Eamonn

I'm going to try and not get off topic!! Many of the older Boy Scouts I talk with are happy with the Boy Scout program. They enjoy doing traditional Boy Scout type activities. They would like to kick it up a few notches! They say that they dislike baby sitting the younger Scouts. Large Troops might have the leadership and the numbers to provide activities that meet the needs of these older Scouts. - Maybe in a Venture Patrol? What I see happening in our Council, where most of the Troops are small. Is that many Troops get a huge number of Webelos Scouts cross over. At times the number of Webelos is bigger than the number of Boy Scouts in the Troop. A Troop of 8 or 10 Active Boy Scouts sees 10 or 12 new members all at once and the baby sitting starts. Most of our Boy Scout Leaders seem happy to do what they have always done. The highlight of the year -every year is summer camp. Most of the Troops in the council will sign up for summer camp next year before they leave camp this year. Same week, same site and just about the same program. After a few summers the Scouts who remain have no real desire to return. Many Troops do a trip each year. Some have a cycle: Year one: Washington DC, Year Two: Gettysburg, Year three:Wright-Patterson Air Force Base then back to year one. This weekend trip and the week at summer camp is the entire program for the summer!! This leaves nine months. District events fill in four months (Camporees and First Aid Competition) Some Troops don't meet over the holidays from just before Thanksgiving until after New Year. I know a lot of older Boy Scouts who really do want traditional Scouting activities. Of course some don't. The big problem I found when I talked to organizations outside of the BSA was that I was unable to provide them with anything they wanted or needed. The Church Youth Groups have youth leaders, they have a program and some have camps. The Gun Clubs don't want the BSA rules and regulations. The volunteer fireman have a junior fireman program. Venturing didn't really offer the local community theater anything that they could get their teeth into. Some less organized groups like the local re-en actors, did find a home. This of course means that most of the CO's are CO's that already charter another BSA Unit. Nearly all the adults in Venturing have come from Boy Scouting. Guys and girls like me!! Many of us have no real special skills! I think of myself as a fairly good all round Scouter. I don't know enough about any thing to offer to start a Crew which has a main focus. Sure I can help anyone organize just about any event you can think of!! But until we come up with the idea of a Crew that has Diets as their specialty, I'm not much use. I can tie knots, I can read a map, use a compass, know about sailing. But while I have taken the ship caving I'm in no way an expert caver, we plan to go rappelling, but again I know the basics, but am no expert. Very few of the Scouter's I know are experts or have a specialty. I have a degree in English history, but somehow I think a Crew based on King Henry VIII,might not attract too many female members. So like it or not Me and people like me are what the BSA has available. I really do buy into the idea:In the future Scouting will continue to:Offer young people responsible fun and adventure; Instill in young people lifetime values and develop in them ethical character as expressed in the Scout Oath and Law; Train young people in citizenship, service, and leadership; Serve America's communities and families with its quality, values-based program. I can do that. To get the ball rolling many people like me will need help from the Districts and Councils. Real help, delivering a real program to real kids. I'm happy that jblake47 has found something that seems to work. As long as it remains within the vision and mission of the BSA. More power to him, but that's just one way of skinning the cat. Ea.

