an Ordeal member of the Order of the Arrow.

¢ Jarrett Robertson, who earned the camping and first aid merit badges.

¢ Tyler Schneider, who earned the 1-year service star.

¢ Kirsten Shuck, who earned the cycling, personal management, and soil and water merit badges, COPE course, Philmont Arrowhead and Duty to God, High Adventure Patch, Fourth of July flag placement, and 5-year service pin.

¢ James Simmons, who earned the basketry, camping, citizenship in the community, citizenship in the nation, climbing, cooking, electronics, emergency preparedness, environmental science, first aid, leatherwork, rifle shooting, shotgun shooting, snow sports and swimming merit badges; Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class and Star ranks, COPE course, polar bear swim patch, and 3-year service star.

¢ Will Simmons, who earned the first aid and leatherwork merit badges, Scout rank, Fire ’em Chit and Totin’ Chip.

¢ William Vonbargen, who earned the first aid merit badge, Fire ’em Chit, Totin Chip, and Fourth of July flag placement pin.

¢ Evan Wilson, who earned the art, auto mechanic and golf merit badges, Philmont Arrowhead and Duty to God, Fourth of July flag placement and became a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow.

Adult winners

Adult leaders who were recognized included:

¢ Joe Bollig, who became an Ordeal member of the Order of the Arrow.

¢ Rick Dietz, who earned the 1-year service star.

¢ David Garrison Sr., who became Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow and received a special award for his service as Troop 65 scoutmaster.

¢ Virgil Goodin for receiving fast-start training.

¢ Gretchen Hundley for receiving fast-start and youth protection training.

¢ Betty Lawrenz for receiving fast-start training.

¢ Robert Lawrenz for earning the polar bear swim patch and fast-start training.

¢ John Richards was appointed Troop 65 scoutmaster.

¢ Mark Shuck earned the Philmont Arrowhead and Duty to God, and 13-year service pin.

¢ David Simmons earned the polar bear swim patch.

¢ Tom Wilson, who received the Philmont Arrowhead and Duty to God.

¢ Virginia Wilson, who earned the 4-year service pin.

¢ The Wilsons also received special awards in recognition of significant service.