Eamonn

Wow!! In the past threads have taken twists and turns. But this must take the biscuit! Kinda gives new meaning to a Ticket To Ride! Ea.

The outgoing SM has said that some requirements were not met. You now know that they were not met. Seems to me that the outgoing SM is now gone and is never coming back! I think I'd forget about holding a COH, till after I'd met with each and every Scout (Scoutmaster Conference). Working along the lines that a Scout is Trustworthy, ask them what requirements need to be covered. Then I'd meet with the Committee, explain how advancement is supposed to work. The committee has also been guilty of not doing their job!! Arrange correct and proper BOR's for all that need one. Make it known that from now on the Troop is doing all this stuff by the book and you are the new broom. Good Luck. Ea.

"Should both leaders be kicked out of Scouting?" I don't know. As others have posted what happens next should be up to the CO. Maybe I'm showing my age, but personally, after a day of trying to keep up with a group of teenagers I'm way too tired for a night of wild love making. I would hope the people selected to lead our youth would do their best to act as role models for the youth we serve. While of course this male leader might well have been going to help this female leader un-stick the zipper on her sleeping bag? I'm not sure if both of them used good sense? Of course the non-leader parent who is snooping around at 0300? Seems to have made up his/her mind what was going on. I can't help thinking that I'd have found a good time and place to have a word with both leaders and had a heart to heart with them about what is and what isn't acceptable at Scouting events. Eamonn.

Every now and then the Ship does "Dip into" and use some of the requirements used for MB's. Mainly the Water-type: Small Boat Handler, Lifesaver, and the like. I'm happy to let the SM's of Sea Scouts who are still active in Troops present MB's at Troop COH's. I do file an advancement report with the Council showing everyone (Male and female) who has met the requirements, on the Ship's Advancement report. I know the females are not ever going to receive the patch, and what happens to the information about females once it enters the big black hole in Scoutnet? I really don't know or care about!! I used to print up a certificate for the Sea Scouts who had met the requirements and frame it in a cheap $1.00 frame. But I noticed that the Scouts didn't bother taking them home after the Bridge of Honor. I think in part because they (the certificates) became meaningless! We still recognize all the Sea Scouts who meet the requirements -Even if they can't really "Earn" the MB. We as a Ship don't bother buying the patch. The Sea Scouts can't wear them on a Sea Scout uniform. While Advancement really isn't listed as a method of Venturing, some of our Sea Scouts (Not all.)Like working toward earning the ranks and some Boy Scout MB requirements fit right in. Eamonn

I can only echo the sentiments that DanKroh has posted. My heart goes out to everyone who lives anywhere near the fires. I have been very impressed with the way everyone is working through this tragedy. God Bless everyone out there and God Bless the brave fire-fighters. Eamonn.

