Eamonn

Pleased to report that OJ, passed his driving test. I think, that he thinks on some level that I'm going to give him my Explorer. This isn't going to happen. He is doing a good job of trying to physic me out, He knows every kid in our area and what they drive. Matt has a older Jeep, I think he saved the money and bought it himself. A nice kid who was one of my Cub Scouts, joined Boy Scouts and quit when he was about 15. Is now a giant of a Lad who plays on the HS football team. Has a little brother who was in Cub Scouts, but quit to play soccer, he plays in the band. Dave drives a Mercedes M. His parents bought it for him. I want one but it is out of my price range. Dave was a Cub Scout in pack 151, went on to Troop 150 and made Eagle Scout when he was 14. A nice Lad that one day I will recruit into a Crew, when I get the right Crew underway. But $38,000 for a kids first car?? OJ, went to Katie's sweet sixteen birthday party last October, her parents bought her a new VW convertible. Great Parents who are both RN's, they were my First Aid team when I was Day Camp Director. Little Greg went all through Cub Scouts joined Troop 160 but quit after about 18 months. Linda has a new bright yellow Hummer. Her family own a local meat market, but her parents are separated. She comes around our place to watch the Steeler games. She has a great voice and I think she will join the Crew that we are starting with the local theater. There must be a lot of money in beef and processing deer that the local hunters bring in each fall!! But $62,000, that is a big price for a guilt trip. Big Matt, is a super nice Lad but very mixed up. His step Dad is a cardiologist and they seem to move a lot. Matt dropped out of HS. He seems to have been fired from all the fast food joints in the area. I swear that he can smell when we are about to eat as he times his visits and is eating in our house more than I do. The guys love to go to his apartment and play video games on his 54 inch TV, that cost a little over $4,000. I was at the club the other day and a Lady I know sat near me. I noticed that her handbag was kinda nice. I mentioned how nice it was she said that she collected them and this little number cost $900.00!! $900.00 for a purse!! It wasn't even very big, she went on to say that matching shoes were about the same price. I think that people can spend their money any which way they like. But I'm starting to question this "Timeless Values" idea. OJ,is by the will of God an only child. I would have liked to have more children, but it just didn't happen. He was a complete surprise, we found out that he was coming when I had begged and borrowed every last penny that I could to start our business. Thank God for health insurance as without it the Doctor would have to repossess him in order to get paid. We live a comfortable life style.I have been saving for his college fund for about 12 years. So I'm hoping that I am not going to get zapped too hard!! I like to think that our retirement funds are in good shape. Our house is where we live, we are never going to be in Good Homes and Gardens. I enjoy spending time at home with Her Who Must Be Obeyed and I'm very aware that she is the very best thing that ever happened to me. We seem to grow closer as we grow older. I am really pleased with the way OJ is turning out. There was a while in second grade when Sister Lucile, was phoning every night that I was worried. But he is a very happy and nice Lad, who seems to know where he wants to go and I am ready to help and support him in his long term goals. He wants to be a math teacher. I tried teaching and didn't make it, I just wasn't very good at it. Everyone tells me that I am the worst person to have to buy stuff for as I seem to have everything that I need. I am happy to see our house full of OJ and his pals, they know they are welcome and there is always another potato in the pot. I enjoy being out side with the dogs. Some days when Her That Must Be Obeyed and I are home alone with no plans we buy a $10.00 phone card and spend hours calling people all over the world, just saying hello and catching up. We are happy just being home,sometimes not even talking. I read a lot and listen to a lot of music. She can spend hours doing her stuff, playing with old photos or going through old papers. I swear the best gift I have given her lately is a shredder!! I suppose if she ever wanted a $900.00 handbag I would buy it. But she never would. One day I might buy a used Mercedes M. But by then OJ, will be wanting me to pick up my Grand-kids in it. Them $900.00 handbags don't look like they would carry very many diapers. Eamonn

If I was the SM, I would report what happened to the Troop Committee, let them handle it and I would go on about my business of delivering the program. If I was the Troop Committee Chair I would be far more concerned about the fork than the bad language and stupid behaviour at the shower house. I think I would contact the COR and inform him that the Lad has to leave the troop. Boy am I glad that I'm not the Chair!! Eamonn.

