Eagle1973

I demand equal time!!! US Naval Academy NESA puts on a merit badge jamboree every year. A very good event. They also have a "sponsor" requirement, but not sure if one can be assigned vice having to have come from your Troop. I'll try to find the website and post it later. Go Navy! Beat Army! USNA '81

Communication is key. Our committee chair communicates her needs to the parents. We do this with a Yahoo account for easy posting. The biggest attention catching, volunteer gaining bit of info she puts out is "The cost of Scouting". Parents usually complain that they are nickeled and dimed for every outing, but in this briefing, they find out how much the committee pays towards the outing vs. how much the parents pay. The hook is: "if you want to be "dollared" vice "nickled and dimed", don't volunteer..." Because in our Troop, our major source of income comes from the parents tha

I would take a heuristic approach by asking the Scout questions about organizing his project until you find the level that he can function. Then work it in steps. At no time are you giving him the answer or doing it for him.

SM143, do you have link to where you got your pants? The same color? I've found close, but not the same color. In a thift shop, you can pick out a pair of Scout pants on the rack from a mile away, nothing else is that color. ;-) I seem to remember filling out that same poll a while back. We ought to call the 1-800 number and talk w/ someone direct. I wonder if the sales rep lurks on this board, wish they would. 1-800-323-0732 is the number.(This message has been edited by Eagle1973)

What I can't understand is how the uniform got anywhere near an iron or dryer or even a washing machine for that matter... ;-)

cubiemom, have you thought about joining a Pack and then becoming the Den Leader? In my old Pack, each Den was mostly on their own for most activities, including being incharge of something during the monthly Pack meeting.

In the old days, when fire was still new, we started with an Indian Chief (happened to be our Lodge Chief) arriving to the final Friday night closing campfire in a canoe paddled by two braves. (this is especially cool if your setting is along a lake like ours was, if not feel free to improvise ;-) ) In his hand was a small bundle of kindling that formed a torch. The torch was wired with lots of wooden matches wrapped in Nicrome wire that got hot from a small battery that the Chief had hidden. After the appropriate speech to the "Great Fire Spirit", his torch would burst into flames

You ought to be creative in how you light the fire too. Let me know if you are interested on how we did it in the olden days.

With tears in my eyes I send my heart felt condolences to you for a boy I didn't know, but can easily imagine. An Eagle badge should go with him.

one that we talked about, but never did was selling US Flags. One of the leaders noticed that hardly anybody flew the flag in front of their house on appropriate holidays. We didn't go any further with the research, but, still think it is a good idea.

Spagetti dinners worked well for us. A very well known restuarant donated everything, and we advertized that it was from his place. We used the school's cafeteria to prepare and serve. Our Troop is also near a large outdoor concert place, and the adults volunteer in the concession stands. The concession company then divvies up some of their profits to the organizations that served beer. We also just got the results of our Christmas wreath sales, we made $3000.

I do my best to treat him like any other Scout. I give him the chance to "fail forward", although, he does get a few more leadership lessons on the ride home, but at the meetings and campouts, I let him be. I talked w/ the other leaders and expressed my concern with me signing off my son's requirements, they have no problem with it, because from their experience, Dad ASM's make it tougher on their own son. My son's first MB was signed off by me, but I've got his rifle targets to prove that we have a future police sniper in the making. ;-) I don't do SM conferences with my own son.

Not sure if this has been suggested or asked, but has the SM talked with these folks or has the CC sat down with all parties concerned? Personally, if I were the SM, I'd call for the meeting. It may be the start of him taking charge. Aren't we all supposed to be grown-ups and do this for the Scouts? Just my $.02 worth. YIS

We throw them right into the fire. ;-) Most of our crossovers occur just before or the night before our "Freeze-O-Ree", our OA conducted, start to get the camp in shape weekend. We do squirrel away the new Scouts and the Troop Guides/ASM Mentors work with them, but they also jump right into a service weekend. I also must add that most of our crossoverees attended our "recuiting" campout. The recuiting campout involved the Scouts manning scouting stations, knots, lashing, cooking, fire building, etc, etc... The Troop adults wait on the Cub leaders hand and foot and keep them aw

Like my fellow Eagle in KY said, and I would like to place emphasis on having the Cubs make there own rules (guided by the adults of course). Having a plan for the Pack meeting is important as well. A game at the end is a must. A really good time killer that never ran out of gas in our Pack was a raffle. Each month, a different Den would bring in cupcakes, cookies or what ever. The raffle was very cheap, like .25 a ticket. The Scouts never tired of it and the Pack also made a few bucks that went toward an outing or the B&G dinner. The Scouts could get a little rowdy (in their se

Our troop schedules the local rec center pool for all our troop meetings two months prior to the summer. We all take the first class swim test again, and then we work on MBs or BSA Lifeguard or mile swim or any other needed requirement. That way we are ready to go for any of our summer/water trips.

How old is his daughter? Join or start a Venture Crew!

Do you have a BigLots near you? I've found colored duct tape there as well as colored electrical tape.

Trailer towee gets gas money. All drivers can deduct 14 cents per "volunteer" mile on taxes, not the 37 cents mentioned above, thats for private vehicle used for business. I believe if you get any compensation, you can not deduct mileage on taxes.

What the others said and for a more specific addition to OGE's post: Be willing to do what your delegates have decided, even though it isn't exactly as you would have done if you made the decision, as long as it gets the job done and nobody is seriously killed in the process. Learning the finer points of leadership is a long, constant journey. But, I'm here to tell ya, the leadership skills I learned and developed in the BSA served me very well in my US Navy career.

We use patrol boxes, they work for us. To counter the weight problem, an ASM made a two wheeled cart to haul two boxes at a time to the campsite. The prototype cart is made with a 2x2 frame with a 1/2 inch plywood base to add strength to the frame. The wheels are two 20 inch bike rims/tires that are held on the axle with a cotter pin. The bike tires allow for hauling over most terrain. We have a dad that works in a machine shop, and if he ever has a free moment, he'll try to make a stronger "production" model either at cost, or the boss may make a donation.

Laurie, I didn't get your PM prob because I had an old email address in my profile, so I apoligize. But you may have misunderstood, I recommended awarding the AoL, but not in an as fancy of a ceremony. But I feel your pain. My son gets frustrated with the other Scouts that don't share his drive and determination. His biggest frustration is when an age limit is set on an activity. For instance, last night we took our Venture Crew to the pistol range. The Venture Crew leader is also our Troop's SM. And we, him and I, wouldn't let my son come because he is a Scout, not a Crew member, e

If the discussion isn't over, here is my 2 cents worth. We, as parents and leaders, shouldn't allow every request of an 11 year old boy go, just because he asks. So, with that said, I would present the Scout with his AoL at the first opportunity. But, have the Scout remain in the Den, give him something more to do, such as help the others earn their AoL. Here is why. If he is allowed to cross over now, I'll bet that he will be overwhelmed in his new surroundings in the Troop. He will have no others his "age", he will have no others (except the slackers) requiring the same sign-of

Deleting double post.(This message has been edited by Eagle1973)

True. But I think it's only on the Galyan named products. Eureka made some tents that had Galyan's name printed on them. Good deals on clothing too.