A good friend of mine sent me this. He serves as a moderator on that "Other Scouting site" (Hi Jerry!) He also sent photos. But I don't know how to attach them here. (I send them to anyone who sends me a pm.) I thought it was very funny. Maybe in part because it happened in PA. It is not intended to upset anyone and if it does? Please accept my apology now. SUBJECT: DEQ File No.97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Lycoming County Dear Mr. DeVries: It has come to the attention of the Department of Environmental Quality that there has been recent unauthorized activity on the above referenced parcel of property. You have been certified as the legal landowner and/or contractor who did the following unauthorized activity: Construction and maintenance of two wood debris dams across the outlet stream of Spring Pond. A permit must be issued prior to the start of this type of activity. A review of the Department's files shows that no permits have been issued. Therefore, the Department has determined that this activity is in violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Pennsylvania Compiled Laws, annotated. The Department has been informed that one or both of the dams partially failed during a recent rain event, causing debris and flooding at downstream locations. We find that dams of this nature are inherently hazardous and cannot be permitted. The Department therefore orders you to cease and desist all activities at this location, and to restore the stream to a free-flow condition by removing all wood and brush forming the dams from the stream channel. All restoration work shall be completed no later than January 31, 2007. Please notify this office when the restoration has been completed so that a follow-up site inspection may be scheduled by our staff. Failure to comply with this request or any further unauthorized activity on the site may result in this case being referred for elevated enforcement action.. We anticipate and would appreciate your full cooperation in this matter. Please feel free to contact me at this office if you have any questions. Sincerely, David L. Price District Representative and Water Management Division. Here is the actual response sent back by Mr. DeVries: Re: DEQ File No. 97-59-0023; T11N; R10W, Sec. 20; Lycoming County Dear Mr. Price, Your certified letter dated 12/17/06 has been handed to me to respond to. I am the legal landowner but not the Contractor at 2088 Dagget Lane , Trout Run, and Pennsylvania . A couple of beavers are in the (State unauthorized) process of constructing and maintaining two wood 'debris' dams across the outlet stream of my Spring Pond. While I did not pay for, authorize, nor supervise their dam project, I think they would be highly offended that you call their skillful use of natures building materials 'debris.' I would like to challenge your department to attempt to emulate their dam project any time and/or any place you choose. I believe I can safely state there is no way you could ever match their dam skills, their dam resourcefulness, their dam ingenuity, their dam persistence, their dam determination and/or their dam work ethic. As to your request, I do not think the beavers are aware that they must first fill out a dam permit prior to the start of this type of dam activity. My first dam question to you is: (1) Are you trying to discriminate against my Spring Pond Beavers, or (2) Do you require all beavers throughout this State to conform to said dam request? If you are not discriminating against these particular beavers, through the Freedom of Information Act, I request completed copies of all those other applicable beaver dam permits that have been issued. Perhaps we will see if there really is a dam violation of Part 301, Inland Lakes and Streams, of the Natural Resource and Environmental Protection Act, Act 451 of the Public Acts of 1994, being sections 324.30101 to 324.30113 of the Pennsylvania Compiled Laws, annotated. I have several concerns. My first concern is, aren't the beavers entitled to legal representation? The Spring Pond Beavers are financially destitute and are unable to pay for said representation -- so the State will have to provide them with a dam lawyer. The Department's dam concern that either one or both of the dams failed during a recent rain event, causing flooding, is proof that this is a natural occurrence, which the Department is required to protect. In other words, we should leave the Spring Pond Beavers alone rather than harassing them and calling their dam names. If you want the stream 'restored' to a dam free-flow condition please contact the beavers -- but if you are going to arrest them, they obviously did not pay any attention to your dam letter, they being unable to read English. In my humble opinion, the Spring Pond Beavers have a right to build their unauthorized dams as long as the sky is blue, the grass is green and water flows downstream. They have more dam rights than I do to live and enjoy Spring Pond. If the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection lives up to its name, it should protect the natural resources (Beavers) and the environment (Beavers' Dams). So, as far as the beavers and I are concerned, this dam case can be referred for more elevated enforcement action right now. Why wait until 1/31/2007? The Spring Pond Beavers may be under the dam ice then: and there will be no way for you or your dam staff to contact/harass them then. In conclusion, I would like to bring to your attention to a real environmental quality, health, problem in the area. It is the bears! Bears are actually defecating in our woods. I definitely believe you should be persecuting the defecating bears and leave the beavers alone. If you are going to investigate the beaver dam, watch your step! The bears are not careful where they dump! Being unable to comply with your dam request, and being unable to contact you on your dam answering machine, I am sending this response to your dam office. THANK YOU. RYAN DEVRIES & THE DAM BEAVERS Eamonn (A Bear!!)

I don't live in Philadelphia. At this time I don't have any plans to move there. But for the sake of argument, let's say I moved there and was elected to the city council. I'm informed that the BSA is a private organization. I knew that!! As a private organization, the BSA is free to grant membership to any group that it wants. It is also free to turn away any group that it doesn't want. I know this because the Supreme Court has ruled it so. The guy who lives next door to me is a gay atheist. Who really feels that he doesn't want the money he pays out in taxes to be used to support an organization that would never allow him membership. While maybe I might not care for his lifestyle or believe in what he believes in? I do see his point. As a Scouter I may well agree with the BSA. But if I were serving on the Philadelphia City Council? I don't see that I'd have any choice but to vote against any organization that discriminates being supported with tax payers monies. This would not in any way change my support for the BSA. I of course am very aware of the good I think the BSA can do and does. Still we can't have it both ways!! We seem happy to be a private organization. I'm unsure why some people think that we (The BSA) are or need to be a special case? Eamonn.

