Dear Scouts-L Community:

Last night, the members of Cub Scout Pack 463 and Boy Scout Troop 460, both of New Richmond, Wisconsin, learned of the passing of Scout Matt Bryant. Matt lost his over two year battle with cancer.

Matt had a great impact on the Scouts and Leaders of both units. Even though Matt was only 11 years old, his example to the other scouts was of true Eagle Scout level.

As a Unit Commissioner, you don't get to work with the boys like the Den Leaders, Cubmasters, and Scoutmasters. However, you do get to watch what happens to a unit as a whole.

This past January, when Matt and his Webelos Den visited Troop 460 for their Arrow Of Light Award, I saw something very interesting. Throughout the meeting, all the Webelos stayed together as a group. Matt was always in the middle of the group, his den forming a circle around him at all times. All these other boys of the den would follow Matt...maintaining this protective circle around him. Some of the boys in Matt's Den already know about the troop from their brothers and friends in the troop and could have gone over to visit with their troop friends. But throughout the hour and a half meeting, not a one moved away from Matt's side.

It all seemed very strange until after the meeting when I learned of Matt's cancer and which Webelos Matt was. Throughout the remaining months of Matt's life, his new troop also started doing the same types of things. When Matt spent almost three months in the hospital, adult leaders as well as scouts visited him weekly. Special arrangements were made to have players from the different pro-sports teams in Minnesota come and visit him. It all was great to see, and be a part of all this Scout Spirit.

Matt did as much as he could with his friends and with Scouting. Matt had his good days and he had really bad days. When those good days fell on Scouting days, Matt was at the troop meetings or visiting on a campout.

Please remember Matt and his family in your prayers this week. The Scouts and their leaders are also hurting a lot as well because of the loss and because this is the second member of the troop to pass away in the last three years.

Yours in Scouting

Todd Tingblad -- tingbltn @ uwec.edu