have you heard anything about this? A young boy is trying to get the Boy Scouts of America to re-instate the beekeeping merit badge, which has been obsolete since 1995. here is his statement:
My name is Christopher Stowell.
I am 13 years old. I am a boy scout in Troop 250. I am also a Beekeeper in Skiatook, OK. I am a member of both the North East Oklahoma Bee keepers Association (NEOBA) located in Tulsa, OK., and The Oklahoma State Bee keepers Association. I have recently learned that the Boy Scouts of America discontinued the Bee Keeping merit badge in 1995. I have contacted the National council and ask why. They have informed me that there was not enough bee keepers in America. They also informed me that the reinstatement of the merit badge had been brought up several times sense to no avail. It seems to me that it would only make sense to encourage bee keeping if there are not enough bee keepers in our country. I believe that now more than ever before the survival of the honey bee is important to all. If other boys are not encouraged to learn how to become bee keepers the honey bee will surly die out. Not only I feel this way but I believe that bee keepers all across America believe in the importance of teaching the younger generations the importance of the honey bee. The reinstatement of the merit badge will lend validity to the art of bee keeping. I am contacting you to ask your support in getting the Boy Scout Bee keeping merit badge reinstated. I am working on a proposal to the National Boy scout Council. I am also working on getting a petition signed by as many people as possible that would like to see the merit badge reinstated. I have a goal set to send in my proposal to the council by July 15, 2010. At that time , I would like your endorsement of my proposal as well as your help in getting as many bee keepers and people who believe in the importance of youth learning how to keep bees as possible involved in this effort.
This is what I need from you.
1. A letter from you addressing the Boys scout council to send along with my proposal would be very beneficial. Please send it to my personal address above on you letter head stationary if possible. I will take it along on July 15th.
2.I would also like to get a petition being signed in your area to add to the list of names we already have. I will be getting that to you soon to get it passes around. By e-mail or in person at association meetings.
3.If you could e-mail the National Boy scout council now, a personal letter from you telling them why you would like to see the merit badge reinstated and about the many bee keepers you have in your area that would be great.
Here is the e-mail you would need to address that letter too Ronda.Devaney@scouting.org Please copy and pass this letter to other bee keepers and gardeners in your area. This is not a boy scout project. I am doing this on my own. All expense is paid for by my parents. So please help get the word out. If you have any other ideas on how you could help please feel free to contact me. I would appreciate any thing you can do to help. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely, Christopher Stowell BSA Troop 250, Skiatook, Ok. e-mail dragonhero244@yahoo.com
here are links to forms that can be filled out to help this cause:
If you do not want to do a public post, you can print, sign and mail this form letter to Christopher Stowell: http://www.beesource.com/files/bsabeekeepingletter.bsa.pdf
Finally, if you are a member of a beekeeping club, please ask your club to pass this resolution: http://www.beesource.com/files/bsaclubresolution.bsa.pdf
Lets pull together for something we love, and get this done!!
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