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I don't understand. It appears your troop is a lifeboat for this scout and scouts like him. Our troop averaged one scout transfer per month because of our program reputation. Many were friends of scouts in our troop. Council often referred out-of-state transfers to us . These scouts lack of skills can be challenging, but I always found them and their parents enthusiastic and great supporters for our program. I'm so thankful for your service. Barry

An Eagle in my neck of the woods, when asked what he learned from doing his project, responded, "Paperwork will suck the joy out of anything you love." As for PowerPoint Presentations, not for the project approval or for the EBOR, but other things related to the project could require them. One Eagle I had went to a foundation for a grant to do his project. They wanted him to do a PPT to the board in order to get approval for it. He submitted the PPT to the foundation director, and presented his case for his project. He got the funding. THAT IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT!!!!!!! (emphasis, not shouting at you) My tech savy son, who is now a computer science major, told me the program completely whacked when it come to photos. Whenever we talk to Life Scouts about project workbooks, we tell them do not worry about the photos in the workbook, add them to the end of it as individual photos.

Always refer to the G2A ... Guide To Advancement. In my view ... The Eagle Project is about service and leadership in doing that service. The workbook is well laid out and explicitly describes the steps. The project is enough in and of itself. Adding troop unique expectations makes the Eagle Project more about jumping hoops and than giving service. IMHO, we teach bad lessons when we make advancement about jumping hoops. Not required and can't be required ... but troops still do it. Is it harmful? Mostly no. Is this a hill to die on either direction? No. Is it a good idea? No, but I flip flop and can see both sides. Does it help the scout? Maybe a few scouts, but mostly no. The scout MUST fill out the Eagle Project Workbook in detail. That is the scout's commitment. A PowerPoint is extra and just decorative. Committees ... chair or designee(s) ... must review the workbook. That is what is being signed and is effectively a contract. A PowerPoint presentation is NOT what is being signed off. I've had scouts show me their PowerPoint presentation required by their troop. I sat nicely and listened. ... THEN, we went section by section thru the workbook write-up because that is the commitment. Bad ... Could be the unrequired extra hoop to jump thru that causes a scout to give up on Eagle. Good ... Might give some scouts presentation practice that helps scouts later in the process ... IMHO this is a big stretch. Why do troops do it? Biggest reason I've seen is the worst because it does not match Guide To Advancement. Troops justify it as it gives scouts experience presenting to groups and talking in front of groups. IMHO, that's what the Communications MB is about. That's what the rest of the scouting program is about. Eagle project is about service and leading that service. IMHO, it smells more of committee self-importance. If a troop wants to do it, it's not a hill to die on. Smile nicely. Listen. Don't promote the practice and point out the scout requirements are in the Eagle project workbook and the Guide To Advancement. ... Sorry if I am long winded. This was a hot button topic for me as I've been involved in many Eagle project proposal reviews.

So if a scout can take off and work on MBs at a camporee, what does the rest of his or her patrol do without that scout? So much for patrol method. There's sort of a win all you can mindset but my guess is that not understanding the benefits of the patrol method is a bigger problem. I heard an interview with someone that studies youth problems with changing technology. It was like they were begging for something just like the patrol method. The idea of a gang of kids, where the older ones look out for the younger ones and teach them the rules of society started fading with the advent of computers as entertainment. Lack of social skills, depression, etc. Smart phones made it that much worse. Their biggest fear is when parents can buy AI "friends" for their children. They'll never have to talk to real people! To be honest, I think there's another problem. I'm a grandparent with 3 grandkids aged 2 and under. Of all the people I knew that were parents while my kids were living at home, most don't have grandkids. Few of their children want children. Maybe they're too busy earning "MBs"? I admit that it's expensive and difficult to find the time, but, when it comes to a high adventure trip, having kids is really one of the best. Both my kids are in the not enough sleep phase but they love their kids. It's wonderful for me to watch. Both of my kids live in town. It's been an insane winter of colds and my wife and I are always on call. I've been sick more this winter than I can remember. I also love that I can spend this time with my family. I wouldn't call it quality time but some day, after I'm gone, I hope my grandkids have fond memories of playing with me. Bottom line: MBs are easy, life is not. Life is an adventure, MBs are not. MBs are worn on your sleeve, good memories are worn on your soul.

