Eamonn

Yes the UK and Brits do have a different attitude toward alcohol and drinking. I was reading about the Beer Tents at the Gilwell reunion. As I have posted I am not against adults enjoying an adult beverage. I however never enjoyed one when I had Scouts in camp. I subscribed to the idea that if I couldn't do without a beer for a couple of weeks then I had a real drinking problem. The English drinking and driving laws have been toughened up, but a good friend of mine once pointed out that drinking and driving was against the law, however you would only be prosecuted if you had a certain level of alcohol in your blood. Last time we flew home from England there was a group of BSA scouts flying home, they were wearing T-shirts as were their leaders. The in flight drinks were free and the two leaders were really pounding them down. Not only were they drinking a lot they were mixing all sorts of beer, wine, liquor. Having owned a bar for 17 years I have taken training to be able to see when people are impaired these two were defiantly the worse for wear. Her Who Must Be Obeyed was really shocked and insisted that I go and talk to them. I did speak to them and told them that the example they were setting was not one that was acceptable to the BSA, it wasn't till I explained that Her Who Must Be Obeyed was thinking of contacting their SE, that they decided to take any notice. (They had the Council name on the T-shirt) I do enjoy a beverage but there is a time and a place and there is never a time or place when Scouts are around. Eamonn.

In our lodge the vigil selection is one of the best kept secrets in the council. One poor chap who went home early on the August weekend was called out at the April weekend, when there was freezing temps and snow. Eamonn.

One thing we have needed in this forum for a while is a few more Brits!! Welcome, I hope you will find space on the log and stay a while. I'm guessing from the Ay-up that you are not from London? I spent almost 12 years as the Scout Leader to the 17th Fulham (Pioneers), sad to say not only is there no longer a 17th, but the District has also gone. A very dear and close friend of mine played a very big role in the formation of the new training. I am very interested to hear how it is going over? Most of what I'm hearing about the changes that have happened seem to say that things went well. There were a few problems with the new Explorer program and some people were sad to see the end of Venture Scouting. I was a Scout when Venture Scouting was new and there was a lot of people who said that it was never going to work!! A couple of years back we as a family spend a week in Baden Powell House and my son and I got to join a Troop at their summer camp in Nottingham. My son tells everyone that will listen that I tried to lose him there. I am really looking forward to attending the 2007 Jamboree and meeting a lot of old friends. Who knows if I manage to get some time off I will have time for a quick pint!! Eamonn.

Hi, Most if not all of us are aware of the Methods of Scouting: Scouting Ideals,Patrols,Outdoors,Advancement, Personal Growth, Adult Association,Leadership Development,Uniform. Many of us agree that if we are going to meet the aims of:Building Character Fostering Citizenship, Promoting Fitness. We need to use the methods of Scouting. These words make for good reading, but without putting the methods to use, they are just words on the page (Screen.) There is a very big temptation or maybe I should say I am very tempted at times to get so caught up in doing what I'm doing that I push the methods aside and if asked my reply would be that we do that anyway. We have this mighty fine list, but what are you doing in your troop to employ these methods? I am hoping that we can leave this up for a week and see what comes along. I really don't think that we need to get into what is right and what is wrong. The question is what are you doing? Of course if you want to explain why you are doing what you do that is fine too!! Eamonn.

Hi Barry, OK maybe we /I have gone a bit more into this than was asked in the original question asked by OGE? As I have posted before I do enjoy and do learn from your postings. I have to admit that I'm having a hard time seeing what you are getting at when you say: "I've always felt that methods are "not" the adults responsibility to use in their troop, the responsibility belongs to the scouts" I wish I could blame this on March madness, but this is May. I do agree that making the methods work is a shared task. But I think we the adults have a lot of the responsibility for allowing the methods to work. How about, in answer to: "I would be excited to have a discussion on methods, could somebody start the discussion over and ask the question differently?" We beg the indulgence of our moderators and take a look at each method for a week? In an effort to avoid any unnecessary harshness?? We should try and dwell on the positive and ask: What are you doing to make the "Whatever" Method of Scouting work? I really don't think that whatever is posted is going to change the hearts and minds of those who are committed to the "We don't do it that way" train of thought, but there are some new forum members who are new to Scouting and there are us old folks who enjoy exercising the little gray cells. We also have had in the past few weeks some youth members who seem to want to explore the program and how it works. I hope that maybe along the way, you will explain what you mean by the Scouts taking responsibility for the methods. Eamonn.

