Scouts earn Theodore Roosevelt award

Five members of a Pack 26 Webelos den practiced outdoor skills and fostered a conservation ethic by recently earning the Theodore Roosevelt Award.

The boys included Ethan Kleinsasser, Austin Haider, Corey Kleinsasser, Dylan Stradling and Caden Ulmer.

It took 18 months of work to earn enough badges for the award, under the direction of their leader, Paula Kleinsasser.

“I’m very proud of the boys,” she said. “I think they’ve worked very hard over the 18 months. I couldn’t ask for a greater group of boys. They were a lot of fun to work with.”

The award was established by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department to mark the 150th anniversary of Theodore Roosevelt’s birth Oct. 27, 2008.

“We believe it would be a wonderful tribute to honor this man who has given us so much, with a program that passes his conservation legacy on to the next generation,” said department director Terry Steinwand.

The boys were required to earn a minimum of 10 Webelos badges and 10 belt loops and present a five-minute speech on principles of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. They also visited with wildlife biologists Tim and Cindy Zachmeier.

Theodore Roosevelt was recognized as a naturalist with a fondness for birds and big game. He pushed for the development of the national park and national wildlife refuge systems. As president, Roosevelt preserved more than 230 million acres of wildlife habitat. Roosevelt frequently spoke about a variety of conservation issues, ranging from forest preservation to soil and water preservation, according to a press release.

The TR Award is available to members of the Girl Scouts of the USA, Boy Scouts of America and 4-H program.

The award was established with the goals of developing a healthy mind and body, good citizenship, a strong conservation ethic, an understanding of the states’ natural history and the ability to handle oneself in the outdoors, Kleinsasser said.

Examples of projects were camping skills, keeping track of the weather, flag etiquette and maintaining good grades in school, she added.

“They went for hikes and we made a terrarium,” she said. “For the hunting and fishing badge, they had archery and fishing at camps.”

Kleinsasser credited her group of parents for helping support the boys with their projects.

“I think a fun part was when we gave a speech on wildlife conservation,” Corey Kleinsasser said.

He is looking forward to Boy Scout activities this year, especially a trip to Camp Wilderness in northern Minnesota.

“I liked going to camp and the speech was fun,” added Ethan Kleinsasser.

He’s also looking forward to camping this summer.

The boys recently crossed over to the Boy Scout program. They will have a new leader, but Paula Kleinsasser expects to help out as a parent volunteer.

Tags: lifestyle, scouts, dickinson