Scoutmaster Minutes
Inspirational stories and meaningful remarks to share
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LATEST POSTS
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One of the points he brought up is that none of the patrols have an identity. These kids are amazingly observant beyond where we were in the early 90s. I don't think you'd have found a single one of us making that observation. We have four patrols. Patrol 1 has one Star who randomly appears, 1 2nd Class, 1 TF, 3 Scout, and 1 no Rank who has been there for about a year. Patrol 2 has 1 1st Class, 2 TF, and 4 Scouts. Patrol 3 has a 17 y/o Life who actually wants to help lead, 1 1st Class, 1 2nd Class, 1 TF, and 3 Scouts. Patrol 4 has 9 Scouts with Ranks from Life to Eagle, 3 of which actually participate. The active ones ditch the rest at their table and walk around to help the younger Scouts. The other four who generally show up, treat the meeting little differently than hanging out at some other place. Honestly, if those guys quit, there'd be no net loss in leadership or productivity. None of those four want to go camping or participate in outings, Eagle projects that aren't their own, etc. All that is to say that it's clear this troop has been pretty close to Webelos 3+ for a while. To jump start things, I recommended that our campout this weekend focus on advancement, or at least be planned with an eye to advancement for the 1st Class and below. One of the requirements for Tenderfoot is to assemble a personal first aid kit. I identified that as something that needed to be done as part of prep and sensitized the SPL to that point. The acting SM asked me if we should bring a bunch of first aid supplies out to the campout for the Scouts to use to assemble kits. To me, that's not the Scouts assembling a first aid kit. That's the Scouts selecting materials from those provided by the adults. I want to encourage them to actually open the handbook, read through it, think about what cases they might encounter, make a list, and then procure the items. -
By Eagle94-A1 · Posted
Had a good conversation with our COR last nite. Helps he is also a former SM and knows all the challenges I face in that role. We are on the verge of folding. He know it, our adults know it, and the Scouts may know it. We need one more Scout in order to recharter, and we are going full throttle on recruiting. Our DE says they can help us get into the schools. I hope that is true and he follows through, but the council's record on that is poor. But as Gandalf the White said, " There is always hope, a fool's hope." We will be doing our annual fundraiser as if we will be rechartering. Goal is to raise enough money to pay national and council fees, and summer camp. We will continue Scouting on. Back up plan is if the troop does not recharter, pay for everyone's, both adults and youth, registration and council fees, pay for summer camp, and save the rest to restart the troop at a later date. I am sticking around as SM until December 2026. I have idea on someone to replace me, but want to get them up to speed. -
By RememberSchiff · Posted
Oct 13, 2014: Camp Püpükea Master Plan (500+ pages) filed. https://files.hawaii.gov/dbedt/erp/EA_EIS_Library/2014-10-23-OA-FEA-Camp-Pupukea-Master-Plan.pdf Aug 20, 2025: Plan update and other council property renovation plans in Aloha Council. https://alohastatedaily.com/2025/08/20/north-shore-scout-camp-reenvisioned-for-community/ "The camp improvements aim to serve scouts, business and nonprofit organizations and community groups, as well as those seeking refuge during natural disasters." A long planning process starting with needed improvements then adding shabby chic along the way. -
Patrols? Neighborhood "gangs", in the good connotation. Family hierarchy: Big Brothers/Sisters exampling/teaching/modeling to younger bro's, sis's. Committee(s) of the whole to accomplish SOMETHING.... a trip to see a museum/hike a trail/go see a movie/earn a Merit Badge together/attend a CAMPOREE/serve for your CO, just the Patrol.... Patrol Dad, Mom, Waaay back when, our phone tree, (remember them? ) often garnered a bunch of "friends" meeting to see that movie, visit that museum... just because we were friends, not ONLY Scouts. But the Scout imprimatur was there. Our folks knew where we went, what we did, saw. Somewhere along the way, when Scouting became less cool, and the parents decided they (THEY ) couldn't trust us, didn't trust the rest of society (let a 12 year old walk to the store by themselves??), and because the BSA fell down HARD on protecting the Scouts from the unacknowledged predators out there, in here,,, We needed two deep Registered Scout Trained Adults on any Scout activity. Protecting not only the younguns' but the adultuns' too,,,, Can a bunch of friends go for a hike, go to a ball game (if they have the bucks!😉), without calling it a "SCOUT ACTIVITY" ? If they tell their parents, and the parents say "have fun, be home by 8 !" , well ... ? What is a "PATROL" today? -
By Eagle94-A1 · Posted
Since September/October 2018, ALL (major emphasis) Scouting activities, including patrol day activities, requires 2 registered adults over 21. They tried to make it go into effect in March, but a lot of units with summer camp and HA plans with only 1 adult over 21 and 1 adult over 18 pushed back on it. One of the few times National listened to their volunteers. But I bet all those units wanting refunds was why.
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