Eamonn

Me thinks that if you look carefully at who owns many of these Assisted Living homes they are owned by non-profit organizations. We live in an age where many non-profit organizations have to appear to become streamlined and seem to be commercial in order to survive. You only have to look at our own organization to see how much we have changed in the last 94 years. Who would have thought that a small Council would need to sell half a million dollars worth of popcorn to survive? Eamonn

Kind of, sort of, maybe? I have at times the same sort of things with OJ, who is 16 and knows even more then your Lad knows. We have a really good relationship and share most of our thoughts and feelings. He can at times be Bull Headed. When this kicks in there is no living with him. Much as I hate to admit it, a lot of the time he does have a certain amount of "Right" On his side. What makes it wrong is that he isn't willing to look at things from another angle or view point. Teenagers, I have been told do have a very strong sense of justice and tend to see things as black or white.They don't see anything as gray. OJ, is very much that way. Only to make things worse he isn't very forgiving. Once he and only he decides that you are wrong there is no making it right. If he decides that he has been wronged by someone, that someone is on his list and it takes a lot of time and a lot of being right to be removed from the list. There is one ASM in his troop that somehow got on the list at Summer Camp 2003 and is still there. The ASM is a really nice chap in my book, but it seems he told OJ and his chums off for something that they didn't think that they did and this poor chap is on the list. It is almost as if the word compromise isn't in his dictionary. Needless to say at times I find this very infuriating. I hate leaving things up in the air or hanging out there. Worse still I hate having to find things that will back me up. And worst of all is when he is right and I am wrong!! I am not actively involved in the troop which he is in. He has been slowly trying to change some of the things that he feels are not right. At times he wants me to back him up. Of course I don't want to get caught in the middle. So I steer him to where the answers are, that way it isn't "My Dad says.." It is the Patrol Leaders Handbook or whatever says... He knows that I am very proud of him and has an idea how much I love him. This is a big help when he gets Bull Headed. Somewhere deep down he knows that I'm not going to steer him wrong. One thing that really helps me is that I remember what a pain I was when I was his age. In my case it was politics. With a hard line conservative Mother, a Father who was a member of the Labour Party and me in the Young Socialists, meal times at our house were lots of fun. Eamonn

I suppose there are PLC meetings and there are PLC meetings. Back home living in a big city the Scouts could walk or jump on a bus to get to the meetings. Now that I live out in the sticks the boys need a ride to and from the meetings. I agree whole heartedly with Bob White. However I used the PLC meetings as a place to make sure that the PL's and SPL could practice the stuff that was coming up at the meetings. While not a dry run, we did cover most of the skills that we would be using at the up and coming meetings. Sure we spent some time going over the planning and business end of things, but Scouts are not sitting animals. When I was Scoutmaster I seen contacting or passing on information to other adults or organizations as something that either took on myself or worked with a PLC member to see that it was done. Most times the only adult other then me was the troop Quartermaster and he didn't say much. I do think that we owe it to the parents to be where we are supposed to be when we say that we are going to be. While missing 15 Min's. Of Will and Grace might not be a big deal, parents have other kids at home and people work odd hours. As for sharing in the wisdom of others. I have no problem with asking anybody to do stuff. I do however like to talk with them and explain what is needed and how we do things. I was at an OA weekend this past weekend. On Friday night it was pouring down rain. A little Lad and his Dad asked where they were to put up their tent. Little Lad was all dressed up in his poncho, with a very nice picture of Mickey Mouse on the back. Dad was in his shirt sleeves. Dad had the Lads pack and tent in hand the Lad had nothing. This Dad seemed like a very nice fellow but he didn't understand who we go about doing things. Before I asked this guy or allowed this guy to do things with the troop I would like to give him a quick how we do things 101. Active or willing parents are a gift and we do need to do everything that we can to get them to do what they can. Still the PLC is not the place for them to volunteer.Parent talent surveys work well, if we follow up on them. If parents are going to sit in the same room as the PLC, the SM needs to lay down the ground rules before the meeting starts and if an adult or ASM starts interrupting the meeting the SM ought to stop the meeting and go over the ground rules again. Eamonn

I have lived a sheltered life. Where do you find a 24 oz Heineken can? Would the big Fosters can work? Preparing the cans seems like just the job for a key3 meeting. Eamonn

I think that the project of installing a flag pole might be OK. If the Scout has planned the work and has a few people that are willing to help. I can't remember ever running into a for profit school. If you feel that this doesn't fall within the guide lines you have no alternative but to point this out to the Scout and deny the project. You might want to seek guidance from your Council Advancement Chair or the Council Advancement Committee. Eamonn.

