Local Scouts participate in Fair St. Louis

It is an organization that teaches boys how to survive nearly any situation. It gives those same boys an opportunity to form life-long friendships and social skills.

That is why, for the past two years, a group of dedicated Boy Scouts have given up their July 4 holiday weekend in order to travel to St. Louis to promote the organization and all the benefits it offers.

Bloomfield Troop 72 and Dexter Pack 200 Webelo Leader Alfred Thornburgh of Bloomfield, along with Pack 200 Webelo Scout Jeremiah Thornburgh and Troop 72 Assistant Scoutmaster and Pack 200 Assistant Cubmaster Mary Thornburgh, have attended Fair St. Louis at their own expense to entice young men to join the Greater St. Louis Area Counsel, of which Stoddard County's Sioux District is a member.

"Not many boy scouts will do this because they don't want to give up their holiday weekend and there is no reimbursement for travel costs or anything," said Mary Thornburgh. "The only thing they are given is a T-shirt that says 'volunteer' on it so that they can get into the fair."

In 1981, St. Louis businessman Robert Hermann organized a group of civic leaders to promote St. Louis to the region and the world. That effort resulted in the first fair on the river front on July 3-5, 1981.

In 1994 the fair was renamed Fair St. Louis. The new name more effectively showcases the civic pride of the people in St. Louis. In the past few years Fair St. Louis has been featured on national television and this has certainly been good public relations for St. Louis, drawing in thousands of attendees each year to see breathtaking air shows, a multitude of big name entertainers, educational activities, and excellent food, as well as fireworks displays every evening before the fair wraps up.

With such a high number of attendees and so many things to see and do, Thornburgh said that the group wanted to have a demonstration that would catch the attention of passers-by and entice more children to sign up.

With that in mind, the group made what Boy Scouts call a "monkey bridge," or a man-made bridge that can be made out of several types of materials.

"A monkey bridge is usually made out of rope and Boy Scouts are urged to carry rope with them all the time," said Thornburgh. "Monkey bridges are used to get a person across a creek or ditch they might come across and would look like one of those suspended bridges you see on Indiana Jones."

The bridge constructed for Fair St. Louis, however, was made from tree limbs lashed -- or held -- together by string or rope, whichever the scout may have at his disposal.

"This was used to demonstrate one of the many skills that Boy Scouts learn," said Thornburgh. "How long it takes to make one of these bridges varies with the length of the bridge and what it is being constructed out of."

Thornburgh said that Bloomfield Troop 72 will be holding a sign-up day at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 23, at the Bloomfield City Park. All boys ages 11-17 are eligible to sign up, as well as leaders 18 and over. Boys signing up must have a parent or guardian present.

"The primary goal of this troop is having fun while learning both important life skills and service to their community," said Thornburgh. "Our motto is that everyone deserves to have a GOOD TIME -- Great Outrageous Outdoor Dynamic Terrific Interesting Motivating Experience."

According to the Boy Scouts of America Web site, the purpose of the Boy Scouts of America, incorporated on February 8, 1910, and chartered by Congress in 1916, is to provide an educational program for boys and young adults to build character, to train in the responsibilities of participating citizenship and to develop personal fitness.

For more information on joining the Bloomfield pack, contact Thornburgh at 568-3195.

Sacha Champion may be reached via e-mail at schampion@dailystatesman.com