eagle90

At our troop campout next week we are planning a scout skills competition for Saturday. We are thinking of having a number of stations set up for the patrols. First Aid, Fire building, Nature Identification, Knots, Orienteering, etc. Some type of scoring system and a prize for the winning patrol. Any suggestions on activities?

This is from the Florida Sea Base Leader's Guide - "ALL SWIMMING ATTIRE MUST BE MODEST. For men, Speedo-type swimsuits are not appropriate; swimsuits should have liners in them. For women, bikinis are not appropriate; one-piece swimsuits and tankini suits are considered appropriate" Recently I was looking back at some slides of Summer Camp and High Adventure Canoe trips from the late 70's / early 80's. WOW! Almost all the scouts were in skimpy speedo-style suits. Today they are almost all in baggy board short type suits. Kind of like looking at old videos of the NCAA basketball tournament where they used to wear small mid thigh shorts, and now the shorts are down below their knees! Times change!!

"They and their parents didn't pay (or shouldn't have paid) $170 to spend a week being lazy with only 1 merit badge to show for the time and effort at camp." If a scout passes a MB or 2, cooks 18 meals, learns to work within the patrol method, becomes better friends with his fellow scouts and adults, does some new and different things (swim in a lake, shoot black powder, catch a frog, etc.) and has such a good time he wants to come back the next year, then the $170 is worth every penny to that boy and his parents. Not everything in Scouting should be tied numerically to achievement. We do this, we are no better than the sports coach we talk about with disdain.

Not to open a can of worms here, but Dining Hall or not, I question the validity of any scout earning 13 merit badges in one week of camp. That is completing over 2 merit badges per day? Is there any quality control on these badges? Are these kids having any fun at camp? We have our kids do 2-3 MB's. They are kept busy and have some free time to walk in the woods with a buddy, shoot a rifle, fish, go to a free swim period, or just relax.

Michelle - Have your nephew go for it. Two of the best Senior Patrol Leaders I have ever had were only first class scouts, but were the best examples of leadership imagineable. Unfortunately rank doesn't always equate to leadership

SR540Beaver - We are kindred spirits. My car = My music! And my choice is also country. Nothing beats driving to Alabama, Garth, Reba, Toby, etc. They can use their ipods and headphones if they don't to listen. I've even converted a few of them, to country fans!

!. Earning my Eagle in 1964 and seeing 22 of my scouts earn thier Eagle since I became SM. 2. Attending the New York World's Fair in 1965 as part of the BSA Service Corps and working at the BSA pavilion for 2 weeks. 3. Being a Jamboree SM in 1997.

I use a Columbia rain suit (jacket and pants) and it has served me well in all kinds of rain up to and including a monsoon! One thing I tell new scouts and parents - Don't scrimp on rain gear, sleeping bag, or flashlight.

By no means am I dissing Eureka. They have always been very cooperative in the past. I have also had them send free parts to me when I called to purchase s-hooks and clips. Some of our Eurekas are approaching 20 years old and have stood up extremely well. I think we will give Dan's idea a try and wash them in a commercial washer. What have we got to lose? Any further suggestions? Thanks!

I think you need a combination of both scheduling AND free time. Let the scouts go to their MB and advancement classes, but never underestimate the value of free time at summer camp. This is the time for the boys to walk in the woods with a buddy, find a frog, throw a fishing line in the lake, sit back on a log and read a book, hit the trading post, etc. You can overschedule to the point where camp is no fun.

Well isn't that the definitive study of the Boy Scouts of America? A comedian/ magician team. Maybe we should wait for Larry the Cable Guy's opinion next.

Our troop meets on Wednesdays, and we schedule all SM conferences on the 3rd Wed. of the month, and BOR's on the 4th Wed. We will also do them both on our monthly campouts if we have anyone ready. Our Advancement Chairman coordinates this.

We spent this morning going thru all of our Eureka Tents to check for rips, bad zippers, poles, stakes, etc. We have two tents that are in perfect shape except for a bad stench. One is definitely a mildew smell, and the other has almost a vomit-like odor. Don't ask! Has anyone have any experience washing tents? We were considering a commercial washing machine, Power washer, etc. We'd like to try to salvage these tents, but they are unusable in their current condition. Eureka basically said "don't let them get in this condition and consider replacing them with new tents" Thanks a lot! Any advice would be appreciated. Dale

Boy, I'm feeling old fashioned - Our camp has a lake for all aquatic activities, we cook all of our meals in patrol sites, and have pit latrines and NO flush toilets. One rustic shower facility is available for the whole camp. No pools, no mess hall, no flush toilets, nos howers in the campsites. I LOVE IT!! Dale

We use bring our own troop tents (Eureka Timberline Outfitters) to use at Summer Camp. The are in much better condition than the tents available thru the camp. Some adults bring their own tents for comfort reasons.

Beautiful sentiments, Semper. Thanks for the post. Last night just before our troop meeting began, one of our former scouts now in college came, due to being on spring break from college. Within the half hour, 3 others joined him, and we had a reunion of collegiate Eagle Scouts. It was great to see them again, reminisce, and see a couple of them pitch right in and begin teaching knots to our new crossovers. When things get a little rough and you get down on the program or some of the people involved, I think of all the great kids this program has helped produce. It makes all the hours worth it! Dale

The most rewearding, and at the same time the most challenging position I have served in was being a Jamboree SM in 1997. Trying to take a group of 36 relative strangers and meld them into a working unit in a short period of time was the challenge. The reward was seeing it work and having the ultimate Scouting experience at the Jamboree.

Even the little things can get under your skin. Monday night 13 of our Committee members along with about 12 other people attended the Troop Committee Training class, a three hour training class that was rather well done. However, we were each charged $5.00 for the privilege of attending. Now all of us can afford the $5, but why? The church where we met donated the space (and even the coffee), the presentor, who did a great job, was a volunteer. All we received was a certificate printed on plain copy paper via Print Shoppe. So the Council cleared a quick $125.00 or so, with no expenses. And they wonder why more people don't attend training, and contributions are down.

It's remarkable how boys of scout age forget that tent walls are not soundproof! While not eavesdropping on purpose, you hear some very entertaining things after the troops go to bed! Also some things you wished you never did hear!

With 29 new scouts what would work for me would be about a gallon of Southern Comfort! We took in 9 and were thrilled and re-energized! Congratulations and Good Luck!

With 29 new scouts what would work for me would be about a gallon of Southern Comfort! We took in 9 and were thrilled and re-energized! Congratulations and Good Luck!

Speaking as someone who is admittedly addicted to my Diet Pepsi, THERE BETTER NOT BE SUCH A POLICY!! LOL. Some of our adults are amazed that I can be drinking my Diet Pepsi at 7 AM on a sub freezing morning while watching them guzzling their coffee. Dale

Our troop has an opening for one youth member for a Keys Adventure trip August 6-12, 2006. We would like to fill the spot, so if anyone is interested or knows a scout who is interested, please contact me and we can make arrangements. Thanks! Dale

I earned my Eagle in 1964 and did not have to do a service project.

Our Scout Shop hs improved tremendously over the years, to where now very rarely do I not get what I need ont he first trip. Case in point, last month we updated our troop library for the first time in about 15 years, and needed to purchase 109 merit badge books. I faxed the shop the list and was called the next day saying they had 108 of them in stock. The only one they were out of (Aviation!) they ordered and I had in a week. Great service.