Eamonn

Times like this I really miss our old friend the Man Of Steele. Hi Dave!! Eamonn

I feel very spoiled in that the DE who serves our great district is wonderful. She has been with us for seven years. I was the Assistant District Commissioner for Cub Scouts when she joined the district. Our then District Chair. not only knew his stuff but was/is a great teacher. He really showed her the ropes. I went on to work with her as District Commissioner and now I'm in year two of my three year stint as District Chair. We are really very good friends. As a key3 we lean on each other a lot. Her strong point is administration. I am more of a people person, with a fair know how of how this game is played. Our District Commissioner who I have had serious second thoughts about due to an ego the size of the great outdoors, is at long last starting to settle down. He is a very likable chap. We meet weekly and most days we "Talk" either on the phone or by E-mail. I like to think that we are on the same page. Sad as it might be if one of us were to not be there anymore we would manage and the district would be in good hands. My reasons for thinking this are: We are in the business of supporting the units. How much or how little support is dependent on many things. The health of the unit, the manpower and resources that the unit has on hand and the experience of the adults in the unit. Also sad as it is to say it, a lot can depend on the attitude of the adults in the unit. Some units think that the words Council and District are just plain nasty. We have Chairs. within the district that develop plans in certain areas: Finance, Membership, Program, Training. Outdoor Program, Marketing and Advancement. At times the plans of the Council is the plan that the district will follow. However we are not bound to follow that plan. At times we will go our own way. All of this is discussed at the district meeting and goals are set. Most of these goals are things that can be and ought to be accomplished within 30 days. The chairman for whatever committee is held accountable for reaching these goals. I hold our DE accountable for checking that these goals are being met. If they are not we as a key3 try to find out why not and see what we can do to get the ball moving in the right direction. When it comes to recruitment the district membership committee has a district plan for recruiting. The plan is made known to the units and yes at times there is a little arm twisting. But the unit can take all of the plan, part of the plan or none of it. We have a lot of schools in the district, I would never dream about the DE attending the recruitment drive. The district can support the unit with marketing the event providing fliers and making contact with the School District. If a unit needs help with the event that is a job for a member of the membership committee. This need will be communicated via the Unit Commissioner to the District Commissioner and he will make it known at the District Committee meeting where all the different committees can network and get the job done. A fairly good rule of thumb is "Never Let A Professional Do Anything That A Volunteer Can Do." Eamonn

I will ponder on this. But there a few troops in our District that could use the help . We could transfer them for a buck - I'll pay!! Eamonn

Isn't it strange what one good turn done by a cockney kid has led to? Happy 94th. Eamonn

Yes It was I who was so bold as to use the original thread to expound on my personal beliefs. If you look back at most of the things that I have posted you will find that I make a habit of it. In fact I'm inclined to think that I am one of many. At no time did I attack or go out of my way to be rude to the originator. At no time did I state that everyone in LFL is gay, agnostic or an atheist. I did state that unlike the BSA program, you could be gay,agnostic or an atheist and a member of LFL. I may be guilty of jumping to the conclusion that dana renner was mixing up Venturing and Exploring. I did point that out. Here I go with yet another of my personal opinions. While I feel sure that there are a great many youth organizations that do a whole lot of good and the LFL program may well fall into that category I don't think that it is right that my money. That is the money that I donate to the Council that I belong to should be used to help pay for this program. However being as the Council is a small one there is no way that we can keep the two programs apart. Unless we were to stop supporting the LFL program. So I only have two choices support the program that I love and put up with the other one or stop giving completely. As to the membership item. As a District we met both our Venturing goal and the Boy Scout goal. We didn't meet the Cub Scout goal - Yet the percentage of the total available youth in that age group went up by 2.6%. I don't have the final numbers for the year but as of November 30,2003 the Venturers were at 247,905 a gain of +0.2% from 2002 (247,354) Yes it was the only program area that had any growth in membership. Still these numbers do not show the percentage of available youth served. There is a drop of -2.8% in total traditional membership. While there may be a need to look at what is and what isn't working. This may well be reinforced with efforts from both the National and Council but as far as I'm concerned it starts with me. As a District Chairman I know the District works best when I'm organized, work diligently and involve the other volunteers in the District. I know that if we work side by side and I can get them excited about a vision for the District and have them take ownership of the vision we as a District can achieve great things - You can bet that growth in membership is near if not on top of that list. Eamonn

Volunteer: The great feeling of knowing that I can never get fired.

