Spirit of the Fire

 1933-Present

    

 With greetings from Scouts everywhere, from Wildcat Canyon, Iowa these ashes have been carried around the globe continuously since 1933. 

Legend has it that Lord Baden-Powell would always take a small amount of ashes from the campfire and then spread those ashes into the next campfire. 

Ashes taken from a past campfire are sprinkled into the flames of the next. The next morning when the ashes are cold, they are stirred, and each Scout is given some ashes to maintain the lineage for those yet to join us. If more than one Scout brings ashes to the same campfire, the lists with the location of all campfires are combined and passed on with the ashes. According to tradition, only those present at the campfire carry away ashes. 

These ashes come from fires kindled by the brotherhood of Scouting in Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Columbia, England, France, Greece, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, and 19 of the fifty United States. They come from 2 World Jamborees; 10 National Jamborees; 2 Pan American Jamborees; over 31 Wood Badge Courses; both, the 50th and 60th Wood Badge Reunion at Gilwell Park; and a fire lit by Lady Baden-Powell.

 The joining of these ashes with the leaping flames of this new fire, symbolize the continuity of Scouting’s ideals and the brotherhood between fellow Scouters around the world. With greetings from Scouts around the world, may the brotherhood of scouting be strengthened once more by tonight’s fire.

Our family has carried this tradition on since receiving the ashes. I have continued the list with my own and every time I stare into the campfire, it brings back wonderful memories that always brings joy to my heart. I can only hope that my children and grandchildren may decide to continue this tradition in their own families. 

