dsteele

The campfire is now lit. I can't make it tomorrow evening. Got company coming. But I'd love to chat with you in the next while . . . YIS, Dave

Welcome to the forums. I hope someone can help you. If not, I hope you stick around and enjoy this great resource. Dsteele

I once found myself as a Scoutmaster with only 4 active boys in the troop. One troop meeting I brought in two sewing machines and some fabric. We made some cool looking, black, blue and purple Irish Chain pillows. The boys loved the activity and those pillows kicked around on every camp out. Eventually, we got too big for that particular activity, but that was good, too. DS

You guys are going to think I'm sick (I'm sure some already do, due to my occupation ), but I've got some vacation time coming up two weeks from now and I think I'll actually start seriously developing a proposal for a sewing/tailoring merit badge. I'll run it up the flagpole here once I come up with a first draft of proposed requirements and the sewers in the group can help me. Everyone else can poke fun . . . DS

The hour is here. Is there anyone who would like to join me before the 4th of July weekend? I'll be there until about 11:30 CST. DS

OGE -- That's funny and a good use of the terms. I prefer a sharp or a between, myself. The wife does the needlepoint and the embroidery. Not a sexist statement, it's a matter of preference. I like it when she does the crewel work DS

A donor sent a check for $100 for FOS to the council office. He claimed he has also given to a man in uniform who came to his door. I pointed out that the person who came to his door was not collecting for the council. He didn't seem to care. Nice song, Eamonn.

There has been a bit more read into the scenario than what was there, including what I read. Actually it turned out that the donor was unwilling to go into much detail. He didn't know the solicitor. No one with the unit where the presentation was held knew anything about the donation. The Family FOS chairman did not collect door-to-door. All I can think of is that someone who was trying to get a popcorn order for our spring sale got a surprise $100 donation. The donor thought he was collecting on his pledge and when the notice came, he sent the council a second donation of $100.

Laura -- You GO girl! Bob, PBBBBLT! Highly unprofessional, but fun sound. OGE -- Yes to tailoring. DS

I'm going in for a few minutes. Care to join me? DS

Bob: Thanks for the info. I was only going off someone's quote from Gregg Shields in another thread. I wasn't aware that there's a national organization of Wiccans. But please not that in my thread, them chartering a unit was contingent on their agreeing to follow the policies of the BSA. It wouldn't matter if any organization refused to uphold those policies, they wouldn't be a chartered partner. It doesn't matter if they worship God, a Supreme Being, or a ham sandwich. If they don't want to abide by BSA policies, there's no BSA charter. I think we agree. DS

Man of Steele is here, Eamonn. Actually, I know of no national prohibition to chartering units to druids or any other pagan organization as long as the organization agrees to uphold the policies of the Boy Scouts of America and the local council agrees to approve the charter application. I don't know anything about the spiral scouts and did appreciate learning more about it in the post from it's member on this thread. It sounds like the problem is a disagreement over the membership standards of the BSA and not a BSA policy of not accepting Wiccans. There is no religious award,

Sorry -- I almost missed this one. I can answer best privately and from the office. The answer to the responsibility question is basically to select the leaders, provide a meeting place and abide by the programs and policies of the Boy Scouts of America. DS

Suzie: Welcome to the forums! I agree completely with your post. I think the young woman in question has a lot to learn from socuting and we, in turn, from her. DS

Me. In my spare time. Tailor, seamster, tinkerer. A life-long hobby. I leave the wood working to my wife. My Bernina sewing machine hates her, but works very well for me. I think I have a merit badge pamphlet or two to write. Bob, the above post really didn't have anything to do with you. Your answers are good. I do know however, that I've asked about this topic among the professional group at national and the response I've been given as to why there isn't a sewing merit badge is "no one has written it and presented it." So I guess I need to write it and propose it to wh

While Bob's away, I'll respond to the hot button of mine that he pushed while I was 300 miles away helping get my council's camp through inspection. Bob,(I luv ya too, man) if you don't believe sewing (and I mean more than placing badges on a shirt) is not important, please take off all your clothes and go stand in a corner. Would you want to use a parachute made by someone with no training? Sail a boat anywhere that was made by someone who met the requirement for their wolf badge? Are your tent, rain fly, sleeping bag and stuff sack sewn? I remember when I was a kid, everyone had

I'll give the technical answers to the minimum requirements to start a pack and a troop. A lot of the responses I'm seeing build in this thread are volunteers who are telling you some of the realities of what can occur after the paperwork and fees are sent to the council office and you're chartered. Pack minimums: One Chartered Organization One Chartered Organization Representative -- must be the same invdividual for all units of the same chartered organization. One Committee Chairman (may multiple as the Chartered organization Representative. Two Committee Members (Charter Re

Jeez -- I go off to do camp inspection and come back twenty-four hours later and we've got a lot of responses here! Anyway, I'd like to address the point about the SE and professional staffs not being investigators. We're not. Our job is to report suspected abuse to the authorities. If there's to be an investigation, the police or social service folks handle it. They're far better trained to do that kind of thing. In this particular case, it sounds like the young man hasn't violated any laws. If someone files sexual harrassment charges, that may change. Ox raised the ques

Thanks all for the support of the sewing/tailoring merit badges. Now please indulge me by going into a little discovery channel bit of the differences between the two: Sewing is making seams that are pretty flat. It's an assembly process. It's important in putting badges onto fabric, sticthing two or more pieces together, etc. Ladies were most often seamstresses. Sewn garments include most ladies dresses, napkins, handkerchiefs, skirts, etc. A tailored garment is much more complicated. These are more like sculptures. Try to get a man's (or woman's) suit jacket or blazer to

Ox: The tone in this thread has become increasingly more alarmed. The answer is correct -- your Scout Executive needs to be informed of the behavior. Some of the emotion you're hearing from the posters in this thread have to do with today's AP story of police abusing youth through Law Enforcement Exploring programs. The same thing applies, an adult in a position of authority having inappropriate contact with youth. It's abuse. I don't care if the offending volunteer is 21 or 91 and the girl is 16 or 8. It is against the policies of the Boy Scouts of America (and Learning for Lif

KWC -- Great segway to what I had in mind. My proudest moment in Scouting came to me when I was a Scout. With my father's hand on my shoulder, we walked into a dark southwestern Michigan night. I knew the path well. Three times in the darkness I turned to him and asked him a ritual question. He answered correctly each time. In the night, I and others asked him questions as he tended a fire. Alone and in deep thought. In the morning I looked him in the eye and asked him a final question. And then he was able to join me in the Vigil Honor of the Order of the Arrow.

Where is everyone? Hey, Bobwhite. We're in the chatroom. Anyone else care to join us? DS

We're there! Come on in. DS

OX -- Number one in your question is the wrong answer. Number two, as several have already pointed out is the correct answer. Go to the Scout Executive. Number four really isn't an option. You'll also need to do the cop stuff, but you're far better qualified than I to know what that is. DS

Saltheart -- BOY DID YOU HIT A NERVE WITH ME !!!! It's a good nerve, so relax. I've wanted to create the Sewing Merit Badge for years, but just haven't had a chance to do it. When I was a kid, my mother quickly tired of sewing my badges on my uniform. It became a weekly project. So she taught me how to do it. I think we need a sewing merit badge, but for the sake of manly pride in young men, it should not be as easy as sewing on a new patch. I've taught myself how to sew and make quilts by hand for recreation and have made many of my wife's outfits and some of my ow