We could dig up all sorts of old books to try and make the point that we want to make. Still at the end of the day we are better off if we use the material that is current. Your 1997 Handbook and the 1920 Aids To Scoutmastership are fine and dandy but the program we strive to deliver is todays program. Eamonn

Some great stuff here. Do remind them not to take their knives to school. My Lad did by mistake (Left it in his book bag after an OA weekend) and he got a three day suspension. Eamonn

I have to state my dislike for all the Learning For Life Programs. While they might do good work they are not how I see the BSA. My reasons are: They do not make any kind of promise that includes God. Yes you can be an atheist and a Explorer. In fact you can be a gay atheist and be a Explorer. While I don't know how things are in other Councils here in our neck of the woods the LFL program is a drain on the council. It does little or nothing to help pay its way. No FOS, No Popcorn sale. Yet we have two full time council employees working for LFL. Visit the LFL web page and you don't see one mention of the BSA. Please do not mix up Venturing with Exploring. They are not the same. Eamonn

Drat the double posting. Eamonn(This message has been edited by Eamonn)

Baden Powell Quotes: "The object of the patrol system is mainly to give real responsibility to as many of the boys as possible with a view to developing their character." I tend to think that a big book of rules does little to give responsibility to anyone. BP Again: "To get first class results you have to give the boy leaders real free-handed responsibility. If you only give partial responsibility you will only get partial results" Free handed responsibility ? I don't see much room for that book of rules. BP Again: "Trust should be the basis for all moral training." I see no rule book. Take a look at Aids to Scoutmastership 1920. "The Scoutmaster guides the boy in the spirit of an older brother.. He has simply to be a boy-man, that is: (1)He must have the boy spirit in him: and must be able to place himself in the right plane with his boys as a first step. (2)He must realise the needs, outlooks and desires of the different ages of boy life. (3)He must deal with the individual boy rather then the mass. (4)He then needs to promote a corporate spirit among his individuals to gain the best results. Yes Sir Baden Powell was way ahead of his time. Eamonn(This message has been edited by Eamonn)

I have to find a way to stop agreeing with Bob White. OJ is very active in all areas of Scouting. Not because I push him but because he wants to be. It is fair to say that as a family we have the means to send him just about anyplace that he wants to go. Still how we spend our money is up to us. Yet still I hear that he is only doing something because he is my son. This is not true.- He is doing what he wants to do. Maybe I get more information and take the time to look at it then other parents. But that isn't my fault. I was hoping that we would get to spend time together at the Jamboree, in fact I was kind of hoping that he might get elected SPL. He opted to attend as a staff member. It is going to be a pain driving him there and then coming home only to return a couple of days later. He has plans of driving himself but I'm not happy with that. He is thinking of trying to get on staff for the World Jamboree in 2007. Not a cheap undertaking but we will work it out. Not because I want it but because he does. Eamonn

I was a Den Leader and a Cubmaster while my son was a Cub Scout. He said that he didn't want me to be in "His" Troop. So I didn't go there. Still I do hold him to a higher standard then I do other Scouts because he is my son and I know better. He never leaves the house in a partial uniform it is all or nothing. He is a reflection of me. He is my son. I don't push him to do stuff. That is up to him. This Scouting experience that he is experiencing is his. If he came home tonight and said that he wanted to quit. Sure I would be disappointed - But it is up to him. We do discuss things when he brings them up. I don't want to get in the way of him or the leaders in his troop. That is not my job in Scouting. One area that seems to have really caught his imagination is the OA. I now have the time to do more stuff with him but he feels that people are a little scared of me (Not True!!)He likes and respects the adults in the Lodge and is doing a fine job working with them. So I only attend the odd weekend - Mostly when he asks me to. He knows that I am here for him. Here to listen and love him. I'm willing to move heaven and earth to help him after he has shown that he is willing to help himself. Right now he has been a Life Scout for two years all the merit badges are done and his Eagle is only a project away. He isn't doing anything and is happy not doing it. It is his Eagle. When he is ready I'm ready. Eamonn