I taught at 1 MBU, and was never asked back. I told the folks running it, it would be a partial UNLESS the Scout did work before hand to do the stuff I was unable to do at the event. out of about 50- 60 people in 2 sessions, 1 person did the work before coming to the MBU. Another Scout contacted me after the event with the work. No one else contacted me about the badge. And the folks running it never asked me again. Same event, but a friend's encounter. Crime Prevention MB had a disruptive Scout. Was sent out after a few problems. At the end of the day, complains he never got Crime Prevention MB that he "Paid for." Thankfully my district knows not to convert a camporee into a MBU. They did that 1 year. Attendance was poor, and only 2 units liked it.

Saw this earlier this morning! All Merit Badges A-Z | Boy Scouts of America

IMO the workbook is awful in so many ways. Filling it out almost becomes the project itself. Adding another layer to it makes it even worse.

This seems to be part of the overall trend where Scouting is less experiential learning, less growing through group dynamics, less boy led and more, well almost school work focus. Along with MBU and not really becoming "Scouts", this is wanted by parents, who do not want to actually be involved, they just have expectations. They are expecting the new scouts to stay within their peer groups, stay in their comfort zones, get socially promoted through the ranks and be led by the leaders through monitored and "safe" activities. That whole outdoor and weekend camping interferes with sports, is scary and challenging, and boys may get dirty and be uncomfortable. Also how will the parents keep an eye on them, I mean they aren't heading out to the woods as an ASM or leader. In many cases the new crossover families want a warm and embracing Webelos III experience. The challenge is many boys, after 5th grade, find this somewhat boring. The retention rates is very low for many units due to these expectations and families assuming the Scouts program (11 - 17 years olds) will be like Cubs. One of the reasons there is not overall growth in the program. On a macro scale the promise of fun and adventure in many (though not all) cases is not being delivered. Units are getting way smaller. Average size for units at our camp 8 years ago was +/- 24 youth in camp. Last year the average was less than 17 youth. The Scouts that are in units that camp, that challenge them, that get them out of their normal comfort zone, and let the youth run the program keep those Scouts. Those units lose most to aging out, not just having kids not showing up any more. Sadly there are less and less units that are run in this manner.

I am sussing out that you're trying to figure out when to bring your knowledge to the table without burning a bridge. That's really tough to figure out; unfortunately we have a lot of bad leaders in scouting. I would recommend assessing the key 3 a bit, attend some leader meetings to see if they are just dictating or actually running the meetings properly. A key indicator to hold off and wait on making any recommendations is if the committee chair is not seeking input from all attendees at the committee meetings.

To combat "Daddy interference", as a Scoutmaster I was also the Patrol Leader of the Rockers (our patrol badge was a rocking chair). It was made up of the adults on the particular outing - Scouters or not. When Daddy hovered around junior a little too much, I'd assign him a patrol function in the Rocker patrol. One of issues I seemed to always run into before I did this was having the adults critique the menu plan and and take over cooking duties. Eating as a patrol (Rockers) and not getting in the way of their son's (and now daughter's) patrol was the goal. I'd also allow the SPL and ASPL to eat with the Rockers (adult patrol) if they so desired as a guest (they didn't have to cook or clean up). This did two things I thought were beneficial. One, it allowed for me to review how the outing was going with the SPL and give him some feedback (as well receiving feedback from the SPL) and just as important, kept the SPL from overshadowing the PL during their dining. My personal style was to always allow adults a leadership position (ASM) if they requested it (sort of like a Cub Scout asking to join a troop). Then as the Scoutmaster I'd assign them a duty commensurate with their skill set and willingness to do it. If they wanted a committee position, that was up to the Committee Chair. P.S. Same approach for "Mommy's" too.

Bennington, VT "Liam Lynch, 17, died last December after a tragic single-car accident in Bennington. Liam was just weeks away from completing his Eagle Scout community service project, something he had worked on for several months. The project involved building an outside classroom and gathering place for his beloved school, Grace Christian. According to his father, the plans for the space were sitting on his desk the night he died." “Liam was an amazing scout and an amazing kid," said Jim Poole, Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 353. “Being an Eagle Scout takes years of commitment and dedication. Liam really set a good example of what it meant to be a Scout. He was a great kid and loved this school with all his heart. It is only fitting that we can see his vision to the end. Liam started this. We are all so privileged to help him finish it. He was so close to finishing this. To be able to get this complete is huge. This was the last thing he had to do.” “Liam thought it was a fantastic idea to get this done for the school, Mike Lynch, Liam’s father, said. “I think it’s fantastic that after the tragedy, the first thing the scoutmaster said was that they were planning on having the Troop finish what Liam started on his behalf. This means the world to us.” His fellow scouts completed Liam's Eagle project. More (including photos) at source: https://www.benningtonbanner.com/local-news/scouts-complete-eagle-project-after-tragic-accident/article_98a0cb89-5c1e-476d-9338-7c6a96ff588f.html

As far as changing "troop culture", unless it is the SM with agreeable ASM, it is near impossible. It is much easier to change Patrol Culture as the Patrol makes their decisions. This is best accomplished by having the Patrol choose events separate from the other patrols.