I would hope that everything posted in these forums does not have to be some sort of an argument? Maybe everyone who visits these forums is aware of the methods of Scouting and using them to there fullest? What is wrong with a discussion where about something that some of us feel is at the very heart of what we are doing? The question was asked by OGE and people have answered it and added their 2 cents. Eamonn.

16. I said German Measles. Foiled Again!! Eamonn.

Aardvark I don't see adults who wear patrol patches as candidates for the chop. I don't see how doing something you know to be wrong can be passed off as being a good example? I wonder if we were to adopt this style of teaching what the consequences might be? Maybe I have an overactive imagination? But if we were to use this style of teaching for sharp tools, I see the makings of a Monty Python sketch. There would be no need for the parrot!! Eamonn.

My dealings with LDS Scouts is very limited. We had a couple of adults take Wood Badge back in the late 90's. I remember that one of the guys was elected the Patrol Leader of the Beaver Patrol. I also attended a Eagle Scout Court of Honor at the local LDS Church. It was one of the best that I ever attended. I don't claim to know very much about the church or how they deliver the program. I do know from what I have seen they are doing a fine job. Eamonn.

I think what I am about to post is not going to go over very well and there will be some people who will really disagree with me. I have never ever looked upon myself as Gods Gift to Scouting. I hope and like to think that I try to make and get my point across in a kindly and understanding way. I have all the time in the world for the Leader who doesn't know, maybe because he is new or has been unfortunate enough to come up through Scouting in a unit that has not done things the way they were supposed to be done. But I have a real hard time dealing with the guys who knowingly chose not to follow the program. I think what they are doing is nothing more than being down right arrogant. At Eagle Scout BOR's I sometimes ask the Scout" If we were to take out or remove one of the Scout Laws, which one would you remove?" Most times the Lad thinks about it and says that they should all stay. I wonder if I were to ask adults what method should be removed? if they would say that they all need to stay? Why should playing a game by the rules be so darn difficult? Sure we can say that the methods are not required. Sure we could say that we don't need Patrols, you could go through the BSA rules, bylaws and charter and there is no rule that says that a troop must have patrols, but what happens to Patrol activities and the Patrol Leaders? Sure we can say we don't need to ever do outdoor activities, again there is no hard and fast rule. There are a lot of fairly strong recommendations but there is no rule. I could go on about the lack of hard fast rules. At the end of the day this is the BSA, not the ESA (Eamonn's Scouts of America) Of course there are times when we put more effort into one method than the others. In the District that I serve we have a good many of the: We don't do it that way, or the we tried it once and it didn't work SM's. The methods they seem to want to ignore the most are Uniform: Sad to say we have leaders who think that they can make changes to the uniform by saying we only require this or that uniform part, some go as far as adding for BOR's we require dress pants or we don't allow jeans. The uniform is the uniform and being a Scout. In this day and age, many would have you believe that the uniform really isn't all that important; that a Scout is as much a Scout in T-shirt and jeans as he is in khaki and green. That's partly true, but the uniform is more than a set of clothes. It's more than simply a place to display achievements. It is a symbol of the boy's commitment to Scouting - his acceptance of Scouting's ideals and willingness to live by them. Scouts who do not wear a uniform usually do not have a complete understanding of Scouting or the commitment they have been asked to make. Many Scouts will tell you that the uniform doesn't look good, it doesn't fit well, or it isn't very good for outdoor activities. In some respects, this is true, but they are superficial concerns. Perhaps they don't understand that the uniform is a symbol of their commitment and, not wearing the uniform is a sign that they lack that commitment. The other method that they seem to dislike is Patrols.The Patrol is the basic unit of Scouting. It is a perfectly sized group of Scouts with a common purpose. When properly formed, the Patrol is more than a group; it's a team and each member has a job to do. In a Patrol, the Scout first begins learning about citizenship, making decisions, and doing things for himself. He counts on the other members of his Patrol to do their part, just as they count on him to do his. Membership in a Patrol leads to opportunities for leadership, so this method is also important to other methods in this list. Everything in Scouting can and should be done using the Patrol method, and Patrols should be more than just a list of names. The group should be real, and it should have real things to do. Its leaders should be real leaders, with real authority. I can just imagine the hue and cry if the Eagle Scout BOR, were to send Scouts back because they had not met responsibility requirement in holding a POR. Surely there needs to more to meeting this requirement than just wearing a meaningless patch? But to give it real meaning there has to be an environment where the Scouts are allowed to take on real responsibility, which means that we get into Leadership development. When we the adults decide that we are going to take on a leadership position in this organization, we take on playing this game by the rules. We do not have the authority to pick and choose what bits we like and what bits we want to ignore. If we can't play this game by the rules, maybe it's time to rethink if this is the right game or if we really belong in this organization. I used to subscribe to the idea that some sort of program is better than none, but I see the harm that is being done by adults who think they know more than anybody and every body, and I now think that we would be better off without them. If this makes me a member of the book Thumpers union, sign me up. Eamonn.