what makes a successful district-level plan for supporting the venturing crews in your area? The District I'm in is a small district. We are down to about a dozen Boy Scout Troops. Of this dozen only about three have more than twenty Boy Scouts. I don't know the age groups in the Troops or how active the older Scouts in these Troops are. Back when I was a Venture Scout, the Troop had 30 -40 Scouts most of the time and acted as a feeder unit to the Venture Unit. The size of the Venture unit went down as low as 8 and was never bigger than 14. Later as the Troop grew over time the Venture Unit grew. My point? In most cases a small Troop can not support a Venture Crew. When a Troop of less than twenty starts a Crew with 5 or 6 Scouts, the Crew will die before it can build up a program that will attract non-scouts. If the Scouts remain active in the Troop it may never build a program. Back to the question. " what makes a successful district-level plan for supporting the venturing crews in your area?" 1/ Take a long hard look at both the Vision and Mission statements of the BSA. Spend time working on what they are saying and what they mean. 2/ The District Committee needs to make a commitment to do everything it can to help and support the BSA in bringing these fine words to life so they have real meaning. 3/ While the role of a District is to support the Council, it can do so by bringing in new members. When we bring in new members, it can have a ripple effect. New members have family and friends and if and when they see that Scouting works, they become supporters of Scouting.Some might just have kind words to say with their co-workers, some might want to become active and help either at the unit level or a committee level. Some might sell stuff or make a donation. Of course this only works with real members. So passing a motion at the District Committee that states that the District is going to meet the needs of young people in the community the district serves is a good idea. 4/Understanding that we all are in Scouting to serve the youth is very important. When we think that the youth and their families are here to serve the District, Council or who-ever is just not right. 5/ The Membership Committee does need to have a really good understanding of what is going on in the District. A good understanding of what the needs of young people are as stated in the Vision and Mission statement. Above all they must see their role as meeting the needs of the young people in their community as their goal, not starting new units or large numbers. 6/ Venturing and Sea Scouts need to feel welcome and a part of the District. 7/ The District Camping and Activities committee need to work with Crews and Ships on events where older Scout might be invited to get a taste of what they are doing. This is very different than inviting Venturers and Sea Scouts to participate in Boy Scout events. 8/ District Commissioners need to find knowledgeable people to deliver Commissioner Service to Crews and Ships. Note the word knowledgeable!! Old Joe who has been a SM for 25 years till the Troop folded and became a UC 15 years ago might not be the best choice!! 9/ DE's need to meet with the CO of all new Crews and Ships at least once every 3 months, better yet would be if the DE and the UC met with the CO. 10/ Before any new unit is started a careful selection of new leaders should be done and all new leaders should be trained. This of course means that someone on the District Training Committee understands the program and can present the training. 11/ All new adult leaders need to be counseled as to what they are letting themselves in for. The needs of these young adults are not the same as the needs of the youth in our other programs. I could go on but this would be a nice start. Ea.

"So you are saying that the parents of the scouts that where in the vehicle could not sue the BSA only my insurance provider? " While I'm not an attorney, have never played one on TV. I did play Matthew Harrison Brady, in a play once. I suppose anyone can sue anyone for anything. A parent could sue you, your CO, the car maker and the department of transportation for the state that you are in. But to do so they have to prove that you were doing something wrong. Doing something wrong when you are driving is not governed by the BSA. You should be following the laws of the state that you are in. The Pledge of Performance found on the back of Local Tour or Camp permits does make sense,and every attempt should be made to not have drivers closely follow the group vehicle in front of them. This works well on the highway, but many of our camps are located way back in the country so one car following the other is going to happen. You however are still the driver of the car and you need to drive with the care that the state law demands. Drive at a safe speed and not go banging into the car ahead of you!! Form #34426E (The Tour permit) informs us that we need to be covered by a Public and property liability insurance policy. What this is saying is that the BSA is not your primary insurer. A lawyer might try and argue that you were not following the guidelines laid out by the BSA, but these guidelines have no real standing outside of the BSA. So the answer to your question is -Yes. If however you didn't have insurance. A case could be made against the tour leader and the Unit Committee member for not checking to see if all the drivers were insured. In this case the BSA would I would hope come to bat for the Tour Leader and the Committee member. Ea.

Not sure how to say this in a nice way! But somehow I kinda think that there is a difference between being a Den Chief and being the son of the Den Leader, who is at the meeting anyway! I wonder how the Scout would feel if he was assigned to a Den which wasn't led by his parent? I seem to remember reading that the SM assigns working with the Cub Scouter's on Den Chief selection to a ASM? But I might be wrong. I have served as Day Camp Director. While older Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts can really be a big help. Young Boy Scouts who are close to the same age as the older Cub Scouts do tend to forget the reason why they are at the camp. Of course there exceptions to every rule. A 11 or 12 year old Scout seeing Webelos Scouts a year or so younger than him having fun, will want to join in. This doesn't make him a bad kid, it just means that he is still a kid!! Ea.

I don't have any real feelings either way! But being as Commissioners receive their Commission from the Council (They need to be approved by the Council Executive Board) I can't help but think having them in the Council Relations category seems about right. Ea.