While I did hear that some of the tents used in the Sub-camps were sold to Jamboree Staff members and that some of the Sub-camp flags were sold for what I thought were huge amounts. I was informed that everything else was taken by a company that was going to auction it all. I will check with our Area President, he is in charge of Action Center D, and knows far more than I do and I will get back to you. Eamonn

jkhny 20 posts full of nothing but doom and gloom. Ten months of moaning and groaning. As someone who sits on an Area Committee, if a Council was in as sad a state as the picture you paint of the Council you serve? I am 100% certain that the Area President (A volunteer) The Area Vice President (A volunteer)and the Area Director (A pro.) Would be meeting with all the members of your council key3. The council would be close if not already at facing a Provisional Charter. So please give it a rest. Eamonn.

Hi, The information you are looking for is in the Insignia Guide #33066D. Page 5 deals with: Badges of Rank are for youth members and Two Badges with the same meaning. Page 16 covers the Religious emblem square knot. This is covered again on page 46. Hope this helps. Welcome to the forum. Eamonn

I'm rechecking trying to make sure that I have not got out of the wrong side of the bed. Making sure that I am not in a bad mood. OK, I'm fine. Man Oh Man, do I hate this Baby Sitters thing. Boy Oh Boy, does this annoy me. It really gets up my snout. If anyone sees providing a program of fun and adventure as baby sitting, then they are unlike any baby sitter that I ever hired. If all you are providing is a baby sitting service you are in the wrong organization. Our VISION STATEMENT reads: The Boy Scouts of America is the nations foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training. 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 Americas communities and families with its quality, values-based program. The MISSION STATEMENT reads: The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. If anyone sees this a baby sitting they must be from some other planet. Eamonn.