Her Who Must Be Obeyed has a brother (Only one TG!!) He is nearing the half century. He doesn't and never has eaten anything which might be described as a vegetable! Seems that when he was a little Lad he only ate cold cereal. He is an Eagle Scout. He was a Wood Badge trained Scoutmaster, serving for about ten years. So while maybe he isn't my favorite person on the planet? If he had not been allowed to participate because of his "Picky-ness" Any good he might have done would have been left undone. As a Dietitian I have had to advise patients and their families in nutritional principles, dietary plans, food selection and preparation. While I mainly worked with elderly patients, I have worked with some kids. What people eat at home; can at times be a real eye-opener. At times because people are too busy or too lazy to cook. At times parents or care-givers think they are being kind, by allowing people to live on foods that they like, which might not be what they should be eating. Of course all I could do was advise and at times warn. There is no way I can or could make people follow any diet. As volunteer leaders in Scouting, we are not the parent of the youth. Last time I checked I seen: On the Campout, assist in preparing and cooking one of your patrol's meals. Tell why it is important for each patrol member to share in meal preparation and cleanup, and explain the importance of eating together. On one Campout, plan and cook over an open fire one hot breakfast or lunch for yourself, selecting foods from the food pyramid. Explain the importance of good nutrition. Help plan a patrol menu for one Campout that includes at least one breakfast, one lunch, and one dinner and that requires cooking at least two meals. Tell how the menu includes the foods from the food pyramid and meets nutritional needs. b. Using the menu planned in requirement 4a, make a list showing the cost and food amounts needed to feed three or more boys and secure the ingredients. c. Tell which pans, utensils, and other gear will be needed to cook and serve these meals. d. Explain the procedures to follow in the safe handling and storage of fresh meats, dairy products, eggs, vegetables, and other perishable food products. Tell how to properly dispose of camp garbage, cans, plastic containers, and other rubbish. e. On one Campout, serve as your patrol's cook. Supervise your assistant(s) in using a stove or building a cooking fire. Prepare the breakfast, lunch, and dinner planned in requirement 4a. Lead your patrol in saying grace at the meals and supervise cleanup. I'm unsure if these requirements mean that the Scout has to eat the same food as the Patrol? (A lot will depend on how you interpret "explain the importance of eating together.") Maybe Chippewa29 could tell us how the Lad met these requirements? The Lad is a First Class Scout and has dealt with this. Eamonn.

" Also, the other Scouts are questioning why he gets to eat what he wants while they have to go by the patrol menu? " It's really great that it is a Patrol Menu!! But why would the other Scouts give a hoot what he eats? Especially if they made the menu and choose what they were eating? The question as I see it is: " What role does the Troop /Patrol have in this Lads diet? It seems that he isn't doing anything at camp that he doesn't do at home!! His parents are aware of what he eats and what he doesn't!! The Troop is making food available for him and he is paying his way? Hopefully he understands the need for a healthy diet? So the Troop has done all it can do and needs to do. He however is a member of the Patrol and as a member he needs to know that just because he has opted not to eat what they are eating does not mean that he gets a pass when it comes to cooking and helping with the clear up. I think maybe trying to get him to think about the cooking Merit Badge might be a good idea? Or at weekends if the Patrol uses Dutch Ovens have him make the gourmet delicacies that come out of a DO. If there is a real concern about him not eating at Campouts, maybe talking with his parents and have them provide a dietary supplement might be a good idea? Eamonn.

