Developing Memories Captain`s Report

Ojczyzna, Nauka, Cnota — Homeland, Education, Virtue
Throughout the summer the scouts in the
Baden Powel program were greeted with
Cuzwaj, be vigilant, the motto and common greeting for Polish scouts. The
white and red flag
of Poland was
proudly raised over
QSR and
Mateusz Stok an
exchange Scout
from Poland found
a home away from
his homeland. Mateusz is from Pszczyha
a small city of 30,000 from southern
Poland. He related how the scouting
movement in Kansas and Poland are
similar. The Zwiazek Harcerstwa
Polskiego (ZHP), The Polish Scout
Association is a Scout and Guide organization has almost 450,000 (210,000
males, 240,000 females) members. The
ZHP is open to everyone regardless of
origin, race or creed. ZHP has a strong
tradition of forest camping, and traditional Scout activities as well as modern
high adventure activities of parachuting,
ballooning, and scuba diving. The fleurde-lis is common to both the ZHP and
the BSA and they share similar values;
just compare their badge. The fleur-delis on Mateusz’s uniform is surrounded
by an unbroken ring, symbolizing both
perfection and scout unity. The rays
inside the ring signify the Latin phrase,
"per aspera ad astra" ("through hard-
ships to the stars"), sound familiar? The
wreath around the centre of the Maltese
Cross is composed of two parts. To the
left there is a chain of oak leaves which
symbolize strength,
courage, heroism
and agility. To the
right there is a chain
of laurel leaves —
signify knowledge,
proficiency and symbolize victory over
one’s own weakness. The tie between
both chains is to remind every Scout to
commit good deeds every day. The arms
of the cross are filled with grains of
sand. Their purpose is to remind the
multitude of Scouts their path is determined by fate like the stones that are
thrown on the road.
of selected any one of the many scout
camps the across United States and luck
would have it he was chosen to work at
Q. The staff at QSR openly welcomed
Mateusz. Immediately he felt like he
belonged and made lots of new friends.
Each week he tightened the bond of the
world scouting movement by giving a
presentation on Polish Scouts. Back
home Mateusz is Troup Leader for Cub
Scouts and Brownies, zuchy, ages 7-11
years. He is also group leader for Scouts
and Guides, harcerze i harcerki ages 1115 years. He is a Rangers, harcerki starsze, the over 15 years and achieved what
is compareable to Eagle Scout, and will
take a leadership course similar to Wood
badge this fall after working on staff for
two weeks at camp back home.
“It’s very fantastic that I can be here!”
when asked what he thinks of camp.
“The biggest adjustment was the meals,
your lunch was like my supper in Poland, and the second meal is the biggest
meal of the day back home.” His previous 8 years of camp experience allowed
him to instruct first aid, swimming and
pioneering. He was able to connect to
scouts this summer despite struggling to
overcome the language barrier by his
expertise on safety, how to build fires,
tie knots and make strong lashings. The
road may take you someplace new, but
the basic scout skills are universal.
Scout and Guide Promise:
"It is my sincere wish to serve
God and Poland with the whole of
my life, to give my willing help to
other people, and to obey the
Scout and Guide Law."
Fate is what brought Mateusz to work at
QSR. There are many other opportunities to work internationally, last year he
has worked in Germany. His destiny to
work a QSR was determined in Dallas,
at the National BSA headquarters. When
they received his application, they could
Developing Memories
How long would you wait for a photograph? In the digital age of ever-present
camera phones, socially streamed experiences, and Instagram-ready moments, our
patience for taking images is disappearing.
While being able to share any photo at any
time has its appeal, today’s photo ubiquity
can easily lend itself to our collective dismissal of truly great portraits. For some
photographers, this means returning to
photography’s roots.