Hi vrooman, What is happening to the committee is not uncommon. At Wood Badge and other leadership courses, Situational Leadership models are used. The works of Ken Blanchard and Bruce Tuckman are very similar. Both use: forming storming norming performing . Understanding where the group is and knowing what style of leadership is needed can be very helpful. In Scouting we use all sorts of teams to get the job done or achieve the result we desire. Teams can be committees and Lord knows we have no shortage of them or the team might be a Patrol. Or a group of people brought together to plan an event. The team has a Leader, in your case you as the Troop Committee Chairman are the leader. In my case as a District Chairman I lead the District Committee. I have taken the time to be trained in what my job or role is, I read just about anything I can lay my hands on and like to think that I do the job that I am supposed to do. I know at times that I'm guilty of sticking my large Romanesque nose in where it really has no business. When I find this happening I sit myself down and rethink what my role really is. I do get mail and calls from people who want or expect me to do or fix things, which I have no authority over. Parents upset about how a pack ran a Pine-Wood Derby race!! Sure I could stick my 2 cents in, but apart of this having nothing to do with me, nine times out of ten I will only make matters worse. It is very important that people know what their job is and understand that they are accountable for doing it. Please take my word for it. More people will quit doing something if they have nothing to do. Please do not allow the Troop Charter to become a work of fiction. The Troop needs and you need real people who are doing real work. Anything else is just foolhardy. I work very closely with our DE and our District Commissioner. Working hand in hand we strive toward the same goal. We all want the District to support the Council, support the Units and make Quality District. We do this by ensuring that we have open lines of two way communication and sharing the feedback we receive from anyone who is kind enough to give it to us. If we disagree on something, we iron out our differences at a key 3 meeting and never allow the key 3 to seem at odds in front of the District Committee or the volunteers. At times this does mean that one of us does have to stand down or compromise. You need to be working hand in hand with the Scoutmaster and hopefully the COR. We are blessed in Scouting to have a lot of very talented people, however at times they can be a little over talented!! I am very much for giving someone a job to do and expecting them to get it done. Sort of comes under the heading "A Scout is trustworthy". While friendly advise and a few pointers are fine, interferences are a pain. You have people who have been selected to do a specific job, you must not allow other people to tell them how to do it. If they need help that is your job, if they need trained you need to help them get trained. You have to be the go to person. You are the team leader. I have found that 30 day goals work well for me and the District Committee. We rarely if ever vote on anything. We set goals. The Membership Committee has been working on a spring Tiger Cub recruitment. They decided that they wanted to do 3, one in each community or School District. They needed to secure 3 locations at one time that was a 30 day goal. They needed a patch, selecting a patch that was within our budget and ordering it was a 30 goal. They needed handouts and activities. That was a 30 day goal. They as a committee decided who was going to take on doing what. I knew who was doing what. About ten days or so after the meeting I called the Membership Chair and asked how we were doing with such and such a goal? Was the patch ordered? Where were the 3 recruitment sites? If I saw a problem I offered my ideas, if something wasn't being done I voiced my concern. If I knew that some immediate action was needed I called the DE and we went to plan B. Before making the agenda for the next meeting (5 or 6 Days ahead) I call all my Chairs and see what they want on the Agenda and how things are coming along. There are of course times when the 30 day goal isn't met. We only managed to secure 2 of the 3 locations and this becomes one of the goals for the next 30 days. At our meetings the Chair gives a report of what they have done and what they will be doing. I believe that they are doing their best, I know what is going on and I don't care if the Finance Chair is happy or unhappy about the patch or the locations. He has his own area to work with. Of course new committee members are going to lean on you and turn to you and at the start you need to take them by the hand. But as time passes you need to step away and let them start Performing. I also believe that it is very important that we recognize people who do a good job and that we celebrate our successes. Cakes are not that expensive and inviting the committee to a backyard bar-b-Que when you have reached a goal goes a long way to help recharge everyone for the next goal. Take the time to read over the features of forming,storming, norming,performing and spend some time looking at the style of leadership you need to be providing for the team that you lead. forming - stage 1 High dependence on leader for guidance and direction. Little agreement on team aims other than received from leader. Individual roles and responsibilities are unclear. Leader must be prepared to answer lots of questions about the team's purpose, objectives and external relationships. Processes are often ignored. Members test tolerance of system and leader. Leader directs storming - stage 2 (Where I think you are at) Decisions don't come easily within group. Team members vie for position as they attempt to establish themselves in relation to other team members and the leader, who might receive challenges from team members. Clarity of purpose increases but plenty of uncertainties persist. Cliques and factions form and there may be power struggles. The team needs to be focused on its goals to avoid becoming distracted by relationships and emotional issues. Compromises may be required to enable progress. Leader coaches norming - stage 3. Agreement and consensus is largely forms among team, who respond well to facilitation by leader. Roles and responsibilities are clear and accepted. Big decisions are made by group agreement. Smaller decisions may be delegated to individuals or small teams within group. Commitment and unity is strong. The team may engage in fun and social activities. The team discusses and develops its processes and working style. There is general respect for the leader and some of leadership is more shared by the team. Leader facilitates and enables. performing - stage 4 The team is more strategically aware; the team knows clearly why it is doing what it is doing. The team has a shared vision and is able to stand on its own feet with no interference or participation from the leader. There is a focus on over-achieving goals, and the team makes most of the decisions against criteria agreed with the leader. The team has a high degree of autonomy. Disagreements occur but now they are resolved within the team positively and necessary changes to processes and structure are made by the team. The team is able to work towards achieving the goal, and also to attend to relationship, style and process issues along the way. team members look after each other. The team requires delegated tasks and projects from the leader. The team does not need to be instructed or assisted. Team members might ask for assistance from the leader with personal and interpersonal development. Leader delegates and oversees. Your goal has to be to move your committee to stage 4 as quickly and painlessly as possible. But be careful, just when you think you have everything in order things can change, new members can bring you back to the Storming Stage as can new goals. You as the team leader do need to be ready to step back in and use the style of leadership needed to move them back to stage 4 ASAP. Please whatever happens, don't lose faith, what is happening is not unusual. All that is needed is for you to step up to the plate and start being the leader. Good Luck. Eamonn.

