Monthly Archives: June 2023

Remembering the Staff

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Boxwell Reservation, 1993

In 1993, new and old program were on the horizon. A First Year Camper Program was run that summer, the fore-runner to today’s Green Bar program. At Parnell, Program Director Kerry Parker resurrected the old family style feeding system. Russ Doyle served his time as Parnell’s Camp Director. At Stahlman, Andy Whitt began his final run as Program Director with Dale Turner as his Camp Director and Trent Craig was Commissioner. Christy Willhite ran Murrey. Tom Willhite continued as Reservation Director, Pearl Schleicher as camp cook, Lance Ussery as COPE Director, and Willie Claud as Ranger.

Seen here are the Staff photos for Stahlman and Parnell in 1993, taken by Business Manager Russ Parham. Also, visit the Virtual Museum for a “complete” summer at Camp Parnell in 1993!

Stahlman Staff, 1993
Stahlman Staff, 1993
Parnell Staff, 1993
Parnell Staff, 1993

Boxwell Staff Alumni Association Officers

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Introducing Jacob Crawford–Association Trustee

The final member of the Boxwell Staff Alumni Association Board is Jacob Crawford. Crawford joined the Stahlman staff in 2017 as a member of the Waterfront. He stayed on the waterfront for the next several summers, before becoming the Director in 2019. Crawford contined as Waterfront Director at Stahlman through 2022 and spent at least part of the 2023 as Craig’s Waterfront Director. In truth, Crawford is something of a jack of all trades as far as Boxwell work is concerned, willing and able to go where he needed. He often spends weekends at Boxwell, working with Round Tuit or other projects than require some elbow grease to accomplish. Crawford serves as Trustee for the Staff Alumni Association.

From the Archives, June 25, 2023

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Archery Range

Archery is often the forgotten shooting sport. Scouts (and today Cubs) are often attracted to it, but it ends up being more difficult than anticipated. It’s a challenging skill despite movies and television that suggest otherwise!

Before the range pavilions were built in 2018, archery ranges were pretty straight forward. There was a range shed (a large free standing closet) for materials, a picnic table with a tarp, and then the range itself. Hay bails were critical for years.

Seen here is the basic range set up in the late 1970s. The photo is a slide from promotional materials used to promote camp to troops. Thus, the details are lost, but our best guess is this is the Parnell range, though it could just as easily be Stahlman’s. While this photo doesn’t it show, we’re confident all the Scouts were not only hitting the bulls’ eye, but splitting that first arrow with their second shot.

Archery Range, late 1970s
Scouts at one of the reservation’s archery ranges. Likely 1978/1979.

Remembering the Staff

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Boxwell Reservation, 1983

The Tom Willhite era was firing on all cylinders in 1983. The Reservation Director had been running Boxwell since 1976 and by the early 1980s, he had assembled a powerful ensemble of people around him to make camp work. At Stahlman, Ernie Ragsdale served as Program Director and his right hand man Jim Barr was on the waterfront (we don’t know who the Camp Director was). At Craig, Jerry Barnett was Program Director with Tim Cooper as Camp Director. Murrey was run by Willhite’s daughter Christy. (The Boat Harbor was closed and there was no COPE or pool; Parnell was on its two year rotation with Craig). Rounding out the team were the Schleichers as the reservation cooks, Willie Claud as Ranger, and Russ Parham as the Business Manager.

1983 was also the summer of the very first staff reunion. Planned and organized by a group of former staff members and District Executives (an unofficial staff alumni association if you will), the event launched over July 4th weekend.

Seen here at the staff photos for Stahlman and Craig, taken by Russ Parham. Also included is the 1983 Reunion Staff, also by Parham.

Stahlman Staff, 1983
Stahlman Staff, 1983
Craig Staff, 1983
Craig Staff, 1983
1983 Reunion Staff
1983 Reunion Staff

Boxwell Staff Alumni Association Officers

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Introducing Candace Boyce–Association Trustee

A great example of family camping before there was “family camping,” Candace Boyce has a remarkably long history with Boxwell. She began coming to camp at age four, often staying at Stahlman when her older brother came to camp. In total, Boyce was at Boxwell with her family for over 10 years before joining the CubWorld staff in 2015. Since then, she has worked her way up from an instructor to CubWorld Waterfront Director in 2019 and Program Director in 2022. Boyce has been engaged in a host of Scouting related projects, including Round Tuit and many Cub and Family weekends. It is not unusual to find Boyce on property doing some sort of program related activity during the off-season. She brings this experience and the CubWorld perspective–as well as a healthy connection to social media!–to the Staff Alumni Association as a Trustee.