Hey Hopper, You old rope dangler! I know old age is catching up with me! But it wasn't that long ago I was encouraging you to do what it took to become an Eagle Scout. Yes, I remember what your project was going to be!! I'll admit I was a little sad when you posted that you were no longer making becoming an Eagle Scout a goal. Kinda strange!! I wasn't disappointed in you. I was disappointed for you. Like it or not there are benefits in being an Eagle Scout. I'm not sure if being an Eagle Scout is over rated or not? I know I feel a twinge of something like anger, when people especially people I think should know better put Eagle Scout above other awards - Venturing Silver and Quartermaster and even Queen's Scout (How Dare They!!) This thread is making me think about what my role as an adult leader in Scouting really is? I know that I have a deep desire that all the youth I have anything to do with have: Fun, adventure, and the opportunity to face new and exciting challenges. I'm not just talking about Boy Scouts, but all of our youth members from Cub Scouts to the Sea Scouts I now serve. At times advancement is a tool that I use to get this done. I think my goal for the youth I serve is that I want them to care. Care for themselves. Care for others. Care for where they live. A lot of what goes into becoming an Eagle Scout is about caring. Of course, this doesn't mean that people who are not Eagle Scouts care any more or any less. In a lot of ways, it's a shame that the US Army beat us with the "Be All That You Can Be In The Army". I wish we'd come up with "Be All That You Can Be In The BSA". We are very fortunate in Scouting that we can offer a lot of different opportunities, activities and levels of involvement to help young people discover what they might want to be? And then pursue it. Sometimes this might be a career; sometimes this might be an interest that could change. This is so very different than a lot of other youth organizations where you only get ahead if you are good at one specific activity. Sometimes as in my case, this interest can lie dormant for a while and then resurface. (I enjoyed cooking as a Scout, went on to teach history -Wasn't very good at it!! So returned to something I liked doing as a Scout.) While at times, I know Im an old fuddy-duddy who tends to think that Scouts should be good or at least able to use what I see as Scouting Skills. Deep down I know that Scouting isnt about making or turning Boy Scouts into great outdoorsmen or Sea Scouts into great sailors. The outdoors is the method we employ to try and teach things like leadership and responsibility. You say, I got this Scouting thing all wrong! Sadly, a lot of parents seem to have got the wrong idea about Scouting. Please dont tell anyone but parents get it wrong about a lot of things. A seven-year old seems to show talent playing soccer and in next to no time, parents are talking about what college has the best soccer program. A Lad and his Dad cross over from the Pack, Dad really doesnt understand Scouting. He does understand recognition. Merit Badges are not hard to understand Meet the requirements and get recognized. Nothing hard in that! I hope we are doing more than just meeting merit badge requirements? Im OK with whatever the person who becomes an Eagle Scout wants to think about his Eagle Scout! I know people who worked their tail off and are proud of what they accomplished. While others know in their hearts, that corners were cut and the effort they put in was minimal. To my way of thinking no matter, what it is their Eagle Scout Badge! The true worth of it is the worth what they place. I know that Im starting to ramble! So, Ill quit while Im ahead. There is an interview with Robert J. Mazzuca became the BSAs Chief Scout Executive Sept. 1 in Scouting Magazine. Near the end it has: Scouting: Is it important that every Boy Scout become an Eagle Scout? Mazzuca: If less than 4 percent of the boys in Scouting become Eagle Scouts, are we writing off the other 96 percent of the kids? No, they are getting a tremendous experience. The cherry on top of the sundae is the Eagle Scout, but the whole sundae is pretty good. Ea.

$547.00 a day? Does seem like a lot! $1.00 a year? Doesn't sound fair. How about making the building the National HQ for the LFL program? The Council could move all the traditional program activities to the Roger S. Firestone Scout Resource Center. We (Scouter's) might not like it? But the BSA does discriminate. If this discrimination means that the city would be breaking the law by allowing taxpayer support of a group that discriminates? Then I don't see what choice the city has? Seems to me that we can't have our cake and eat it. We can change the policy or pay the piper. We can't have it both ways!! Eamonn.

