Check out the pictures from our crew that travelled to Ely, MN near the Canadian border. 

As all Scouts should be good citizens, knowing our country's history can help bolster becoming one by learning about the sacrifices, bravery, mistakes and triumphs of our predecessors. The following, taken from Revolutionary-War-and-Beyond.com, shares the tenacity of our first President, before he was President, to tide the War for Independence that started our Nation. Take a couple minutes to learn our history.

On this day in history, December 25, 1776, George Washington crosses the Delaware River on Christmas Day with the Continental Army on their way to attack the Hessians at Trenton, New Jersey. The attack had been planned in secret and was a "Hail Mary pass" from Washington to save the failing American Revolution. After invading New York in August, Washington's army had been driven out of the colony and across New Jersey late in the year. British forces quickly conquered Rhode Island and set their sights on wiping out Washington's remaining forces and conquering Philadelphia, the home of the rebel Congress.

With Thanksgiving Thursday, here is a look back for the edification of our citizenship at our first President's Proclamation for Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving to all the Troop 152 Scouts and their families. May God Bless us all. 

President Washington's First Thanksgiving Proclamation:

“Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me ‘to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanks-giving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th. day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks, for his kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nation, for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the … tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed, for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted,” referring here to the Constitution, “for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all the People, by constantly being a government of wise, just and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations … and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and Us, and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best. Given under my hand at the City of New York on the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.”

    George Washington.

The scouts enjoyed visiting the beach!

This evening at the District Eagle Board of Review (DEBOR) Collin Paskanik was smiling as he was awarded the Rank of Eagle Scout. Collin upheld the best traditions of the Boys Scouts and presented himself very well representing his family, his Troop, and all Eagle Scouts. Collin joins his brother, Tyler as an Eagle Scout. Congratulations Collin! Your family and Troop are very proud of you.

Collin is the 78th Eagle Scout of Troop 152. There have been 2 Eagles awarded this year within the Troop. Who will be 79th?

Click here to see the whole Troop 152 Eagle Jubilee.

Click here to see the Troop 152 Eagle Scout Honor Roll

And since, in about two weeks, Collin ages out as a Scout, these words are appropriate:

"But the real way to get happiness is by giving out happiness to other people. Try and leave this world a little better than you found it and when your turn comes to die, you can die happy in feeling that at any rate you have not wasted your time but have done your best. "Be prepared" in this way to live happy and to die happy -- stick to your Scout Promise always - even after you have ceased to be a boy - and God help you to do it." -- Lord Robert Baden-Powell - Founder of Boy Scouts, from his farewell message to Scout of the World.

Out Island Adventure in Key West, Florida!