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A Legacy of Giving
Corporations as well as the wealthy have recently been painted as the evil 2%. Today Corporations as well as individuals contribute deeply to the many not for profit organizations. Some would argue they do so as a tax hedge. Perhaps so, yet at the same time their donations are the backbone of the day to day operation's for many of these organizations.
Then there are those who just want to share. Those who feel a responsibility to give something back. Such was a man named Waite Philips. That name alone today may not ring any bells in anyone's memory. That is unless you were a Boy Scout, or have attended a session at the Philmount Scout Ranch near Cimarron New Mexico.
Philips was a philanthropist, a member of that 2% because of a company named Philips Petroleum. Waite Philips was also involved in ranching, land developing and banking. A self made man who never lost his love for the outdoors.
In 1938 he decided to share that love with the relatively new organization the Boy Scouts of America. He did so by offering 35,857 acres of his ranch in New Mexico to the fledgling organization as a National wilderness camping area. A camper could that year experience the vast wilderness of the high desert for a fee of $1.00 a week. One hundred eighty nine scouts came to Philturn that year. Philturn being the original name using the Philips name and the scout slogan, do a good turn daily.
Now if this story were to end here Mr. Philips would be remembered as a great benefactor to hundreds of thousands of youth. A grand example of paying it forward. But he was not yet finished giving. Seeing the Scouts using the vast area he had given he expanded on the idea by adding to that gift.
In 1941 as a war tore Europe apart and threatened the Pacific, Waite Philips added what he considered prime camping lands to the gift as well as the ranch headquarters. In all the Scout ranch now encompassed 127,395 acres.
Phillips was quoted in the Tulsa Daily World saying: "That ranch represents an ideal of my youth ... and has meant a lot to my son and his pals. Now I want to make it available to other boys. ... I'd be selfish to hold it for my individual use."
Selfish Waite Philips was not. A gift of over 127,000 acres is unimaginable today, more so seventy years ago. But Waite Philips was still not finished.
Realizing the overwhelming cost of annual operation and development of the Scout ranch he did not want to see that cost passed on to campers. So to cover those costs he also gave the Boy Scouts a commercial property in Tulsa he owned. The 23 story Philtower building. With the income produced by the Tulsa property the Scout Ranch was guaranteed a shinning future. In 1949 at Philips urging the Scouts restored Kit Carson's adobe home at Rayado.
The program at the ranch offers high adventure challenges for both youth and adult leaders. Backpacking treks into the rugged wind swept mountains where the earth and sky meet. As well as wild west activity's of horseback riding, pack mules, rock climbing, gold panning, burro racing and chuck wagon dinners. Philmount delivers the promise of adventure.
Over the years more land was added to the ranch while staff continued building on Waite Philips selfless gift to future generations. Today the ranch encompasses 214 square miles. With annual use by thousands of Scouts, volunteer leaders and staff. Since 1938 over 930,000 Scouts have come to the ranch for the experience of a lifetime.
All because of one mans selfless gift. But again I can not end this story without recognizing the selfless gift of time made by volunteers. Over the years thousands of adult volunteers have brought their troops to the Scout ranch. A gift of time the gift those leaders give, especially the scoutmasters.
The Scoutmasters, those people who gives of there time year in year out. I know because for many years I wore that hat. Speaking from that experience I always put my boys first. You give them your days off, vacations, and sometimes reach into your own wallet to get a boy to camp. To be a good leader, you need first be a good scout yourself. Living the idea's and morals of the Scout oath and law. I'm sorry but I have a bias opinion when it comes to Scouting. Scouting builds self reliant men of character period.
My friend Phil Bowman was such a man. And for many years he headed the Philmount contingent from the Southwest Michigan Council BSA. Selflessly he led the Philmount contingent on numerous weekend pack trips in Michigan in preparation for the mountains of New Mexico. I don't know how many years he had been doing this before I met him. Needless to say I think he possessed a mental map of the 214 square mile Scout ranch that he loved so much. This year Phil passed away and it is in his memory I wrote this. Because as Waite Philips gave in wealth so much to the BSA, Phil Bowman did of himself. May the legacy of giving continue.
Dedicated to Philip Bowman
Devoted Family man, Scouter, Friend