I have been at a couple of big dinner meetings where they have asked people who hold awards to stand up and be recognized. When they ask for Eagle Scouts. A lot of people stand. Same goes for Silver Beaver. Silver Antelope award leaves a lot of people seated. But the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award as a rule only brings a very few to their feet. The only person I knew who had been awarded the Silver Buffalo is George Zambelli Sr. Who was from the Pittsburgh area. He was the founder of Zambelli Fireworks Internationale and donated the fireworks for the National Jamboree. He passed away in December of 2003. Ea.

OGE, I feel your pain. A few years back I was asked by our DE to chair a meeting of the Council Advancement Committee. I'll admit I wasn't overjoyed. Advancement is not really my cup of tea!! In fact I really don't see the need for a committee. Other than to ensure that Districts have working and up to date lists of Merit Badge Counselors and are doing what is needed for Eagle Scout BOR's. The "Requirement Thing?" Is clearly laid out in the requirements set by the BSA. There have been times when I have been accused of being a little too progressive? I'm not sure what this was supposed to mean? But I took it as a complement!! Anyway - I sat in on this Advancement Committee Meeting. The Committee hadn't met for a very long time. It seems that the Council Advancement Chair had gone MIA some time back and a meeting hadn't been called. We have four Districts in the Council and all four District Advancement Chairs were present. At the time I was serving as a District Chair and Council Training Chair. Along with the Area Committee. The guys and girls who served on the Training Committee were a great bunch. They really seen their role as helping leaders to get trained which would result in a better program for the youth. Somehow the guys who served on the Advancement Committee must not have got the memo about helping others!! While I'm sure they had good intentions and maybe even meant well? Within a matter of minutes I wasn't sure if we all belonged to the same organization! Yes I heard about how many hours should go into an Eagle Scout project. Yes the "Full Uniform" thing came up. Which was a little funny as the guy who brought it up was wearing a Scout uniform shirt and blue jeans!! Thankfully none of these guys had bothered to read anything in the past twenty years!! So when they started spurting out the same old same old, I was able to tell them that they were wrong or it had changed!! Or "That went out a very long time ago!!" This took the wind out of their sails! It didn't make them happy. There was a fair amount of moans and groans. One great thing about having an English accent is at times it can make me sound like I even know what I'm talking about!! After the meeting was over, the SE, my best friend Mike who was serving as a Council Vice President and your's truly stopped at Eat'n'park (Grilled Stickies and ice cream for me!) I made it known that I'd never sit on that committee again. So maybe next time "They" get to you? Try thinking about a big plate of Grilled Stickies and ice cream. It worked for me!! Ea.

Our Sea Scout Ship is co-ed. Being as Sea Scouts come under Venturing this is allowed. Back when I was a Venture Scout in the UK, Venture Scouting was co-ed, but even my sexy knees couldn''t entice any female members. I''ll admit to being worried when we started. Having only ever had a son, my knowledge of teenage girls left a lot to be desired. So far other than a few problems with one couple who were dating and then broke up! It has been a wonderful experience. The girls are great and I feel truly blessed to have them as Sea Scouts. They do everything the male scouts do and at times do it a lot better!! We do have adult female leaders and do follow the BSA guidelines. It works if you let it work. Eamonn.

" there was NEVER the suggestion that the person was involved in child sex abuse... i have no idea where you got that information from." Maybe this is my bad? However you posted " i wonder if he should even be allowed to participate. recent changes to the Jessica Lundsford act" "Gov. Jeb Bush signed legislation that beefs up Florida''s laws concerning child sex abusers as the father of nine-year-old Jessica Lundsford, for whom the law was named, looked on. The Jessica Lunsford Act provides a minimum of 25 years in prison for those who prey on children under 12, and if they are released from prison, lifetime tracking by global positioning satellite." http://crime.about.com/b/a/166938.htm That is where I got the idea from -You brought it up!! Eamonn.

"About $0.65." Filling up all four cars takes about 50 gals of gas. On the news last night the public transit users were crying about a weekly ticket from where I live to Pittsburgh going up $15.00 r/t a week. For me to take the Turnpike (18.9 miles) it costs $1.25 each way - $12.50 a week. Seven cents a mile just to use the road!! A trip to our Council Service Center on Turnpike 66 (8 miles) costs $1.50. almost 19 cents a mile!! This is daylight robbery!! Ea.