The Troop that I was in as a Scout seemed to me to be using the Patrol method. We had Patrols that were in inter-patrol competitions. Patrols that camped as patrols, cooked as Patrols and being as we were in the UK and used six man tents slept as Patrols. We had regular meetings of the Patrol Leaders Council. As a Scout in this troop and later as a Leader I didn't know or maybe I didn't want to know that there was a really big part missing. Many of us have heard the wise words: Train them, Trust them, Let them lead. We weren't doing this and for a very long time were making no effort to even get close to doing it. Sure we /I was going through the motions but I was holding back. I was in fact telling the Patrol Leaders what I wanted them to do and what I expected from them. They were going back to their Patrols and passing on the information. They really weren't representing the group they were my representatives to the group. I wasn't allowing them the opportunity to have any real authority as at the end of the day they were just the enforcers of what Eamonn wanted. I have read a lot of guff as to why Troops are not using the Patrol method. I have seen and heard that the boys are too young or too old, the Troop is too small or too large, still at the end of the day it is all guff. The only reason a Troop doesn't use the Patrol Method is because the adults either don't know how to use it or they have decided that they don't want to use it. I think that we have far too many Scoutmasters trying to do way too much and failing to recognize that the most important job or role that they have is the training of the Patrol Leaders and the SPL. I am 100% for all Patrol Leader Training's that are offered by Districts and Councils, but the real training is the on the job training that happens every week at our meetings. Each and every Patrol Leader and SPL is an individual with his own strengths and weaknesses and it is the job of the Scoutmaster to support and help this individual to do the best job possible. The shape and the style that this help and support takes on will differ from Lad to Lad. I have for a very long time believed that our Patrol Leaders and SPL are very important people and have gone out of my way to make them feel special. Sodas at PLC meetings or meetings that end up at a fast food restaurant help. But allowing them the opportunity to really take the bull by the horn and letting them be the Troop Leaders really makes them feel that they are special. It is important that they know that they are accountable for what they do and what doesn't get done. Some Lads will need the SM to "Look in" see how they are doing. By doing this we are setting them up for success. There are of course times when things don't go well or maybe not as well as they might have gone. I found one of the most powerful tools for finding out where the strengths and weaknesses were was by using a well run reflection. This only works if we believe that we are striving for an optimistic future and refuse to dwell in a pessimistic past. What we learn from the reflection should help us make improvements for the next time and not be followed by a **** session. I hear the term "Boy Led Troop" a lot. I have to admit that it was new too me. Scouts and Scouting has used the Patrol method from the very beginning. The Scouts do need to know that there are some limitations that will get in their way. Sure it might be wonderful if the troop went camping every second weekend, but if the leaders are married and have families and children of their own, this just isn't going to happen. I was very lucky in that I had the greatest committee behind me. I never seen the need to have youth members attend the Troop Committee Meetings and the only adult at the PLC meetings was the Troop QM. Our PLC meetings were held mostly on a Saturday afternoon and I would meet with the adult leaders on Sunday after church for a drink for an informal "What we are doing" meeting. I did try inviting the ASM's to the Annual Planning Meeting, but they seemed to have a little too many ideas and too much input, which seemed to prevent the PLC members from thinking on their own. Eamonn

The McClaren Tartan Participant Necker is a participant Necker. Just as a Cub Scout changes his neckerchief when he moves from Bears to Webelos Scouts, the Wood Badge course participant stops being a participant when he completes his ticket or fails to complete the ticket in the time allowed. The Gilwell Neckerchief is the Necker worn by Wood Badge Scouter's world wide. The Participant necker is only used by the BSA. Eamonn.

Hi Judy, One reason given for the high price of BSA uniforms is that they are made in the USA and are union made. While the t-shirt and jamboree cap are not uniform items, I think the price tag is high. Eamonn.

Great story purcelce, Thanks for sharing it. There was a little old fellow in our District, who really was the salt of the earth. He served as Cubmaster for over 30 years, looked after the Webelos Scouts transition. I loved him dearly and respected him to no end. I nominated him for a Silver Beaver. Our then District Chairman was the District Rep on the Beaver Committee that year. That year was the first year that we were not keeping it a secret. The District Chair called me (I was District Commish at the time.) I asked if Frances had got the Beaver, he said that he hadn't. I went into one of my very long orations calling everyone on the committee a twit. He let me rant and rave and then informed me that I had been selected. When I told Her Who Must Be Obeyed, she informed me that I was too young to receive a Silver Beaver!! I get no respect. Frances received the Silver Beaver the following year. Eamonn.

