Date: Fri 31-May-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

Raul-Camejo-Sr-scouting

Full Text:

with cut: Raul Camejo, Sr: Leaving Newtown A Better Place

B Y A NDREA Z IMMERMANN

If a bear approaches your campsite, bang a spoon against your dish to scare it

away. And don't keep food, Band Aids, soap, chewing gum, or foot powder in

your tent because the scent of these will draw them right to you.

That is the advice of outdoorsman and Newtown resident Raul Camejo, Sr, who

has seen plenty of bears during his 34 years in scouting. He has also seen a

lot of excitement as a 39-year member of the Dodgingtown Volunteer Fire

Department. Now, after four decades of service to the community, he and his

wife, Shirley, will be leaving Newtown to travel through the US and eventually

settle in a warmer climate.

"Scouting is fun - it's not a job," said Mr Camejo, who holds an unprecedented

record of graduating 39 Eagle Scouts from Newtown. "I love the outdoors. I

volunteer all the time - I don't know how to say, `No.'"

Kevin Cragin, who offered a view held by many longtime associates, said Mr

Camejo is "a real class act, a good person who I've never heard use a cross

word or profanity. He has the highest character you can have. For 30 years

parents knew they had somebody [heading Troop 270] who was the greatest

example of what they'd like their kids to grow up to be like."

"Raul has been an inspiration to an awful lot of younger members, bringing

them up through scouts and through schooling in the fire department," said

Kashmir White, past chief of the Dodgingtown Volunteer Fire Department. "He's

a general, overall good guy - what more can you say?"

Looking back, Mr Camejo said he and his wife simply tried to use some of the

time they had on their hands. "Throughout life, I wanted to be honest about

what I did. And I wanted to learn as much as possible," he said. "Whatever I

learned, I would pass on - there's no sense in keeping it to myself."

He attributes his positive outlook and desire to help others to his upbringing

in a very close family.

Born in Cuba in 1928, Mr Camejo grew up in Havana where he attended the local

schools. He was the last of his immediate family to emigrate. "I came to the

US in 1949, ten years before Fidel Castro decided he wanted to be chief," said

Mr Camejo. "I had trained to be a diesel engineer and knew there was more of a

market here [in the US]."

He lived and worked in New York City until 1952 when he secured a job with

Associated Transport in Fairfield. A year later he moved to Newtown. Although

the only college he went to was the "School of Hard Knocks," Mr Camejo feels

he has done quite well by his own expectations. He has learned a good deal

from travelling, he said.

He joined the fire department where he "went up the ranks" to captain and

chief engineer; he is now honorary active member. He has also served on the

Board of Fire Commissioners for the past eight years. "He makes a lot of us

look bad because he's so good," said Mr Cragin, who is chairman of the fire

commissioners.

Five years after joining the fire company, Mr Camejo and his wife became

involved in the cub scout program because their sons had joined the

organization. In 1965, they began working with Troop 270 at Dodgingtown Fire

House, where Mr Camejo was scouting coordinator. Although their two boys are

now grown, the couple continues to lead young men and adults to betterment

through the program.

Known to his scouts as "Mr C," the scoutmaster has taken contingents from the

Pomperaug and Fairfield County Councils to the Boy Scout camp in New Mexico

for extended back-packing trips. He has also led high adventure groups on

week-long canoe trips in northern Maine and in the Adirondacks.

Troop 270 now has about 30 participants. Next month Mr Camejo will resign from

his position as scoutmaster, and his wife as assistant scout master and

advancement chairman. But he believes they will leave good people in charge.

"The scout master has to have a rapport with the boys - not that he's one of

the gang," he said. "But they have to have respect for each other."

Mr Camejo said he never gives anyone advice - he makes suggestions. "A

scoutmaster tries to teach them to solve their own problems," he said. "BSA

does not stand for Baby Sitting Association."

The purpose of scouting is to experience . It is designed to foster good

citizenship, teach the boys to depend on themselves and help other people at

all times without trying to take over their lives, said Mr Camejo.

Mr Camejo was honored with the Presidential Scoutmaster Award. Both he and his

wife received the Wood Badge ("The PhD of scouting"), the District Award of

Merit, and the Silver Beaver (the highest award given by Fairfield County

Council). But they did not strive for these honors, said Mr Camejo. "The kids

work for awards, we don't."

Both sons, Richard and Raul, Jr, have earned their Wood Badge; the latter is

now a scoutmaster for Troop 260 in Southbury. The Camejo's grandson,

Christopher, will get his Eagle Award in two weeks. "Between my wife, two

sons, and grandson, we have 121 years of scouting put together," said Mr

Camejo.

First Selectman Bob Cascella issued a proclamation on May 24 expressing

gratitude for Mr Camejo's many years of community service.

"It's been a rewarding time," said Mr Camejo. "I never wanted to leave

Newtown." But he and his wife decided it would not be easy to stay in Newtown

as retirees living on a fixed income. The cold winter climate is another

reason they are heading south, he said.

Their immediate plans are to travel in their RV to seven of the nine states

they have not yet seen - Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Oregon,

Washington, California, and Utah. Then they will probably look for a home in

Myrtle Beach, S.C.

The Camejos may be leaving Newtown, but they plan on contributing to the

scouting program in South Carolina. "Once you're trained, it would be awful

not to use the training to help other people. It would be as if you went to

college for engineers and came back to your home town and worked putting cans

on a shelf," said Mr Camejo. "It would be a better world if everybody shared

knowledge and participated with other people."