SENECA WATERWAYS COUNCIL CURRENTS NEWSLETTER
By Mary Ellen Smith 
Click here for the THE CURRENT 1-1-2012 issue

The holidays are a time for families!  And, family is what brought Rowan Muhly to the United States for the Christmas holiday.  Rowan is a 13-year old Boy Scout from Northern Ireland working on his Chief Scout – the Irish equivalent of the Boy Scouts of America’s Eagle Scout.  He is from Strangford, which is a small village in County Down, Ireland.  Peter Muhly, Rowan’s father, is American and is originally from East Rochester. His mother, Barbara originates from Ireland. Rowan has dual citizenship having been born in the United States and living the majority of his life in Ireland.  While here on vacation visiting family in Hilton, Rowan saw this as a great opportunity to earn a Global Challenge badge, which entails interacting with a Scout Troop from another country.   

However, this international meeting of Scouts was still a surprise…especially to Rowan!  While his family was planning their trip to Rochester, Rowan googled area Scout troops and landed on Troop 31’s website.  He sent the troop an email via their website, not really expecting a reply, but he got one a few hours later.  That one email led to a remarkable exchange of cultures and Scout experiences that none of the Scouts will ever forget.  

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the Holiday season, the last minute shopping, and spending time with family, Rowan and his parents also participated in several Scouting activities with Troop 31 (chartered to the Third Presbyterian Church in the city of Rochester).  To begin his U.S. Scouting experience, Rowan attended Troop 31’s pack meeting and the boys warmly welcomed him and his family.   He took part (as the patient) in their first aid training.  Rowan even took a three-hour shift at the annual Christmas Tree sale…something very unfamiliar to his Irish culture. 

But, perhaps, the most unique activity Rowan participated in was a Citizenship in the Nation Merit Badge class held at the Susan B. Anthony House.  “Imagine a Boy Scout visiting from Ireland and learning about the United States by earning the Citizenship in the Nation merit badge at the Susan B. Anthony House in Rochester, New York,” said Stan Refermat, Troop 31 Committee Chairman.  “Rowan is a wonderful good will ambassador.  Our boys have benefited greatly from this experience.”

Rowan’s trip was packed full fun and learning new things…it’s what Scouting is all about.  Troop 31 also found time to introduce him to American football, which is quite different from how it’s played in Ireland.  “The boys taught him how to throw and catch," said Patti Borrelli, Troop 31 Assistant Scoutmaster. "It's very different here. There is more of a variety of things here and it gets very cold here," Rowan said. He continued on stating how in Ireland the merit badges are done individually rather than in groups.  “The Scouts in Ireland exchange neckerchiefs more than badges like we do in the US.,” said John Folwell, Troop 31 Scoutmaster. “Rowan gave our troop five neckerchiefs from his troop.  We gave him many badges - the council shoulder patch (Seneca Waterways and former Otetiana), the "31" patch and many others. We will also send him a Troop 31 neckerchief as well - custom made by an ASM in our troop.”

Rowan was able to see how an American Boy Scout Troop functions, made some new friends, and Troop 31’s Scouts learned about Scouting in Ireland.  The Muhly’s had such a wonderful time with Troop 31 that Barbara Muhly extended a warm invitation to the boys to visit them in Ireland.  The Scouts from both nations benefited greatly from the exchange and now have a bond that will continue to impact them all.
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Please click here to read the 12/29/2011 Democrat & Chronicle article D&C: Irish Boy Scout joins Troop 31 in learning about civil rights  
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In 1910, the Boy Scouts of America was founded to help young people grow into responsible, well-rounded citizens. As a result, more than 100 million Americans have experienced the traditional, values-based program offered by the BSA. Below, a celebrated American shares their thoughts on the Scouting experience: