Welcome, everybody, to Midday Magazine for this March 28th, 2025.
Have your host, James here, and boy, we've been looking forward to this all week long.
We're talking Scouting America for the next 20-some minutes.
We've got a bunch of great individuals, and with us, I'm going to let them introduce
themselves so you guys can put a voice to the name, and we'll get into some information
about Scouting America.
We'll go down the line here and let you introduce yourselves.
So I'm Sam Hansen.
I'm the District Executive for this area.
My job is to handle all the things that help our troops run smoothly.
Thanks, Sam.
Thanks for being here.
Good to see you again.
Well, I'm Angel Sherman, and I am an Eagle Scout out of 9171-1-1-71 here in a troop
in Wisconsin Rapids.
Great to meet you, Angel.
Thanks for being here.
And I am Amy Sherman.
I am the District's Activity Chair for the AutoWagum District, and I'm also a Scout
Master for 9171-1-71 here in Wisconsin Rapids.
Thanks for being here, Amy.
This is an audio medium, of course, so you guys don't get to see Amy's cool hair.
She's awesome hair, you guys.
We're going to talk a little Scouting America here, get into some of the activities, some
of the cool things that you guys are up to.
If you don't mind, I'd like to start with you, Angel, because we don't often get a chance
to actually talk to a current member of Scouting, and finding out what got you to want to
be involved in this, how did you get involved with it?
Well, it started out, and when my little brother was in first grade, and he joined in Scouting
in the Cub Scout unit, and I saw everything that they were doing, and they're having
a good time, and they did a lot of camping, and I discovered that through camping, I really
liked nature, so I decided I was going to join the moment that females were allowed
in Scouting, but when 2019 came around, I wasn't allowed in Cub Scouts, so I joined the
local troop, which was 171, but we had to make our own troop, so I founded 9171 and started
promoting girls joining ours, so that we could start doing our own things, like camping,
and have been doing that since then.
Angel, you're a bit of a sleeper here, like I didn't expect all that, that is really
impressive.
Thank you.
I write away one of the ask, what it means for you, as a lady to be in part of this.
You just touched on that a little bit, and how this wasn't always the case, and now that
we're here, where anybody can join Scouting, and how Scouting has gotten so much more inclusive
and much more representative of our areas.
Something that Kevin and I have talked about on air off air quite a bit too, the importance
of this.
One, just to be blunt about it, to keep Scouting relevant and alive, that has been a big part
of this.
Scouting has been important to many of my friends growing up, and how much they loved it.
We want to keep these programs alive and around for kids, but the idea of taking it to the
next level, and having women involved in it and everything.
First, this is just me talking, this should have a long time ago, but I'll say here we
are now, and here is an opportunity, like we're going to talk about the cool things that
you guys are doing, and how you're impacting communities, helping, doing all these things.
Let's just take this one story, just this one story that Angel's telling us right here.
You started this troop, it started because of you.
That felt pretty good.
Oh yeah, absolutely.
Build some confidence in you?
Oh yeah, absolutely.
I was shoved right into the senior patrol leader position, which is the highest position
a youth could lead, which is just leading my entire troop.
Let you in on something, Angel, that you'll find out as you get to be older and you can
become an adult.
One of the jobs of us as adults is to build you guys up, is to make you feel more confident,
is to help you, whatever you do in life, you take that confidence with you.
You just did it yourself.
Oh yeah.
That's fantastic.
That's really cool.
That's very, very cool, and it's just one thing good, and it's just one thing that
has come of this, I imagine.
Just taking this one individual story tells you everything you need to know about how important
this program is, how important scouting is, what it can do for young people, how it can
build them up, help them take this confidence.
I can only imagine you're going to do great things as you get older, Angel, but whatever
you do, we're not sure what you might do, but you're going to want some confidence with
it.
You're going to need some of that with it.
That's just one thing that scouting has done, and thank you so much for sharing that
with us.
Nice work.
Yeah, of course.
What would you say to young people out there listening or parents out there listening
to encourage people to be a part of scouting?
What would you say?
I would say, if you're thinking about it, just do it, because honestly, I joined because
I thought about it and wanted to do it, and it changed my life completely.
I am a much better person than I thought I would be, and it has taught me a lot, so
if you're thinking about it, just do it.
Well done, Angel.
Well done.
I feel a little bit bad for Sam and Amy, they're going to follow that, but no, no, that's
fantastic.
That's fantastic.
