Another camping spot is now just a memory . Harry Bishops Hunting camp BSA Troop 224 used is no more and neither is Troop 224

I spent several  weekends in early 70's  as a young boy scout  at a Friend of Troop 224  Hunting Camp owned by Mr.  Harry Bishop along Grub Road in Boyer Twp Pa. Near W. Sunbury.

Mr Bishop a Paper Company Executive and Scout Commissioner allowed the troop to build a permanent camp site on his hunting camp about  100 yards from his Cabin down in a valley  where there was a bunk house, several campsites a small pond which had become orange from coal  mine waste and a camp Fire Circle. an

 It allowed us to do all kind of camping skills but unfortunately most of the scouts in the troop where hooligans and some of the adult leaders where just as bad as their kids in their behavior. Many kids left 224 over the years  and it was not long before I left 224 for good and joined troop 383 which is also no longer in business.

I recently went looking for Mr. Bishops Camp as I have not been back there since 1980 when I stopped and looked around  and wondered what had happened to it since Mr. Bishop and his wife Have both passed and had no children I wondered if it even still  existed.

Sadly the camp is no more all structures are removed and property appears to have been clear cut at some point mostly new growth trees

The old country market in W. Sunbury  is still there but the gas pumps are gone they once sold Quaker State products and the laundromat has been removed in back and store expanded 

Sadly many of the places I once Camped are gone .

Including Camp Alliquipa now a private RV Resort , Tionesta turned back into Forrest land  ,Semiconon  now a private hunting camp .The Scout Cabin in North Park still there but used for other purpose  and homes now occupy where we had a camporee 

in White Hall behind where commissioner Roy Boyce lived

Yes they say time moves on and in 45 years it surely has and unfortunately very few pictures and documentation of these places even exists and Laurel Highlands council is useless when it comes to trying to do any research on any of these places .

All I have now are memory's thats it to share.

Was a Boyscout Camp Closed due to Big Foot Activity?

In early 80s Camp Semiconon in Connequenessing Twp Pa in Butler County was shut down.
Supposedly not needed since Heritage was Opened in Farmington Pa.
But all the other camps used as summer camps where converted to weekend camps so why wasn't Semiconon deep in the Forrest and a great camp to due scouting skills and lake Arthur only 7 miles away?

Well since writing my article about a suspected Big Foot Attack in July of 1977 I wrote about I have had several individuals come forward who have told me their encounters.

If it happened to staff it means it happened to the adult staff as well. so they knew we where not making up story's and now knowing around Lake Arthur Moraine State Park in the 70s was a Hot Spot and still is for Big Foot and Dogman activity Maybe this is why camp was closed and sold off to a private family they claimed it was a sportsman club buying it.

The State Police would not go into woods that night so even they knew something was up but back then no one knew what a Big Foot was .

First Time I heard it was on the TV Show" In Search Of " Hosted by Leonard Nemoy

It was not until I did further research and talking to local Cryptologists in the area Did I even suspect it was a possible Big Foot that happened to me,.

Now things are starting to make sense and thats why they got rid of it not cost of keeping it up which is minimal the fact strange things where going on and No One knew what to do.

Note: I  recently mentioned this incident to the famous UFO Researcher  Stan Gordon who tells me at one time he was in fact called to Camp Semiconon area because of what was going on by state police due to number of incidents going on back then in 70s.  

Having to hold a fund raiser to do your Eagle Scout Project Total Complete Bull Shit

I got my Eagle Award back in 1976 there where no such things as holding a car wash or other fund raiser for doing your Eagle Scout Project you went to local business owners and contractors for materials or you went door to door to raise funds and even used your own money you raised working a job.

So what Changed? Absolutely nothing its all in being creative in getting materials and help.

But here is the excuses I hear.

 1- Not allowed to use your own money have to raise it. Says the fuck who? please show me this in the rule book  just a made up rule there is no reason a scout can not use his own money if  he earned it fair and square doing paper route or cutting grass etc.

2- Not as many local business any more all national chains now. Yes that may be true but they still donate just have to go about contacting corporate for help and yes they do help its a matter of being persistent and showing a real need. Also you still have plenty of small business and contractors etc out there more than willing to help. but it takes foot work phone calls follow up etc. stuff kids and adults dont want to do .

