Reminisce Extra – September 2019

SEPTEMBER 2019 (^) * REMINISCE.COM 35
SIGN: GATES FRONTIERS FUND WYOMING COLLECTION WITHIN THE CAROL M. HIGHSMITH ARCHIVE, LOC_LC-DIG-HIGHSM-48103
MYFOURSIBLINGSANDI
formedaclubinthe1950s,andSmokey
wasourmascot.Hewasourhero.
WesentawayforSmokeyBearJunior
ForestRangerkitsandwerethrilled
whentheyarrived!
Eachkitincludedaletterfrom
Smokeywithhisthemesongonthe
back,Smokey’sphoto,abookmark
withfivefirepreventionrules,anda
certificatepledging“asanAmerican
tosaveandfaithfullytodefendfrom
waste”ournaturalresources.
Aschildren,welovednatureand
spentmanyhoursroamingtheforest
onour82-acrefarm.Wetookto
heartSmokey’sletter,pledgeandfire
preventionrules,especially“Only
YOUcanpreventforestfires.”Our
unwaveringgoalasclubmemberswas
toprotecttheforestonourfarmandall
itslivingcreatures.
Wesometimescampedoutduring
thesummermonthsandhadcampfires.
WefollowedSmokey’scampfirerulesto
theletter;ifweusedamatch,weheld
itafteritwasextinguisheduntilitwas
coldandpinchedittomakesureitwas
out.Beforegoingtosleep,wedrowned
ourcampfire,stirreditanddrownedit
again.TheseweretwoofSmokey’smost
importantrules.
Whilesittingaroundthecampfire,
ofcourse,Smokey’sthemesongwas
alwaysoneofthesongswesang.Ifwe
sawsomeonesmoking,wewaiteduntil
theywerefinishedandrushedtocrush
outthebutt.Wewerereallyserious
aboutfollowingthoserules.
Today,Ilovethinkingbacktothose
wonderfuldaysofchildhood—ourfarm,
ourclubandhelpingSmokey.
BECKY BEBOUT
MORGANTOWN, WV
JUNIOR RANGERS
BADGE
OF HONOR
Becky treasures
her Junior Forest
Ranger kit from the
U.S. Department of
Agriculture. Many
of her kit items,
including badge
(left), song sheet
(page 30) and
bookmark (far left),
adorn this feature.
KATHIE WHITE
HASTINGS, MI
We camped a lot on Michigan’s
Upper Peninsula, and we were careful to follow
Smokey’s advice. One trip, we forgot the grill,
so Dad pulled a hubcap off our Chevy Impala
and built a fire in it to cook burgers.
I think Smokey would’ve approved.