Eamonn

Much as I hate to split hairs I think fotoscout said ".... and just their children." Our Council offers a family camp as part of the resident Cub camp program. It isn't just for Leaders. Philmont welcomes family groups at the Training Center. Family Camping is a big part of the Cub Scout program. While Her Who Must Be Obeyed is not a camping sort. I feel sure that if both her and OJ wanted to attend a camporee that someone would find her something to do. Eamonn

The Scout Exec. may appear to be the "Head Cheese" and in certain circumstances he is. However most of the time he or she is the person who is charged with implementing the strategic long term plan of the council. This plan is put together with the input of volunteers. He or she is a member of the Council Key3, along with the Council Commissioner and the Council President. They work as a team working toward goals set by the National Council and the Council Executive Board. Along with working at becoming a Quality Council. The Region is divided into Areas and each has an Area Committee. These guys spend a lot of time looking at Council Charters and do review each Council Charter before presenting it. The meeting (My First) was pretty boring. Most of the time was spent talking about membership and Councils that had not reached Quality Council. Our area committee does have members that represent each program area along with members who are there to help with the plans for special events: The National Jamboree and the World Jamboree. The set-up is not that very different then that of a District committee. Please don't tell anyone that I said so. - But these meetings don't really have that much to do with the program that is presented in the units. Just as the Leaders serve and support the youth in the unit. The District serves and supports the units. The Council serves and supports the Districts and the Region serves and supports the Council. The bottom line is that the unit is where the action is and where we all want to see that the aims, methods and mission of the BSA is being delivered to the really important people - Our Youth. Eamonn

Some people think that I know everything that is in the guide - Sad to say I don't. Rather then trying to eat the entire elephant I think that it is best done one bite at a time or in this case one activity at a time. It might be possible to have parts of the guide photocopied and added to the parent permission slip? - Again just a thought. I know that I'm going to get shot down for this - But while we adults do everything possible to ensure the safety and well being of the youth in our charge there is always the "Kids do the darnedest things factor". Not that we should ever allow this to over shadow the planning and thought that we must and ought to put into everything that we do. Eamonn

Thanks for the PM Dave. The system went wild I received it 68 times. Eamonn.

Bob I hope it's not chicken. Eamonn

Thank you FOG. That was a real nice thing to say. Eamonn

Not sure if this is pertinent but the application for the International Scouters Award under the heading: Giving leadership to international events held in the United States. - Assist in the organization of your council's participation in the International Camp Staff program. Be responsible for bringing a foreign Scout to the council's summer camp program for two summer camp seasons. When I looked this up I found that I had completed all the requirements for the award. So I went ahead and applied for it. Thanks for bringing it up. Eamonn

Chicken may be the other white meat but by the end of this month I am fed up with it. February is of course Blue and Gold month. I try to get to all the banquets that I'm invited too. They all seem to serve chicken. I was at pack 133 on Tuesday and I mentioned the Council Volunteer Recognition Dinner to a few scouter's that were shooting the breeze. Her That Must Be Obeyed is the Chair. So I have to do my bit. One Scoutmaster said that he didn't like the Council Dinner but enjoyed the District dinner. I thought that this was a little odd as due to falling attendance we took the dinner off the calender and didn't have one last year and there are no plans for one this year. I think that maybe I ought to ask around at the next Round Table and see what the real feeling of the District is. After all it was my idea not to hold the dinner and I'm feeling a twinge!! Eamonn

The clock is ticking and soon our dear Man Of Steele will be starting in his new position. I know that if he wasn't so far away I would be there to either help him load or unload the "Boxes". If I were helping him load there would be a tear in my eye. I feel sure that the Council he is leaving has lost a great pro. If I were helping him unload I would be excited about getting not just an outstanding pro. But also such a nice fellow. Dave does not need any luck in his new position. He will do a great job. Still I will say a little prayer for him and recite a few Irish toasts when I raise my glass. My most sincere wish is that both He and the Lady Steele are happy. Go get'em Dave. Eamonn

Thanks for the reminder Hops-Scout. At times I wonder why the Working with Kids section isn't the one with the most postings?? After all most of those in the forum do work with or for the youth that are in the programs. I really enjoy the posts from people who are good at some part of the outdoor program and who share their insight on equipment and "How to". Some little time back Bob White asked a few forum members to give their take on different styles of leadership and then post them for all to see. I thought this was a neat idea and a great use of the forum. Then there was the backpacking list with all the weights. I for one learned a lot. There is a few that post in these forums that are a real royal pain in the neck and in my view do little or nothing to add to the forum. While they may have every right to voice what ever it is that they want too. I live in the hope that they will get bored and move on. One such poster has had the sheer arrogance to post that he thinks that I have learned something from the absolute gobbledygook that he has posted. I have decided to take plenty of no notice. My fear is that if I do take notice that I will end up being a lot less then polite to him. Which is not the example that I would like to set for you. You might do well to read some of the quotations that this guy is posting. I feel sure that there is wisdom in there if you look hard enough. I have to admit to no longer reading them but then I don't read a lot of the stuff about politics that is posted. Your participation and the participation of the other younger set in the forum is to my mind nothing less then super. I enjoy hearing what you along with the other Scouts and Venturers have to say. While I do have a very strongly opinionated Lad of 15, that at times sleeps in my house (When he isn't away camping!!) It is nice for me to hear what you guys have to say. Thank you. Eamonn

