Thanks to all those adults who served as Advisors at Philmont. Thanks to all the Scouts who served as Crew Leaders at Philmont, no one will understand the challenges of hiking and leading like you do, I applaud you for the job you took on, THANK YOU!!
I would write notes to the Scouts at Philmont and send them along with whoever was the Crew Advisor to read to the crew to read while on the trail, here is just one of them
Congratulations, on making it this far on your trip. I am very proud of each of you and your role in making it to this point. As you can see a lot of the things Scouting has taught you are put into practice here at a great place like Philmont. It is not only the camping skills but also the skills of being a leader, when to follow, and when to work as equals. A trip like this does not successfully happen without the concern for all in the group. Your hike is only as successful as your ability to work as a team. During the months that proceeded, we stressed training and the importance of it all, hopefully, that has helped you with the physical aspects. Now on the trails of Philmont, you have tons of things to offer and the way you approach each day will be directly related to the success of your trip. You can focus on how your feet might hurt, a missed program, how your pack doesn't feel the best, or how long the day might be. OR you can focus on the positives too, while hiking, take a deep breath, and smell the air. Take a stop, look around, and see what a beautiful place Philmont is and how special it is for Scouting to have such a great place to put your skills to the test. Think about how much more you have learned about Scouting, your fellow Scouts, and yourself. In the course of your free time and when your tasks are done, take a moment, hike up a hill, with a buddy of course, and sit and watch the sunset, watch the eagles and hawks circle a mountain top, watch a distant thunderstorm and ENJOY what Philmont has to offer. Yeah, you can play Frisbee, hacky sack, or just lay around in your tent, but to sit back and enjoy Philmont may be more relaxing than anything you have experienced. Each day brings a new challenge, a new adventure, and maybe a new experience, enjoy each and every one of them.
I hope the rest of your trip is enjoyable, and just so you have a chance to sit back and relax I sent along some Jelly Belly's, which is kind of a tradition of mine to the crew. As much as I would have liked to hike with BOTH crews, I am only able to hike with one crew, but understand I am with you in spirit each day. Enjoy the trip and see you back at base camp.
Mr. F.
PS My favorite quote for an adventure like this... "what does not kill you, will make you stronger.... ", build on the strengths... have a good one.
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