Beav, I don't know if the "Crews" that you found make up the 249,948 or not? If they are in the count? Things are even worse than they look. I have been in Scouting a very long time. I want nothing more than to see the organization I love grow and do well. I do not claim to have all or even some of the answers to why things are not going as well as the should or could be. Still I don't understand why it is when I point out that what we have in place right now is not growing and is not doing well. I'm made to feel like I'm in some way being disloyal? I'll gladly accept that maybe I'm an old goat who maybe isn't capable of thinking outside of the box. I'll own up to being a Scouter who is very much rooted in traditional Scouting and Scouting methods. But I will not accept that anything I have done or haven't done has anything to do with the staggering decline in Venturing Membership. I of course have ideas of what I think we could or might do, I don't know if they would work or not. I'm willing to listen to anyone who offers alternative ideas. In the real world I spend a lot of time talking with people who have just found out that they are diabetic. Going over their diet and what they should and shouldn't eat. At one time in the UK the treatment given to diabetic patients was whiskey! In 1903 an oatmeal diet was seen as the cure! Of course these failed. The program we have in place for young adults is just not working. To stand around and point fingers isn't going to make it work, to keep defending it, isn't going to fix it. I would hope the people who were on the whiskey diet died happy. But that doesn't change the fact that the diet didn't work and they were dead. I'm happy that no one tried to fix the numbers about these failed diets. If they had? People would still be suffering. Telling lies is never a good thing. Pretending that the problem will go away or fix it self doesn't work. It seems to me that we have a product that the end user just isn't interested in and doesn't work. How do I know that? The membership numbers are there. If these numbers have been inflated? We really do have a bigger problem than we think. Ea.

I can't talk for Beavah. I'll leave it to Beavah to talk for himself. Some of the myths that I dislike are: The "You have to travel in uniform." "The fixed blade knife" Some things I would maybe like to see made a little clearer have to do with liquid fuels. I'll admit that I don't follow the "Safe swim defense plan" to the letter. There have been times when a group on a canoeing trip will go for a quick swim and while I do follow most of the rules I don't follow all of them.(Mainly marking off the area.) A year or two back, I posted that a Scout got left behind at camp and I had to make the choice of leaving him there or giving him a ride home, with just him and myself in the car. I opted to take him home. Some forum members thought I should be tossed out on my ear. Some thought I'd done the right thing and a good friend reminded me to stress that what I'd done was foolish. Who is to say that in ten or fifteen years the Lad isn't going to appear on Dr Phil and say he was abused by the Scoutmaster? Back when we had the restaurants, I spent a fortune on Liquor Liability Insurance (At that time over $20,000 a year) Working with the insurance companies we worked on lessening my liability, we trained all of our bar staff, we had rules for the bar staff (Mainly to do with them not drinking while on duty.) And the insurance company took into account our history, the fact that we never had a claim and never had an violations with the PLCB. Liability has become a fact of life. There was an article in US News and World Report about a family that had a swing set in their back yard. The family wasn't home and a neighbors kid came and while playing on the swing set fell off. The injury left the little girl with a permanent limp. The family sued, the lawyers went after the family, saying that the swing set should have been fenced in. They went after the swing set manufacturer and Sears who sold the swing set. There is a difference between liability and negligence. Taking Scouts on the water might make me liable. Taking Scouts on the water who have not taken and passed the BSA Swim test would make me negligent. I know that some will argue about how deep the water is or isn't. We don't allow Scouts on deck without a PFD, we make sure that every Scout has a well fitting PFD that is in good repair. Still every now and then a Scout will come up from below without their PFD on. Of course when anyone sees they immediately tell the offender and tell him or her to put one on. I see a world of difference between that and if we had ignored the PFD rule and not had any. That would be negligent. I know we have been talking about winter camping a lot over the past few weeks. But thinking back to the 2005 Jamboree, when the problem wasn't the cold it was the heat. While I don't know what was going on behind the scenes, I got the feeling that there was a big difference of opinion between the DOD and the BSA. I don't know if liability and fear of being sued came into play or not? I do pay attention to weather reports and small boat warnings. To not do so I feel would be negligent. We do train our Scouts what to do in cases when things don't go right or well. I'm happy if we never ever have to put the training to use!! Just because we know how to deal with a situation doesn't mean we have to go out looking for it! Ea.

