Boy Scout badges: Scouts spread out all over town as part of Merit Badge University

All the tents spread across the Stuhr Museum grounds Saturday were clear evidence that hundreds of Boy Scouts were in Grand Island this weekend.

The scouts were in town for the first Merit Badge University that Grand Island has hosted.

While it was obvious that many scouts were staying at Stuhr Museum to earn merit badges, it probably was far less noticeable that many scouts were scattered in locations all through the community to earn the badges.

Often, those scouts were gathered in groups of just two or three or four to work on their badges.

Prairie Winds Art Center in downtown Grand Island was one place where scouts were working towards merit.

Jack McCullough, 11, of Troop 42 in Omaha and Michael Lamb, 15, of Troop 251 in Doniphan were on the gallery's top floor at the museum, where they were making coil pots under the watchful eye of artist Dorothy Urmacher.

McCullough said his mother found out about the Merit Badge University because she checks online for opportunities to earn merit badges.

In addition to his pottery merit badge, McCullough said, he also was scheduled to work on merit badges in auto mechanics and golfing.

McCullough said he came to Grand Island with his brother and dad, but they were staying in a motel, not camping at Stuhr Museum.

Although he was from nearby Doniphan, Lamb said that he and six other scouts from Troop 251 were camping out at Stuhr Museum this weekend along with their "assistant scoutmaster and assistant assistant scoutmaster."

Lamb said he would also be working on first aid and shotgun shooting merit badges this week.

He was a fan of the Merit Badge University, he said, because his troop had been to Camp Augustine many times before to earn merit badges.

Merit Badge University, with its tents at Stuhr Museum and the opportunity to go to various locations in town to work on merit badges, made the weekend event a nice change of pace.

On the first floor of the Prairie Winds Art Center, Kayin Lovegren, 11, of Fairfield Pack 94 and Sam Hayes, 11, of Troop 36 in Kearney, were working on their art merit badges.

They had to use four different media -- such as pencil, watercolors, tempera and acrylics -- to draw a subject of their own choosing.

Lovegren and Hayes also had to learn about art careers and they had to find out what it is like to be a member of an art gallery.

Artist Karen Krull-Robart was able to help the youngsters complete three of those requirements.

The final requirement would be completed by the boys once they returned home. Lovegren said was planning on making a logo.

According to the merit badge criteria, Lovegren would eventually get his counselor's permission to put the logo on his scout equipment or other items such as ceramic or fabric.

Hayes said he was going to design something useful.

Criteria for that project, said Hayes, also would require him to make a sketch or model of his design, then get his counselor's approval to create a promotional piece for his item.

Lovegren was only making a day trip from Glenvil, but Hayes said he and others from his troop were camping at Stuhr Museum this weekend.

St. Francis Medical Center also hosted several merit badge sessions on Saturday.

Other locations hosting merit badge opportunities included College Park and Central Community College, Grand Island City Hall, Central Nebraska Humane Society, Mead Lumber Company, Heartland Public Shoot Park, Grand Island Express and The Independent.