Years ago in England when you completed the first part of your training what might be Specific Training, you were entitled to wear a patch with one Wood Badge bead on it. The patch became known as the Peanut Badge. Being as the only time you wear a wood badge is when you are in uniform, having a knot as well might be looked upon as being a little bit over the top. I have to beg, plead and sweet talk Her Who Must Be Obeyed to sew the patches on my shirts, so the fewer the better. Eamonn. (The sewing impaired scouter)

The Gentleman from the Lone Star State is right. Regional Patches are worn by people who serve the region in some way and are not worn by everyone. Eamonn.

While it is a little known fact that all District Chairmen can be right royal pains in the neck. This Chap, who is not a bad person seems to have his own ideas as to what the program should be. He does have a very big ego, which is in fact helping the District that he serves. He was the District Chairman, sometime back he followed a guy who had the biggest ego I have seen.When his term was over I'm not sure where he went or what he did. I do know that the District seemed to fall apart and they were without a chairman for a very long time. In the end they must have asked him to come back. Which of course has him telling everyone that the District couldn't make it without him!! Now he is back things do seem to going a lot better in the District. I do question if he really understands this program? Eamonn.

If we truly want to deliver the Cub Scout Program we have to know what we are trying to do. Just having a group of little fellows meeting once a week doing crafts is not Cub Scouting. Sure there are units that seem to think that they have a better understanding of the Cub Scouting program than what has been tried and tested. There are times when these new ideas seem to work, but if we could get away from thinking of the pack as being owned by the Cub Scouts and Leaders that are there today and start thinking long term. We need to think of the pack as something that we are just looking after till the next group of little fellows and the next group of adults come along. We are just passing through but we want to leave the pack in better shape than we found it. The purposes of Cub Scouting are clearly defined as being: Cub Scouting has the following purposes: Influence a boy's character development and spiritual growth. Develop habits and attitudes of good citizenship. Encourage good sportsmanship and pride in growing strong in mind and body. Improve understanding within the family. Strengthen a boy's ability to get along with other boys and respect other people.. Foster a sense of personal achievement by developing new interests and skills. Provide fun and exciting new things to do. Show a boy how to be helpful and do his best. Prepare him to become a Boy Scout. These purposes do make Cub Scouting different from other youth meetings, but there is nothing really difficult. As for the methods, I fail to see how anyone could say that they are delivering a Cub Scout program and not use the methods: METHODS OF CUB SCOUTING Home and Neighborhood Centered Cub Scouting happens in the community where boys live. Parent Involvement Family involvement is an essential part of Cub Scouting. Whomever is the adult partner for the boy is the