Back in the day, I remember the old merit badge pamphlets were always red.

Now, all we need is the Scouts to read them!

No more and no less, use the tools and requirements Sadly there are units that feel the need to put "their" spin on projects. Must have CAD drawings, Must build something, Must put in XX hours, Must have XX Scouts work on the project, Must, Must, Must. While the intentions may be good, as has been noted, these local add-ons do not adhere to G2A. How to politely navigate that deviation can be a challenge

I almost included 'reverent' from the US Scout Law, but since it seems like there is a large contingent of people here (including in scouts) who don't feel that nature is sacred it may well not resonate generally for Americans. But I agree completely with what Kate is saying here, and at least in Sweden I am typical. We seek and find spirituality and sacredness in nature. That's also why we have no problem with atheist scouts - feeling the spiritual connection to nature and all things doesn't require belief in deities. That's part of why that works for us. (Presumably some scouts' and scouters' difficulty in imagining spirituality not centered around deities is why the WOSM constitution needed to be clarified a while back also.) This is also why I want to be out there and why I want to get more kids out there. They should get to know and protect nature, this generates right view and right action grounded in reverence. 🌍Happy Earth Month! Remember, this is the month to launch your Scouting for Clean Waterways project! Let's trash own trash and be water protectors! https://www.forskning.se/2020/05/28/naturen-har-blivit-svenskarnas-kyrka/

"On Monday, April 14, 2025, Joseph Csatari passed away peacefully in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. His career as an illustrator and fine artist spanned more than 60 years. He worked in oil, watercolor, pastel, and charcoal, and his artwork has been recreated on collectible plates, figurines, and medallions and displayed in museums throughout the country. Csatari spent more than 10 years as art director to his friend and mentor Norman Rockwell on the beloved illustrator’s Scout calendar paintings. In 1976, Csatari embarked on a freelance career and was asked to continue the annual calendar commission in the Rockwell tradition. In a letter sent from Chief Scout Executive Roger Krone, he writes, “Joe joined Scouting in 1953 as an artist in the layout division in the Supply Division's advertising department. He held numerous positions during his 24 years with the organization, including taking on the role of Art Director of Boys' Life magazine, like his mentor Norman Rockwell, in 1973. Joe’s son Jeff was also an editor for Boys’ Life for more than 5 years. In 2005, Joe was awarded the Silver Buffalo Award for his dedication to Scouting. Joe was a remarkable artist and a cherished part of the Scouting family. His artwork captured the spirit of Scouting for generations, and his legacy will continue to inspire us.” Joseph Csatari didn’t just paint life—he painted what is best in life. He gave us moments frozen in time, full of laughter, learning, and love. In doing so, he ensured that his vision of America—honest, hopeful, and full of heart—will never fade. Thank you, Joe. May your memory be a blessing, and may your art continue to inspire generations to come." Source National Scouting Museum: Thank you. Scout Salute and Farewell,

There are some who do not even do these on a campout. They are done in indoor classrooms with 30 scouts and a mB "counselor" doing a 2-3 hour presentation including a few hands-on activities. These mB universities cheapen the mB and deny scouts real opportunities. It is both saddening and maddening.

