([ Portland], [Or], [04/27/05])—It could all come down to starting a fire without matches or a lighter. Fire by friction is an ancient skill. But it’s one that seems to have escaped our training today. Who knows how to put a cord on a bent stick and create smoke, then a glow, then life-saving flames by twirling the stick? BOY SCOUTS know how!

Starting a fire by friction is one of the competitive events at a Boy Scout Camporee at Willamette Mission State Park this Saturday, April 30 th. About 1,000 Scouts and leaders from the Cascade Pacific Council’s Sunset Trail District will be there. Scouts in patrols of five to eight youths will compete for prizes by showing how well they have learned Scout skills such as fire starting, land navigation by compass, first aid, U.S. Flag courtesy and customs, use of saw and axe, and knots and lashing.

One unique event involves a 30-foot fire starter (a giant bow-and-drill device), using the same method as the smaller version, except that, for safety reasons, it requires 12 guy lines staked to the ground. Two patrols of Boy Scouts alternately pull on opposite ends of an 80-foot rope wrapped around the pole to twirl the point into a notch in a dry board. A fire extinguisher is available. This rig has been set up at other large Scout events and always draws a crowd. With some practice, Scouts have produced smoke in less than 20 seconds and real fire in a minute!

Survival anyone? Or a reality-show game for a million dollars? Or just a fun day under a Willamette Valley sky?

About the Cascade Pacific Council, Boy Scouts of America

The Cascade Pacific Council ranks among the nation’s largest Scout councils (more than 300) in terms of membership. The Cascade Pacific Council serves more than 48,000 youth in 18 counties in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington, and is supported by more than 15,500 adult volunteer mentors.

Local Boy Scouts of America Accomplishments

This last year (2004), Scouts of the Cascade Pacific Council reached out to the community and achieved the following outstanding accomplishments:

Goodwill/Good Turn – Scouts collected 368,507 pounds of usable clothing and household goods for Goodwill Industries in 2004. Over the past ten years, 4.6 million pounds have been collected.  

Camping Program – TheCascade Pacific Council has one of the strongest outdoor camping programs in the country, camping 11,714 boys at seven summer resident camps and ten day camps last year.  

Scouting for Food – Scouts collected 450,000 pounds of food for local hunger relief agencies through the Scouting for Food drive in December 2004.  

Guy Miller Tree Plant – Over 2,500 youth and family members planted nearly 37,500 tree seedlings in our forests and neighborhoods in support of the Guy Miller Tree Plant program. Since 1977, this program has accounted for the planting of more than 2 million trees.  

Violence Free Spring Break – In partnership with the Portland Police Bureau, the Police Activities League, Multnomah County, Boys and Girls Club, and other organizations, the Cascade Pacific Council has planned, coordinated and staffed special events like “Violence Free Spring Break.” Over 375 youth were served for this event alone. These events use Scouting facilities and curriculums to deliver positive, values-based programs.

Outreach – Over $21,305 in scholarships was awarded to 486 youth members for summer camp.

Harris Interactive Study– Men who were Scouts for five or more years as boys are more likely than men with no Scouting experience:

• Graduate from high school (98% versus 83%)
• Graduate from college (40% versus 16%)
• Earn annual household incomes of $50,000+ (33% versus 17%).

Visit www.cpcbsa.org or call 503-226-3423 to learn more about the Boy Scouts of America.

Boy Scouts of America - Connecting youth with communities and families.