eagle90

Many local towns have an annual spring cleanup day wher volunteers clean up parks, medians, roadways, etc. Our scouts have done this many times. Unfortunately this year it fell on a campout weekend, but that is normally a great source of service hours and a benefit to the community.

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Bob - Your arrogance floors me. If you read my post, it was the Scout Executive I spoke to, not a District Executive. And she has over 20 years in the professional service, as a DE, District Director, Field Director, and the last 12 years as Scout Executive. I'm sure she has the training and experience to know the rules and how to interpret them. Of course, not up to your standards, but then who does???

I had the opportunity to meet with our Scout Executive this morning and asked her this question. Her response was "Of course its a Scouting activity". I then asked her about the "Outside the sphere of Scouting" phrase. She said that means you cannot do your Eagle project for Baden Powell Boy Scout Camp, but you can do your project for Baden Powell State Park, Baden Powell Lutheran Church, or Baden Powell Middle School. Of course she's only a professional. I'm sure some people here know better......

Of course!!! What is wrong with me??? The council is wrong and Bob White is right! I should have seen that one coming!

Our patrols love it when we arrange a patrol competition at a campout. We set up stations for such things as fire building, knots, compass, nature, first aid, team building games, etc. We award points at each station and have a small prize (candy bar, etc.) for the patrol with the most points. It refreshes their knowledge of Scoutcraft and helps build patrol spirit.

Quoting from our council's Life to Eagle packet: "Obtain a Local Tour Permit for all Eagle projects that take place away from the normal meeting place. A copy of thei permit should be included in the scout's workbook" To me , if a permit is necessary, this says to me this IS indeed a scouting activity.

If Eagle Projects are not Scouting activities, why are councils continually telling units to log Eagle Service Project hours on the Good Turn for America website? If projects were not Scouting activities then they should not be logged. Of course they are Scouting activities. If it looks like a duck.........

Bob, stop twisting our words to suit you. No one is saying the big money boys are not important. But they should be intermingled with people who have experience in the actual program - camping, advancement, the boys, the methods and aims you speak of so often. When one of the major goals of a council's strategic plan is to increase the size of the Executive Board from 52 to 67 people I think the priorities are a little skewed.

I agree Eammon. Most of our Board members do not have a Scouting or unit background. Years ago this was not so, but as time went on, the veteran scouters on the board were replaced by the Deep Pockets crowd. I personally know some former Board members, veteran, dedicated Scouters, who left the board because they could no longer afford the "Dues" they were expected to come up with. That is a sad commentary.

After 49 years in Scouting I do understand what the Executive Board does. And No, their role is not the same as a volunteer leader. But their decisions do in fact, influence what our unit does, where it goes to camp, etc. For example, I don't believe that the decisions on camping properties should be made by a group that doesn't camp and doesn't know what the inside of a tent looks like. A little training and experience would certainly help them make a more rounded decision. Bob, you espouse training, training, training as the cure all for all positions. Why not for the Executive Board members? Bob, has the BSA and/or local councils EVER made a bad decision, made an error in judgement? You seem to think they are infallible, like God Almighty. They are in fact, human, and can make an occasional mistake.

Eamonn - I agree totally. Our relatively small council (about 6,500 boys) has 52 Executive Board members, and in the new Strategic Plan, one of the major goals is to increase the number of Executive Board members from 52 to 67 people. No where in the qualifications does any Scouting experience or knowledge appear. Another Strategic Plan goal is to sell the reamining two camps we own (one was already sold last year). The benefits according to the plan are to eliminating expenses in running the camps, reducing the liability for certain accidents that "may" happen at camp, and give the scouts a chance to attend a variety of camps. I realize moneyis important, but it seems to me we are forgetting why we are here and who we are doing it for, and what our priorities should be.

I guess the moral is if you are on the verge of folding your unit, go out and throw the biggest party imaginable, and leave the CO with $1.00! Then graciously present it to them!

Wear your uniforms proudly. I disagree with the policy that you can only wear uniforms when raising funds for the council and not your troop. When council supports our troop financially, then we will abide by that policy. When our kids are out selling Pancake Breakfast tickets or working at our Rummage Sale, they are proudly in their uniforms.

OK, am I paranoid, or what? Why are the Switchbacks now on sale at by one get one free, or half price for a large order? I can't remember the last time ANY uniform part was on sale. Are they being phased out, replaced? Any information?

The only multiple position we have is Den Chief. Many of our scouts who are PL's, APL's, etc. have younger brothers in our associated Cub Pack and their moms are den leaders. It's just a natural. They do a great job, and are much appreciated.

Don't want to be critical, but doesn't the Computers Merit Badge at camp kind of defeat the purpose of Camp? Kids holed up in vans typing away when they could be out sailing, boating, pioneering, shooting, etc.? To me only outdoor merit badges should be offered at camp.

Aren't we leaders here "for the boys"? To me, over and above the awards given for donating money, I would respect the leaders with an Eagle Scout Knot, District Award of Merit, Silver Beaver, and perhaps the adult religious knot of their faith. These are the people working directly with the boys, donating their time rather than bucks.(This message has been edited by eagle90)

Our troop has always had a written agenda for our Committee Meetings, but just started taking formal minutes about 2 years ago after we did the Committee Training session. The secretary distribute them electronically after each meeting. I find they are invaluable. They remind me who is doing what, what I need to do, and is a good memory jogger for when the Troop newsletter is being written. And as we get older, the less we remember! Anyone else find that out yet?

Crossing over in February/March gives the new scouts 4-5 months of training and preparation for a week at summer camp. If the unit is providing an adequate outdoor program, depending on location, they will have about 4 weekend experiences for these boys. And what better place for the new boys to work on T-2-1 requirements than at summer camp? Sure beats sitting in a meeting hall and doing them!

Our meeting ends at 8:30, and I am NEVER out of there in ten minutes. I'm always signing blue cards, talking to parents, making sure everything is put away, doing a final check of the meeting place for forgotten neckerchiefs, shirts, etc. making sure we leave the gym the way we found it, and making sure I have everything that I brought.

Cutting the regular troop meeting short by ten minutes is penalizing all of the scouts in the troop and possibly hurting the program. This is the SM's call.

If the adults in this unit are so concerned over 10 minutes at the end of the meeting, I would contend there is a much deeper problem. I would suggest there is no dedication to the program or to the boys.

Geez, JBlake, way to throw water on a good thing. If the scout is eleven, he's had 572 weekends to compare it to. Sounds like a great weekend! Dale

We have a monthly newsletter, a very comprehensive website (troop90bsa.org) and produce a yearly calendar. I also send out Email reminders of upcoming events, what money/permission slips are due, etc. usually weekly. We are approaching 40 scouts, and it takes only a few minutes to do a group Email. Dale