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Judy Williams loves to run—and she’s good at it, too. A convert of one year, Judy has been winning medals and ribbons at track meets across Alabama, her home state. Judy is a second-year Beehive and attends the Phenix City Ward, Columbus Georgia Stake.

The Boy Scouts of America have officially adopted, on an experimental basis for 1981–83, a program originally developed by members of the LDS Church for 14- and 15-year-old young men. Varsity Scouting, which has been developed since 1978 as a pilot program in LDS Scouting units in Utah, Idaho, and western Wyoming, will now also be offered to all Scouting sponsors in 18 areas throughout the United States.

The new program will be available in BSA councils headquartered in Rochester, New York; Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania; Washington, D.C.; Wilmington, Delaware; Baltimore, Maryland; Menasha, Wisconsin; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Waterloo, Iowa; Wichita, Kansas; Fort Worth, Texas; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Glendale, Los Angeles, Pasadena, and Van Nuys, California; Seattle and Tacoma, Washington; and Honolulu, Hawaii. According to John D. Warnick, director of Mormon Relationships for the Boy Scouts of America, LDS stakes whose boundaries fall into any of the areas listed above will be able to develop Varsity Scouting programs.

Varsity Scouts are recognized by their casual uniforms featuring dark brown pants, tan T-shirts, and orange jackets. A “team coach” helps the Varsity Scouts manage their own activities, using skills learned as Blazer Scouts (age 11) and Boy Scouts (ages 12–13). The new program replaces the Venturer program and acts as a transition from Boy Scouts to Exploring.

Not many young women set a turkey trot race as their goal—but Debbie and Lori Wright of the Orem 47th Ward, Orem Utah Windsor Stake, did. They decided to accept the challenge of running the 4.25-mile race with their Laurel adviser, Lorraine Gaufin. Since neither of the sisters had raced before, they set up their own jogging schedules, trained on their own, and even got matching T-shirts with “Lorraine’s Laurels” printed on the back. The race was long enough to discourage them. It wasn’t the easiest goal they’ve ever achieved, but they ran a good race, They both finished the course, and Debbie brought home a turkey she won in the post-race drawing.

It took 11,500 matchsticks and 320 hours, but Stephen Maxwell, 15, of the Hamilton Fifth Ward, Temple View New Zealand Stake, didn’t mind the work. He began making the replica of the New Zealand Temple as a school project. The model will be on display first at the Dinsdale chapel, then will be moved to the visitors’ center at the New Zealand Temple.

Two missionaries in the New Zealand Christchurch Mission decided that more people needed to know just how important families are—so they decided to build a float to tell them. Elder Dick Bybee and Elder Jeff Jarvic entered the resulting “Families Are Forever” float in the Blossom Festival parade in Alexandra. The float was shown on television and to the 15,000 visitors who came to the festival. Local Church members helped work on the float, which in turn helped open doors in town for the missionaries.

Become active in government? That’s what five young men and women of the Binghamton Ward, Ithaca New York Stake, have done—in student government, that is. Although there are not many young Mormons in the area, these five have had a powerful impact on their schools—and set a good missionary example, too. Kendra Iznuzi is a senior class president at Vestal High; Peter Sherwood, a new convert, is senior class vice-president at the same school; and Jill Hales (who introduced Peter to the Church) is student government co-president. Carolyn Christensen served as student senate secretary at another school, and Joe Hales as student government president last year. Congratulations!

Myke Sargent, 13, who is hearing impaired, has worked hard to overcome the challenges of his handicap. Because of what he has learned, he decided to help someone else in a similar situation. For his Eagle service project, Myke organized his troop to teach arts and crafts to the handicapped children in the Denver Colorado Stake, where he lives. His purpose was not only to help the handicapped in the stake, but also to help the Scouts discover that the people they helped are interesting people. A member of the Aurora Fourth Ward, Myke is a member of the Aurora Gators Swim Team and serves as deacons quorum president in his ward.

The Hill Cumorah Pageant will run July 24 through August 1, 1981 (except Sunday). The Hill Cumorah is located on Highway 21 near Palmyra, New York, 15 miles east of Rochester, 2 miles north of the Manchester Exit 43, New York Thruway. The pageant starts at dusk (about 9:00 P.M.) and there’s no admission charge. If you get a chance to see it, you’ll love it!