family we are talking about, Advancement Plan Advancement provides fun for the boys, gives them a sense of personal achievement, teaches them to do their best, and strengthens family understanding as family members work together on projects. The Den A small group of boys work together in den meetings, where they learn good sportsmanship, good citizenship, getting along with others, new skills, and to do their best. The Ideals The Cub Scout Promise and the Law of the Pack, and the Cub Scout sign, handshake, motto, and salute -- all teach good citizenship and contribute to a boy's sense of belong. The Uniform The uniform helps build pride, encourages good behavior, provides a place for the proper display of badges, and identifies members as part of the worldwide organization of Scouting. Activities Games, projects, skits, songs, trips, service projects, and other events let boys have fun and learn new skills. Sure I have seen and know very small packs where the Den isn't a Den as we might think of one. But the Pack Committee, the Leaders and the Chartering Organization have high hopes that in time the pack will grow and Dens will work as they should. There are Cub Scouts who for some reason don't have a full uniform again this becomes a goal. To my way of thinking we have something that works, changing it is like reinventing the wheel. Eamonn

Hi, I would be concerned about a 17 year old transferring into a new troop because his parents are pushing him. I kinda think the last thing that I would do would be to invite his parents to a BOR. I haven't done the math and don't know if there is enough time for him to meet all the requirements needed for Eagle rank. I do think that he and he alone needs to set his own goals. There is a fine line between supportive parents and pushy parents. Troop leaders are there to help and support each and every Scout. First Class Scout, should be the goal of the troop, but Eagle Scout is the goal of the Scout. A 17 year-old Lad should be able to make up his own mind about what he wants to do or not do. The only person who really knows what he wants to do is the Lad himself. Of course his parents may have their own reasons for wanting him to be in Scouting. It could be that he was running with a bad bunch or there might have been problems in the troop he came from. I would call the SM of the Troop that he came from. There is a difference in providing the Lad every opportunity and making it happen. The person who needs to make it happen is the Lad, it needs to be his goal and his Eagle. Eamonn.

We had a meeting of all the Key 3's in the Council. Things were moving along nicely till the District Chair from another District spoke up. He proposed that when the District is holding a District Camporee that no unit from that District should be allowed to camp on Council owned property. He was upset that a unit wasn't attending the District Camporee, but was camping at another Council owned campsite. I thought he was joking. He wasn't. I tried to explain to him that the Troop might be following a theme that the Camporee didn't follow. I tried to explain that we as Districts are there to support our units, but if they don't want our support we can't force them. He just couldn't see where I was coming from. What are your thoughts? Eamonn(This message has been edited by Eamonn)

