The Golden Ax

Troop 764, out of St. Luke's Presbyterian Church, WON THE GOLDEN AX COMPETITION at this year's Camporee at Bert Adam's Scout Reservation.

For the 4th year.

So they get to keep it.

Yes!

(To win, the troop has one solid piece of wood and one match. They have to make a fire with flames high enough to burn through two suspended strings, then cook a pancake and eat it. Sounds simple? That wood has to be chopped, split, render kindling and sufficient logs to build the fire, sustained and tended to reach the proper heat for cooking - all after days and days of pouring rain.)

Troop 764 also won the campsite award thanks to excellent set-up and management by patrols (they got their gear unloaded, set up tents, and stowed gear under rainproof tarps during a lull between downpours).

We learned all this last evening, during a ceremony at St. Luke's for the troop's 72nd Eagle Scout.

Very cool.