Chris Nail, a professor of Santa Fe University of Art and Design, has been taking
photographs for more than 30 years, and
in the last year has used wet plate photography for his work. That’s right — Shaggy
works with tintypes, a vintage style of
photography printed with silver on aluminum and varnished over. You may recognize the style from history books; tintypes
create haunting, expressive portraits reminiscent of a bygone era. Chris works with
a 100+ year old view camera and a vintage lens capable of very shallow depth of
field, although he brought a 10 year old
modern version along as back up. Be Prepared, right? The camera allows for manipulation of the film and lens planes not
possible with digital cameras. The result is
ability to bend or straighten the focus of
the image.
Tintypes are incredible. For those who
were not able to watch you in action,
what’s a tintype and how’s one made?
Tintype is a photographic process invented in the 1850’s. It is a form of “wet
plate” or “collodion” photography. To
make a plate, you start with a blackened
metal, engraving aluminum for example,
although there are variations, such as ambrotypes that are made on glass. Over the
plate you pour a thin layer of medical
grade collodion that has been mixed with
other chemical salts and some solvents.
Once the collodion has just started to set
up, the plate is immersed in a solution of
silver nitrate. The silver nitrate reacts with
the salts in the collodion to create a light
sensitive form of silver. A few minutes
later, the sensitized plate is removed from
the bath, cleaned, and placed in a light
proof holder that fits into the camera. Up
until now, everything has taken place in a
dark tent under safelight. The holder is
place into the camera, the plate is exposed
for several seconds and then taken back
into the dark tent. A ferrous sulfate devel-
oper is then flowed quickly over the plate
to bring out the image before the plate is
washed. Then the plate is brought outside
and placed into a bath of rapid fixer which
clears the unneeded silver and reveals the
image….it’s my favorite part. After that,
the plate is washed again and after it’s dry
I coat it with a varnish made of sandarac,
lavender oil and alcohol to protect it. The
whole process takes about 15 minutes. It’s
just a bit more involved than Instagram.
me, it took the father of one of my closest
friends while we were in college. So while
I join the millions of others participating
the most effective viral fundraising ALS
have ever recorded I ask myself “will my
money be well spent? What do I get for
my donation? Will it make a difference?”
Questions I willingly answer for the QSA.
Yes, the money QSA receives is well
spent. We have no paid positions;
everyone is a volunteer. Want a peek at
our books? You can. We have nothing to
hide. Last year 2013-2014 fiscal year
there were 10 paid memberships ($15
each = $150), 32 gratis memberships (7
new and 25 renewed = $0), Fundraising
($400), other donations ($100). A total of
$650.00, of which it was spent: $300
scholarship, $60 reunion snacks and refreshments, $136 newsletter and postage,
$120 Christmas card and postage. We also
donated $55 to the council. We wrote off
the 2013 non-reimbursed fundraising merchandise from the previous summer. We
also distributed $50 worth of QSA patches
to the current staff.
What do you get for a paid membership?
The QSA publishes and sends a quarterly
newsletter, an annual Christmas card,
maintains and updates a web site, sends
relevant emails, and voices your concerns
to the council. I think we make a huge
difference. If you need proof just read
Double D’s thank you. That difference
will continue to grow and expand as we
continue to grow and expand. We are taking an active role in the shape of the
ranch, and our generosity is just getting
started.
Captain’s Report
Scouts are generous. It might as well be
the 14th point of the Scout Law, you know
right after a scout is hungry (13th). So
when I was challenged with the ALS Ice
Bucket Challenge, I reached for my
checkbook, I didn’t pour a bucket of icy
cold water over my head; because the
challenge is about raising money and
awareness, not getting wet. Amyotrophic
Lateral Sclerosis, aka ALS, aka Lou
Gerick’s Disease, is horrible and debilitating progressive disease, currently with no
cure. The disease hits close to home for
Quivira Staff Association, 2 Lucerne Ct. Columbia, MO 65203
www.qsrstaff.com
Still Developing
The photography is suggestive of old
carnival and civil war photos. Is that
the magic of tintypes and what draws
you to the medium?
