Eamonn

It's that time again. Time for me to go over the calendar for 2004.

The professional staff, have already done their bit, they went away for almost a week, for a planning conference. So the draft of the calendar is done. My part is to add anything that they might have missed, and more dates that our district may want.

Here lies the problem, we don't want to add any, in fact we would like to see the entire calendar, gone over with a fine tooth comb, with the idea of removing as much as possible. There is just too many dates and too much stuff !!

Lets say there is a troop, that holds a scouting activity every month. That is 12 weekends or part of the weekend gone. Add 3 district camporees. 15 gone. Add 4 Order of the Arrow weekends. 19 gone. Scouting for food and Scout Sunday. 21 gone. A district dinner (normaly for the leaders only.) 22 gone. Summer camp. 24 gone.

Take out the holidays, add committee meetings, roundtable meetings, and hope that this poor leader is only wearing one hat, if not add a lot more meetings. You might want to add some time for training, add some more for planning.

How the heck do we get stuff removed from the calendar?

Please don't get me wrong, I love Scouting, but when we get so many dates, people don't come, and we wonder why !! The people who organize the events feel bad.

It has got to the stage where we dare not try anything new, if we do and it works, it will be stuck on the calendar for ever.

Our jamboree troop committee,offers the boys who are selected to attend the opportunity to raise money for the jamboree.

Last time out we sold pies and pizzas.

Some of the boys went crazy and sold enough to cover the entire cost, while some parents wrote a check for the full amount at the first meeting. Most, like my son fell into the middle.

Scouting is a program for all to participate in, and we do try to offer as much help as we can, to those who need it.

My troop back in England, has a history of sending boys to world jamborees, we never thought of it as sending the one boy, it was and is viewed as our representative.

When the boy came back, he went to the other troops and packs and shared his experiances, as well as visiting local service clubs.

Yes, it cost a lot, but it was money well spent.

What a great story.

Thank You

In the Leadership Training Committee Guide, under Supplemental Training, Outdoor Skills Instruction, it lists Outdoor Skills Instruction Aquatics,No.33026.

I have to admit, we normaly cover this at a roundtable, and bring in the Summer Camp Aquatics team.

We tend to get a lot of questions, that these "Guys" are trained to address better then us mere mortals.

Ditto to that.

And God Bless England, and the English Troops.

It is really nice to see so many new people joining the forum, I'm Still a new kid, but welcome.

It is always sad when a course isn't able to get off the ground.

We are a small council, so the only way that we can offer a Wood Badge course, is as part of a cluster.There are six councils in our cluster, and we now offer two courses a year, one six day course, and the other follows the two, three day format.

Even with this we very often get participants from out of state. Last year there was a chap from New York, and one from Maine.

The big disadvantage of going too far from home, if you were following the 2X3 format, would be the Patrol meeting that happens on one of the "Off" weekends.

The good thing about going out of council is that no one knows you !!

Odd as this may sound, it can be a good thing. Everyone will take you as you are, there is no history. Sad to say I have heard it said "He / She, is from such and such a unit and they never do.."

It also goes a long way to show you that when all is said and done, Scouting at home really isn't that different from any place else.

The good thing about staying close to home, is that you are more lightly to have friends with you on the course, who can at times put things in perspective, that is homespun?

Hopefully, if the staff are doing a good job the content of the course will be the same, for the most part.

Thanks For Some Very Good Ideas.

This is great news.

Now I wonder, what can a person do with a spare One Hour A Week ?

One Might Phone The District Chairman........

While I still have to read the Uniform Guide. I have made up my mind about the "Outer Wear" For the Wood Badge Staff.

Much as it would be great to have the staff lined up, looking like a Norman Rockwell picture, and much as it would be nice to have everyone wear the same uniform, and look good.

It is not in the Staff Guide, because the Red Jacket, may not be uniform for everyone. I'm thinking of Venture Crew Leaders.

It would be like putting the Army, Navy and Air Force, in one uniform.

So the choice to wear it or not, will be up to the individual.

However, if they do opt to wear it, it will be within the guidelines.

I have the patch on the pocket and a 1975 World Jamboree Patch, on the back.

A very dear and close friend of mine has a Gilwell patch and two big patches on the back. If he opts to wear it the Gilwell Patch, and one of the big ones on the back will have to be removed.