Nice work.
Appreciate that.
I did want to talk a little bit, Amy, about some of the activities that you guys have coming
up, and some of the unique things that you guys are doing over there.
Can we touch on some of that?
Yeah.
The end of April, April 25th through the 27th, we are doing a spring campery out at the
historical point bass at Wakely.
This is where we get together for the full weekend, and we will have different activities
going on from orientating, lashing.
We're also going to have the Wasa GPAA come in for gold panning and whatnot.
They're going to bring in all their awesome equipment and show the scouts and other leaders
there that how to gold pan, and it's going to be really cool because we're also opening
up to the public.
This campery is a pioneering slash recruitment campery, so we are encouraging scouts to
invite their friends out for the day to see what scouting is truly about, because the
best way to actually see it is do it.
We're super stoked about that.
Real quick about that program.
This is one of my favorite things when nonprofits work together, and you guys and our friends
at historic point bass, they join us once a month, they've not twice a month, and we love
to help keep history alive over there and be a small little part of what they do over
there.
Then to take scouting over there to really learn some of these things that is important
in scouting, but also just kind of cool to learn and be able to take pride in your area
and the history of your area.
Then you mentioned the panhandling thing.
That's awesome.
That is wild.
That is a really cool idea of having somebody that really knows their stuff coming over
there to talk about it.
That's really cool.
That is correct.
It's one of the things that we're trying to do, especially in the out-of-wagum district.
We're trying to really bring in the community and branch out and get that support because
as scouts, it's really important for us to get back to the community and to build those
relationships because we really enjoy what we do and we want other people to come and
see the enjoyment, especially in the scouts' faces because that's where it's at.
The youth themselves, they run a majority of my camparines.
The last camparine I did, it was purely youth led.
The only thing I did was make sure nobody got injured or died.
That was my youth ran the whole entire camparine and that's how we're working at this next
one.
It's all about empowering the youth as much as possible.
Sounded a little bit like when I babysat my brother and sister.
Those are great notes.
Thank you for that.
I'm curious to just a real quick side note here.
As Angel was mentioning, this being more inclusive, bringing more women involved in it, it's
not like it happened yesterday, but I imagine that we're still trying to get the word out
about that.
Are you finding that?
It's still something we're working on.
That is correct.
Honestly, as much promoting as we've been doing, we're still trying to get out there.
Females are more than welcome here.
Yes, we have the Girl Scouts and the Girl Scouts is a great program.
They are amazing.
Also, but if you want to do more of the camping and the out hands-on-hands thing, the Scouting
America program is an amazing choice, especially for those females that are more outdoorsy and
want to get their hands dirty and we want everyone, boys, girls, everyone, we want everyone.
It's just an amazing program and it's just amazing to watch the Scouts come in and grow
because it's just an amazing experience.
It changes their lives.
It really does.
Oh, well said.
And with all the opportunities that come with Scouting, Angel got to go to the Capitol
this week for Scouting.
Oh, yeah, I did.
Yeah, she did.
She gave the report to the Senate that they do every year.
So, seven Scouts from the districts, one from each of the councils went up and gave
the reports and Angel was Samo Sets scouted to go up, Eagle Scout to go up there and
give the report this year to the senators and to Governor Evers.
So...
Angel, you rock.
That's awesome.
That's awesome.
Thank you.
Thank you.
You know, one of the things that I really focus on when it comes to the youth and ways
to empower you guys, help you guys in one of the things I encourage any chance you get
is to do public speaking.
Almost anything you do in life, you're going to have to do some public speaking on some
level or another and the way to get good at it is reps is just doing it.
You know, and the more you do it, the more comfortable you feel with it.
So just that opportunity is great, but then the people that you were speaking to, like
nicely done.
That's very cool.
And that's great.
I appreciate you guys bringing that up.
That's a great example of what we're talking about here and the things that these kids
can do to really build them up along with also just getting some great experiences and
great life experiences.
One of the things that I like about Scouting is how it can start a spark in so many different
areas that you just don't know.
Here's another one.
Who knows?
We need great young people to want to be involved in politics and in our environment.
So many different areas and so many different categories.
Who knows where that spark might happen because of some of these programs and activities.
That's really cool.
Are there some other things that you wanted to mention that you guys are up to?
I know one of the other activities we're doing in May is what it's called is a district
Pinewood Derby.
