History Ben Petrzilka Memorial Foundation Inc.
Story of EventsAt 6:35 p.m. CST on June 11, 2008 an EF3 tornado struck the camp during a Pahuk Pride National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT).[4] There were 93 boys and 25 youth and adult staff members in attendance; four boys were killed and 48 injured.[5][6] Scouts attending the weeklong Pahuk Pride event at the camp were from Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota.[7]
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The National Weather Service office in Valley, Nebraska said they issued a tornado warning 12 minutes before the twister hit the camp. People at the camp reported having five minutes between sighting thefunnel cloud and touch down at the camp. According to a camp counselor, nearly all the injuries and fatalities happened when a small cabin that some campers took shelter in was destroyed by the tornado. The Scouts were split into two groups for the event and had taken shelter in two different buildings when the storm hit.[6] The tornado was one of 28 reported in that time period, spread across eastern Kansas and into Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota.[8] Many of the injuries were reported to have happened when a brick fireplace in one shelter where the Scouts were taking cover was destroyed by the tornado winds.[3]
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Ben Petrizilka
Benjamin Petrzilka was an extraordinary young man who died at the young age of thirteen at the Little Sioux Scout Ranch on June 11th 2008 when a tornado came through the camp during a leadership training course. During his short time here, he taught us how to give of ourselves and to reach out to those in need. He was involved in several community projects:
Boy Scouts, his school, his church and even his own volunteer. Ben enjoyed giving his time and talents towards helping others. Ben had a wonderful way of making people smile and saw only the good in others. His words were kind and his actions thoughtful. If you knew Ben, you knew a young man with extraordinary courage and strength. If you did not get a chance to know Ben, you can still see the person he was by reaching out to others and being the helping hand to those in need.
Boy Scouts, his school, his church and even his own volunteer. Ben enjoyed giving his time and talents towards helping others. Ben had a wonderful way of making people smile and saw only the good in others. His words were kind and his actions thoughtful. If you knew Ben, you knew a young man with extraordinary courage and strength. If you did not get a chance to know Ben, you can still see the person he was by reaching out to others and being the helping hand to those in need.
Camp StandardsLittle Sioux scout ranch is a beautiful 1,800-acre reservation out side of Little Sioux Iowa. There are many hiking trails, lots of trees and meadows. It also has a 15 acre lake and cabins (one which was destroyed in the tornado.) Little Sioux offers both remote and developed camp sites for two different camping experiences. At the time of the tornado, none of the existing buildings were rated to withstand the high winds present during these fierce storms. The buildings that the campers used for shelter offered protection from the rain but were inadequate for protection against high winds. Currently, Little Sioux ranch offers two Fema approved shelters that can house many children and withstand tornados.
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