Went with our Troop to a Merit Badge College our council organized some years ago. Two Scouts wanted to do Drafting Merit Badge for one of their activities. For Drafting Merit Badge, the pre-req was the formatting of the two sheets, and doing a drawing and lettering project. Having some minor experience in drafting, I guided them both on the research and completion of the pre-reqs. We went to the MB College... there were about 25 Scouts in this class. Counselor was an experienced Scouter and draftsman in the prestigious university we were at (Ivy League school) Only the two from our Troop had done the pre-reqs. The MBC at the end of the class handed out signed blue cards for completion to all Scouts and told them they were "On Their Honor" to complete the pre-reqs before they gave the blue card to their unit leader. I was floored, but I was not going to confront the MBC in front of the Scouts. After he dismissed them, I spoke to him, and tried, tactfully, to tell him those should have been partials, and that it would have been better if he had recognized the work done by the Scouts who made the effort to complete the badge. He said flatly that he knew this was not in accordance with the Guide to Advancement, but this was they way he had always done it, and there were never any complaints. I remember he said something to the effect of "...most of them would never get the badge otherwise." I told him I would file a complaint with the council, because this violated the Guide to Advancement, his own Scout Oath and Law, and put those Scouts in a really bad position. The blue card states, "The applicant has personally appeared before me and demonstrated to my satisfaction that all requirements have been met for ..." and he was willfully lying on the form. When I filed the form with council, guess what happened??? Nothing. (Counselor was also a regular donor...) How does that meet our mission " ... to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law." ??? I did have a chat with our two Scouts later. Both were upset they had done the work when others hadn't, and they felt cheated. I told them they were not cheated... it was the other Scouts who were cheated. These two had gotten their just reward because they had earned it. The others were give the burden of a lie they will carry with them always.

That kind of ended with a whimper. I wish those that are involved all the best of luck.

Well said. "with my father" ... I can respect that. I fear this might be a psychology of the troop and a BSA training conflict. Strictly speaking, scouts are to socialize with scouts in their scouting activities and then with the other adults. In conflict, I also attending most scouting activities with my kids, but I tried to keep myself on the outskirts ... mostly. ... It is a pull/push or a training vs reality issue. ... I'm not sure there is a perfect answer other than making sure the scouts have positive growing experiences. "adult leadership crosses over" ... is really up to the troop leaders you are joining. They may very well be open to your immediately getting into a leadership role. They may want you to wait a year. They may have some in-between. ... Number one thing is to make a healthy connection with the existing unit leaders.

Thank you for your wisdom 😜 Berets are not practical for the field or training environments. Even the military recognizes this. Here's a blurb from an old Army regulation: "Soldiers will not wear the beret in field or training environments, or on deployments, unless authorized by the commander. Additionally, if the commander determines other environments are unsuitable for wear of the beret, such as on work details, the commander may direct soldiers to wear other appropriate headgear." Basically, berets are a decoration. In the immortal words of Sweet Brown, "Ain't nobody got time for that." https://youtu.be/6gLMSf4afzo

100% agree. Changing troop culture is nearly impossible as a new parent. It takes years. ... So for now, ask yourself ... can your son benefit, grow and enjoy the culture that currently exists. Will your scout have a positive scouting experience? Adventure? There is no perfect troop culture, but even a less than ideal scouting troop can be a big positive. Separately, to make change, plan that it takes years. Start by serving the troop that exists now. Build friendships and connections. Over time, other leaders will see your investment in the troop. Once you have positive credibility with the troop, then you can take on roles such as SM/ASM where you can influence the culture. This takes years though. If you push too hard too fast, you will alienate people. Be careful here too. Patrols are guide by the SPL and SM. You risk alienating yourself and causing issues if your words and actions are not aligned with the SM. My apologies if I'm nit picking here. I'm not trying to be a jerk. ... BUT, your son is crossing over. It's his scouting experience. His adventure. You can look for ways you can help the troop. AND, your son will definitely see you value scouting if you volunteer to help. ... "I will be crossing over" is a red flag that always makes me think about does the adult realize the youth scout is to have their own scouting experience.

When the methods are employed effectively, they result in the achievement of the Aims of scouting. These are the metrics by which we measure our success in implementing the methods.

They are socks. To put this all into perspective - they are socks and this is not the military. When I was a scout in Mississippi in the early 80’s, we went to summer camp (Camp Tiak) The expectation was to wear the uniform every day. Since I did not have the right socks (actually just missing the red tabs that were to be worn with the socks, I had to wear long pants. Not fun in 100 degree weather. The emphasis in the troop was on uniforms (and inspections with grip chits) - which was a main reason I left scouts - I hated it. I am an ASM now, and my son recently completed all the requirements for Eagle. And after 30 years in the military, my emphasis has never been on uniform other than 1) wear it appropriately, and 2) wear what you have. Perspective. What is important in scouts? Let’s make the main thing be the main thing and use common sense on implementing the methods. My two cents.

I felt the same about Bolos. I thought neckers were uniform... worldwide.