3- have to out do the other scouts project again who says you have to some of the smallest cheapest projects have far more lasting impact than these big Hollywood style projects. Bigger is not always better.
My project researching and producing materials on my community's history still goes on to this day my whole project cost less than $200 at the time  about $600.00  in today's money which any young person should be able to raise being persistent and creative.

I work with a lot of Non Profits so do not tell me help is not available to get materials and money for stuff.
I also work in AM/FM radio industry as a Contract Broadcast Engineer something that keeps this industry alive is trading or  bartering  as its also known there are more creative deals go on in radio and TV that goes on behind the scenes than you will ever know .

The whole Eagle Scout Project purpose has been perverted by those too lazy to work at something they really want and those who pervert it by placing rules and obstacles they have no fucking business imposing .

The project is suppose to show leadership not impress people. 

The Holy Grail of Scouting Philmont Ranch is threatned by a Wild Fire. But the way some scouts act after visiting there and rubbing it in your face I could care less if it becomes toast.

 June 4th 2018  Wild Fires in Ute park in New Mexico have started burning their way towards Philmont Ranch BSA
All efforts are being made to keep it from spreading and causing damage 

 My entire time while a boy scout I would always hear.

"Your not a real scout till you have hiked the mountains of Philmont Ranch "

Philmont to me and many Blue Collar Working Class Scouts was something we could never attain
even as a provisional scout because of the high cost of airfare and the cost of the camp itself .
 It would take saving all of our money we made for several years..
 Lets face it you can only sell so many  cookies, garbage bags candy  etc .or work a paper delivery job or work the bowling alley lanes or cut grass to make enough money because unlike upper class kids our parents could not give us any money towards the trip.
 In my case this made for 2 strikes ever getting there no money and  I would never pass the physical due to painful  joint condition in my knees known as Osgood Slaughters.

OK so I could not actively participate but I always planned on working as an adult  and saving my funds and at least going to visit some day even if it was only as a day visitor to see the sites.

Well that did not work out either between the mills going down and no jobs available and then getting my back injured and then my legs crushed in accidents that dream was gone as well.

All I could ever settle for was some pictures which was fine. Till I was doing some Sub Contract work for a really nice ADT dealer installing one of their basic burglar alarm packages in a persons high end home and I noticed they where in scouting from pictures they had in a hall way and  mentioned I was in scouting and had gotten my eagle scout award as well .

Well they where insulted I was doing a blue collar job and he starts this shit about well you where not a real scout then since I had not been to Philmont or any of the other High Adventure Bases

I reminded him about doing your best and in my case I did best I could being born into situation I was put into. With both physical and learning learning issues I far exceeded well beyond what was expected of me.  Besides I wasn't a flunky I own my own business this was extra money I was making helping out a fellow contractor.  But he was one of these eagles who felt you should only be working in the white collar field if you obtain the rank of eagle .

I finished the install  and was never so glad to get the hell away from such another obnoxious and ignorant person.

Out of all the people I have meet who have gone to Philmont only a handful where really grateful they went and shared their knowledge they gained from there and encouraged others to try and get there. . Thats a dam shame so you can see why I could care less if the place burns to the ground after you meet such so called scouts I have meet .

More lies and deception from Scout Council the true fate of Camp Alliquippa

 One of the scout rules is to be truthful well it seems thats only for scouts not for their leaders and council .
In 1973 while still a member of troop 224  we spent a weekend camping at a really historic old boy scout camp near Champion pa. in the Laurel Highlands .We got lost trying to find it that night ended up at a general store in Cuttys corner where a bunch of toughs where hanging out in the parking lot.
and tried to start some shit with us while leaders where using stores pay phone for directions .

Built in the 1920's and maintained by the Laurel Scout council this camp had many beautiful stone structures some built in the 1930s by the WPA during the depression it had a magnificent stone lodge and beside it a fantasy looking stone arched bridge.

One of the first scout camps full of history  and historic structires named after queen alliquippa the leader of local Indian tribe .

