Troop 439 Campfire Ashes
Scoutmaster Larry Ross and ASM David Reis were introduced to the tradition of campfire ashes in 2007 during Wood Badge course WE1-611-07. This was before Troop 439 was even founded, but Larry and David knew that this was an important tradition they wanted to include in Troop 439's culture.
Legend has it that Lord Baden-Powell would always take a small amount of ashes from a ceremonial campfire and then spread these ashes into the next campfire. He explained the practice, "We carry our friendships with us in these ashes from other campfires with other comrades in other lands. May the joining of the dead fires with the leaping flames symbolize once more the unbroken chain that binds Scouts and Guides around the world. With greetings from our brothers and sisters around the world, I add these ashes, and the fellowship therein, to our campfire."
The main purpose of these ashes is to share with everyone present the memories of past campfires and to bring to all Scouts and Scouters the international aspect of the world brotherhood of Scouting.
Ashes taken from a campfire are sprinkled into the flames of the next campfire. The next morning, when the ashes are cold, they are stirred, and each Scout takes some along to mix with his next campfire. If more than one Scout brings ashes to the same campfire, the lists are pooled, with the dates and places of all campfires recorded and passed on. It is traditional that only those present at the ceremony carry ashes from that ceremony.
Troop 439's ashes carry memories of past campfires dating back to the 2nd World Jamboree in Ermelunden, Denmark, in 1924. They have been carried around the world to over 1000 Scouting campfires in 35 countries where Scouting fellowship has been shared.
Below is the ash history specific to Troop 439 and its members:
DATE | LOCATION | EVENT OR CAMP | NOTES | May 30, 2009 | Fishtrap Lake, Sprague, WA | Troop Campout | | June 27, 2009 | Cooks Lake, Usk, WA | Troop Campout | | July 23, 2009 | Camp Grizzly, Harvard, ID | Boy Scout Summer Camp | Campfire in "Lakeside" campsite shared with Troop 595, Colfax, WA | September 19, 2009 | Camp Easton, Harrison, ID | Troop Campout | Campfire in "Kootenai" campsite | October 18, 2009 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Grizzly District Fall Camporee | Campfire in "Mohawk" campsite shared with Webelos of Pack 439, Veradale, WA | March 13, 2010 | Camp Easton, Harrison, ID | Troop Campout | Campfire in "Clark" campsite | June 26, 2010 | South Skookum Lake, Usk, WA | Troop Campout | | August 6, 2010 | Camp Easton, Harrison, ID | Boy Scout Summer Camp | Campfire in firebowl after flag retirement; campfire in "Bedrock" campsite | August 21, 2010 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Pack 439 Campout (attended by members of Troop 439) | Campfire in Andrew S. Rosell Memorial Fire Bowl | October 16, 2010 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Grizzly District Fall Camporee | Campfire in "White Eagle" campsite shared with Webelos of Pack 439, Veradale, WA | March 12, 2011 | Camp Easton, Harrison, ID | Troop Campout | Campfire in "Clark" campsite | April 16, 2011 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Troop Campout | Campfire in campsite at Outdoor Learning Center | May 6, 2011 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Grizzly District Spring Camporee | Campfire in "Flathead" campsite shared with Webelos of Pack 439, Veradale, WA, and Pack 485, Opportunity, WA | July 18, 2011 | Camp Easton, Harrison, ID | Boy Scout Summer Camp | Opening campfire in firebowl, ashes combined with ashes from Troop 300 (Mount Baker Council), Edmonds, WA | October 15, 2011 | Camp Easton, Harrison, ID | Grizzly District Fall Camporee | Campfire in "Clearwater" campsite shared with Webelos of Pack 439, Veradale, WA | January 14, 2012 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Grizzly District Klondike Derby | Campfire in "Flathead" campsite | March 17, 2012 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Troop Campout | Campfire in campsite north of Finch Lodge | April 21, 2012 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Grizzly District Spring Camporee | Flag retirement in Andrew S. Rosell Memorial Fire Bowl; campfire in "Sacheen" campsite | May 19, 2012 | Pend Oreille County Park, Newport, WA | Troop Campout | | August 3, 2012 | Melita Island, Big Arm, MT | Boy Scout Summer Camp | Campfire in "Shoreline" campsite | September 8, 2012 | Mowry State Park, Lake Coeur d'Alene, ID | Troop Campout | | October 6, 2012 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Grizzly District Fall Camporee | Campfire in "Sacheen" campsite | January 12, 2013 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Grizzly District Klondike Derby | Campfire in Finch parking lot | March 9, 2013 | Camp Easton, Harrison, ID | Troop Campout | Campfire in "Clark" campsite | April 27, 