I have no idea what happens in the Council that you serve Bob. Our Field Director is the person in charge of LFL in our Council. He doesn't receive two pay checks. The Registrar keeps track of all LFL participants, using equipment that was bought for use by the BSA. The LFL workers use office space along with phones, postage, that is paid for out of the general fund. A couple of years back when a School District were going to drop LFL because of cuts in school funding, our Executive Board OKed $6,000 to pay the fees to National. Our LFL does have an FOS goal of $500.00, which they have yet to meet. I really do think that LFL is a drain on the resources of the Council I serve. We do have people and organizations who do help underwrite some of the cost of LFL, still who knows maybe these people and organizations would be willing to help pay for traditional programs? There are times when I feel very guilty when I state that we serve 10,600 youth in our programs. I know that half of them are in LFL, yet I fail to mention that, when I'm doing a FOS presentation. I fail to mention that the service we offer to the High Schools in our area is a guest speaker who gives a career talk for about forty-five minutes. There are nine speakers a year. Eamonn.

I don't like caps and have so many T-shirts that about twice a year Her That Must Be Obeyed donates half of them to Good Will, just so she can shut the drawer. I am very aware that the Jamboree Participant Cap and the Jamboree T-shirts are not uniform items. I have ordered hats and T-shirts for different events. In fact I ordered T-shirts for the Jambo Troop. The ones we ordered are made in the USA, have an Eagle on the breast and the names of all the participants on the back. We ordered 125 and our cost was $6.75 each. Looking at the Jamboree T-shirt they start at $14.95 and are made in Mexico The official Jamboree Participants cap, which is very nice has a price tag of $21.95. I don't know much about caps but the caps I bought for Wood Badge cost under $6.00. Our caps were made in the USA, the Jamboree Cap in made in Bangladesh. I have never owned a $21.95 cap before!! Eamonn.

I can see where I have confused everyone!! I was trying to spin off from LPasn, when he said: "Of course I really do not want to move but I want to send a message to this Council. If they are in such financial condition that they have to sell camps, maybe they should scale back on the new offices." Eamonn

Sometime back I went to lunch with our Scout Executive. I have to admit that I do like him and like to think that the two of us get along. I have at meetings disagreed with him and some things that he has tried to do and some things that he has done. However, I believe that what happens at a meeting even when I don't "Win" is done and we need to move on. A lot of times we will go for some tea!! maybe say a few closing words on what went on at the meeting and it's over with. While we were munching on our cheese cake I asked him if he could stop having the finances and the Financial page of our Council newspaper from always being the first page. I said how as most of the people who received the paper were involved in program, that we should have anything but finances as page one. He was using a lot of the Good Turn For America material as part of his Wood Badge ticket, so the next Council newspaper had that on the front page. I hear the moans and groans from people. Some are 100% legitimate, some are based on information that is wrong and sad too say there are some people who aren't happy unless they are moaning and groaning. I have never been employed by the BSA and have never been a Scout Executive. I know that in the past eight years, the time I have served on our Council Executive Board, both the Scout Executive and the one before him have always made time for me. Both have always returned my phone calls, both if they were not in a meeting have met with me even though I didn't make an appointment. In fact the times I have asked for an appointment they have called to ask "What's up?" I don't think that I am in any special, but I do think if I had a job where I served at the pleasure of a board, I wouldn't go out of my way to upset the board members. At this time I sit on the board because I serve as a District Chairman. I have made it my business to know what is going on in the District. I receive reports on just about everything that is going on in the District. The District Commissioner informs me about how each and every unit is doing and what problems they might have as well as what successes they are having. I really want the District to do well and shine.I don't believe in telling lies and I'm not big on not telling people things that will effect them. If a volunteer in the District has a question and I know the answer all they have to do is ask. If they are upset, they can tell me. However this isn't the best method of getting a result of some kind. If you stop me in the street and tell me that you are upset about something, you are allowing me to use my judgment, which may not be always good. I am lightly to not remember, so all that has happened is that I have allowed you to vent. If you have the COR attend the District meeting, the problem will be discussed and will be in the minutes of the meeting. I then have to bring this to the attention of people who can look at the problem and who will report back to me and I then will report back to the District Committee.It may not be the answer that you want to hear or like but your message was sent and you do have an answer. Some people feel that they can send a message by holding back on FOS or by not supporting the Council. When they do this they are hurting the most important people in Scouting, our youth members. Some people think that the grass is greener in the Council next door. I know that I can look at the big metro council next door and see that they might be doing some things better than we are in our tiny Council, but when I talk to the people from there they are looking at us and the things we do better. We also serve the communities in which we live and where our Scouts live. It is a shame that we do have in just about every Council a hard core bunch who just love spreading doom and gloom. Most of the time this bunch use rumors too fuel what are at best half truths and even when they are handed the real truth, they will change their argument. I now take plenty of NO notice of this group,because I know that there is no way of making them happy. Communication is a leadership skill, listening plays a big part in communicating. We do have a system that can and will work. But only if we use it. Eamonn.