At one time in the UK knowledge of early Scouting history was a requirement for advancement.Most of the information that was put out by the Scout Association to help Scouts meet the requirement dealt with Baden Powell. There are a lot of Scout Groups in England that claim to be the first or one of the first Troops, but no one is really sure who was first. When I was a young Scout our District Chairman was a little old man. A super nice man Frank Colebert JP OBE. He was old when I was a Scout and was still active when I left England 20 years ago. Frank had photos of himself with Baden Powell. When he died he left everything to the District, he left his house and his collection of books, many were first editions. The amount he left was a very tidy sum. Frank like a good number of people his age made Scouting their lives work. A lot of these guys never married and seemed happy to devote themselves to Scouting. Maybe they were kinder times, but I know that I never seen anything odd about this and there was never a word about them being homosexual or different. In fact we all seemed to think more of them for their devotion to Scouting. Frank and a lot of people like him were the pioneers of real Scouting in England. Many were from the upper classes.I of course have no idea what their motivation was for doing what they did, but these guys were very respectable people who gave freely of their time and their money to Scouting. They also gave their name to Scouting, which seemed in some way at that time to add a certain amount of respectability to Scouting. While BP was the media superstar for Scouting and he did bring a lot of his wealthy and titled friends into the movement, it is a shame that we didn't do a better job of recording what was really happening back home in the Counties and Districts, while BP was out and about promoting Scouting. Even on this side of the pond, we have people who did a lot and gave a lot to Scouting, but as time passes they seem to just be forgotten. Outside of our Council Service Center we have a statue of a Boy Scout, if you look really closely you will find a small plaque that tells you that the statue and a lot of the money that was donated to build the service center came from a General Scott. I was talking to our Scout Executive about people donating to Scouting and I asked if General Scott had any family. He had no idea who General Scott was. I took him outside to look at the statue. He said that he has walked past it everyday and paid no attention to it. We really need to look for some way of recording the history of our Districts and Councils for the future. Many units do this but sadly once the unit folds the history gets left in the meeting hall and in time someone does a cleaning job and the history ends up in the landfill. Eamonn.

Yes when the world was young and dinosaurs roamed the earth I did serve on Camp Staff. Personal information is personal. I think if a Lad is old enough to attend Summer Camp, he is old enough to be able to know what is in his best interests. He has his unit leader to keep an eye on him. If his parents don't think that he is able to take care of himself then they do have the option of going with him. Eamonn.

Hi and Welcome to the forum, Sad to say you are between a rock and a hard place. If the Cubmaster is not backing you up, you might try talking to the Pack Committee chair. But this really is a matter for the Cubmaster. Sorry I can't wave a magic wand, but in Webelos Scouting the Webelos Scout Den Leader is the "Signer off-er" Eamonn.

DuckyTheSecond, The form is not the problem. The Qualified person checking the form is not the problem. The Unit Leader being aware of any and all medical problems that the Scouts in the unit may have is not the problem. Having the information shared with people who are not qualified and do not have permission from the child's parent or the adult is a problem. Let's pretend that Little Ducky has a allergy to peanuts. This information is on his medical form. His Scoutmaster is aware of the problem. The Camp Medical Officer informs the kitchen Manager, the Kitchen Manager tells his staff and soon the young kitchen staffers are calling this Lad "Peanuts". His parents look at this as hazing. It's bad news all round. Medical forms are for the protection of all the campers. The Camp does need to know if the campers are up to date with immunizations not just for the sake of the one boy and his medical form but for the safety and well being of the entire camp. The camp does need to know details about the camper: His personal physician, health insurance company and who to contact in the case of an emergency. However his Scoutmaster would have this information on file and with him. The camp would need to know about any limitations placed on the scout by his Doctor so that the scout could be excused from certain activities. Maybe the 5K run for a Scout with asthma isn't such a good idea and the fact that the camp has a 5k run where everyone is expected to run, just isn't going to happen. Yes the camp and the qualified people do need to know and be aware of any condition that requires special attention. But it all boils down to who needs to know. We do not need to cause any one any undue embarrassment or humiliation. This has nothing to do with insurance companies, it has to do with doing the right thing. tradingpostlady The correct spelling is Eamonn. Constitution is Constitution not conctitution. I found your reference to a happy donkey like animal to be offensive and your tone to be likewise. I will have to work on if you have the right of free speech or as you have stated the write of free speech? You have yet again failed to get your point across without the use of undue and uncalled for profanity. You state: " i'm sorry that some of your kids have dropped out because people make fun. That's what happens when you are a kid." I say this is hazing and the people who caused it need to asked to leave this organization as quickly as possible, I am however pleased that you are sorry. While you are to be commended for your work with the 3rd Grade. I really do hope that until you can get a better grasp on what we are trying to do for our youth members and control your outbursts of bad language, I will do my best to ensure that I never spend a cent in "Your" Trading post. Again Eamonn is spelled Eamonn.