That was fast. Eamonn

I don't know very much about National Funding. I know that there are a good number of people and companies that support the BSA national level. If you visit the BSA site there is a section about how you can support Scouting. I feel that there may be a need to do a better job in this area. On a Council level the only Council that I can really talk about is the one that puts up with me. We are a small council with a little under 11,000 youth members. On one side of us we have a big Metro Council, while most of the others around the area are smaller. The budget for the council is $1.2 Million for 2004. A cut from $1.3 in 2003. We have for the last few years had a hard time balancing the budget. If it had not been for some out of the blue bequests we wouldn't have made it. We have not seen any cuts from the United Way and do have a good relationship with them. (We deal with two. One for each county.) The main camping area for both Scouts and Cub Scouts is in a State Park. The land is on a long term lease. We have a lot of money tied up in buildings and equipment and have in fact just spent almost $200k on a new camp center. We own a camp which was donated to the council in the early 60's. At this time it is still very primitive. There are are couple of buildings, a few water wells and the bathrooms are outhouses. We would very much like to install and bring in city water, but if we do we fear that the near by farms would tap in and be sold off as sub-developments - Not the ideal setting for a camp. Last year we did sell off a small camp which had been donated. It was on the Maryland boarder and even more primitive then the primitive one!! The reason for selling it was that it just wasn't been used. As a Council we do have a very healthy endowment fund which continues to grow because of really good management and continued donations. Last year was a very tough year as far as donations went people were just not giving. The popcorn sale was down by 5%. So there is a certain amount of "Belt tightening" this year this goes hand in hand with a renewed spirit of we will do better this year. I have met with the district finance committee and we have set goals that are very specific. I know that the money is out there and I am willing to use all the negative stuff that is being said against the BSA to our advantage and prove that in our communities these people are just plain wrong. We are still the character building organization that we always have been and we are willing to put our money where our mouth is. Eamonn

I am both pleased and gladdened to hear that the Crews mentioned here have their act together. My problem is when I visit someone or some group and try to explain or sell the program. Things are great if the group has an area of interest that coincides with one of the program areas. But even then if they are already doing something that they are good at they don't need us and while we as an organization can point at what facilities and opportunities we offer in both Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting, we don't have the facilities and opportunities in Venturing. When I talk to a local Chamber of Commerce and they ask "What do they do?" I end up saying something like "They do what the members want to do." This is not good when you/I am trying to sell the program. I really like the new stuff that I have seen coming out of National. I do think that if we had a simplified program with choices built in life would be easier. Eamonn

I have to admit to not knowing anything about Rover Scouts or Rover Scouting in the USA. I was around just before the program was done away with back in England and did serve on a Service Team at a National Camp Site in England which when I joined was made up with Rover Scout "Left Overs." At the time I was a young Venture Scout. While I don't think it would be fair to say that what I seen and heard is in any way a fair representation of the program. It seemed to me that a great deal of time was spent in the pub remembering and reminiscing about the good old days. The good old days when there was Boy Scouts, Senior Scouts and Rover Scouts.My personal feelings are that while the guys that I worked with were very proficient in traditional Scout skills and by belonging to the service team it could be said that they were still serving Scouts and Scouting they were in fact getting nothing out of Scouting and not giving anything back. Even these Service Team members (Very much like Campmasters.) Who would work their tails off all day, used the time as their monthly get together and come sun down were off to the pub to drink vast quantities of real ale. Eamonn

I am not going to harp on about how much I dislike these Merit Badge add any name you want. That being said. If the Scouts have started working on this already they can use the "Old" Version. If they are just starting you have to use the "New" Version. The other person also has to go with the new version. No ifs ands or buts. As this is a District function you would do well to have a word with the Advancement Chair. Eamonn

You don't say how old this Lad is? Here we have a Lad that worked on the Summer Camp Staff. Is attending half the meetings. It seems to me that there is a spark there. It needs fanned and some fuel. A Scoutmaster conference would seem in order. There is a lot of questions that need to be asked. I feel sure that he must have read the requirements and does know that in order to reach the rank Of Eagle Scout he is going to have to make up his mind to set this as a goal. He needs to know that the adults in the troop are behind him all the way and will help him along the way. However it is his goal his Eagle.It does seem that you are willing to help this Lad. It might be that you are allowing your history with him get in your way. We can't manage the past or we deal with what is happening today and make plans for the future. There are many wise and learned people in these forums. Still at the end of the day we can't know the Lad. We can't ask him why he is shying away from holding a Leadership position in the troop? He can't tell us what keeps him from being more active in the troop. Your profile doesn't say what position you hold in the troop still someone needs to sit down and listen to what this Lad has to say. There could be reasons for the way he is feeling. I would bet any money that if someone sat down with him and asked a few open ended questions that he would very quickly come up with a workable plan to make reaching the goal a reality. My advise is listen and listen and listen some more. Then when he has his plan do everything you can to help him stick to it. Welcome to the forums. Eamonn

