LAS President's Page

Opportunities! By Don Clouse, President - 7/30/00

We have been invited to participate in Cub-O-Ree 2000, an annual scouting event for the Cherokee District of the Cub Scouts.  They are asking us to provide an opportunity "for the boys to view the skies through your knowledge" in the words of Dennis Hibbard, cubmaster of Pack 356 in Fern Creek and this year's Cub-O-Ree coordinator.  I have told Dennis that we will be honored to share our knowledge of the night sky with the scouts.  (That's the first opportunity.)

The event is to be held on Friday evening, September 29 at Camp Crooked Creek (adjacent to Bernheim forest).  We have done scout observations at Crooked Creek for the past few years.  However, I believe that this may be a different Cub Scout District.  400 to 600 scouts (ages 6-11) and 200-300 adults are expected.  I will be working with Dennis to assure that we have adequate and convenient parking, that the lights will be off, and other details.  Also, we are considering an alternative to the usual set-up 'field'.  Crooked Creek is a reasonably dark site.  We are welcome to stay and observe as late as we like.  (Second opportunity - an additional evening of deep-sky observing.)

In the past three years we've had only 4 or 5 scopes for the scouts and their parents.  I think we can do a lot better than that.  Remember a couple of months ago when I said that I'd let you know when specific opportunities arose to contribute to LAS's growth?  (There's that word again.  This is number three.)  If we're going to try to raise serious money to develop our 40 acre dark-sky site, then we're going to have to be able to show community involvement.  This will be an excellent addition.  Let me know a.s.a.p. if you think you will be able to help out and if you will be bringing a scope (and it's aperture).  Please consider coming even if you don't have a scope or can't bring one.  You can help out with "crowd control", talk astronomy to the scouts waiting in line, and/or give the telescope attendants a break now and then.  I'll fill you in on details as they are worked out.  In the meantime, let me hear from you.   Thanks. 

Don

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