Hi Bob, I don't question that LFL is a good thing. I have gone into schools and given career talks when asked by our LFL pros. I just think that if it is separate it should be separate. Even if this means that we end up shooting ourselves in the foot when we don't receive fundings from other agencies. Who do hand over more money in a year than I will give in 20 years. Eamonn.

I didn't do such a good job in 2001 in helping the troop get ready for the International Night. To be very honest I didn't prepare for it at all. But somehow on the night we seemed to gather a large group of Scouts. There were 3 or 4 American Troops, a group from Mexico and a group from I think Taiwan. I love a good camp fire or a simple sing along. We had at our shake down had a camp fire but it was more to fill the time more than anything else. Our shakedown is next week and this time I want to be ready. I have the Scribe working on a Troop song book. While channel surfing tonight I ended up on PBS and a show about dance. The show spent some time looking at the dances from American Samoa, this reminded me of the good old Polynesian Duck Dance, created by none other than my friend Martin, many years ago. I did post the dance sometime back but I think it would be great if we could get a bunch of Jamboree Troops together on the International Night all doing the dance. It really isn't that hard and is a lot of fun The Polynesian Duck Dance Away Nakka Nakka nay, Away Nakka Nakka nay, Etok, Etok, Etok (Repeat verse) Quack, Quack, Quack (while hopping to the right) Quack, Quack, Quack (while hopping to the left) This is done 3 times, gradually getting faster with each repeat. On the final yell swoosh and fall to the ground. Eamonn (This message has been edited by Eamonn)

msnowman I am really glad that you got something out of this thread. I enjoy reading the ideas and thoughts of others even when they are different than my own, and even if I disagree with them. I do feel very strongly that while it is fine and dandy for us to look at what we are doing and at times question why we do it and the way we do it. We need to be ever mindful that no Lad ever joined Scouts or Scouting to have his character built up. They join because it is supposed to be fun. They stay because it's fun and we can help them help themselves to a program that offers adventure and challenges. They quit or leave because it isn't fun and there isn't enough challenge or adventure. So while trustworthy,loyal, helpful,courteous, kind,thrifty, brave, clean and reverent are all very important we must never forget that cheerful and friendly are also on the list. Eamonn.

I have posted in the past that I am not a fan of the LFL programs. If they are indeed separate, you would never know it in our Council. The program is under the watchful eye of the Field Director and the staff are in the council service center. They don't sell popcorn. They are not involved with FOS. When I donate to the FOS, I like to think that my donation is being used to help pay for traditional Scouting programs. Programs that include duty to god. It is wonderful that we can stand up and say that we have a membership of 4,398,858 (Feb,2005) However when 1,643,571 are LFL participants, the numbers don't look so wonderful. I do not have anything against LFL, just as I don't have anything against many other youth organizations. I just don't want my money helping to pay for the program. I am willing to say that they deserve a pat on the back for showing a 8.2% gain in membership, while traditional membership is showing a 1.9% loss. Eamonn