I did find the World Scout Foundation 2024 Annual Report which was PUBLICLY released a couple of weeks ago. https://annualreport.worldscoutfoundation.org/2024/ As for Scouting America's complete 2024 Annual Report aka Report to the Nation, I have not found the complete report online. Maybe it will be available in its entirety at the National Annual Meeting or some time after.

Or perhaps merit badge pamphlets are printed outside the US?

That, my friend, is WONDERFUL news... thanks for the notice.

I did not want to start a new thread so I figured I would tack this onto here. It would appear that Voyageurs Council no longer exists and was carved up to the other councils adjacent in Northern MN.

You can only do what you can do; by that I mean offer the options and tools and then let them use them. Eagle is, and should NOT be the goal, but rather self sufficiency and good citizenship. Having pride in themselves, whether or not the Rank is achieved. We can never win them all, but if we give up, we will lose them all. My frustrations are greater now due to my age. I can no longer just do some things and get others to join. Other than simple drive in camping, and preferably a good cot, my body rebels. And while the troop refuses to take me off officially, I am mostly a symbol or something; and I Am Able to do conferences and teach many skills still, though much more slowly. My greater frustration comes from the poor support from our council and the seeming impediments they put in place under the guise of avoiding "issues". Just CYA. And I have been labeled silently as someone to put off and ignore or keep from others, as I might infect them somehow with expectations of doing scouting in its truer sense. Yet, I will not drop out completely and hope to find a way to encourage other younger leaders to keep the good fight up and stay the course. And when obvious wins show up, it moves us forward, and it plants that seed in the youth, if we are lucky.

Well, I had another disheartening moment yesterday. We had a life Scout transfer into the troop because "you do stuff." Yes their troop camped, but it was very infrequent. The Life Scout didn't know how to write a menu, food purchasing list, or duty roster. I am beginning to wonder if I am fighting an uphill battle staying in Scouting.

@jcousinoand @mrjohns2, it would have been nice to have a Wildlife Manager's perspective in the article to provide some balance and background on this. (We would hope that the area is under good wildlife management, as it is a National Elk Refuge.) You are both correct, that, under the principles of Leave No Trace, we should "Leave What You Find". However, for all principles, there should be an overriding understanding that the owners and/or managers of the land have the prerogative to allow activities which might seem to be in conflict with the principles. Hunting in the National Elk Refuge is an example. The land managers know the herd is too large for the land to sustain, so they permit the hunting of elk to cull the herd to reduce the numbers to restore a balance. As I understand it, the elk antler hunt is a strictly managed, limited time, restricted entry event, so as to keep some of the antler resource in place. https://www.jacksonwy.gov/668/Antler-Shed-Hunt it is also quite funny to see the other side of this... now, some businesses are upset that the land managers and game commission are limiting the number of elk hunting licenses because the herd is getting smaller. https://www.jhnewsandguide.com/news/environmental/local/jackson-elk-herd-hunt-season-sees-deeper-cuts-following-public-comment/article_5e6a7d56-4155-4832-8403-0b4af37f3594.html 'The outfitters blamed the herd’s downturn on wolves. “The pressure from predation up there is horrific,” Taylor said.' LOL... that's the mentality we really need to change... good luck 😜

very impressive project. i would unfortunately have to say that scout involvement violates the scouting LNT principles as this sheds provide a mineral source for a lot of small animals so removing something that is part of natural process violates leave what you find and respect wildlife. but it does sound interesting money or principles. my 2 cents

April 21, 2025: Scouting America announce its partnership with #MyFriendToo US, "a groundbreaking initiative and resource – MyFriendTooUS.org – launched during Child Abuse Prevention Month to help children support their friends in disclosing sexual abuse to safe adults. Originally created by Protect Children in Finland and adapted for the U.S. in collaboration with ChildFund, #MyFriendToo US is the first program of its kind in the country, directly addressing the fact that children often disclose abuse to a friend rather than to an adult. The initiative equips children and youth with the knowledge, tools, and language to guide their friends toward safety and healing." https://www.myfriendtoous.org/ More at Source: https://www.scoutingnewsroom.org/press-releases/scouting-america-joins-myfriendtoo-us-initiative-to-empower-youth-in-the-fight-against-sexual-violence/

Depends on the project. In general, scouts at this age are better served by being asked to exercise verbal presentation skills. I would encourage troops to avoid mandating boiler-plate formats.