My big concern is why a letter is needed? Once this persons probation is over and all the terms have been met. He as a parent will be allowed to attend Troop events. I think I''d ask him why his probation officer feels that a letter is needed? Maybe a call to the probation officer would be in order? I would think if a letter is being requested by the probation officer, that this parent attending the event would not violate the conditions of his probation. I also think this has more to do with the CO than the DE? A word in the ear of the COR is not a bad idea? In fact I''d be a lot happier if the letter to the PO were to come from the CO. I''d be very careful about quoting acts and laws without having got the advise of people who really know what they are talking about. Even though this guy might have a criminal record as long as your arm wrongly suggesting that he is guilty of child sex abuse might be grounds for an law suit against you, the CO and maybe the BSA. I don''t know what position you hold in the pack? I do feel that this is something that I''d be happy to pass on up, with the final word coming from the CO. I''d also want to do everything possible to protect the child. If need be from his parent? But also from any finger pointing or wagging tongues. Even at home you need to be careful about talking to others about this in earshot of other Cub Scouts (Your Son?). The kid has done nothing wrong!! He didn''t pick his parents and he deserves the best program we can offer. As for how much we should know about the Scouts we serve? Having knowledge about the Scouts we serve and their family backgrounds can help us provide a better program and serve the Scout better. I''m sure having his Dad be in jail has caused a lot of turmoil and hardship for the family, it can''t have been easy for this Lad. He needs to know that the Pack is a place where he can feel safe and cared for. Maybe more so than the other Scouts who come from good (whatever that means?) families. You and the other adults in the Pack have a golden opportunity to really make a difference in the life of this kid. Go for it!! Eamonn.

If presented as they are written all the Training''s offered by the BSA are the same. The syllabi''s don''t change. It makes no difference if you take the training in Hawaii or Alaska. While I have never been to Alaska or Hawaii, I kinda think that things are not the same in Alaska as they are in Hawaii!! Locally we have Troop 160. Troop 160 isn''t a bad Troop. It doesn''t do everything by the book, but they offer a fairly good program which the Scouts seem to enjoy. They have just acquired some land and are busy making it into their little camp site. Troop 155 meets five blocks from 160. These guys seem to do just about everything by the book. They have good adult leadership who work hard at really presenting the program. Sadly the pack that used to feed 155 has folded and Troop 155 is hurting for membership. I know both the SM''s well. Both are real nice, both feel that they are doing what is expected from them. But both seem to have very different visions. Training''s can and do provide the tools needed to help get the job done. Visiting other Troops can help show what they do and maybe why they do it the way they do. But at the end of the day each unit has to come up with some idea of what it wants to be and where it is going (A vision) It has to decide how it is going to get there. (A mission) It needs to break this down into bite sized pieces. (Goals) and then go out and start doing it!! Training''s really can''t provide the vision, they might help shape it? I need to know where I''m going and what I need to get there. Once I know that I can start to do what is needed. This "What I need?" can involve a lot!! Maybe more specialized training? Maybe special equipment? Maybe teaming up with outside organizations? All of this entails setting long term and short term goals. It is worth remembering that a vision without action is just a dream and if you don''t know where you are going? You will never know when you have got there!! Eamonn.

