The Campfire Ashes Ceremony originated through the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. When Baden Powell was on his journey throughout the world he would take ashes from campfires he would attend and spread them in the next campfire he attended. This tradition has been kept alive throughout the Scouting program and other organizations for over a hundred years. The Campfire Ashes Ceremony entices the participants to experience their friendship and life long memories to each campfire they attend.

 

The history of the Camp Fire Ashes Ceremony is a legend in the Scouting Community:“Lord Robert Baden-Powell was the father of the Scouting movement. In 1907, on Brownsea Island in England, he conducted the first Scout Camp for boys. At the end of that camp, he gave some the ashes from the camp fire to each of the boys and kept some for himself. Legend says he did this at all ceremonial camp fires. The ashes have been passed from one to another now for 100 years. Imagine. 100 Years of campfires, friends and fellowship.”The actual steps of the ceremony are as follows:

 

MacScouter

“Ashes taken from a past campfire are sprinkled into the flames of the next. The next morning when the ashes are cold, they are stirred, and each Scout is given some ashes to maintain the lineage for those yet to join us. If more than one Scout brings ashes to the same campfire, the lists with the location of all campfires are combined and passed on with the ashes. According to tradition, only those present at the campfire may carry away ashes”

 

Ash Ceremony - Baden-Powell's Ashes This format was setup by the Webmaster of MacScouter, and if printed, can be put on 3 X 5 cards Keep this tradition alive!!! Some General Rules to keep in mind with this ceremony, and in keeping it special: ONLY people that participate in the campfire may collect ashes...If a flag is retired do NOT use this ceremony in the same fire pit either skip this, or use two pits...Congress rules on flag retirement require that the ashes from a retired flag be buried respectfully... Not so!

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UNITED STATES CODE

In accordance with section 285b of title 2 of the U.S. Code

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Criminal penalties for certain acts of desecration to the flag were contained in Title 18 of the United States Code prior to 1989. The Supreme Court decision in Texas v. Johnson; June 21, 1989, held the statute unconstitutional. This statute was amended when the Flag Protection Act of 1989 (Oct. 28, 1989) imposed a fine and/or up to I year in prison for knowingly mutilating, defacing, physically defiling, maintaining on the floor or trampling upon any flag of the United States. The Flag Protection Act of 1989 was struck down by the Supreme Court decision, United States vs. Eichman, decided on June 11, 1990.

While the Code empowers the President of the United States to alter, modify, repeal or prescribe additional rules regarding the Flag, no federal agency has the authority to issue 'official' rulings legally binding on civilians or civilian groups. Consequently, different interpretations of various provisions of the Code may continue to be made. The Flag Code may be fairly tested: 'No disrespect should be shown to the Flag of the United States of America.' Therefore, actions not specifically included in the Code may be deemed acceptable as long as proper respect is shown.

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176. Respect for flag

• (k) The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning. 

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It does not state that flag retirements require the ashes from a retired flag be buried respectfully or taken from the campfire.  

 

The ashes can be stored in anything, but an empty film canister works GREAT!!! A variation on collecting the ashes is to have blank business cards made up with abit about the event, or why the Campfire was held and where and give them out to all who attended with the ashes smeared on the back...As the Scouts collect these and keep them in their advancement binders, the cardswill help with campfire memories of long ago...This ceremony can be done at ANY campfire...You don't have to have a full-blown program to do it......................................................................................CAMPFIRE ASHES LEGEND HAS IT THAT BADEN-POWELL WOULD ALWAYS TAKE A SMALL AMOUNT OF ASHES FROM ACEREMONIAL CAMPFIRE AND THEN SPREAD THESE ASHES INTO THE NEXT CAMPFIRE. THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THESE ASHES IS TO SHARE WITH YOU THE MEMORIES OF PAST CAMPFIRES AND TO BRING TO ALL SCOUTS AND SCOUTERS THE INTERNATIONAL ASPECT OF THE WORLD BROTHERHOOD OF SCOUTING.WILL ANYONE WITH CAMPFIRE ASHES PLEASE COME FORWARD AND JOIN ME....................................................................................THE ASHES I SPREAD INTO THIS CAMPFIRE CARRY MEMORIES OF PAST CAMPFIRES DATING BACKTO 1907. THEY HAVE BEEN CARRIED AROUND THE WORLD FROM,------------( insert history here... or as much of it as you want torecite )-----------------------------------...................................................................................I WILL NOW CHARGE THESE ASHES TO THIS CAMPFIRE."WE CARRY OUR FRIENDSHIPS WITH US IN THESE ASHES FROM OTHER CAMPFIRES WITH COMRADES IN OTHER LANDS. MAY THE JOINING OF THE PAST FIRES WITH THE LEAPING FLAMES OF THIS CAMPFIRE, SYMBOLIZE ONCE MORE THE UNBROKEN CHAIN THAT BINDS SCOUTS AND GUIDES OF ALL NATIONS TOGETHER . WITH GREETINGS FROM OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS AROUND THE WORLD, I ADD THESE ASHES, AND THE FELLOWSHIP THEREIN, TO OUR CAMPFIRE."...................................................................................

credits... http://www.macscouter.com/macscouter/woodbadge/we3-55-96/ashesceremony.htmlmpfire Ash Ceremony: Campfire Communitie