So Otto Agam will take all their little cubbies that want to run their Pinewood Derby
cars again over to Nikusa High School in May 10th and they will be able to enter that
and run their cars down the track and it just have a fun filled day of Derby Racing.
So it's a long time tradition in Scouting.
Yes, yes it is and they absolutely love it from cub scouts all the way up to the VSA
troop side.
They just they love the cars and they do an amazing job on building these cars and racing
these cars.
It's a fun time to watch them light up as their cars going down that track.
So I got a friend of mine and we're old but he was in Scouting when we were young and
he still has his like he just it meant so much to him.
He really enjoyed it that much.
It's it's fun to hear those activities that are still around while also you know I give
such a credit to Scouting and evolving you know and being able to keep some of those
fun things that kids did when they were young or a long time ago but we're still doing
now and keeping those alive while also kind of just evolving and whether it is being
more inclusive or it's just some of the activities you guys are up to and ways that you're impacting
our communities.
You hit it on the head earlier of course with the giving back and that that's what this
comes down to and there's no downside to that.
There's no you know negative to that and everything and more and more that young people see
that hopefully the more we get young people involved as they get older and become adults
like us and everything and tend to do these things.
I do want to take some time to talk about the food campaign coming up next month.
Let's dive right into that.
So Scouting for Food is our biggest volunteer project that the Scouts do throughout the
state of Wisconsin and throughout the United States but specifically in our area of Wisconsin
rapids our packs and troops are going out on April 5th.
They're going to distribute yellow door hangers and different neighborhoods that they have
chosen that they are going to walk through hang them on doors.
But these door hangers are going to say that they're looking for non-perishable food items
to be donated on April 12th and it's really easy.
This Scouting event is you collect the door hanger realize that you want to donate food
to our parishes our food food pantries and so on April 12th when all the scouts are
going to go back out into the community all you have to do is take your yellow door
hanger and tape it on to a plastic bag full of non-perishable food items and the Scouts
will go through all the neighborhoods and pick them up and take them to their local
food banks and this is amazing.
The Scouts are taking two Saturdays out of their own spring it is going to be really
nice out and they're doing this so that we can feed our community and they're taking
the steps to go and plan the areas that they're going to go to pick up all of the food
and in the end it's going to be thousands of pounds of food.
That our community can now tap into and so April 5th if you are if April 5th if you receive
a yellow door hanger that has Scouting America the Scouting for Food you keep that hold
on to it until April 12th and if you'd like to participate in our food drive take it
tape it on to the bag and set it on your doorstep.
We would really like to see that yellow door hanger on there so that we know that it
is for the Scouting for Food and it's not your Walmart pickup order and so and if we
do miss if there are scouts do miss your donation bag you can also take it to your local
food pantry and get to know the people that work there and get comfortable with taking
perishable items to that area.
Thank you for that I appreciate it nicely done.
One of the things that I've been honest with this audience for over 20 years about this
topic this is one of my more passions this is one of my my as far as hunger and helping
people with that where I come from that there's something that didn't have enough of these
kind of things so when it comes to being able to help one person let alone a whole community
or multiple communities it's all hands on deck and we want to help out.
I always like to take a moment to to credit this community because man this community steps
up with these things.
Another great nonprofit that we work with the United Way of Southwood and Amps counties
they do a number of events like this and I've been able to be a part of those as a judge
for the United Weekend events and it just every I've been doing it for like think seven
or eight years and every year I'm blown away by the amount of food that is donated and
how much people care and one of the other things that's come up from the United Way is
the ALS report and talking about that and the numbers speak for themselves that so many
of your neighbors your friends your family are right next or if not on the cusp of it
on the other side of needing help needing assistance.