Someone once said that you know you are getting old when policemen start looking young. I'm starting to think the same holds true for camp staff. I have not taken the time to do a fact finding mission but todays staff look younger then the staff of years gone by. We don't hire camp staffers under the age of 15. OJ, has his birthday in July, so he was too young last year. He was too busy this year and will be too busy next year as he will be a youth staff member at the Jamboree and hopes to be accepted for the OA trail crew at Philmont. One big problem we have in Scouting when it comes to hiring camp staff is that we just don't pay enough. Many of us old ex-camp staffers tend to think that we belong to some sort of exclusive club. We sit around and retell war stories and think that the Lads of today should be honored to join this "Club," Almost along the lines of "The few, the brave, the camp staffers." Sad to say these Lads especially the older ones need money. Our Camp Staff reports for duty on Sunday around noon and are on call till Saturday till around 10:00 AM. With only one night off. Sure most of these guys have a really enjoyable summer and they get all their meals provided along with a nice tent. But if you are going to college you need money. I have for some time argued with the powers that be that Camp is too cheap. We need to raise the camp fee and attract the older Lads. They argue back that if we raise the Camp fee we will see less campers. As ever I think that they are wrong and as ever I am right. Still at this time they are winning. Eamonn.

I have been using a coffee press at camp for years. I normally make a few pots and put them in an air-pot if it is a standing camp. I spent sometime in Scandinavia,sending time in Norway, Sweden and Finland,while the coffee was good I was never offered an espresso or a cappuccino.In France and in Italy it was a different story. There is some debate which is the best beverage?Some foolhardy souls have come up with a Beeruccino!! I bet that the bear in the other thread wouldn't go near that one. Eamonn.

I fail to see what this has to do with us a volunteer youth leaders. We are not charged with watching what our Scouts chose to eat or not eat. That is up to parents. Eamonn

Hotdesk, I am a little unsure how to put this in a nice way? But I can't help but feel that you are over stepping your mark. As a youth member you need to allow the adults to do what they have to do.If the SM and the Committee have issues they are adult issues and they are the people to deal with them. While it may sound very old fashioned and at times be a hard pill to swallow I firmly believe that young people should respect their elders. Us elders need to be careful what we allow our kids to hear or overhear!! Sure we have people in the district that I think have a problem walking and chewing gum at the same time. But I'm aware that I have a 16 year old pair of ears in the house.Kids hear stuff and can repeat what they hear, sad to say at times they repeat what they think they heard! Eamonn

There is a lot of good information about what the job of a unit commissioner is on the national site. I became involved in commissioner service because I was unable to make the commitment to be at a weekly meeting. That was my reason, but if you were to ask ten other people you would more then lightly get ten other reasons. I don't like the idea that they are "Spies." Sure they do report back to the District Commissioner, who reports to the key3 and the District Committee. While I was District Commissioner we used a color grading for units: Green = Everything is fine and dandy Yellow = Unit is getting better or getting worse and may need help Red = Danger. Unit is in deep trouble. May have lost a Leader or meeting place. If someone doesn't do something quickly the unit is in danger of closing. As with so many things in this great organization, when we select the right people to do a job everything works well. Sad to say very few people join the BSA with the idea of becoming a Commissioner. At times the Commissioner service team has been made up of people that no one knew what to do with! I remember only too well a District Chairman telling me when I was District Commissioner that he didn't want a real pain in the neck leader who had been ousted from a unit, on the District Committee, but because the guy donated to the FOS he didn't want to lose him. So he wanted me to take him. Needless to say it didn't happen. It is important that all Commissioners are aware that they are a friend to the unit and that they are trained. I don't know if it is only in our Council? But Commissioner training doesn't fall under the realm of the training committee. I have seen in other Districts in our Council where they have allowed Committee Members to be Unit Commissioner. It just doesn't work. If the committee is having a problem which hat does this person wear? Very often the Commissioner Staff are asked to do stuff that is not really their job. While the occasional little extra might not be too bad. I have heard of Commissioners running every district event, becoming the FOS family campaign presenters. The list goes on. In the end they are so busy doing other stuff there is no tine for them to do commissioner service. During my time as District Commissioner I informed our units that the Commissioners were warm and cuddly and I informed our Commissioners that they were the advocate for their units. This isn't exactly right. But at the time it worked. Eamonn

