dsteele

I hope I was right about the standards I was looking at a copy of them when I typed my answer. Twocubdad -- I like the idea of providing a program to younger scouts who help out at Day Camp. DS

The National Standard, M44 (M is for mandatory) reads "All day camp staff members must be at least 14 years of age. Den chiefs under 14 may only atttend day camp if they are serving as a den chief with their natural den or pack." No mention of rank requirements, but you should check with your local council. There may be a local rank requirement. DS

I'm watching Condoleeza Rice on Meet the Press at this very moment. I think the only reason it occurred to me that she's an Afican American woman is this thread. I am so proud to be an american when I see her. I find her incredibly intelligent and a strong leader of our people. She is an excellent example of an american. I don't care about her race or gender. I know that some would be against her because of her gender. Some would be against her because of her race. Some would be against her because President Bush chose her. But, I, for one, think she's a great example an

Now you're talking! The risk is minimal and the rewards, long-term, to the boys are great. Just a thought . . . DS

Fscouter -- Cool! DS

FScouter: Are you secretly me and I don't know it? I'll say no more and hope the thread continues. I hope we all agree that doing nothing is not the answer to the question. DS

I agree with Trail Day. I guess I'm luckier than I thought. I honestly can't think of a single race on this earth that I have an ounce of hatred for. There are people I don't like, but most of those feelings have to do with their behavior rather than skin color or religion. Politically I'm a conservative. I tend to lean to the right even when I'm walking (which is odd for a left-hander (the minority of the 21st century. Our time will come!!!! ) However, I guess I'm not particularly tribal in the sense that I prefer the company of white men. I guess the closest I've come to hat

Interesting . . . These same issues apply to district/council activities. The only difference is that of scale in numbers of people and dollars. I hadn't thought to apply the comparison to a troop campout to a council event until I read this thread. It's true that if you're paying attention, you do learn something new every day. If I had a nickle for every refund request made after the council has paid for food, site rental, t-shirts, etc. and a kid backed out. Last year I had a man literally yelling and screaming in my face because his kid decided to drop out of the Phil

Bob: I hope you were kidding about me not liking you. Of course I like ya, dude! I'm just not about to call you honey! Anytime you want to come to a council I serve, or need me to serve a council where you are, just let me know. If I can do it, I'll be there. Mrs. Steele says anywhere in the Midwest is fine. Northeast Region would take some convincing, but it's doable. Western Region (as long as it's not California) I could possibly persuade . . . Southern Region (first of all, they wouldn't let me in, but that's a different story) is not on the map of places for us to go . . .

Bob: Thanks for the input. I can understand how you feel about essay tests, but if I made a true/false of a real life scenario, it wouldn't be real life. At least, not my life. I wish I had the luxury . . . the true/false and/or yes/no, rarely cross my desk. Well, maybe they do and I just don't realize how often because I usually don't have to think about those. Anywho -- on with the essays (hopefully.) DS

Bob: I concurr. Good answer. Although I do have to admit I don't know a darn thing about coaching baseball. I'm not against the game, I just struggle to understand why, if the goal is to get back to where you started, you bother to run in a circle to get to where you were in the first place. besides, I'd rather watch a string burning contest on television than a baseball game any day. The baseball game is, to me, as exciting as watching the grass grow. String burning involves fire. Hee-hee-hee. DS

Oh yeah -- TwoCubDad, I forgot a detail. Sorry. A check for $100 made it with the man's note. To the council, the $100 covered his FOS pledge. As implied by the note, however, to the donor, it was a second $100. Things in real life, as you've probably noticed, are rarely black and white or cut and dry. It's possible the donor is lying about the $100 and the man at the door, but why would he? Looking for a $200 tax deduction for $100. Possible, but hardly probable. I'd like to think that it's improbable. It's also possible but improbable that someone would show up at his d

Twocubdad . . .this is Hal (or at least the Hal of this situation.) Yes, it is possible that someone is running a con on the BSA and this donor. In our area recently a woman was convicted of embezzlement of over $50,000 for fund-raising for MS when she had no part in the organization that was supposedly getting the funds. It was a high profile case and made the papers. It is improbable that the FOS chairman from heaven or any other place solicited the money -- it's not his M.O., but we don't know that for sure. Now you know everything I know about the situation. The question

Matua -- Hafa Day -- I'm not being sarcastic, I just can't remember how to spell it. You've got it. Without "is" there is nothing. It doesn't mean, "try" it doesn't mean "someday" it doesn't mean "practice" and it doesn't mean "yesterday." It's what we are. I envy you the opportunity to do the Scoutmaster's minute. It's a great moment in Scouting. If done correctly, everyone has something to reflect on. DS