I agree whole heartedly about these myths and scare tactics. We (Old grey beards and trainers) do a big disservice when we present things that just aren't true. I'm all for the G2SS and youth protection, both go a long way to protect the kids we serve and the people who do the serving. I have met some Scouter's who seem to want to make everything into a youth protection whatever and seem to just go way over the top. I'm willing to accept the responsibility for what we do. It seems for the past week or so I have been harping on about "Controlled Risk". The G2SS is a good tool when it comes to assessing what risk is allowed. Age appropriate activity lists are also very good. There are times when the Scouts may want to do things where I in my infinite wisdom deem the risk is more than I'm willing to take. The reasons for this can be just common sense, my knowledge of the G2SS or just my level of risk. We I hope will never need a rule book so big that it becomes unmanageable. I'm OK with the list of activities that the BSA doesn't allow. What I might want to do either as an individual or as a family has nothing to do with the Ship, our CO or the BSA. If OJ and his pals want to go sky diving that's up to him, his pals, their parents and me as his parent. I do feel that I'm happier when everyone knows what is and what isn't a Ship's activity. Many Parents have no idea of what the G2SS or what rules are in place. We have some kids in the Ship that are the son's of Her Who Must Be Obeyed friends, some even call me Uncle Eamonn! I have known these kids since before they were born, as families we have shared holiday meals and gone on vacation together. As Uncle Eamonn I'm fine with one of them stopping by the house to do something and I never give the G2SS or YP a thought. But as Skipper Eamonn, I push the buddy system and follow the rules. Kinda like when I was in HS we were only allowed to use an ink fountain pen (I never worked that one out!!) But when I was at home and not doing school work I could use what ever I liked. I have never been paint-balling and have no desire to go. A few of the Scouts have all the gear and do get together to go paint-balling. I'm happy that they are happy. But I'm not going to promote it or allow the Ship to get involved. I have my own little lists of things that I think are just too risky and if asked I'll tell the truth. The truth being that I'm unwilling to allow the kids in my charge to take that risk or maybe I'm unwilling to allow an individual or a group of Scouts to take that risk. Sure at times this might seem unfair or look like I'm playing favorites! But when it comes to the safety and welfare of Scouts in my charge. I really am the be all and end all. I don't need to back up my decisions with lies or falsehoods or talk about insurance coverage. I'm fine with accepting responsibility and being the leader. I do try and do my best to follow the guidelines and rules, I try to keep up to date with them. But I try just as hard to find out why they are in place so I can explain them to others and not go out of my way to bash people over the head with them or sound like some rule-spouting know it all. Ea.

When I read the title of this thread, I thought it was to do with Commissioner Service. As we were blessed with one son and he is now 18 my "Assessment" days are over. I agree with the wise words SemperParatus has posted. When the time came for OJ to move into a Troop, some of the things we looked at were: Were there going to be any of his pals in the Troop? This was number one in our book! What night did they meet on? We have one Troop that meets on Sunday night -Her Who Must Be Obeyed wasn't going for that -Not in a month of Sundays!! Did the SM get on well with the Scouts? We found a really good Troop, in fact a wonderful Troop. The SM had served as a R/T Commish. A super nice fellow. His family owned and operated a local company that did electrical work. I had used them to do most of the electrical work in our restaurants. Jerry (The SM) really liked working with the Scouts, the Scouts liked him and he ran a Troop that was close to being "By the book". He had served as an ASM to the Fellow who became our District Chairman, when I was District Commissioner. Sadly less than a year after OJ joined. The SM and his family had some sort of a falling out, so Jerry went and got a "Real Job" working shifts. So he gave up being SM and not long after seemed to just fade away!! The guy who replaced him was an elderly guy, who I'm told at one time ran a good Troop some where else in the District, but the Troop was long gone!! He turned the Troop into a merit badge factory and Eagle mill. He didn't like to camp (even when it was warm!!) OJ, put up with it for just over a year and then transfered too another troop, along with a few of his friends. Wood Badges, Eagles and even methods were not something that we even considered!! Jerry is a Wood Badge holder -His replacement wasn't. Still OJ is inviting both to his ECOH. Troops can change, but most Scouts have friends that they want to stay with especially when they are joining a new group and they have gone from being the "Big Men" in the pack to become the new kids in the Troop. Ea.