We have collected money from District Members to reach the $1000. Needed for a James E.West. As a District we have a committee who decides who they want to honor and they go about raising the money. Normally this just entails sending out a letter. We have seen as much as $6000. Come in. We also take $1000 from our District golf outing for the endowment fund. We do this in the name of a Scouter or person who has done great work for the district. Eamonn.

Ozemu, Not sure how they do things in the Land Down Under? Back in the UK, the District was a very important part of the Scouting operation. Not having the Chartered Organization or paid professionals, tended to make the District Commissioner the top guy in the area. He had the power to approve or disapprove membership and had the final word on many things. While there were County Commissioners, we didn't see too much of them. When I was Scouting over there I think that the National Staff was about the same size as the staff we have now to run our Council. There was an annual membership fee paid to national. I remember that we used to participate in Bob-A-Job week in order to raise the money to pay it. Eamonn

OJ made Vigil honor this weekend.Needless to say I am playing the Proud Father to the hilt. He has done all that he has done in the OA by himself with only minimal support from me. (If you can call playing chauffeur and banker support. He made a point of saying that I could have his Brotherhood sash. I said thanks and went to deposit it in the laundry room. He who knows far more about the workings of the Order then I do informed me that a sash should not be washed or covered. I can see the not covered maybe? But not washed? I have been washing mine for 27 years!! He tells me that the sash is supposed to reflect your service. I think mine would reflect what I last ate. Eamonn

A couple of things come to mind. I know of very few uniformed Merit Badge Counselor's that hold that as their primary position.I suppose if there was a need National could come up with a position patch. Merit Badge Counselor's are eligible for the District Award Of Merit and could be eligible for the Silver Beaver. As for wearing or not wearing the recognition knots.I don't have a problem with them. I have gone out of my way to ensure that everyone who has met the requirements in our District has been recognized. If they chose to wear it or not is up to them. Over the years I have earned a lot of these knots. I have some uniform shirts that have all of them glued and sewn on. Some shirts that have a few and some with none. As a District we present a James E. West Award , each year to an outstanding Scouter. So while some of us have donated the $1,000.00, others have been presented as a sign of appreciation. Eamonn

Dan or anybody!! Go ahead and ask a question. Someone else will hopefully answer it and ask a new one. What the heck I'll ask one. What knot is used to tie two ropes of un-equal thickness? Eamonn.

52 Weekends in a year. Take 2 out for Summer camp. Take 2 out for the Camporees. Take 1 out for the Merit Badge Midway. Take 1 out for the Fun Fair. Take 1 out for pop corn pick up and delivery. Take 1 out for Christmas. Take 1 out for Easter. Take 1 out for Thanksgiving. Take 1 out for Mothers Day. Take 2 out for Family Vacations. Doesn't leave a lot of time for troop activities. Boys join a Troop not a district. Most Council or District activities do not run as patrol activities. Troop meetings are where the Scouts learn the skills that they can put to use at troop events. Troop meetings and Troop events are where the methods of Scouting are put to good use. If our program is based on District and Council events why bother with PLC meetings? In fact why bother having Troops? We can just pack these kids off to district and council events and be done with. The Troop is where the relationship between the individual Scout and the adults are made. The troop is where goals are set and plans are made and then these are carried out. Eamonn.

