Camp Staff - Noel

                                                 


Noel Laflin  (aka:  Noeleo Rasputin)
Program Director

                                                 

Noel seemed to be the Camp Jester; always thinking outside of the box.

At the campfires with his, peoples’ sunday school, boom-boom ain’t it great to be crazy . . .  and the largest skit “Luigi”.  He never went around

Without creating some sort of commotion.  He didn’t walk around the

camp; he had this strut that if you could only see someone moving, you knew it was him.

He always seemed to be able to find me when needed.  He was able (no matter what) was able to get thing done, kept things on tract . . .  but thinking outside of the box.

The Three Rings

There are there are three rings which are separate from each other

However, they depend on each other for support.

Their relationship thus follows:

The center of the second ring pivots upon the edge of the first ring

Yet it is able to pass through it.

The second ring also connects the first ring with the third ring

The third ring is able to pass through the other two rings and encompasses the second ring

The first ring is larger than the others, holding more objects in

its’ center which increases and decreases at certain times.

How can this be?

It has come to pass that it is the relationship of the sun, earth,

moon and the eclipses of such.

Ring 1 – Earth revolution around the sun

Ring 2 – Moons revolution around the earth

Ring 3 – Earth’s rotation on its’ axis, giving the sun the

apparent revolution around the earth

                                                       From:  Secret Book of Gnome Writings

                                                                      By:   DMPiantoni

Camp Staff - Peter

Peter Backlund

Nature / Conservation

When at Awahnee as a camper, Peter who was in charge of the Nature Center he had much enthusiastic.  Instructing other scouts on the nature and what is in it if they kept their eyes open to what was around them. . . For me, he taught me one of the most important lessons I ever learned.  While you can look you have to see, and while you hear, you have to listen.  Most people look with their eyes and hear with their ears; but watching him I began to understand what he was saying was to see and listen with your mind and soul.  At Inspiration Point if you looked down at a slight angle there was a rock formation and if you took time to see, there was a face of an Indian. 

The free hours I had that I spent at the point, I learned to look to see, and listen to hear what was in nature and all it had to offer.

Someone sent me a picture from an unknown photographer and what I saw, inspired a poem wrote in: Secret Book of Gnome Writings by DMPiantoni 

As She Cries

(inspired by a picture – unknown photographer)

tilt your head to the left

What is the nature of emotions which Mother Nature has shown; To man and his logic still unknown.

Rain as man calls it should hold more

than simple clues.  On a fast track to

nowhere, science supposedly leaves

nothing to conclude

The mist from her eyes and gentle sprinkles

barely touching the ground washes away

pollutants, dusting the gardens of the world.

The mild constant rains with spring run-offs

so grand watering those gardens and awakening

the plants.  Bring forth in your mountains the

glorious snows, hence giving a vast playground

for us to go

In her torrential downpours she displays sadness

and fury.  Sadden for mans’ transgression against

his brother whether in oppression or war, covering

the land in blood.

And when her powerful fury is released she reclaims

the land that man has stripped from her.  Since all

that he does is look but really does not actually see

the beauty that is beneath, whether on land, sea or

                       in the skies.                    
(in the picture; i see an Indian layed out in his glory for berial, then tilting to the left i see a mother and child praying)

Over looking Inspiration Point

Many hours I have gone to Inspiration point behind the Chapel In the Pines just to get away from
everyone and let my mind wander. This started as a camper then when i was on staff; the only one who seemed to find me quickly was Noel.  I have finally been able to put my thoughts in writing by the encouragement of my Mother (who passed away in Dec. 1996). 
Below find one of my poems (more will follow):

From the Book:  Secret Book of Gnome Writing
                                      by:  DMPiantoni

Life’s But A Second

Our time on earth is but a second

Like a grain of sand on the beach

Not knowing when it will be washed

Out to sea

At the point we are created

The end is coming very fast

God will take us from this world

Since only he knows when our part is through

Everything we do must count for it is

All part of his universal plan

Be gentle in thoughts and deeds

Not intentionally hurt those you meet

Judge or condemn not others

For what they say and do

Look for understanding and intent

Although it is not for you

When dislike is on the horizon hold it

Against the action – not the person

For we are all Gods’ creatures

In time he will let us know

Kindness of words soothes a restless soul

Forgiveness eases the mind

Honesty brings us closer together

Love will bind us in peace and harmony

Quality now days so hard to find

In a world of fast pace times

Bridge the gap there are few who do

Bringing us closer – me to you

Wrong or right, no-one can say

As we merge mind and body into one

Move fast but do not rush

Learn but do not judge

Be lead by your heart for it is true

As our second slowly fades

Ahwahnee's Friendship Firekeeper

accepting / transferring duties of the citizenship fire keeper

citizenship firekeeper's patch

earned place in Ahwahnee's History

Before Ahwahnee

                                               In The Beginning

My Scouting experience started before Ahwahnee. It started under the Scouters: Walt Wittney, Don Griffin (B.P city council/Mayor), Art Opsin,

Bob Scow, Bob Schonefield, the Derliks, Bill Fulton (wofat), Dick Herrick (the cheese man), Jerry and Sally Pollack, Willis (“Ash” or “Joe”) Ashbough, Ed Laird, Ed Cook, Svend Yensen (with a “Ye”), Ken LaCross, Fred LaVelle, Ken Hickenbottom, John LaBare, Jerry Bird, Don Fairis, Don Piantoni (of course) and many more I’m not able to remember right at present. . . and am sorry.

As my dad took me to father/son events – even OA; I got to know others like Jeff Vaughn, Steve Mooney, Randy Graff, David Yensen, and members of the Ahwahnee Staff as I was going through my OA ordeal and brotherhood Ceremonies.

The most memorable situation was that at one of the Walter Knott District.  At one of the District Dinners they were doing the Golden Boy, and How Much is a Boy Worth.  Carl Schonefield was selected as the golden boy.  I was chosen to sit on a large scale that was built one afternoon at the Schonefields’  So at this dinner I was in the part of the program of how much is a boy worth where during the presentation they would add golden bricks to finally equal out the 2 arms. 

I sat there wondering how come out of all the boys in the district I was chosen to partake in the presentation. There must have been many more qualified Scouts than myself. . . But I felt very much honored to be selected to partake in the presentation.

                                                          DMPiantoni