Much as I hate to name names! I'm going too. Very often I find that I don't agree with Kudu in this forum.This doesn't make him wrong and me right and I'm sure both of us could sit down over a mug of something and have a good time exchanging ideas. From his postings I do feel his frustrations with the BSA and the things he feels that are wrong. (I do admire his knowledge of the history of Scouting in the BSA) In many ways I feel just as frustrated as he does. Only in my case it's with Venturing! I will gladly accept that some Councils, Districts and Crews are doing something that works. I can't understand how we try and find excuses for seeing the membership fall by approx 33% over four years. I'll accept that after the membership fiasco's in some parts of the country, some numbers that were wrong were corrected. But almost 98,000 members would be one heck of a correction. Here in the NE-Region the Venturing membership was down by 15% last year and the numbers continue to go down. I'm annoyed when I read that Camp Staffs are being signed up as Council Crews. Yes we played that game!! The Staff comes from all over the Council, they don't do anything during camp -They are busy working. They don't meet after camp because they are geographical challenged, they don't elect officers. They are the best example I have ever seen as to how not to run a crew!! While I would have to look it up, I feel sure that a Council can not be a Chartering Organization. Our Council is supposed to holding a Venturing weekend near the end of April. I was asked if I would help by organizing the VLSC. I wanted to try and involve as many youth members from different Crews as I could. I had the registrar send me a copy of each Crew's Charter. We don't have a single Crew where the Advisor is someone who wasn't at one time a Boy Scouter. I phoned some the Advisor's to ask if they had any Venturers who I might ask. So far I have heard: "We only use the Venturers to help at Camporees" "We really aren't doing anything at the moment" "We have never met!" "We tried it and it didn't work, but the DE asked if we would put the charter in" Why do I feel that maybe the 249,948 youth members that we are supposed to have might not be a true number? Here in our neck of the woods there seems to be a push to bring Sea Scouts and Venturers together for some reason? NE-Region 4 has a Quest weekend coming up in April. I asked what is the reason for the weekend? There is a list of activities that I suppose is not bad, but nothing to write home about. I was informed it was a social weekend more than anything!! Most teenagers I know are very social, they don't need to drive half way across the state and spent $45.00 to be social. At times I think they are all in my house eating my food and emptying my refrigerator!! Most Sea Scout events that our flotilla has, do have dances and time for the Scout to be social. I have to admit I kinda look at these dances as being what has replaced the Camp Fire. I don't think very many people would organize a weekend Campout with the Camp Fire being the main attraction? So far in our Council other than the Ship, no Crew has ever had a Super Activity, in fact only the Ship and one Crew has ever filed a tour permit. Of course maybe they keep forgetting? Or maybe they just aren't doing anything? The Metro Council next door, did at one time have a professional who was in charge of looking after Venturing and he organized a couple of Council-wide, Council ran Venturing Super Activities, one was to Alaska and I forget where the other trip went. I'm not sure why? But they had a real hard time filling the spots. I'm happy that jblake47 has hit upon something that works for the youth in his area. RE: " So Eamonn and CNY all I can say is that you are so wrong about Venturing and its potential. If we don't continue to update our programs making them relevant to the current culture of youth then we run the risk of becoming irrelevant and stagnant, and Scouting may fade away into oblivion. I for one do not want to ever see that day come. I believe the potential is in the hands of the youth. 98,000 youth members not being in the program and the fact that it continues to shrink, has to say something about the potential. Update? Venturing has had some many updates and new things added that it's hard to keep up with the updates. We need more than another update or another award we need a complete overhaul!! I'm 101% behind keeping the program relevant to the end users (the youth members). I don't have the numbers, but I would think the number of youth aged from 14 -21 is far greater than any of the other age groups we serve? I can't find a total of Boys and Girls of that age group. Yet it seems to me that we as an organization are unwilling to put our resources into making a program that meets the needs of this age group work. I'm fed up hearing that we don't have critical mass! I wonder why? The market is out there. We just need to come up with the right product! Of course we need to offer activities that are age appropriate and these will need to be looked at and updated. Offering a program that is based on a program from the 1950's and what is needed by the LDS church, just isn't working. One day when the numbers get just to small. ( It took 4 years to lose 98,000. At that rate we have just over 30 months!!) We will be forced to admit that what we offer right now just doesn't work!! These numbers are real, they have nothing to do with me liking or disliking the program. They are a reflection of what is happening all over the USA. Fatalist? No! Try Realist!! 98,000 is a lot and sadly that number is growing. Ea.

