Today I would like to thank Charlie Manning. Charlie reluctantly became part of the Scouting circle when his oldest son Skip joined the Troop. Charlie went on a few campouts and said the food sucked (I cleaned that up a bit). He is the one who started cooking as the main attraction to campouts, especially summer camp. It boiled into “The Feast” at summer camp with loaves of bread, meats, and all kinds of things. Charlie and I became friends and before you knew it he asked me if I wanted to work for him. I initially said no, but when a second chance came around, I said why not. Some of our friends were doubtful this relationship would work out for more than a year, let’s say we were kind of opposites, and leave it like that. Well 30 years later, I am still working for him, we ended up becoming business partners on CBTL and remain friends today. Charlie not only was involved in the Troop but he went on to become the leader of the Sea Scout Ship, he staffed NYLT (JLTC) Woodbadge and Seabadge training, did Philmont and was very involved in all levels of Scouting. We have talked hours and hours of Scouting over the years. We know SO MANY people from our scouting days, they still stream into the office to stop in and say HI. Many of them are lifelong friends. I want to thank Charlie and his wife Mary for their support over all these years. Thank for the time Charlie let me spend on scouting while I worked for him but mostly for his ear to bend often on the trials and tribulations of Scouting. You are a big part of my success! THANK YOU….We have had a good run! Happy Birthday too!
It is easy to believe that Charlie Manning said "&#@!$" about the food (or anything else for that matter). The "feast" was quite a legend at Lyle. The best thing about the "feast" was that it was a great way that some Scouters and Scouts showed how much they appreciated the Lyle staff, who were doing so much for so little renumeration. T-161 doing the feast raised the bar and encouraged other units to express their thanks to the Lyle staff for all of their hard work, sacrifice and enthusiasm.
Tim, thanks for engaging Charlie Manning to become involved in Scouting. He was a fantastic Wood Badge SPL and Course Director, giving me a lot of inspiration to do m…