This month the Boy Scouts of America is celebrating its 100th year. In honor of the landmark, we asked former Boy Scouts in north Fulton to share their fondest memories of Scouting. Here is what they had to say:

Jerry Orlans
Roswell City Councilman

“As a Boy Scout who grew up in Michigan, I often snicker when people here in Georgia talk of camping out in the cold. I remember as a kid, our Scoutmaster owned a cabin in northern Michigan. He would take our Scout troop up to his cabin for camping trips, even in the middle of winter. Now, if you are not aware, this part of Michigan has ski slopes and depends on a lot of snow. We would drive up, sometimes during snow storms, and get to his cabin and the snow was everywhere.

We would have to shovel out waist-high snow to clean a place big enough to set up our tents.Of course, we all know what goes along with snow, don’t we? Cold! So, in order to stay warm we would put some bricks in our camp fire to get them hot and toasty and then take old newspapers to wrap up the heated bricks. These wrapped up bricks were then put in the bottom of our sleeping bags to help keep us warm in our sleeping bags overnight. As the Scouts were finally retiring in our tents, our Scoutmaster was snug and warm sleeping inside his cabin. But of course, we were all much better off due to this ‘life experience.’”

Kelley Christy
City of Milton Staff

“The Boy Scouts of America was a part of my life for the majority of my adolescence. There were certainly numerous fond memories of Summer Scout Camp at Bert Adams, the Junior Leadership Training at the Woodruff Scout Reservation and, of course, the monthly camping trips with the troop that would take us to various wilderness destinations throughout Georgia. Of all these outings I would have to say my fondest memory was my trip to the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico. There, with some fellow Scouts, we spent two weeks and trekked 64.5 miles through some of the most beautiful land I have ever seen.

The trip taught me not only wilderness survival skills, but also leadership skills that have helped tremendously in my personal and professional life. I can only hope that if I am blessed with a son that he will be able to enjoy the many opportunities and adventures that Scouting has to offer. Happy 100th Scouting, and here’s to 100 more!”

Alan Tart
Milton City Councilman

“Without a doubt, my fondest memory of Scouting was the time spent with my father. Although my father worked out of town a lot when I was young, he would join our troop on camping trips on the weekends. As an Eagle Scout himself, he was a role model for all of us.

I always admired him for being able to do anything, and he loved to pass on what he knew to others. From survival skills to his profound respect for the environment and our country to his vast knowledge of science, my father learned a lot of what he knew from being in Boy Scouts.  I was proud to have a dad who not only was intelligent, but who also had a talent for being able to patiently teach others what he knew in a way that was fun and interesting.

I am thankful to Boy Scouts for allowing me the opportunity to share experiences with my dad that I might not have otherwise had.”