I didn't attend our Council Annual Meeting held about a week ago. We have a new Scout Executive. He joined us in November. As yet I haven't met him. So far everyone who has met him seems to think he is a nice fellow. Rumor has it that he has been doing a full audit of the Council. Looking at Finances and membership. It seems that he has found some paper units and Scoutreach units that are now gone!! At the meeting he informed the Board that he wasn't going to allow any more fake units and that LFL would be self-supporting. We in the past have paid the membership fee for some School Districts. As I say I have yet to meet this fellow, but already I think if he sticks to his guns I'm going to like him! Ea.

" Venturing uniform policy allows the wearing of Boy Scout rank patches." I agree that "ALL square knots may be worn on any BSA uniform." But there isn't a knot for all Boy Scout rank patches.Only the Eagle Scout. Ea.

"If I can "earn" a patch by writing a check, I don't see why BSA shouldn't give out patches for just about any volunteer activity." There is a knot available for the James E. West Fellowship. To become a James E. West fellow a donation is required. The recognition is a certificate, a pin and for uniformed Scouter's the knot. I know some Scouter's see the donation as in some way buying the knot. I have used the James E. West as a way of recognizing outstanding volunteers, some who are uniformed Scouter's and some who are not. I know a lot of people who support Scouting and would like to do more but can't so they see the donation as a way of showing their support. I'm not sure how long it has been around? But I bet the $1,000 isn't what it used to be!! The Scout Law which we promise to keep has A Scout is kind. I think when we sit in judgment of others and what they do, we fail to be kind. Sure I have uniforms with knots and beads and what have you. Still I was lucky I had the time and I enjoyed myself. I personally admire the Den Leader who has to make time each week for the Den meeting, then does her best to make the Leaders meeting and round table meetings to be the unsung hero. But I also admire the busy people who sit on committees and want to do more but because of their jobs, find that donating money is their way of supporting the program. Ea.

All we need is in the Sea Scout Manual. While I was safely tucked away on the other side of the pond in 1972 working on earning my Queen's Scout as a Venture Scout. I kinda think maybe I held some Hippie type views. At that time I really didn't want anything to do with anything that might be seen as coming under "Military". At the Sea Scout Training Weekend in Maryland a presentation on Sea Scout Ceremonies was given. Sea Scout ceremonies are full of bells and whistles, double salutes and steeped in tradition. After the presentation I was talking with some Sea Scouts, who I didn't know. They were saying it was all very silly and that this isn't the military. I couldn't help but think when I looked at them how much they were like me at their age. I tried to explain that we really were not trying to be a military organization, but a lot of the things in Sea Scouts have to do with tradition. We spent about 10 or 15 minutes talking about the navy and naval traditions. I think my accent made it a little more interesting. As ever I got a little off track. One minute we were talking about Admiral Nelson and the next James Bond!! I'm unsure if I changed their thinking? Drill is an elective in the Sea Scout program, but ceremonies are required. My thinking is that as long as we have them we need to do them well. I was happy with the way the Dad presented the drill instruction. I was really happy that the Scouts seemed to enjoy it and were having fun. Next week we a retired Coastie who was a radio operator coming in to do a presentation on Marine Radio. His son played soccer with OJ after graduation went to the Naval academy. Last time he and OJ talked, OJ was green with envy. Ea.

I hate the cold!! Back when I was our District Chairman, I attended and camped at a District Winter Camp. As with many events where there is a fair number of Troops present. We had the good, the bad and sad to say the ugly!! Sure enough the Troops that were good seemed to have no problems. But the bad just were not able to handle it and the ugly were down right dangerous! Wet Scouts running around in wet T-shirts, late at night, when I asked why they weren't in their tents they informed me that their sleeping bags were wet! When I checked on their leaders they were snoring!! Well, they were till I woke them up and demanded that they pack up and go home! Scouting is a controlled risk. We at have to control the risk. To my mind you did the right thing and the Council is really taking an unnecessary risk. Sadly if a Scout was harmed or hurt the Council would pass the buck -First to the Leaders and then to the CO. Not returning the money? In my opinion this isn't the way to boost support for FOS. Ea.