I have been playing with the idea of a camporee based on the Super Mario video game. Each patrol builds a part of the course. Start with a tower, add a sedan chair,course with obstacles or gateways,a monkey bridge, a catapult alley where they could fire the tennis balls and an other tower. When the course is build. Each patrol starts with a king on top of tower one and has to cover the course. Patrol who covers the course in the shortest time is the winner.The patrol members are to defend the king as they cover the course with the king. Eamonn

Note You don't have to give the reference unless there is a challenge. You can if you want to. Eamonn

This all started in another thread!! The word program can have many meanings. However to my way of thinking the Real Program is what the Scouts get from their home troop. I like to think when this is good everything else falls into place. Scouts want their pals to join. Membership increases. Parents and the local community see the value of the program and are willing to support Scouting. FOS Campaigns bring in more money. The District and the Council provide training for the leaders. But what role does the District anf the Council play in the delivery of the program to the Scouts in your troop? Eamonn

A couple of weeks back in the chat room Bob White was preparing a quiz for a future troop meeting. He asked us (AK-Eagle and I) To lend a hand. I thought maybe we could do something along these lines here. How it works. You can post a question on any topic that is covered in the Boy Scout Handbook. If challenged you have to show the reference in the Handbook. Page number and all that good stuff. The Questions do not have to be hard!! You have to answer a question before you can ask one. Discussions about the answers should be in the Spin Off. The idea is that you can use some or all of this at a Troop meeting or even a round table meeting. The decision of the Scout Handbook is final - Even if you think it is wrong. Here goes: 1/ What knot is used to start and end a square lashing?

You might want to add pipe wide enough for the balls to pass through. Write a Scout Law on each piece of pipe you can be nice and keep the length of the pipe about 4 foot long or vary the lengths some long some short. Scouts have to hold the pipe in the order of the laws and feed the balls through in the right order. Pipe must not touch or rest on anything. Patrol must hold it. Eamonn

Bears have more fun. Eamonn.

Sign that Bear up for the District Committee!! Sounds like he will be another volunteer for the after the meeting meeting. In fact both the Bear and our District Commissioner seem to have a lot in common. I can almost see them both knocking back a few while not in a BSA uniform, not near any BSA property and no where near any kids, and then singing "The Bear Necessities." Only thing is our District Commissioner has been known to beat around the Busch. This Bear is clearly not a republican. Eamonn.

You might want to take a look at the posting : Time to stand on your own two feet. That ran in these forums a little while back. Both programs are good. However they need to be two programs. Just as you don't mix you Cub Scout activities with the troop activities. To my way of thinking while Scouts can belong to both programs at the same time. Both programs need to be stand alone programs. Do you have enough Adults interested to start up a new program? How does your Chartering Organization feel about starting a Venture Crew? What happens about equipment when both programs need it at the same time? I have to admit that I am more for the Venture Patrol if the older Scouts are still active in the troop. Most of the Crews in this area seem to have sprang up without enough a good foundation. While a well ran and well organized Crew is a thing of beauty. The small Crews that consist of a few older Scouts and a untrained in Venturing ASM don't seem to be doing very much. They start with a great deal of enthusiasm and then seem to run into a brick wall. Of course that might just be what is happening in this area. There are very few activities that a Venture Patrol can't participate in that a Crew can. You already have the leadership in the troop. The troop has all the equipment and the parents understand the program. Starting a new program is a big undertaking. But it can be very rewarding. Eamonn

If only it was that easy. Scout troop is not running right. Commissioner offers advise Scoutmaster opts to take no notice. Scout in the troop becomes ASM. Goes to training thinks that these guys might be on to something. He tells SM, who informs him that "We don't do it that way!!" Scoutmaster retires. Training is now a long forgotten memory. Commish offers advise to the ASM who is now SM.He opts to take no notice. Scout in the troop becomes ASM ........ Unit Commissioners can offer advise and can report that things are not going well to the District Commissioner. But we didn't select the Leadership the Chartering Organization did. Eamonn.