I live out in the sticks. If I need a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread, I have a 3 mile round trip. We do have four vehicles, one is four wheel drive for when conditions are not that great. The roads are not that good, some are State maintained and other are not maintained. I''m told that funding for non-state maintained roads is just not adequate. I pay all the little indirect taxes that go with owning motor vehicles. Gas is costing about $2.80 a gal. I''m unsure how much of that $2.80 is tax? I also pay a lot of money in property tax. The taxes on my home are over $6,000.00 a year. For that I don''t have a local police force, no street lighting, no public library. Yet still the roads maintained by the Township are just plain bad and when I complain I''m told about how much snow removal costs!! More and more of the State roads seem to be toll roads and the tolls keep creeping up. Now I hear that these tolls are being used to help pay for public transportation. There seems to be a big fuss about a 20% increase in public transit fares. I choose to live where I live. I knew where the milk and bread shop were located. But these public transit users are really getting up my nose!! Don''t they see what a gallon of gas costs? Don''t they know that the bus driver is being paid and the cost of having a employee is not cheap. The cost of a gal of gas has doubled in the past five years. Why? should I have to subsidize public transportation? Of course I could walk to and from the store for my gal of milk and loaf of bread -Well I could if there were side walks and street lights and maybe if it didn''t seem like taking my life in my hands. We have just as many needy and poor people in our area as they do in the areas served by public transportation. The elderly people don''t have the luxury of hopping on the next bus. They rely on taxis or family members. Something seems out of whack!! Eamonn.

I''m guessing that most of us have sat through the BSA video "Ages and Stages" -The one about a picnic. It doesn''t do a bad job of explaining how boys see things at different ages. I really have no idea why a parent signs up their son for Cub Scouting. In my case, when OJ reached Cub Scouting age. I was supposed to be on a Council Properties Committee. The Committee rarely met. It was more or less something a few friends of mine did to keep me on the books!! I was very busy owning and running two restaurants, working 16 hour days and HWMBO worked shifts at the local hospital. OJ was just starting to play soccer and I was helping out as a coach. I think I might have seen the two hours a week I put in for about fourteen weeks a year as my effort to spend quality time with him. I really didn''t care if he joined Cub Scouts or not. He came home with the flyer and HWMBO was the one who signed him up. I was very busy, but did take the time to go to the Pack meetings. Which were about as exciting as watching the grass grow. Week after week we bundled him in the car and got him to the Den meeting. He wanted to go. He wanted to wear his uniform. He loved the Pack meetings where he was recognized with beads and badges. Within a year it seemed that all the adults in the pack were gone and my hiding place in the back of the hall where the meetings were held didn''t work out as well as I''d hoped. I ended up being re-activated. OJ''s enthusiasm for the program remained strong. He never missed a meeting. By the time he was ten and a half, he had outgrown Cub Scouting. He had met all the requirements for the AOL. So in January a month before the B&G and cross over he joined a Troop. By now I was no longer with the pack and was District Commish. The first two years he couldn''t wait to go to each and every Troop activity. He was ready, wearing his full uniform telling me to "Hurry Dad, we are going to be late!" The SM of the Troop had been self-employed, but he got a real job and had to quit. His replacement was a real dope. OJ''s interest started to dwindle. The new SM was handing out MB''s like crazy. OJ was asked did he ever build a Pine Wood Derby car? and next thing was he received a MB. He changed Troops. About this time he became active in the OA and was asked to staff a JLTC course. (The Council hadn''t offered one for a few years.) He really enjoyed the OA. He enjoyed JLTC,but it in some ways left him feeling like "Something wasn''t as it should be!" And he didn''t know how to go about fixing it. He became more active in school activities. He was captain of the HS soccer team, in the choir, on the track team, in the school plays. He wanted to support the school teams even if it did mean missing Troop meetings. In fact attending a Troop meeting was something he would do, if there wasn''t something else going on or if he didn''t have a better offer. Now as I look back I see that he enjoyed being a Scout, he just wasn''t that happy being a member of a Troop!! He liked staffing the JLTC courses, being active in the OA,working on summer camp staff, being a staff member at the Jambo and working on the trail crew at Philmont. But by the time he was about 16 he had become a "Troop Visitor". If he had nothing to do on a Tuesday night he''d throw his Scout shirt in the back of the car and visit the Troop. The Troop never knew when he was going to visit, so rarely had anything planned for him to do. So he''d hang out talking to the other Lads who were visiting, chat with the adults who were also hanging out then come home and tell me that the meeting was boring!! As far as Scouting skills goes. He just doesn''t have them!! The first Troop was so advancement crazy that no one took the time to see if the requirements were met. I think if there had been an attendance requirement in the second Troop he more than lightly would have quit. Fast Forward: Three weeks ago he was coming home late. (He works part-time in a pizza shop) There was a car crash on the road. He was the first person there. He used first aid to help one Lady. Sadly the other person was dead. He held the head of the other making sure she didn''t move. He''d checked out all the other signs. He''d called 911 on his cell. Lucky enough a nurse was passing in her car and she stopped to help. They ended up flying the one person to a trauma center. He was very shaken and upset when he got home. But said "Hey Dad that First Aid that I learned in Scouts really works." We will never know if Scouting did help him help others? I don''t know if the Troop had said "You don''t meet our attendance requirements" if he might or would have missed the First Aid MB (He is an Eagle Scout) I don''t know a lot. I do know that even as a Troop visitor he got something that might not have been there if he had been asked to leave. The Lady he helped is doing OK, she has three sons. Maybe when the time comes they will join a pack and learn first aid? Eamonn.