I like to touch on this as much as I can too because they won't do it and not enough
people know about it so many of our military our veterans are struggling right now to
put food on the table and they're not going to ask for it because they don't ask for help
that's not what they do and I grew up with a lot of soldiers I don't tell you I know
what I'm talking about here this is on us as a community step up for them and to be there
for them and here man scouting couldn't make it easier for you all you got to do is open
your door just open your door and grab that thing and just put it right back out there and boom it's
done and and not for nothing as much as all this is a good thing to do and just we want you
to do it to be a part of it I will say it feels good it feels so good to be a part of something
like this even a small part of it it goes so much farther than we can explain there are I was
talking before about kids I think a lot of people when they focus on hunger they immediately think
of an adult they immediately think of older people and stuff and I don't you know want to escape
past that that's important but the the stats speak for themselves eighty some percent of those
individuals are parents and have kids and they that's again coming back to building kids up and
having a better future for these kids and for all of us it goes so much farther than just putting
food on the table food is energy food is life it helps them in school helps these individuals at
work which helps your tax dollars it is a domino effect everybody so just by doing this one thing
putting those non-parasable food items on your front you know right outside your door or something
like that you're affecting all these areas you're impacting all these different areas from one
can of food it's incredible to be able to do that and it's incredible what you guys are doing
with this it's a really nice system too I couldn't make it easier for people really couldn't
was there anything else that we want to let people know about as far as that program goes when
is it starting up again next month yep so April 5th we are going to distribute the yellow door hangers
and then April 12th is when our scouts are going to pick up the perishable food items from those
areas if a house doesn't have one of those yellow hangers there but they still would like to be a part
of this we just encourage them to donate those items to their local food pantry yes sir
all right on right on so that's another great opportunity for you to do that everybody and again
keeping in mind the individuals that you're helping are oftentimes people that you may know
in town because let's be honest it's not just soldiers but we grew up in the Midwest we don't
ask for help we run some dirt on it and we keep walking that's what we do here in the Midwest
and I love our people for that but it's also where we kind of have we know that about each other
so stepping up in these situations can mean so much and go so much farther than we can realize
as we're wrapping up I started with putting angel on the spot I mean asking your questions
what I'd like to do to wrap up here a little bit before we live people give the audience
information how they can find out more about scouting and be a member of scouting I'd like to ask
both of you adults how you got involved in scouting and why you continue to be involved in scouting
and we'll go ahead and go down a line here a little bit if you don't mind so I got into scouting
in middle school my siblings were in scouting and at the time I wasn't allowed to hang out during
the meetings and stuff like that it was more of just for the scouts and that directly impacting
the families but when I was in middle school they started allowing the siblings to join the
meetings and then I got to go on to a youth led trip and Wyoming where we did
we did trail work and we backpacked like 40 miles one trip and that's what got me into it and I
also got to be a senior patrol leader like angel is right now and it's a really it's a very
proud thing to be a part of because you get to take on that leadership and it's really boosted
it helped me go to college with being a senior patrol leader and being involved with venturing
with scouting so I'm very proud of you angel for also stepping up and taking on that role
right on thank you for sharing that um I got involved I was a girl scout when I was younger and I
absolutely loved it um but my youngest son wanted to join uh cubscouts so I got involved that
way with cubscouts and um I took on small roles uh in 2018 I helped set back up uh troop 171
for the boys to cross over and then in 2019 they said girls could be part of the troop and well
angel here needed a home so um I decided to help her found troop 9171 so I became the scout
master of 9171 and that I've been running that for the last five years um we've done some really
awesome things with 9171 uh angel and I and another scout joined another female troop we went to
sea base in Florida and did a whole experience there which was amazing so we have our numbers there
in Florida at sea base and then um this last year they did the pilot program where uh we joined forces
with our male counterparts but that we worked really well with so um we are now officially part of
171 and so males and females are together working together how the program should be going because
um when you put males and females together they just make each other better they they push each
other the females are pushing the males to do so much more and it is just it is an amazing
experience to watch from start up to where you end up now it's just uh it's incredible
really good to hear that's really good to hear and appreciate you guys sharing all that and
everything you shared with us in our audience today um I have no doubt that people want to find out
more they may even want to be a part of scouting or get their kids involved in scouting and certainly
uh even if uh it's not your kids and you want to get involved we're always looking for volunteers
and good people to be a part of this amazing program if they would like to know more should we
send to the website is there contact information that we can give them yeah so the easiest if you
just google be a scout or how do I join scouting it's going to take you to the national page where
you can look up uh based on youth age or if you want to be an adult volunteer and then you just
put in your area code and then it shows you exactly the closest packs and troops that are next to you
but if you want to learn about local events you can look at the samoset.org um and that's where you
can find all of our events that are going on excellent thank you so much i cannot thank you guys
enough for joining us today you guys were awesome thank you so much uh we'll look
forward to talking with you again real soon okay and uh stay in touch we'll we'll be talking about
the events coming up in april and we'll bring you back real soon thank you all thank you all thank you
and a big thank you to uh all of you for listening all of our guests all week long and of course the
heart of wfhr pan healthy and the amazing scheduling she does week in a week out we appreciate you
we'll be back more coming up next week right here 975 fm wfhr