While there are other youth organizations that do teach:Character Development -- Citizenship Training -- Personal Fitness. I don't know of any that use the methods of Scouting. It might be worth remembering that while the methods for each program area are similar, each section has it's own methods. I am a big fan of the methods of Scouting. I do think that those of us who use them never ever manage to get it right!! David Niven in his book The Moons A Balloon talks about just having everything in order when the seeds from the weeds of the garden next door take root in your garden. I have never looked at Scouting as being very difficult. I do admit that over the years and while serving in different roles, I have looked at things differently and at times seen the error of my ways. The ideals of Scouting which can be found in the Oath, Law, Slogan and Motto do echo my own personal beliefs and are hand in hand with my values. While some might say that I live in some sort of Utopian fools paradise, I can imagine how great things would be if more people took the ideals of Scouting to heart and did their best to live by them. I kinda know that I am not going to change the world or even the hearts of all the people that live in my area, I'm OK with that, I do however want to do my best to see if I can make a difference in as many young life's as I can. I have a lot of faith in the Scouting programs and a lot of faith in the people who deliver the programs. The better Leaders are the ones who have recognized that boys don't join for character they join for the fun and exciting activities. These better leaders know that the young people will learn Scouting's values along the way. Some like me will be slow learners and keep learning all the time. I joined over 40 years ago and still learn new things or rethink old ways. I found out very early on when I started serving as an adult and as a Scoutmaster that a quality program, that was well planned made my life easier and made the program more attractive to the boys. Boys who were Scouts and boys who were thinking of joining. When we sat down to make plans I used the methods of Scouting as my guide. Did our Annual Plan allow ample opportunities to do the outdoor activities? Did the plan allow activities that could be used for Advancement? Was there a challenge there, so that our Scouts were being challenged and maybe at times unknowingly they would experience personal growth? There were of course times when they were recognized for this growth either with a patch or badge or having something signed off in their book. For a very long time I seen myself as being in the spotlight, I wanted to be the one that "My Scouts" turned too. I wanted them to like me the most. It took a very long time for me to see that there are different course for different horses and some Scouts were happier going to a ASM. I also found that allowing them to be exposed to other adults who shared the ideals of Scouting and could be trusted was a lesson for the Scout. I lost count of how many times a Lad came up to me and explained that when he first met so and so, he didn't like him, but as he got to know him and worked with him things changed. I'm very "Old school", I expect young people to respect people older than them, by being well mannered. There is a deeper respect that we the adults have to earn. A real working Patrol is a thing of real beauty. Some Patrols are great from day one, they for some reason see that they are the Team, They are where it is at and where it is happening, while other Patrols have peaks and valleys, they can go through periods when everything is smooth sailing and then there are the bad days. Allowing Scouts to take on more and more responsibilities, training Patrol leaders, having the Troop QM work with the Patrol QM. Placing real responsibility on a Lad and making him accountable for getting the job done, is to my mind what makes Scouting different to other youth organizations. I haven't been around other youth organizations so maybe I'm being unfair to them? Then we have the uniform, I have to admit that I have never, ever had a problem with uniforming. The Troop was an inner-city troop, I met with the parents of every new Scout gave them the information of where to get it, how much it would cost and what went on it. I invited them to the investiture of their Son (When he had a full uniform he was invested into the troop - He was already a member but without a uniform he had no place to wear his uniform.) Scouts were expected to wear their uniform to Troop meetings and the PLC would decide the dress code for other activities and outings, this was communicated to the Scouts via their PL and to the parents via a monthly news letter. I have to admit that we never said anything about a uniform not being required for membership. I think everyone thought it was required!! We had Scouts who changed into uniform in the Scout Hall because they were scared of being beaten up if they were caught wearing it to or from the meeting, we had Scouts who had uniforms in the wash or were coming from another non-scouting activity. For my part I was just glad they made the meeting. As for the methods being inter-dependent? I believe that we have a recipe that works, if we put all the ingredients in, when or if we take one ingredient out something is missing. We as leaders do need to be mindful of the methods and look for a balance that is right for the troop that we have right now, knowing that things could change in the coming months. We would hope that we would be able to see our youth leaders develop as their term of office moves along or we might see that we have new youth leaders and we the adults would have to be ready to take on the task of training the new guys. The batch of Lads that just crossed over might be lazy little toads or they might be gung-ho advancing at light speed. These guys might have parents that were waiting for the store to open in order to buy a full Scout uniform or they might be waiting for a fund raiser to get the cash needed. The Troop is there to meet the needs of the Scouts that it serves, these needs are not the same for every boy. We can if we remain flexible meet these needs. The methods are a great guide that will help us as we plan. There will be times when everything comes together and all the methods work together in harmony, there will be times when the methods will become a goal. I feel very strongly that this game of Scouting, along with the purpose isn't that hard, we can make it seem like hard work or we can focus on having a plan that will deliver a Troop Program that is fun and contains activities that along the way employ the methods of Scouting and help us meet the mission and vision of the BSA. When we allow this to happen we might need to be looking for a bigger meeting place. Eamonn.