"Should we look for a new COR by recharter time, since current COR really does not want to do more than sign papers" I''m not a great fan of Prince Philip. But the Queen married him and he is what he is. The COR is selected and appointed by the Executive Officer of the Chartering Organization. Depending on who "We" are?? You don''t have any say in who serves in that position. The main thing you might be able to do is help improve communication with him or her. Make sure they know where and when the Pack Management meeting is. (Note it is the management meeting not a Leaders meeting) If he or she isn''t there send them notes or minutes from the meeting. Maybe highlighting any points that involve the CO. Invite them to all of the big events that the Pack has: B&G banquet, Pack picnic, Pine Wood Derby. Have a word with the District Chairman and see if the COR is being invited to the District Meeting and the Council Annual meeting. Maybe the District Training Chair can offer to work with the COR on ensuring that he or she understands and is aware of what a COR is to do? Of course all of this is like the old "Horse to water", You can''t make anyone do anything. In "Boy Scout and Cub Scout Land" The COR is a willing and active participant. However in the real world, at least in my area about 80% of the COR''s are little more than names on paper. As District Chair, I sent out post cards to each and every COR for all the District meetings. It really didn''t do much. To be honest if they (The COR''s) didn''t know what was going on at the unit level, they really couldn''t do a good job of representing the unit at the District level. Our Council Annual meeting, where the officers and the Executive Board are approved is a dinner meeting. While I''m not overjoyed about how it''s done!! I do believe that having the COR''s present is important. I picked up the cost of the COR''s dinners in an effort to get them to attend. Sadly the meeting is more or less a rubber stamp meeting and many of those who attended once were in no mad rush to attend again. Some COR''s only went to the District Meeting when the unit was upset about something. If the Pack Management Committee really feels that the COR is not doing what he or she should be doing? They might want to inform the Unit Commissioner (If you have one) He will report it to the District Commissioner, who will bring it to the attention of the DE. The DE is supposed to meet at least once a year with the Executive Officer and it really is up to him to communicate with the Executive Officer. (Volunteers deal with volunteers and Professionals deal with Professionals. - Both the DE and the Executive Officer are seen to be professionals.) Volunteers really should not go messing around with decisions that the CO Executive Officer has made!! It can make them very cranky and if they get very cranky they might decide that having a Scouting unit is not worth having!! So in a nut-shell - Back Off!! Eamonn.

To be honest I don''t think HWMBO would know what ethylene chloride was if she did get a whiff!! Ea.

75 Cents!! Please don''t tell HWMBO, she might cut off my allowance and leave me there. Ea.

Reading the long term strategic plan. There does seem to be some movement in recruiting people who have experience but don''t have a 4 year degree. While I''m sure many enjoy working as a professional Scouter. I know I place way too much value on being able to tell someone that they can "Go take a hike" Or "Go away and don''t annoy me!" to be able to do a good job. Still in our area $35k to start is not bad. Teachers in our area start out at under $27k. Ea.

Nice to hear. OGE, do you need a passport to get back into PA after a visit to the Garden State? Ea.