The process was used for most of the images we call to mind when we think of the
Civil War or the early work documenting
the American West, so it has a feel that is
certainly rooted in an earlier time. This
project I’m working on is about the Staff
here at QSR, specifically, those Staff
members who are in college and are feeling the pull of camp against better paying these people are that are so dedicated to a
jobs and internships. I want to show who place and an ideal despite everything that
is trying to pull them away. The tintypes
allow me to share what I’m doing with
everyone, which has made the entire process much easier. Instead of me shooting
with film or digitally and then going back
to my little corner to work on images
alone, I get to share what I’m doing every
step of the way. It’s also helped to alleviate some concerns the Council may have
had. I worked with Allen to get permission to photograph the staff, but the fact
that the process really only allows me to
photograph people who are willing participants probably didn’t hurt! Also, concen-
trating on the young adults of staff makes
it much easier to get model releases
signed. I did photograph some of the
youth members of the Staff, but unless
they had a parent who could sign a waiver,
I just gave them the plate because they
need to be included as well, and it was a
way I could thank them for the work they
do. Additionally, I’m working on images
that will hopefully be of some use to the
council when it comes to marketing the
camp. Q is unique and I want to be able to
provide them with some images that reflect that.
Gaga for Gaga Ball
Support the QSA this Christmas
While attending the National Jamboree
next round. The Tribe would like to have a
last summer, Jim Schmitz saw attendees
Scout Master Tournament during the 2015
playing this strange game in an area and a Camping Season.
ball. So he checked it out. Gaga ball is a
game that came from across the
oceans. The Tribe built the pit May 5th.
The game is so popular, the Tribe has had
to close the pit during certain times. Here
are some rules: Any number of people can
play. To start, everyone in the pit must be
touching the wall. Someone tosses the ball
in the center of the pit and the ball must
bounce twice on the ground. After the
second bounce, the ball is live. Slap-hit
the ball with your open hand only. Must
hit someone below the knees to get them
out but if you hit someone above the
knees, your out. If the ball goes out of the
pit, your out. The group plays until there
is a winner. The winner gets to play in the
I know the summer camping season has
ended and that fall is here and reasonable
people haven’t even thought about December 25th. Still the big box stores have
already set out Christmas displays. So it
only makes sense that you start your shopping early this year. When you shop support the QSA in your purchases. $2 from
every QSR Field Guide goes directly to
the staff scholarship. Do you have a Field
Guide yet? It is unique to Kansas and has
great facts about QSR. Written by multiple previous staff members.
Also order a custom oak box. Great for
storing your scouting stuff. Each one is
hand made from reclaimed barn wood.
Only a few boxes are made at a time. Order now to guarantee delivery by Christmas. Order either item by emailing the
QSA. qsrstaff@gmail.com
Dear QSA Thank You
Since its creation in 1961, the best selling
point for people choosing to attend
Quivira Scout Ranch has been without a
doubt its staff. Throughout the fifty-some
years of its existence many have tried to
draw attention to the lake and then to the
many attractions and beautiful land. These
people are the types that concern themselves with the frivolous things. Those
ideals and values that place so much gravity in material things while in good faith
are more than misguided. The primary
reason scouts and scouters alike choose a
place like Quivira Scout Ranch is because
of one word. A single word that defines
generations, a word that can speak for the
values and teachings of so
many, this word represents
the best of the best and can
defy all logic and defend
against persecution. A word
so powerful that simply
hearing it can cause memories to flood through the
mind and a myriad of emotions to come spilling forth
all at once. With this word
an army is called forth.
Sharing one vision, one
goal, and one heart. The
reason for so many to enjoy
such beautiful land and to
create fond memories of
their own is the Staff.
My name is Double D and I have had the
great honor and pleasure of serving as part
of the QSR Staff for the last eleven years
and enjoying the Staff for the last 15
years. Ever since my first years as a young
scout attending QSR I have admired the
entire staff and reached for nothing less
than joining the staff ranks and creating a
name for myself among them and among
the history of the staff. I only received a
glimpse of what staff was like from those
first years. And only when I was actually
part of staff did I understand just what I
was seeing as a camper. This mystical
brotherhood that united under one name.