At our December Quarterdeck Meeting we looked at the meeting plans. Not having ever served in any branch of the military I have a hard time with Drill. One of the Scouts said his Dad had served in the US Marines. We asked if he would be willing to come down and work with our Scout, he agreed and said he'd attend the meeting we had last Monday. Something came up and I knew I wasn't going to get to the meeting on time. I e-mailed our Boatswain and my Mate's telling them to go ahead and start without me. The meetings start at 1900 and we start on time!! I arrived about nine minutes late. The Scouts were all lined up and there in dress blue uniform of the US Marines was the man putting the Scouts through drill. I hadn't expected the uniform. Boy was this guy good!! When I have attempted to do this sort of thing with our Scouts for ceremonies I have at best lasted ten or fifteen minutes. Our meetings are supposed to run for ninety minutes, with about thirty minutes for an indoor parking lot meeting! He ran over by about ten minutes and had the attention of the Scouts all of the time. I was really impressed. The Ship now has it's own private and personal drill instructor and I need to do a better job of polishing my shoes!! Ea.

If you attend National Camp School you can buy patches there. There used to be a big patch that was OK to wear on the back of the red jacket. While I'm sure you do a great job, which is both needed and appreciated.I'll bet that there are a lot of others who pitch in. The people who man the First Aid Station. The food guys/girls. The Nature Area people. The list could go on. All of you deserve recognition, but a patch for each position? I'm not so sure. Those who go above and beyond can be recognized at the District level with the District Award of Merit and for those who do so at the Council level there is the Silver Beaver. The number of these that can be awarded is governed by the number of units in the District or Council. Our District is a small one and we can only award two District Awards of Merit each year and the Council awards four Silver Beavers. I have served on both selection committees and it really is a hard job. An idiot like me who was very loud and very visible tends to get recognized, because I'm very loud and visible, while very often the people who do great work behind the scenes get passed over. I'm not so sure we need any more new badges, but I know the little guys who attend day camps have a blast and these day camps do lay the foundation for Boy Scout camps and high adventure trips that will follow. Keep up the good work. How about a good English Cheer? Bravo, Bravo, Bravo-bermissimo Bravo, Bravo, -Jolly well done!! Ea.

We are in a real cold snap here in SW-PA. Temps are way down. School has been canceled for the past two days and might be either delayed or canceled tomorrow. Still life goes on! Rory still likes to go for his walk. We do about 4 -5 miles a day. I'm dressed up like Nan-Nook of the North. We haven't had a lot of snow, but what we have had has drifted. I hate the cold, but I do enjoy watching Rory play in the snow. I enjoy the light -If it wasn't so darn cold I'd take my camera. I've never really spent any time in a desert but I imagine the way the snow forms on the ground is much like the sand would be like. Rory and myself will follow the tracks we find in the snow. Seems that most of the wildlife is at home in their recliners, we have found the odd bird, rabbit and deer tracks. I did spot a red crested woodpecker the other day -Not sure what he was up to. On the return trip we have to stop so Rory can bite the snow and ice out of his paw. I don't like having my mouth and nose covered but when I don't cover them my mustache gets frozen. I wonder why all the old time explorers had beards? That must be very uncomfortable. When it was just cold I'd stand on the ice and when it broke Rory would dig up a chunk and eat it.Now there is no breaking the ice it's just too hard, so Rory doesn't get his snack. When we are almost home Rory checks out the wild bird feeder we have not far from the house. I fill the birds water bowl, must be kinda hard for them to find something to drink when everything is frozen? I don't know how long it takes for the water in the bowl to freeze, but I put that down to me doing my best. They need to get it while the getting is good!! I pick up the mail, while Rory checks out the long line of hemlock trees. This year they seem to have more cones than in past years. Then it's home. He gets a drink of water and a dog biscuit and I have a big mug of coffee with double sugar and cream!! Her Who Must Be Obeyed informs us that we have been gone a long time and asks what we have been doing? Just like OJ, I reply "Nothing." I can't wait for summer! I hate the cold. But I do try and remain cheerful. Ea.

