Have you ever sat around a campfire late at night with the stars shining high above and listened to young men, aged ten to eighteen, tell you about their hopes and dreams? It would amaze you. For twelve years I was privileged to have that 0pportunity. As a Scoutmaster, I had the best of both worlds, that of a leader and at the same time, a kid again. The stories told in this collection are all based on real events. It is possible there might be some slight embellishment to these tales, because more than a few years have passed since they took place. In retelling these stories, my goal is to rekindle the memories for the scouts who were there, memories of lessons learned and of the fun we had. It was the fun that provided the best learning opportunities. The scouts who played the parts in these stories will recognize themselves; I have, of course, changed all the names. And for those of you who have never been in Troop 323, here is the opportunity to imagine you were. I'm sure these stories will rekindle your own memories that mirror our adventures, although some of ours truly were outrageous. As to the leaders, Buck LaFoote is a compilation of many assistants, fathers, and committee members that worked tirelessly to help the troop succeed. Buck LaFoote, as Assistant Scoutmaster, represents the qualities that give the troop its spark, motivation, and sometimes comic relief. Troop 323 was fortunate to have several Buck LaFootes. The third weekend of the month was our weekend to go camping. I usually dreaded this time as it approached because it meant I had to put away any thoughts of work and get ready to spend a weekend away from the comforts and conveniences of home. It was a time BC-before cellphones. So once we got out into the woods or wherever we were going, we really were cut off from civilization. But on returning home, I couldn't wait until next month to get back out to our next adventure. So put down your cell phone or TV remote and join Troop 323, and let's go camping.