2013 | Adventure Dynamics, Nine Mile Falls, WA | Troop Campout | | May 18, 2013 | Pend Oreille County Park, Newport, WA | Troop Campout | | July 16, 2013 | Camp Grizzly, Harvard, ID | Boy Scout Summer Camp | Campfire in "Steptoe" campsite | August 10, 2013 | Boundary Dam Rec Area, Metaline Falls, WA | Troop Campout | | October 19, 2013 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Grizzly District Fall Camporee | Campfire in "Sacheen" campsite shared with Webelos of Pack 439, Veradale, WA | March 22, 2014 | Camp Easton, Harrison, ID | Troop Campout | Campfire in "Clark" campsite | April 26, 2014 | Hawk Creek Campground, Lake Roosevelt, WA | Troop Campout | Campfire with Troop 490, Newman Lake, WA, and Webelos of Pack 439, Veradale, WA | May 31, 2014 | Camp Easton, Harrison, ID | Troop Campout | Campfire in "Clark" campsite | July 18-20, 2014 | Cold Springs Campground, New Meadows, ID | Troop Campout | | August 4-7, 2014 | Fire Mountain Scout Camp, Mount Vernon, WA | Boy Scout Summer Camp | Campfires in "Skykomish" campsite | September 26-27, 2014 | Pend Oreille County Park, Newport, WA | Troop Campout | | October 18, 201 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Grizzly District Fall Camporee | Campfire in "Kiowa" campsite shared with Webelos of Pack 439, Veradale, WA | January 24, 2015 | Silverwood RV Park & Campground, Athol, ID | Old Missions/David Thompson Klondike Derby | | March 28, 2015 | Steamboat Rock State Park, Electric City, WA | Troop Campout | | April 24, 2015 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Mountain Man Rendezvous | Campfire in "Sacheen" campsite | April 24-25, 2015 | Adventure Dynamics, Nine Mile Falls, WA | Troop Campout | | May 16, 2015 | Pend Oreille County Park, Newport, WA | Troop Campout | | October 17, 2015 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Grizzly District Fall Camporee | Campfire shared with Webelos of Pack 439, Veradale, WA | January 16, 2016 | Camp Easton, Harrison, ID | Grizzly District Klondike Derby | Campfire in staff camp shared with Crew 454, Spokane Valley, WA | February 27, 2016 | Lookout Pass Rec Area, Mullan, ID | Troop Campout | Campfire with Troop 400, Spokane Valley, WA | March 19, 2016 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Troop Campout | Campfire in Order of the Arrow RV Park | April 16, 2016 | Camp Easton, Harrison, ID | Troop Campout | | May 21, 2016 | Pend Oreille County Park, Newport, WA | Troop Campout | | June 18, 2016 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Troop Campout | Campfire in campsite north of Finch Lodge | October 15, 2016 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Grizzly District Fall Camporee | | March 18, 2017 | Hawk Creek Campground, Lake Roosevelt, WA | Troop Campout | | April 22, 2017 | Adventure Dynamics, Nine Mile Falls, WA | Troop Campout | | May 20, 2017 | Pend Oreille County Park, Newport, WA | Troop Campout | | July 7-8, 2017 | Cold Springs Campground, New Meadows, ID | Troop Campout | | July 16, 2017 | Camp Parsons, Brinnon, WA | Boy Scout Summer Camp | Campfire in camp's fire bowl | July 19, 2017 | Camp Parsons, Brinnon, WA | Boy Scout Summer Camp | Campfire in campsite | September 22-23, 2017 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Troop Campout | Campfire in "Trailblazer" campsite | October 13-14, 2017 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Grizzly District Fall Camporee | Campfire in "Trailblazer" campsite | January 12-13, 2018 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Thunderbird Klondike Derby | Campfire in "Apache" campsite | March 9-10, 2018 | Camp Easton, Harrison, ID | Troop Campout | Campfire in "Clearwater" campsite | April 13-14, 2018 | Steamboat Rock State Park, Electric City, WA | Troop Campout | | May 19-20, 2018 | Pend Oreille County Park, Newport, WA | Troop Campout | | June 16, 2018 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Troop Campout | Campfire in "Trailblazer" campsite | July 15-18, 2018 | Camp Easton, Harrison, ID | Boy Scout Summer Camp | Campfire in "Kootenai" campsite | July 19, 2018 | Melita Island, Big Arm, MT | Boy Scout Summer Camp | Campfire in Campsite #5 | September 7-8, 2018 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Troop Campout | Campfire in "Voyager" campsite | October 12, 2018 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Grizzly District Fall Camporee | Campfire in "Sacheen" campsite | October 13, 2018 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Grizzly District Fall Camporee | Flag retirement in Andrew S. Rosell Memorial Fire Bowl | January 25-26, 2019 | Cowles Scout Reservation, Newport, WA | Troop Campout | Campfire in treehouse area | May 17-18, 2019 | Hawk Creek Campground, Lake Roosevelt, WA | Troop Campout | | July 10, 2019 | Camp Grizzly, Harvard, ID | Boy Scout Summer Camp | Campfire in "Fenceline" campsite |
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