November 2016

Dear Friend of Scouting,

I’ve got some good news and some bad news about the Bronxville Scout cabin. Let me get the bad news out of the way first.

The building is in continual need of upgrades.  The windows are old and drafty, the bathrooms are outdated, our water filtration system needs to be replaced (we rely on well water), and we need a new boiler for our heat and hot water.

These upgrades will be costly.  But as you’ll see below, they’ll benefit many deserving – and some very needy – young Scouts.

Now for a little good news.  Because of your past generosity, since I last wrote to you, we’ve been able to make good progress in other badly needed upgrades:

• An electrical wiring replacement to both the cabin and caretaker’s quarters (the old wiring was worn out and hazardous)
• A new stove for the kitchen (this one works all the time now!)
• New tables and chairs (these get beat up by continual use)
• New LED and halogen lighting (this investment will increase the building’s illumination while cutting our electric bills)
• New landscaping in front of the cabin (makes the building more attractive and welcoming to visitors, Scouts, and their families)

But the investments we made last year cost a pretty penny, and the next ones on the list will cost too.  Can we ask for some help from you in defraying these costs?

Now for a little more good news about Scouting at the cabin.  One of our oldest and most storied troops, Troop 2, the “Presidential Troop” who once counted John F. Kennedy as a member, was rescued from the brink of dissolution by the vigorous efforts of some new adult leaders.  Troop 2 is now alive and well and growing, and attracting new boys from our local area.

And did you hear about how our Scout Committee helped save Troop 40 from Mt. Vernon? With the closure last year of St. Ursula’s parish, Troop 40 was homeless and at risk of disbanding.  We heard about this invited them to our cabin, where they stayed for a year until they found a new home in Mt. Vernon.  This enabled Troop 40, comprised of many good boys  – some from tough neighborhoods on the South Side – to keep operating.  Today Troop 40 is thriving, but without our cabin’s lifeline, where would they be today?

Troops 1 and 4 are going strong, with many activities, service projects, hikes and campouts. They had 5 Eagles in the past year, with more in the pipeline.

And Cub Scouting is absolutely booming at our Cabin.  Pack 115, Pack 5, and Pack 353 comprise hundreds of young boys and their adult leaders. In safety of our Cabin, they enjoy their Pinewood Derbies, their arts and crafts, their overnights, their Blue and Gold Dinners, their Crossovers.  And they are a continuing source of new recruits for the Cabin’s Boy Scout Troops, as well as for other Troops in our area.

Overall, Scouting is thriving in our area, thanks in large part to our storied Scout Cabin, which provides a home for 6 different Scouting units.  Many of our Scouts come from underprivileged backgrounds.  Your financial assistance to our Scout Committee helps make Scouting possible for them.

All great news, but throughout it all, the cabin takes a heck of a beating.  Can we count on you for your support to help us maintain and upgrade the facility for our boys?

The Bronxville Scout Committee does not receive any outside support towards our annual operating expenses. Due to increases in the costs of energy, insurance, and maintenance, these easily exceed over $50,000 each year. Besides dues paid by the Scouts, our only outside income is from the weekend rentals of the cabin, and this fundraising letter.

To those of you who have previously donated to us, we are most grateful for your loyal support of Scouting in our area. To past donors, and to new ones, we turn to you today to ask for your help. Please assist us in our mission to continue providing the high level of services we give to hundreds of Scouts, and their dozens of adult leaders, each and every year.

Can you offer a tax–deductible donation today to support your local Scouts? We assure you that your gift will be carefully used to benefit the many boys and young men of your local community who have chosen to pursue the noble path of Scouting.

As I look back on my 50‐plus years as a Scoutmaster, I have immense pride in the many young men who have experienced Scouting with us. Thanks in large part to you, our benefactors, we have accomplished wonderful things. We’ve kept the Scouting Spirit thriving in our community. And our country is a better place because of it.

But this couldn’t have happened without your support.

God Bless America, and God Bless the Boy Scouts of America,

Dr. Howard Rakov, President

Bronxville Scout Committee