Mark, I of course am happy that not only did the event go well. I did cringe a little on reading about the pepperoni. It has also restored and opened the eyes of many to "Boy Power". Judging by the amount of E-mails that I'm getting from members of the District and the District Committee it looks as if the District Winter Camporee will happen. As you know Mark Camp Conestoga is imposable to get to if there is a lot of snow. So if we use a council facility it will be the primitive camp in Smithton Pa. Which is only ten minutes from our new house!! Yes it is tempting. But putting all that aside. One great thing about this game is that every now and then something happens which is so good it renews your faith in mankind. Eamonn

I watched the game with a group of young people aged about 15 or 16. There is still a lot that I don't understand about American Football. I understand even less about how young people watch a game. A few of them were happy to lie on the carpet and do something on a laptop.A couple did watch the game, all had their cell phones in hand at all times sending and receiving text messages. None of them seemed to be over the moon about the half time show. In their opinion the songs were all old and Kid Rock "Sucks" (Their word not mine!!) I have tried hard to find Rap music that isn't too hard on my ears, isn't full of cuss words and that I'm able to translate into English. I have found a few songs. In fact the Black Eyed Peas with Justin Timberlake do have a couple of neat songs. I think this was my first exposure to Kid Rock, I don't at this time have any plans to rush out and buy any of their stuff. While what he did with the flag was wrong. I couldn't help thinking about the Who and Queen who both wore the Union Flag at concerts and the Who have a cover with the Union Flag with the word Who cut into it. I never thought what they were doing was wrong in fact I was happy that they were doing so much to help the economy. Janet will be back next Sunday at the Grammy Awards. Justin will more the lightly win one as WILL George Harrison!!! Who knows this time next week we might be discussing if Beer For My Horses amounts to cruelty to animals. Eamonn

While having a Troop collect the money might/ does work in your district. I wouldn't be too happy if our district was to start doing this. As a district we do not have any way of holding money. We don't have a district Bank account, we don't want one and it is against the rules of our council. I don't know what the ruling is outside of our council. As all the money that goes into a unit account belongs to the chartered organization I can't see how a unit could manage it? There could be a problem if the money is lost, stolen or mishandled. I also like the idea of not having to deal with people that might get upset. We had a Chap who paid his fee for Wood Badge. All the money went through the Service Center( A little over $12k) He decided for some reason not to come to the second part of the course. He wanted half the fee back. It was made clear from the get go that this was non-refundable. He E-mailed and wrote to me. I didn't have to deal with him I just referred him to the Service Center. The money he paid was to the Council not me. Eamonn

OK, so we agree that tickets are a pain. If we look at the works of Ken Blanchard, we see a lot of time spent on values, vision and mission. In our Wood Badge course we have this session where the material is all good. Maybe too good. In fact going over it again it seems that those who put it together all had a bit that they wanted to be in and no one would give up their bit. All of it can work if that session were to be broken up. To add to this we throw in the much talked about, much dreaded and much misunderstood ticket - All in sixty minutes?? Time will tell but I can't help feeling that many people will remember what they did to work their tickets and forget what their vision and mission was. Maybe I'm just an idealist but I wonder if we were to really get this idea of vision, mission and values across we would have leaders who would see Scouting as the big picture and we would not see as many units becoming so focused on certain areas of what they deem to be the program. Some people will of course just "Get It" Others will need to work backwards from Goals back to Vision. Others will just see working the ticket as the be all and end all. Eamonn

Yes and this wasn't the only wardrobe mishap. Eamonn

I do agree that all money collected ought to be accounted for following the accounting procedures that the Council has in place. You don't mention if this is a District or a Council Event. If it is a District Event, you would want to work with the District Advancement Committee. If it is a Council Event you might want to see if one of the professionals could be made available. A lot would depend on the size of the Office Staff. As a small council we don't have a big staff and there are times when they are stretched to the limit. Eamonn