As a Scout, I would have loved the opportunity to pursue some of the more "academic" merit badges in a MBU setting. I don't see the problem as long as 1) the programs are well run and 2) they don't replace the outdoor program.

-Historic scout camp to be preserved in Adirondack Park - Sabattis Scout Reservation closes - Longhouse Council Historic scout camp to be preserved in Adirondack Park | NCPR News

Well then,

Part of the outdoor programming has a higher cost, requires more skill from the adults, and requires more output from scouts and parents. Most troops act more like family groups going camping. Group cooking etc Somewhere, we have lost the, at least when I was a scout, it was the process that made you an Eagle Scout, not pinning on a badge. I remember meeting people who were active in their fields as merit badge counselors. Summer camp was for the rarer outdoor merit badges, i.e., swimming, lifesaving, riflery, and other shooting scouts. See the OA perform back when there was an awe factor. Se focus on the badge numbers not the process. john

Regarding your original question about choices of activities: they evolve as the troop evolves. The bad news: a huge influx of crossovers will require you to focus your on basic skills and relatively short hikes to campsites. Nothing can make a 1st year hate backpacking like 4 hard miles in backcountry. On the other hand, with proper conditioning, they will be begging for a 4 day midweek outing in the middle of Dolly Sods. Regarding load balancing of chores: it takes attending multiple events to understand those dynamics. You may have seen a weekend where the younger scouts did the dishes, but on the previous camp out they may have been the cooks. You might not have seen the hours after the first trip that the older scouts had put in cleaning carbon from pots, or the hours before the trip you were on that they spent organizing gear with the QM. Attend several consecutive outings, and you might be qualified to put a bug in the SM’s ear about patterns of behavior that should be reformed.

I might wear those just for the heck of it. Uniforms and uniformity are important, "they" say all methods are equal but I personally think the uniform should be more equal than others because of the financial diversity in my area. That being said, because of the financial diversity in my area I am on the N+1 improvement road for uniforms at my unit; I'll worry about the socks after I get every scout into a properly fitting uniform shirt and then if I can ever get more than a handful of scouts into any type of green pants. Didn't the bolos come out of Philmont? I once had an old timer tell me that the rule "back in the day" was that you could only wear a bolo if it was purchased at Philmont. Where I live, if I see someone with a bolo, with my personality, I typically ask them if they have ever even been West of the Mississippi, and then when they so no and don't get the whole out West vibe bolos give off I mock them to some degree and ask them something about when they are picking up their spurs.

Varies. If we have new folks 5 miles/day. Last year, everyone had done the AT trip previous, so it was about 7 miles day one and 3 miles day 2 It was more of a new gear shakedown than anything.

I was only looking for a couple last week, but I did buy my daughter horsemanship and it was Scouting America branded.

Do the scout stores stock the new "Scouting America" branded MB books? Wondering if free PDFs online is a reflection that it's cheaper to make free online than to stock all the scout stores.

"Take a trip like no other with Philmont's Hut-to-Hut. Join us for a luxury trek with a five-night stay in the backcountry and base camp locations. As you hike between locations with just a daypack, our staff will transport your belongings to the next site and set up your accommodations, ensuring everything is ready for you upon your arrival. Guests will enjoy delicious meals and have plenty of opportunities to socialize, relax, and explore Philmont's.." Source with photos: https://www.philmontscoutranch.org/ptc/hut-2-hut/ https://www.instagram.com/p/DJO_WGFINa0/?img_index=5

2 (?) counties of the UP were part of it. They were merged with Hiawatha district of Bay-Lakes before Hiawatha was transferred to Michigan Crossroads. It just seemed to make sense sense from a UP of Michigan completeness, but now it makes more sense.

It looks like the Northern Start Council (Twin Cities Area) absorbed 2 of the Voyageurs' Districts, but I couldn't figure out where the other Districts went (assuming to either the Central Minnesota or Northern Lights Councils). This merger resulted in what has to be one of the more oddly shaped Councils in the country: Northern Star Scouting > About Us

It's definitely an uphill battle with the recent membership decline and abuse scandal. I often question the time I have invested in the program, but my son and his friends still seem to be having fun, so I'll push forward. We're providing a welcoming environment where they can exercise, socialize, and get outside. Some kids really need that.

Can never remind too often. Aaron on Scouting on YP https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2025/04/14/when-it-comes-to-child-protection-we-are-all-mandatory-reporters/