The rangers name was Hector who.was our host that weekend he even showed us where an old stone  Hopewell Iron Furnace once sat.
What a fantastic place however hector said the camp was possibly going to be sold Girl scouts is what he heard and in deed in 1974 it was sold and this was the story told any time some one inquired about camping there again.
many years passed and when I was able to drive in 80s  and go looking for the old camp I found the store and inquired about the camp but no body knew anything about it same  at a couple other places as well even the internet was of no help.

Well now I have discovered 40 plus years later the truth after seeing a Face Book post . The camp was not sold to Girl Scouts like everyone claimed at council. It was sold to private developers who renamed it  Rouring Run Resort  and made it a luxury private RV camping grounds and many of the stone structures paid for by taxpayer dollars and built by WPA are still there.  at 194 Tannery Road in Champion Pa. 15622 .

http://www.roaringrunresort.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roaring_Run_Resort

If you go to there face Book page  you can see some images of the stone bridge.

https://www.facebook.com/roaringrunresort/

JUST HOW MANY MORE LIES WILL I KEEP UNCOVERING FROM AN ORGANIZATION THAT PRIDES IT SELF ON ITS INTEGRITY  AND LEADERSHIP TO YOUTH ?

HOW MANY MORE LIES  ABOUT THE CAMPS AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM ?

HOW MANY MORE TIMES STUFF PAID FOR BY TAXPAYERS SOLD FOR A PROFIT?

hOW MANY MORE?  

Ramps and Ampithetre built using Pa Tax dollars for Boy Scout Jamboree which now sit abandoned which never should have been allowed.

As you drive north on Interstate 79 in Butler County and approach  Moraine State Park you will see what looks like an off and on ramp which was never completed along the road..
But back in the 1970s they where actually used for a special purpose which was later roundly criticized that Pa. State money was spent for the purpose.

The reason the ramps where built was for the 2  week long National BSA Jamborees.  Once in 1973 and the other in 1977 I was just a first year scout in 73 when my mom took my brothers and couple neighbor kids all in scouting for a day trip to the 1973 Jamboree it was a great experience  and again in 1977 as a member of BSA camp Semiconon  Staff we went over for an evening show.

But I never got to attend a whole week due to extreme costs for a working class kid I even volunteered to work the entire week in 1977 but BSA insist even volunteers pay the full amount which back then was almost$600.00 for the week which was considerable. back then at minimum wage I was making $1.85 an hour In fact when a storm came thru and knocked down electric wiring and other things in the camp sites at the jamboree the jamboree had the nerve to call the ranger at Camp Semiconon and ask for help from any trades people camping or on staff  there to please come help reset up the jamboree campsites Ranger Joe told them to go to hell.

The State of Pa. paid for the ramps and for the amphitheater and other items in the park to only ever be used by the Scouts which is why it was widely criticized in the Pittsburgh Press and Post Gazette.
 And they where right for so criticizing it. The park was pretty much off limits to the public most of the time including the fact all the time it was being set up torn down areas where off limits as well.
Something no other organization has ever been granted before or after and the amphitheater sits unused to this day.

Release of Perversion Files may have yielded clues to murder of 11 Year old scout near Philly in 1970

I was only 8 years old when it happened and in Cub Scouts but never heard of this case in all my years of scouting even into my adult hood  till it came up on a cold case website the killing of a young boy scout near philly in 1970 who was camping with his troop. in Chester county when 11 yr old Terry Bowers was stabbed multiple times .

http://www.phillyvoice.com/reward-offered-1970-stabbing-murder-boy-scout-philly-suburbs/

http://www.forensicmag.com/news/2012/12/new-clues-emerge-1970-boy-scout-murder

 While staying overnight on the grounds  at St Basil The Great Church  in in East Pikeland Twp.
and it appears new leads may have come out of the perversion files released by boy scout national council

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20121205_New_clues_emerge_in_1970_Boy_Scout_murder__but_it_s_still_a_mystery.html

The state police are offering a $25,000.00 reward for information on this cold case  I hope the figure it out and person who did this is still alive and can be prosecuted .. Shame on those who hid these files away