Gander Mountain has Timberland Ladies hiking boots on sale for $59.95. Eamonn.

Hi and Welcome The BSA does have booklets on Selecting Quality Leaders http://www.scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?s=cm For Boy Scouts and there is one for Cub Scouts. (Hunt around the Commissioner pages in the BSA web site. Other things you might want to look at are: BSA Family Award The BSA Family Award is earned by a Cub Scout and his family when they complete five of eight requirements that are outlined in the BSA Family Book. BSA family camping An outdoor camping experience, other than resident camping, that involves elements of Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, or Venturing in overnight settings with two or more family members, including at least one BSA member of the family. BSA Family program The BSA Family program, as outlined in the BSA Family Book, helps strengthen families of Cub Scouts and encourages family involvement in Scouting. The program includes a weekly "family talk" that provides family members an opportunity to learn and practice relationship skills as well as suggested family activities that fulfill requirements for registered BSA families to earn the BSA Family Award. Adult Mentor program Adult mentors work with young people enrolled in the God and Country program. An adult who completes the mentor studies receives a certificate and lapel pin to wear on nonuniform clothing. Alpha Phi Omega A coeducational service fraternity organized in many of the colleges and universities of America. It was founded on the principles of the BSA and Scout Oath and Law. alumni family members Individuals, previously registered with the Boy Scouts of America, who wish to continue to identify with the BSA's ideals, values, and program. Alumni Family News A national publication sent to alumni members several times per year. It provides both nostalgic and current information College Scouter Reserve A registration status for young people 18 and older who are in college, have been actively registered in Scouting, and commit themselves to an informed interest and active participation in the program whenever possible. consultant A person who has special skills, equipment, facilities, or contacts in an interest area related to the interests of Venturing crew members or of a Varsity Scout team activity. instructor (1) This youth leader helps other youth members with rank advancement; appointed by the senior patrol leader with the Scoutmaster's advice and consent. (2) This term can also apply to any youth or adult who can instruct others on parts of the Scouting program. Lone Cub Scout friend and counselor A Cub Scouter who works with a Lone Cub Scout. merit badge counselor A registered adult volunteer at least age 18 who is expert in a merit badge field and shares enthusiasm for that field with Scouts and who certifies that requirements have been met. National Eagle Scout Association This group provides an opportunity for all Eagle Scouts to retain identification with Scouting through service to the local council in which they live. parent and family talent survey An inventory of parents' interests and abilities conducted by the Cub Scout pack to determine program potential. TRAIL Boss TRAIL (Teaching Resources And Individual Leadership) Bosses are Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts, and Venturers who have learned how to lead volunteers completing environmental work on public lands. Upon completion of the requirements, candidates may receive the TRAIL Boss patch and certificate. volunteer service The work of men and women throughout the country who make Scouting available to youth by their service at all levels of the Scouting organization-all done without pay. The voting members of the council are volunteer Scouters. Young American Awards These local council awards may be given annually to young adults between the ages of 15 and 25 who have achieved excellence in the fields of science, religion, service, government, business, athletics, art, music, or literature. Recipients need not be members of the Boy Scouts of America. While I really don't want to split hairs!! I do think that it is worth mentioning that in the BSA we don't recruit adult leaders we select them. The final word at the unit level is with the chartering organization. The final word for Commissioner Staff is with the Council Executive Board. Members of the District Committee are nominated by the Nominating Committee and voted on at the District AGM. There are a lot of people me included that feel we would do a better job at every level if we spent more time in the selection of qualty leaders rather than recruiting any Tom, Dick or Harry. Eamonn

