It came as a complete surprise.  At the closing ceremony for this year's National Youth Leadership Training course at Camp Pigott, course Scoutmaster Phil Sohn announced that the Chief Seattle Council had approved the award of the Venturing Ranger Medal to the course's Senior Patrol Leader...Crew 42's Jeff Z.

The Ranger award represents years of work for Jeff, who is an original member of the Crew, chartered to the American Legion Post 245 in Poulsbo.  To earn Ranger, a Venturer must display skills in 8 core areas and in at least 4 of 18 elective specialties.  The core areas include First Aid, Wilderness Survival, Emergency Preparedness, Communications, Leave No Trace, Cooking, Land Navigation, and Conservation.  The electives include Backpacking, Cave Exploring, Biking/Cycling, Ecology, Equestrian, First Aid, Fishing, Hunting, Lifesaving, Mountaineering, Outdoor Living History, Physical Fitness, Plants & Wildlife, Project COPE, Scuba, Shooting Sports, Watercraft, and Winter Sports.  All requirements must be accomplished as a Venturer and are quite challenging.

The presentation of the Ranger Award came just as Jeff was preparing to depart the Council and start his freshman year at the University of Montana.  Congratulations, RANGER Jeff!