Little Sioux Scout Camp

The news from Little Sioux Scout Camp in Iowa is not good. At least four Boy Scouts were killed last night as evening fell in an sudden, unexpected tornado and 40 other Scouts and Scouters (the term used for adult leaders) were injured to varying degrees. The word is that all of the killed were from the Nebraska area, but that has not been confirmed at this time. In the meantime, the Scouting network has risen up to help its own in time of need and has established several efforts to help. First, monetary donations to help rebuild the Little Sioux Scout Camp that was totally destroyed can be made to the Mid-America Council out of Omaha, Nebraska. Second, Scouts and Scouters are being urged to send pictures and letters of support to the families struck so severely by this tragedy. Council Scout Executive Lloyd Roitstein was credited today for his leadership by Chief Scout Executive Robert "Bob" Mazzuca and BSA National President John Gottschalk, whose home council was Mid-America. There is no doubt that were it another group other than the Boy Scouts who were affected, I would strongly suspect that greater loss of life and more suffering would have occurred. Congratulations to the young men who took cover and helped their stricken fellow Scouts after the storm passed. They are a credit to what the Scouting program is all about and a living testament to the Scouting slogan: "Be Prepared!"