I kinda think that many of us will be doing much the same thing that we are doing today: Tomorrow, next week, next month and next year. Some of us older guys will need to start taking a long hard look and start really trying to understand generational differences. The future of Scouting will greatly depend on how well we understand and effectively work with a diverse group of generations. It is vitally important that we do everything possible to be able to understand how they think, what their values are, what motivates them and their habits. I don't like being stuck in a group by age. Mainly because I think that the groups used are way to big. I don't see myself in the same group as those born in 1945 or those born in 1964, which is the Boomer or Victory Children. I was born in late 1955. Using estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor, we have a shrinking work force, by 2008 the economy will offer 161 million jobs but there will only be 155 workers. Estimates are that it will take until 2050 till the demand for skilled labor will catch up. Those born before 1945 tend to have more money than the other generations and this generation held fast to the values of their elders. They are very loyal and dedicated. There are about 18 million of this generation still living. The Boomer's are the largest group with approx. 65 million. This generation has a reputation of being reluctant conformers, who wanted to set up a more open and free society. They are known for questioning almost everything.. Those born between 1965 and 1977 the Xers are the generation who are first generation that is really comfortable with technology.They are very self-reliant. They are sometimes called the latchkey kids. There are about 42 million X-ers. The Yer's or Millennials born 1978 -1985 are in some ways like the early boomers they have a strong social conscience and are willing to work for causes in the local community, but they have always had access to world wide information. They put great store in education and life long learning. There are about 20 million Y-er's. There seems to be a trend that people are having children when they are older and are waiting till they are older before they start offering their time to volunteer organizations such as Scouting. There is also a trend that shows that the later generations tend to want to volunteer to do tasks that have a specific goal and they want to get in, get the job done and get out. Scouting does need to be aware of the different attitudes that each generation has toward dress, how they view authority. Scouting has also to be aware that education and how people are educated has changed and is changing. In the Wood Badge 21st Century course there is a presentation about change. Those of us who are involved with recruiting volunteers need to be aware that the young people today (Adults) see things in a different way or different light than we do. Young adults also need to be aware that we older folks are different than them. I don't know the age of the people who sit on the National Council, but would guess many if not most belong to the group born before 1945 (The Silents) It is going to take a long time till we see the Xer's or the Yer's take the reins. The same can be said about those who are our chartered partners. I think people who work in the National office are aware that each generation is different and has different values and ways of doing things. I'm not so sure that Councils or Districts are. Eamonn

I was aware that the "It takes a whole Village" did originate from Nigeria. I mentioned Hillary Clinton as her use of it brought it to the attention of so many more people. There are times when because we don't like the messenger, that we fail to get the message. There are a few people in the forum who I think go out of their way to disagree with everything that Bob posts. I think Bob really hit the nail on the head when he posted "My job is to help boys make ethical decisions, not to make them do want I want them to." I wish that I'd said it before him. A lot of how we do things in Scouting is not the easy way of getting things done, we don't do the things the way we do because we want to make life hard, we do it the way we do in the hope that the young people we serve will employ the little gray cells that the Good Lord gave them. Last week we looked at the ideals of Scouting, which I think is the backbone of everything that we are trying to do. I have been accused of living in cloud cook-coo land and of living with Utopian dreams. Needless to say I of course think that I'm right and even when the end result or the finished product isn't as good as it might have been if I had not used the methods of Scouting or put the ideals of Scouting aside, I like to think in my own little way I am helping the youth that I serve move toward living with Scout spirit (The ideals) and I am helping them develop the skills need to make ethical choices or decisions. I have to believe with all my heart that each and every Scout is going to and is doing his best to live by the Scout Oath and Law. I have to believe this because he has promised that he will. There are those who will say that this just plain and simple just doesn't work. I have to say that it is our job to keep plugging away, working with each Lad as an individual, using all the skills we have, grabbing and recognizing every opportunity along with setting an example knowing that it can and does work. There are those who ask what happens when it's not working? We look at what isn't working and use it as a lesson as to how great things would be if they were working. I see everyone as having ownership of what they do. There are times when not doing things that you should do and times when doing things that you shouldn't do have far reaching consequences and do mean that you have let "The Side" down. But the person you have let down the most is yourself. You promised on your honor that you were going to do your best. At times we all need help in seeing what is the right thing. At times I know that some of the things I do fall short of being kind. I want the Scouts we serve to take ownership of what is going on. Ed posted: "OK. So when we get to camp telling the SPL to "get the gear unloaded" While I would hope that the SPL would have worked this out by himself, if he did need a prompt, I would take him to one side and ask him what do you think we should be doing? When he sees the light. It then becomes "Hey Guys we need to unload the truck" Which is very different to "Hey Guys Eamonn says we have to unload the truck" As for the toys? Ed you are a lot harsher and tougher than I am!! I'm also very cheap!! I couldn't see me sending the toys that I paid for to the landfill. Eamonn.