• 1933: Wildcat Canyon, Eldora, IA; Majawa, Knoxville, IA 
• 1936: Wildcat Canyon, Eldora, IA 
• 1937: National Jamboree, Washington, DC 
• 1938: Wildcat Canyon , Eldora, IA 
• 1939: Wildcat Canyon, Eldora, IA 
• 1940: Wildcat Canyon, Eldora, IA 
• 1942:Wildcat Canyon, IA 
• 1946: Camp Mitigwa, Boone, IA 
• 1948: Camp Waubeck, Cedar Rapids, IA 
• 1949: Camp Waknoda, Glenwood, IA 
• 1950: 2 nd National Jamboree, Valley Forge, PA; Iowa River Valley, Iowa City, IA 
• 1951: Iowa River Valley, Iowa City, IA 
• 1952: Rocky Mountain Scout Camp, Philmont Scout Ranch, NM 
• 1953: 3 rd National Jamboree, Irvine Ranch, CA 
• 1954: rocky Mountain Scout Camp, Philmont Scout Ranch, NM 
• 1955: Camp Baldy, Philmont Scout Ranch, NM 
• 1956: Camp Herna, Deming, NM; OA Council Fire, Camp Freedom, Germany; International Jamborette, Blair Athol, Scotland 
• 1957: OA Council Fire, Camp Freedom, Germany; Irish All Scouteree, Dublin, Ireland; 9 th World Jamboree, Valley Forge, PA; Camp Dale Ressler, NM 
• 1958: OA Conclave, Yucca Council, El Paso, TX; International Scout Chalet, Abelboden, Switzerland; OA Council Fire, Camp Freedom, Germany 
• 1959: OA Council Fire, Camp Freedom, Germany; National Junior Roundup, Schiff Scout Camp, Mendham, NJ; Wood Badge Course, Camp Dale Ressler, NM 
• 1960: 5 th National Jamboree, Colorado Springs, CO; OA Conclave, Philmont Scout Ranch, NM 
• 1961: National Junior Roundup, Northeast Region; OA Conclave, Buffalo Trail Council, TX 
• 1962: National Junior Roundup, AZ; International Scout Chalet, Abelboden, Switzerland; OA Area Conclave, Wehinahpay, NM 
• 1963: All State Campout, Wyoming; OA Area Conclave, White Sands, NM; All State Arizona Project, AZ 
• 1964: OA Area Conclave, Glorietta, NM; 6th National Jamboree, Valley Forge, PA; OA Area Conclave, Pampa, TX 
• 1965: Senior Campout, KY; Shadow Ridge Campout, AZ; Cadette Campout, VA; USA All State Campout, GA; All State Arizona Project; Camp Mary White, AZ; Campfire lit Lady Olave BadenPowell, Canada; 1st Pan-American Jamboree, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil 
• 1968: Jungle Survival Campout, Taiwan; Camp McCaully, Taiwan; Camp San Isabel, Pueblo, CO 
• 1969: 7th National Jamboree, Farragut State Park, ID; Sid Richardson Scout Ranch, TX; Camp Chimney Park, WY 
• 1970: Germany Leader’s Training Camp, Tempkins Barracks, Schwetzingen Forest, Germany; German Guide Camp, Petershof, Odenwald, Germany; Diamond Jubilee Camp, Hulton Park, Lancashire, England; Camp Covered Bridge, Louisville, KY 
• 1971: Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Conference, Germany; Training Camp, Freshave, Belgium; Whitsun (Pentecost) Camp, Dwingeloo, Netherlands; Camp Covered Bridge, Louisville, KY 
• 1972: Camp Juliette Gordon Low, Rhein-Main, Germany; Junior Campout, Heidelberg Germany; Camp Lachenwald, Germany; Training Camp, Chievres, Belgium; Munich Camporee, Germany; Siegenberg, Germany; Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany; Little Roundup, Peoria, IL; Camp Covered Bridge, KY 
• 1973: Flint River Seniors, Our Cabana WAGGGS Centre, Cuervavera, Mexico; Arizona Roundup; Training Camp, Friendship Acres, Germany; Training Camp, Abbaye De Maredsous, Belgium; Training Camp, Idenheim, Germany; Siakein Camporeek, Germany; Leadership Training, Seeshaupt, Germany; Guides and Scouts, Leichtenstein; Heidelberg Day Camp, Schwetzingen Forest, Germany; Seeshaupt, Germany; Region 4 Wood Badge Training, Buckskin Scout Reservation, WV; Camp Rough River Old Kentucky Home Council, KY; Philmont Training Center, NM; 8th National Jamboree, Farragut National Park, ID 
• 1974-2002: Locations including International Cub WoodBadge #236, Ubon, Thailand; 3rd Pan American Jamboree, Bogota, Colombia; UK Conference, Green Magic, Baden-Powell House, London, England; 14th World Jamboree, Lillehammer, Norway; 9th National Jamboree, Moraine State Park, PA; Several Wood Badge courses, Gilwell Park, England; Junior Leader Training, Gilwell Park, England; International Campfire, Camp B-P, Broadstone Scout Camp, England; National Jamborees, Fort A.P. Hill, VA; and Philmont Scout Ranch, Cimarron, NM., SR441; 
• 2003: SR568
• 2004: SR612
• 2005: SR679
• 2006: SR731
• 2007: SR803
• 2008: SR925
• 2009: SR975
• 2010: SR1058
• 2011 S7-599-11-1 (This is where I received my container of ash)
• 2012: Myrtle Beach KOA (9/2-4)
• 2013: Pocahontas State Park (8-31-9/2)
• 2014: First Landing State Park (9/20-22)
• 2015: Rocky Knob Campground, Memorial Day Weekend; Crabtree Falls Campground, July 4th Weekend; Myrtle Beach KOA (9/18-21)
• 2016: Shenandoah KOA (5/26-30); Myrtle Beach KOA (9/16-18); Smith Mountain Lake Park (10/28-29)
• 2017: Myrtle Beach KOA (6/23-26); Rocky Knob Campground (9/22-23); Myrtle Beach KOA (10/27-29)
• 2018: Myrtle Beach KOA (9/21-23)
• 2019: Myrtle Beach KOA (9/13-15); Myrtle Beach KOA (10/25-27)
• 2021: Myrtle Beach KOA (9/3-5); Staunton River State Park (10/1-3)
• 2022: Fairy Stone State Park (3/25-28); Walnut Hills Campground (4/15-4/18); Holliday Lake State Park (5/27-5/30); KOA Natural Bridge (6/17-6/20); Hibernia Campground, Kerr Lake NC State Park (7/1-7/4), Myrtle Beach State Park (9/23-9/26), Shenandoah Valley Campground (10/7-10/10)
• 2023: KOA Holiday Lynchburg/Blue Ridge Parkway (4/7-4/10), Twin Lakes State Park (5/25-5/29), Chippokes Plantation State Park (6/16-6/19), Shenandoah Valley Campground (6/30-7/4), Myrtle Beach Travel Park (9/1-9/4), Shenandoah Valley Campground (10/6-10/9)
• 2024: KOA Holiday Lynchburg/Blue Ridge Parkway (April 1, 2024), James River State Park (5/24-28/2024), Natural Tunnel State Park (6/23-29/2024) Shenandoah Valley Campground (7/24-28/2024), Myrtle Beach State Park (8/30/2024), Shenandoah Valley Campground, Site 86 (10/11-10/14).