By Rick Wright

Staff Writer

Boy Scouts have a reputation for being prepared for any situation. Last Saturday they put their muscles behind their motto.

Troops from across the state who gathered for the Iditarod Klondike Derby at South Portland’s Wainright Farm found virtually no snow on the trail. 

The Scouts, however, were undaunted. 

Some anticipated the problem and brought sleds equipped with wheels. Others overcame the adversity by employing boy power to drag their sleds over four miles of bare ground.

The derby was the first of many activities scheduled this year to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.  It was modeled after a 1922 race to save hundreds of Eskimos in Nome, Alaska from Yellow Fever.   

About 200 Scouts and 30 adult leaders attended the event, including South Portland residents Lynn Teague of Pack 23 and Joe Picararo from Troop 23. 

This is the first time the city has hosted the annual event, said Walter Bell, South Portland resident and event co-chairman. 

Bell said he convinced the Pine Tree Council, a chapter of the Boy Scouts of America, to bring the event to his hometown. As a boy, Bell was a member of South Portland’s Cub Scout Pack 26.

“I  have a deep appreciation for the Wainwright Fields and the wooded area between there and Evans Street,” Bell said. “This is the area where I grew up and played around in.”

John Trott, one of the organizers, said he was very happy that 22 sleds registered for the exhibition. 

“For no snow, it’s a great turnout,” said Trott, who lives in Portland.

When Webelo Gavin Lego, 10, of Standish was asked how his sled team would overcome the lack of snow, he said the five boys on his patrol would, “just keep pulling.” 

Throughout the windy, bitter cold afternoon, Scout patrols consisting of five boys pushed and pulled sleds along the Greenbelt Trail from Wainwright Farm, through the woods to Evans Street and back to the field house at the farm. 

Each patrol was required to stop at nine stations along the trail to demonstrate Scouting skills that included weapon throwing, first aid techniques and fire building.  All sleds were loaded with equipment such as water, rope and tarps to help Scouts perform the tasks.

At the first station, weapon throwing, Robert Cyr tried his hand at hurling arrows at a target without using a bow. 

“It’s harder than it looks,” said Cyr, 13, from Troop 315 in Limington.

Cyr, his troop’s senior patrol leader, wasn’t concerned about the lack of snow on the ground. 

“We have a wagon,” Cyr said.

Paul Nadeau, leader of Troop 51 in Windham, oversaw the weapon-throwing exercise at Station 1. He said arrows were hand-thrown for safety reasons.

“The idea of the station is to have the kids work as a group and to have fun,” Nadeau said. 

He said boys are taught archery with bows and arrows when they attend Pine Tree Council summer camps such as Camp Hinds located on Panther Pond in Raymond. 

At the first aid station, several Scouts from Webelos Pack 375 in Cornish showed off medical skills in a scenario depicting a sled crash. The “victim,” Daniel Dunnells, feigned a bloody nose, broken arm and bruised knee.

Patrol team members Cameron Cyr, Zack Welch, and Kris Mason “treated” Dunnells and transported him off the trail so they wouldn’t be run over by other sled teams.

“We’re trying to teach them to be prepared to deal with adversity,” said Darryl Trafford of Limington, who was in charge of the first aid station. 

“First aid training and improvising is a big part of being prepared for different things.”

 Rick Wright can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 237 or news@inthesentry.com.