OGE I don't have to face our great and glorious commonwealth - I'm here!! A couple that we could add: Life is what happens to you when you are busy making other plans. Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted. Living is easy with eyes closed,misunderstanding all you see. John Lennon. When you have confidence you can have a lot of fun. And when you have fun you can do amazing things. Joe Namath. The average person living to age 70 has 613,000 hours of life. This is too long a period not to have fun. Unknown. Eamonn

At times this Scout is cheerful law is a real pain. Just when everything is plodding along nicely some nit wit has to come along and spoil things and the seeds of a peeve are planted. Please forgive me for venting here, but I am at great risk of being very rude to certain groups if and when?? I meet them face to face. My latest pet peeve is people who may have the best intentions taking ownership of stuff that they don't own and people allowing it to happen. So far this week this has come up more then once. I was at a meeting this week to discuss the Food Service at Summer Camp. We are looking at bringing in an outside food service company. Things were moving along nicely we looked at summer camp and the parent son weekends. Then we got to the OA weekends. It just so happens that the chap who has been the head of the kitchen for the past two summer camps (and gone way over budget.) Is also the chap who cooks for the OA week ends. When I suggested that we have the food service company cook for the OA weekends. I was informed that we couldn't do that as it was "So And So's Kitchen". Later at another meeting we were talking about buying new Lawn mowers for camp. It turns out that we have a stack of the things "Hidden". So and So hides them so they won't get broken. We needed them last summer but he wouldn't let go of his store of Council Lawn Mowers. On a tour of the camp we found places that were locked and were told this was so and so's store. When I asked what was in there the range of hidden goods that the council had paid for and some well meaning so and so had locked away ran from electrical equipment to oar-locks. This sort of thing really does get to me. That along with people who make a big deal about donating something but never let go of it. Ok I'm done. Eamonn

Ed, Sad to hear that Mike is back in the hospital. I will of course keep him in my thoughts and prayers. I'm going to Twin Echos tomorrow to do a Scouts Own for OJ's troop and I will ask the lads to have a word with the Big Fellow. Eamonn

Could it be that your expectations of Wood Badge are unrealistic? The course does give those that attend the tools to be a better leader. What they do with them is up to them. Much like the preacher who does his sermon on a Sunday in the hope that the flock will leave the church and not sin. Some of the non-sinners will continue not to sin. Was it worth their while attending the service? Some of the sinners will keep on sinning. Was it worth their while attending? The preacher is aware of this. Should he look for a new job? Eamonn

Comrade OGE As yet our party rulers have not released details about how to gain entry into this celebration. Details about the event are on the site that comrade Stugen has provided and Venturers can sign up to work at the event. As yet the Northeast region has received no details from National. I will send them on to you as soon as I get them. I have a meeting with the region next month. I have your E-mail in my little red book.

1907 Brownsea Island the camp that started it all. 2007 England will host the World Jamboree. The youth of the world will join together and unite for a huge celebration. I hope that there will be thousands of American Scouts who will wear all the merit badges that they have ever earned including all the citizenship merit badges!! The theme for the jamboree is "One World One Promise." Some will see this as yet another "Pinko Plot." I can't wait to see the kids of the world join together and get to know a little more about each other and have fun. Eamonn

OK I am a big Wood Badge fan. The Wood Badge for the 21st Century is a leadership course. Looking over the course evaluations from the course that I was the director for. Some participants who had taken management courses felt that it covered too much stuff that they had already covered. It seems that we just can't win!! I work for UPMC which is by no means a Mom and Pop operation. A few times a year I'm packed off to attend a day long seminar that has to do with sort of management / Leadership Skill. Some I have to admit do a better job then the course does and some don't. Of course that is just my opinion. What doesn't work is when they try and put us in teams. This fails, mainly due to the fact that other then working for the same company and at times being lucky enough to have someone in the same area of work. We don't share anything in common. Of course when dealing with a topic like Diversity, this is no big deal, still when it comes to team building it becomes a waste of time. You might as well just read the hand outs. Wood Badge may not be the ideal course for every company. Still it might be worth mentioning that across the pond in the UK, companies such as British Airways and British Telecom are sending a lot of their people to attend Wood Badge. Eamonn

Well Wheeler sir you have now managed to get on my very last nerve. I am now about ready to leave you stuck at the side of the road with a flat tire if you ever get around to owning a car. I strongly urge you to go back and visit the wise abbot and show him the absolute nonsense that you have been wasting your time posting in this forum. I would urge all the sane people in the forum to squelch you in the hope that you will go away. Please don't bother to reply as I'm just going to add my name to this and then squelch you. Eamonn

Ditto. Eamonn

We as a Council do not have any awards other then the Silver Beaver. At our recognition dinner each unit is asked to select a MVP. The Commissioner Staff are selecting a commissioner for some sort of best of award. I don't know what name it has. There is 3 $1000.00 saving bonds that all Eagle Scouts can earn though a essay competition. Our district selects one person each year for a James E. West. Normally an old timer who has been around serving for a long time. We take the money out of a golf outing. One district has a Spark Plug Award. I have no idea how that works. Eamonn

Who is Wheeler? I don't care. Eamonn That isn't to say that I wouldn't help him change a flat tire if he had a car and was stranded on the side of the road.

Me thinks that the stint as a CIT last summer covers it. Eamonn

It used to be that some colleges used to accept the Wood Badge course as credit towards some courses or degrees. I am not sure if that is still the case. You might want to call the training department in Texas or have someone from your Scout Service Center make the call. You could just take the course and then dazzle your boss with your new found leadership skills?? (Only half joking.) Welcome to the forums.

I'm with FScouter. Eamonn

Laurie You may well have a great point - Still imagine our new "High Brow???" Forum without the spell check !! Eamonn