Little Beav took part in a Troop Fund Raising event. When I asked to see the order form I seen that 60% of the money I spent was going to support Scouting. Of course if this was the Council Popcorn sale, Little Beav and his Buddy would both be doing the sale in their Sunday best uniforms. I'm aware that the money or at least some of the money will go to support Little Beav in his Scouting adventures. Eamonn on the other hand is a private contractor, when he knocked on my door and asked if he could mow my grass, I asked him how much he would charge me? Being the plucky little Lad that he is he said $75.00. I said that $75.00 was too much and we settled on $50.00. I have no idea what Eamonn is going to do with his $50.00. Eamonn and Beav meet up and hand their money to the Troop Treasurer. The Beav's money is entered in as proceeds from Popcorn Sale. Eamonn's is entered in as Cash. At the National Jamboree both Beav and Eamonn find that they have a strong yearning to become championship Grass Boarders. They pack their bags and say goodbye to the Troop. On the way they stop at the Treasurers Office to pick up their money. The Treasurer hands back all the money that is entered as cash. However all the money that is entered under proceeds from, stays with the Troop. It was raised to pay for and in support of Scouting. Back when I was a SM we had Camp Bank Accounts, these were all cash deposits that Scouts made normally every week to pay for the Troop Summer Camp. We never had funding from fund raising events go into personal accounts. All money raised by the Troop was used to help fund the Troop. We had a lot of expenses paying for the insurance and upkeep of the Troop vans and equipment. This policy was from the Troop Committee. I as Scoutmaster could go to the Committee and inform them that a Scout needed help to attend summer camp and they could decide what they wanted to do and what action to take. There were times when due to bad planning on my part or some unforeseen expense that we had camps that went over budget and the Committee while not happy did cover the loss. The only money that we as a Troop had any control over were the weekly subs (Dues) How much they would be was decided by the PLC. The money stayed in the Patrols and was managed by the Patrols. Of course they had a very helpful SM who would remind them that they had lost a compass and they needed to replace it. Each Patrol as well as having it's own Patrol Camp Cook Box, also had it's own Patrol Box which was used at meetings. Every so often the SPL might decide that he wanted to inspect these boxes. It wasn't a big deal each Patrol had their own table with the contents of the box laid out. Eamonn ( a little plucky lad )

Visitors Every day, beginning Wednesday, July 27, and continuing through Tuesday, August 2, the jamboree will be open to visitors. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors will be permitted to stay until 11 p.m. only to attend the arena shows on July 27 and 31. On entering the jamboree site, guests will be directed to the public information tent in the main parking lot. There they will receive directions to regions, subcamps, or activity areas This was in the Troop Leader Guide Book, and is what I have told all our parents. Today I received the May-June 2005 Scouting Magazine, in News Briefs it states: Plan to visit between Tuesday July 26 and Tuesday Aug 2, 2005. Now I really am confused!! Eamonn.