A group of young and old, of green and
seasoned, and of eagle and tenderfoot
alike. Most of the time you can attribute
your successes at a place to one individual. That your experiences at a job and
learned behavior are made responsible for
by one or two people. However, with my
experience at camp for these last eleven
years and as I am sure anyone that has
served on staff for more than five minutes
will tell you, it’s not just one or two that
make you who you are. It’s the love and
commitment and values of generations of
people all at once. The fact that an entire
family sometimes larger than fifty can
teach you so many things at once is one of
the most profound ideas that I have had
about QSR. Even in my eleventh year on
staff I still learn so
much of who I am and
who I want to be. I
learn not only from the
few who are more
senior than myself.
Yet, the most I have
learned about the ideas
that we are sharing are
from those who are
not only more senior
than myself in staff
experience but those
whose reign precede
mine by years or even
decades.
Camp has always had
its ups and downs and there have always
been those that try to destroy the very nature of staff itself. But with every person
that tries to destroy us there are ten more
that will stand with us and for us. I describe here, of course, the Quivira Staff
Association. A group of men and women
from the past and present that represent
the best that QSR has to offer. They are
people from all walks of life with many
ambitions all their own and lives that are
as unique as a third year rock. Yet, no
matter where they are or who they are
now they all share one idea, one heart, and
one history. They too are staff.
I was overjoyed when I was named the
recipient of the 2014 QSA scholarship. So
many feelings and emotions spilling forth
that all I could do at the time was claim
that I didn’t deserve it. That there must be
someone more worthy than silly old Double D. But as I sit here typing and looking
at this award I understand that this isn’t
just an award. It’s not just a means to buy
books or school supplies. It’s a charge and
an accepted promise. A sign of a commitment I made eleven years ago. A promise
not only from me but to me. When I teach
young men I devote so much of myself to
what I am doing that I sometimes neglect
what is happening in the other forty six
weeks. And to be quite honest, that is ok
with me. I am not trying to claim that
what I do is perfect or even correct. But
when I signed my contract for the first
time I made a promise to myself that I
would not stop signing it until I was the
best staff member. After so many years I
realize that my goal is quite literally impossible. There is no such thing as the best
staff member. Only the best staff. So that
goal was accomplished on day one. The
rest of staff is what keeps me interested in
returning to camp every year. Although,
this last year was a terrifying one because
my 46 week night has been growling in
the bushes for some time. I am at a junction that leaves me with a great deal of
uncertainty. But that is where the promise
made to me comes in handy. I now realize
that I don’t have to deal with this uncertainty alone. Not only was there a monetary gift that will help out so much, there
was also a great deal more than that. There
Quivira Staff Association, 2 Lucerne Ct. Columbia, MO 65203
www.qsrstaff.com
was a multitude
of support that
was granted to
me as well. A
realization that
for the next few
years at least I
will have every
opportunity
possible and the
support needed
to get back to
camp and complete my impossible goal. Of
course as all staff members do one day I
will have to step away from a full time
staff position. As sad as that idea is to me
I will promise to become that source of
inspiration and support that I have grown
so fond of and been able to rely on. I will
strive to give the same amount of love to
the younger generations that the QSA has
given to me. I only hope that I can do half
as good a job at supporting current staff as
they have.
Thank you so much to everyone in the
QSA for this wonderful opportunity and
promise. I will use this scholarship to ensure that my stresses at home do not prevent me from coming back to camp and I
will now try my hardest to come back and
create even more memories and get more
life experiences. You are all so wonderful
and the things you do for this camp and
this staff are so vital and magical. We all
appreciate you and love hearing stories of
the good old days and hope that you all
will continue to come out to camp. Honestly I would love to see one QSA a week
as the grand overseer. We can make a
bead for it. I’ll just ask trucker what is
appropriate. I digress. Once again thank
you so much for the scholarship and I
can’t wait to be the one doing the supporting one day. I want to be a bra. May the
tribe of Quivira grant you happiness and
prosperity in your lives. Good day and
good luck.
-Sincerely and happily, Double D.