Vision Statement - Venture Crew 97
For the past present and future of Crew 97, this is our statement:
We want to grow as a group and as individuals while building character and to learn to always seize the day.
To widen our horizons and experience outrageous high adventures that we could not otherwise do. To have all minds cooperating to achieve new goals, while learning skills necessary to turn us as young adults into model Americans.
To have fun and wring the minds of our members for every atom of creativity and adventure possible.
In conclusion; from the simplicity of camping under the stars to a catamaran trip to the Caribbean, the members of Venture Crew 97 wish to share the experiences of a lifetime.
What is Venturing?
Venturing is a youth development program of the Boy Scouts of America for young men and women who are 14 (and have completed the eighth grade) through 20 years of age.
Venturing's purpose is to provide positive experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults. 
Venturing is based on a unique and dynamic relationship between youth, adult leaders, and organizations in their communities. Local community organizations establish a Venturing crew by matching their people and program resources to the interests of young people in the community. The result is a program of exciting and meaningful activities that helps youth pursue their special interests, to grow, to develop leadership skills, and to become good citizens.
Venturing crews can specialize in a variety of avocation or hobby interests.
Goals of Venturing
Young adults involved in Venturing will:
- Learn to make ethical choices over their lifetimes by instilling the values in the Venturing Oath and Code.
- Experience a program that is fun and full of challenge and adventure.
- Become a skilled training and program resource for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and other groups.
- Acquire skills in the areas of high adventure, sports, arts and hobbies, youth ministries, or Sea Scouting.
- Experience positive leadership from adult and youth leaders and be given opportunities to take on leadership roles.
- Have a chance to learn and grow in a supportive, caring, and fun environment.
Methods of Venturing
The aims of Venturing are to build character, develop citizenship and foster personal fitness. The Venturing methods listed below have been carefully designed to achieve the aims of Venturing and meet the needs of young adults. 
- Leadership. All Venturers are given opportunities to learn and apply proven leadership skills. A Venturing crew is led by elected crew officers. The Venturing Leadership Skills Course is designed for all Venturers and helps teach in an active way to effectively lead.
- Group Activities. Venturing activities are interdependent group experiences in which success is dependent on the cooperation of all. Learning by "doing" in a group setting provides opportunities for developing new skills.
- Adult Association. The youth officers lead the crew. The officers and activity chairs work closely with adult Advisors and other adult leaders in a spirit of partnership. The adults serve in a "shadow" leader capacity.
- Recognition. Recognition comes through the Venturing advancement program and through the acknowledgement of a youth's competence and ability by peers and adults.
- The Ideals. Venturers are expected to know and live by the Venturing Oath and Code. They promise to help others and to seek truth and fairness.
- High Adventure. Venturing's emphasis on high adventure helps provide; team-building opportunities, new meaningful experiences, practical leadership application, and life-long memories to young adults.
- Teaching Others. All of the Venturing Awards require Venturers to teach what they have learned to others. When they teach others often, Venturers are better able to retain the skill or knowledge they taught, they gain confidence in their ability to speak and relate to others and they acquire skills that can benefit them for the rest of their lives as a hobby or occupation.
Ethics in Action
An important goal of Venturing is to help young adults be responsible and caring persons, both now and in the future. Venturing uses "ethical controversies" to help young adults develop the ability to make responsible choices that reflect their concern for what is a risk and how it will affect others involved. Because an ethical controversy is a problem-solving situation, leaders expect young adults to employ empathy, invention, and selection when they think through their position and work toward a solution of an ethical controversy. 
Crew Activities
Venturing
crews can specialize in a variety of avocation or hobby interests. What a Venturing crew does is limited only by the imagination and
involvement of the youth and adult leaders and members of the crew—sail the
Caribbean, produce a play, climb a mountain, ski the mountains of Colorado, teach
disabled people to swim, or attend the Olympics. All these adventures and more
are being done today by Venturing crews across the country. All that is needed
are concerned adults who are willing to share a little bit of themselves with
today's youth-tomorrow's leaders, and motivated youth who are willing to help
control their own destiny.
So far, Crew 97 has decided to concentrate on High
Adventure activities. The group started out by rappelling down the 100 foot
cliffs of Rimrock, near Garden of the Gods in Southern Illinois National
Forest.
Photos of the April 2003 rappelling trip are available for viewing
Crew 97 is
an interdependent group experience in which success is dependent on the
cooperation of all. Learning by "doing" in a group setting provides
opportunities for developing new skills. The crew’s emphasis on high adventure
helps provide team-building opportunities, new meaningful experiences,
practical leadership applications, and life-long memories for young adults.
All members
of the crew are given opportunities to learn and apply proven leadership
skills. A Venturing crew is led by elected crew officers. The Venturing
Leadership Skills Course available to us is designed for all crew members and
helps teach in an active way to effectively lead.
Fees and Meeting Information
Become a
charter member of Crew 97!
Crew 97 is
looking for young people who have an interest in High Adventure activities and
wish to share their lives with each other as responsible and
caring persons. This is an exciting time in our evolution and we invite all
young people in the Springfield and surrounding area to join us!
Our joining fee is only $11.00, and it even includes insurance. We meet the
first and third Monday of the month at 6:00 at Sugar Creek Church on New City
Road (across from Ball Elementary School). We welcome you to drop by. You can get a map right here. A printable vesrion resides here
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