"but the real problem is children equating food with "winning" and "feeling good". I am sorry I don't see this as a problem. We humans have always equated food with feeling good. We have always ate well after the successful hunt or bountiful harvest. Isn't this winning? One of the first things I had to learn on the road to becoming a Registered Dietitian, was why people eat? As for allergies,kids and their parents know what they can and can't eat, most kids take great delight telling you what they can't eat!! Sure we are not going to give a Lad with an allergy to nuts a Snickers bar, but on the same hand we are not going to avoid the stop at the Dairy Queen just because one Lad is lactose intolerant. My #1 son is allergic to eggs, this has never prevented the other Lads that he camps with from having a good breakfast. Eamonn.

I think that a Lad learns a lot more, what I call "Life Skills" when he goes outside of his home unit. Of course we guys and girls who serve at the District and Council level can't force a Lad to use any of the services we offer. I like to think that the District has come a long way with what we offer in the merit badge and advancement department. I don't remember and have never heard of any District in the Council or the Council ever offering a merit badge university or college. I suppose if they are done well they could be a good thing, however there does seem to be a trend for these events to become instant merit badge events. We still have Troops that tend to use the weekly Troop meeting as being the weekly merit badge class and from what I see when I visit, attendance at the class is about all that is required to receive the badge. I really don't think the Lads who sit through these classes have earned the badge and there is little if any merit in it. While a lot of Scouts attend summer camp and come home with many badges, the quality of the camp staff counselors is questionable. The staff is made up of very young teenagers, who really have never been trained. Sad to say money plays a big part in this. If we paid our camp staff more money we might attract older staffers or if we had the camp staff arrive earlier, we could spend more time training them. I was on the camp visitation team last summer. The camp staff arrived for staff week, the week before camp opened. They came in on Sunday afternoon. The week is a busy week, our camp does not employ a full time ranger, so there is a lot of grunt work that needs to be done. There are camp events to be planned, camp fires and that sort of thing. We arrived on the Thursday after breakfast. The idea is that the merit badge counselors present to us what they are going to present to the Scouts. The camp staffers were willing and hard working, but in most cases they had only started working on setting up their areas on Wednesday afternoon. They didn't have half the material that they needed, in some cases the merit badge books were out dated, old and missing pages. These guys were going home on Saturday. I pity the Scouts who came to the first week of camp. Of course if we brought them in a week earlier they would need to be paid. I would sooner the camp offered fewer merit badges and did a better job. Eamonn.

If you can persuade the organization that charters the pack to move 20 miles down the road, changing councils is easy. I think you will find that Councils track Cub Scouts as Bobcat and then just use the grade the Lad is in until he does or doesn't receive the Arrow of Light. I have to admit to not knowing if Cub Scouts attending a resident Cub Scout camp are allowed to camp out of council or not? We never had it happen. While sometimes it might be hard not to get caught up in the goings on of the council, the best thing for the boys that you serve is to focus on serving them. You might want to check and see if your COR is attending the District Meetings? And attending the Council AGM. Sad to say a lot of councils are finding it hard to make ends meet and are selling off property. There was a thread about this not so long back. I can see how watching a much loved camp be sold is painful and then seeing a new office would seem like rubbing salt into the wounds. Not knowing the local situation it would be wrong of me to pass any sort of judgment. I sit on an area committee which serves 13 councils, of which four are having very serious financial problems. I think one of them isn't going to make it and they are so far in debt that no other council is going to want to merge with them. Most councils do have a lot of wise and business savvy people who serve on the executive board, these people are trying almost every trick they know to keep councils solvent, at times digging really deep into their own personal funds. They do this in order that the important people such as yourself can do the really important job of serving the youth and hopefully attracting more youth into our programs. Please don't give up the faith. Keep on delivering the program to the little fellows in the pack and let the other stuff work itself out. Most times it does. Eamonn.

Ed, You or I might think that someone is a sub-standard Counselor. But as long as they are on the list they are Counselors and are approved. Hunt, I kinda, sorta, see where you are coming from. However I think that the choice has to be the Scouts. If a Lad came to me (Which I know isn't going to happen as I'm no longer active with a troop) and I gave him the blue card and the list and he lived in the far north end of the district and selected a counselor in the far south end of the district. I might ask him if he was sure that he wanted to do this? If there were other counselors near to where he lived. But if he wanted to go ahead, that would be fine with me. Eamonn.