Radio Field Day draws crowd in Elma

Radio Field Day draws crowd in Elma

By Allen Leister The Daily World • October 20, 2022 1:30 am
Photo Courtesy of MarkDaniel Brasel Elma Cub Scout 4014 Cubmaster MarkDaniel Brasel (right) and the rest of the Scout regiment take the Scout Oath during the Radio Field Day event on Saturday, Oct. 15 at Vance Creek Park, in Elma.
Photo Courtesy of MarkDaniel Brasel Elma Cub Scout 4014 Cubmaster MarkDaniel Brasel (right) and the rest of the Scout regiment take the Scout Oath during the Radio Field Day event on Saturday, Oct. 15 at Vance Creek Park, in Elma.

For some kids, exploring the outdoors is a passion that expands into their adulthood. While much of nature involves separating from modern technology, having knowledge of it can be extremely useful if an emergency sprouts up. For one East County organization, an opportunity to teach kids how to properly use technology was met with eager anticipation.

Elma’s Cub Scout Pack 4014 hosted a Radio Field Day on Saturday, Oct. 15. The event, which was hosted at Vance Creek Park in Elma, provided an opportunity for local troops attending to work on many awards and merit badges including Radio, Communication and Signaling. Scout packs from different states attended the event and helped provide information to kids and families interested in joining the Cub Scouts.

Scouts also gained experience working with ham radios that are used within agencies across Grays Harbor and Washington state. John and Leslie O’Brien, who traveled to the event from Aberdeen, provided some experience to local youth about sending emails via ham radio waves. This work drew the attention of Lydia Vetter, an event attendee, to send her dad an email from the ham radio to Canada, which intercepted the communication and transferred it to the internet and back to her dad’s phone.

After the event at Vance Creek Park finished, the Cub Scouts gathered for an awards ceremony to celebrate the work done in Pack 4014’s summertime program. Mosby Brasel earned a Sling Shot Marksmanship Award for operating a gigantic slingshot provided by a summer Scout camp. Liam Norris of Elma earned a Recruiting Award for helping a few of his friends join the Scouts. A plethora of Cub Scouts earned a Whittling Chip badge, which was awarded for a scout member’s proficiency in using a pocketknife.

One of the most intriguing moments of the event came when Montesano resident Charles McClain was awarded a Scouting Alumni Service Commemoration Gold Award for 50 years of service to the community. MarkDaniel Brasel, who serves as the Cub Scout Pack 4014 Cubmaster, said McClain didn’t know he would be receiving the award prior to the event.

“Even though Charles has a hard time hearing young children, he brings great support to this new group and earned an amazing award with his support for our youth,” MarkDaniel said, adding he was excited about the turnout of the Field Day and hopes it will continue to grow each year.