From talking with OJ. I don't think he is in any way unwilling to commit to the Scout Oath and Law. He sees the Eagle Scout Charge and Challenge as being too wordy and as some kind of window dressing. To date the best ECOH I have attended was a young man who was in an LDS Troop (His mother was my boss!!) What made it special was that he really seemed to be very sincere when he thanked his leaders and parents. He then spoke to the younger members of the Troop. The ceremony was in the church and cookies and punch were served after. All too often it seems to me that the ceremony becomes bigger than the Scout!! Ea.

I just received a copy of the DELTA Handbook. The program was developed by Viking Council and Center for Youth Development and Research (CYDR) at the University of Minnesota. Has anyone used this program? If so what was the outcome? Ea.

Bangers are sausages! Back home, much like you can get real cheese (Something that is rare on this side of the pond!!) and each area has it's own distinctive cheese (Cheddar is a place in the UK.) The same goes for Sausages. Some areas use pork while others use beef each has it's own blend of herbs and spices. Mash is just Mashed potatoes. A plate of good Bangers and mash with sauted onions and a glass of real ale. Man does that make me home sick!! Harrods, Food Hall in London is a great place to buy real English food. Ea.

Many years ago I done an internship at Charring Cross Hospital in London. Working at what then a research project into the use of aluminum phosphate binders for the treatment of osteodystrophy commonly seen in patients with end-stage renal disease. My part was working with the patients planning what they would eat and were allowed to eat. What they ate was strictly controlled and they ate the same thing every second day for six weeks. In order to track what they ate all the foods were very lean (Chicken Breast and very lean meat) portions were measured down to one tenth of a gram. Fluids were also controlled. My heart went out to the poor patients after about three weeks they were ready to call it a day and would have given about anything for a nice greasy hamburger or some bangers and mash! Ea.

Seems I can't win. When Venturing came along, our then District Chairman who was really into Organizational Charts was worried about where to place Exploring and LFL. It turned out in the end that Exploring and LFL were moved out of the District and we never had to worry about them again. Our then District Camping Chairman, thought the idea of having coed units was the end of the world and was ready to burn his beads. I was at Philmont when the then Director of Venturing looked in and informed us that Venturing was where it was at and was the fastest growing program in the BSA. Now it seems to be the program which is losing more members than any of the other programs. I have sat on Area Committee Meetings where it has been mentioned that some Councils kinda, sorta messed up and had Venturing Units that really weren't Venturing Units and had moved these from Venturing to Exploring. However when I look at the Exploring numbers I can't see anything like the almost 98,000 that Venturing doesn't have any more. I know that trying to find out a number that might be used for TAY (Total available youth) is almost impossible for this age group. But I can't help feeling that 249,948 would be less then 1%. Fatalist? I hope not!! I really want us to come up with a program that works. Parts of what we have right now does work. But with such a decline we have to admit that this is more than a bump or a clerical error. I'm sorry, but I really can't help feeling if we keep doing what we are doing, we are going to end up with what we got and what we got just don't seem to work. The real answer has to lie with honest and open discussion and a real effort to come up with something that will work. I don't claim to have the answers. I do see that we have a real problem. Ea.

"Any knot that you are entitled to wear can be worn on any uniform shirt you have." Unless your a Sea Scouter. Ea.

OJ is planning his Eagle Scout Court of Honor. He seems to have more ideas than Cater has pills!! I have been informed that I'm going as his Dad -Not as a Scouter. He really wants this event to be his way of thanking all those who have over the years helped him reach his goal. We have had several late night chats about what sort of ceremony he wants. His Uncle is an Eagle Scout. He lives about 3 miles down the road, but we rarely see him and don't have much to do with him. OJ's Mother thinks it would be nice if his uncle read the Eagle Charge. We (OJ and I) think that as he is no longer in a Troop some of this is meaningless. A lot of stuff in the Eagle Challenge is just way over the top. I have explained that this is just a ceremony and while a lot of it is very nice, none of it is from the BSA. There really is no real Eagle Promise or Pledge. At this time OJ really has no plans to return to the Troop. This could of course change, maybe tomorrow or maybe not for a very long time. My advise to him has been to keep it simple and make sure that what ever he decides is from his heart. We both feel that both the Eagle Scout Charge and Challenge don't live up to that. Ea.