I don't tire easily, but I'm tired of this topic. Can't we get back to the stuff we can change or build upon? I'll do my part. I'm outta this particular thread. 11 pages is enough for me. In the interim, we've been kind of neglecting the people who don't post but look to us who do for information, insight and advice in areas they can use it for the betterment of their programs for youth. In the words of the old joke, "Break's over. Back on your heads!" At least for me it is. Following is voluntary. DS

That's the story. Thanks for retyping it. DS

Today a Scout was rescued from a cave after he fell off a ledge and was trapped for 16 hours. It's hitting the news now, and I happened to read several newspaper accounts earlier this afternoon and want to thank some people and congratulate all. First -- thanks God, that the young man was rescued relatively unharmed. Thanks to the boys, who remained calm and did all the right things. Thanks to the leader who happens to be a police officer who went for help (it took him an hour to exit the cave and he was in a hurry) Thanks to the Scout who stayed as close as he could to hi

I agree. That's why I was so hopping mad about Bill Clinton's definition of the word "Is." A Scout is ... Powerful stuff. It's also stuff my mother didn't hesitate to use as ammunition when I screwed up. It also amazes me still (after 15 years of professional service) how many old guys who were Scouts 40, 50, 60, even 70 years ago for a couple of years can still recite the Scout Law to me -- whether I want to hear it from them or not. 12 equal points -- but without A Scout is . . . they're empty words without more than a token substance. Alright . . . time to get off

I like these forums very much. It's a great way to get good advice and opinions from a large group of good people who care about the BSA (meaning all of us as a whole.) I encountered a situation this morning and it's a new one for me. I thought I would share it with you folks and see what you would do if . . . You're the Assistant Scout Executive. It's Friday morning and as you take your first sip of coffee, you see on the fund-raising secretary's desk, an FOS statement with a post it note on it from the donor. The post it note says, "I'm a bit confused. A man came to my do

That's a great point. The chartered organization holds the charter for the unit, the unit does not hold the charter for the organization. In other words, how the charter partner (or CO) wichever you prefer, raises and spends it's money is none of the troop's business. Not that you can't know, but you don't have to worry about it. If they want to buy something for or give money to the troop, you don't need to be concerned about where it came from. Unless you are indeed chartered by drug dealers, etc. One caveat is that the charter partner can't hold a "Bingo Night for Boy Scouts"

KWC -- Thanks for the meter-reading. You're right that it wasn't my intent, but I appreciate the compliment. I agree that it's probably time to start a new troop. The timing will work out well if the people involved decide to do it. jbroganjr -- I can tell you that if you called my council office today and said you were interested in starting a new troop as soon as possible, you probably wouldn't be able to hang up the phone before your doorbell rang and there was a DE on the other side of it with a new unit application, five or more youth applications and five or more adult

Fscouter-- Daggone it! You are hearby sentenced to come to my council and assume the (volunteer of course) duties of whatever you want to do! I'm trying to say that I like your answers. Especially the implication that if people won't come to the trainers, the trainers need to go to them. I've advocated that position for years and have done it myself, but it seems like a lot of people are unwilling to do so as trainers. Your post, to me at least, does not imply that the training should be watered down or have parts eliminated from the syllabus. Nor does it advocate sticking t

Silver-Shark: I apologize. I was caught up in answering the question and neglected to pass along my sympathies on the loss of your unit commissioner. I also confess that I was dodging what I was afraid would be a painful memory, but one that, upon reflection, turned into a good memory. When I was serving my second district, I had an ADC who was very passionate about his belief in Scouting. It was a two-county district that had 5-7 units in one county and 43-47 in the other (depending on the year.) I relied very heavily on my friend the ADC for the smaller county. He was the

OGE: You're right on track. In our council, for example, the largest district has 51 units and raises it's FOS of $30 some thousand dollars. It does it's share in popcorn and wreaths, united way, and in camp attendance. It's the perfect size for an entry level district executive. However, it's a little too small for a Senior District Executive. Our council is small and the other two districts are only slightly smaller than the district I have in mind. I wish it were different and we are striving to grow to the point where we have room for a Senior District Executive -- but un

TJ -- Interesting quote to choose. I happen to agree with it. There are youth members of these forums. They are Scouts trying to learn more about this Scouting stuff. They have perceptions of all of us based on what we say here. I wonder what they are. DS