While I'm not happy about the name; Uniform Police. While I was serving as a Commissioner, I did make a point of telling the adults when they were not wearing the uniform right. While I have never informed, them that something had to be removed.My thinking was maybe they just didn't know. It was always done in such a way as if a friend was just letting a friend know.

While the question of uniform, has been the topic of many, many Threads, to my mind life isn't hard, just follow the rules.

Sctmom,Thanks for clearing that up for me.

As to the Grandma, dead on the roof.

I think as a young Scout Leader in England, we had a Group Scout Leader, like that. The only words he ever said were "You can't do that, you are spending too much." and "Slowly slowly catchee monkey"

Maybe a trip to Wally World, would have done him the power of good.

Happy Saint Patricks day, please say a prayer for peace in Ireland, and our troops in the gulf.(This message has been edited by Eamonn)

Ozemu,

We use "Wally World" as a slang for Wal Mart.

Do you mean the same thing?

FScouter,

I tend to agree with you.

However, I question, why this is not in any of the course guides ?

I was informed that the Campaign Hat was "taken out" due to the fact, that it was only a Boy Scout uniform item.

Also it is not possible to have "Uniformity" and stay within the rules.When you have three different uniforms.

Needless to say setting the example of wearing the correct uniform as stated in the uniform guide,Which Bob White refered too (And as yet, I have to read.) will be the path that we follow.

Many thanks for the e-Bay idea.

I do have to wonder, why are these people selling their jackets?

Is it a case of too much good camp food ?(This message has been edited by Eamonn)

It is strange how these Threads seem to catch me right at the time that I'm dealing with the same or very near the same topic.

I for the most part, like to think that I comply with the BSA,uniform standards. I do have one shirt, with a knot on upside down, and be known to change into uniform at work and go to a scouting event not wearing scout socks.

This weekend in preperation for an upcoming Wood Badge Course,I was going over the uniform with the staff.

Staffing a Wood Badge is a fairly expensive activity. Not only do the staff have to pay their own way, they also incur a lot of out of pocket expenses.

For the most part going over the uniform was easy: Boy Scouters; Shirt,pants Choice of the webbing belt, or the leather belt (I'm asking that they wear the ax in log buckle.) and socks.

One weekend is in September, when hopefully it will be nice, so they /we can wear shorts, the other weekend is in October, when it might be nice or it might snow. I haven't set any rule on what pants they wear, long pants or shorts are fine with me, the same for the socks.

We are going to top this all off with a baseball cap that we are having made for course.

Cub Scouters, can wear the same as the Boy Scouters, or go for the yellow shirt, blue pants,

and blue scocks.

The Ventuer Crew Leader,is wearing the green shirt, and he tells me that there is uniform pants and socks, which was more then I knew. But he is happy to wear this.

All was going well till we got to the jacket. The Staff Guide and Admin. Handbook, does not specify a jacket.

Yes I know, we used to wear the red jacket and the campaign hats, but those days are gone.

Over half the staff have the red wool jacket, one or two have the red nylon jacket.

I really hate to ask these people to have to foot the extra expense of buying one, and at this time I'm unsure if the red jacket is a uniform jacket for Cub Scouters wearing the yellow and blue. And I don't know about my crew leader.

I will be reading up on this, but do welcome your thoughts and opinions.

Thanks.

Eamonn

I am by no means an expert on the Trails End Co. But I have bought Trails End popcorn, which was being sold for another charity.

My Wife is involved with a local pack, and they have two or three sales a year, mainly selling frozen Pizza, they file the permit with the council, and no one has ever said a word, or asked for the Council Cut?

We too have asked people not to sell things at work, it was way out of hand, not only people raising money for good causes, but tickets that had price tags as high as $100.00.

I attended our district roundtable last night and came home with six boxes of girl scout cookies (Which I love.) A $4.00 plastic mug, which I really have no need for, and two $2.00 tickets that someone was selling to benifit a local person who fell on the ice and broke her leg. The ticket was being sold by the Elementary School Principle.

Not a cheap night.

Fundraising is hardly ever fun. But you make your choice. When OJ, my son played in the local soccer league, we could sell so many tickets or pay the extra $125.00. We chose to pay.

The same could be said about summer camp.

However, if the Council Cut from the popcorn wasn't there summer camp might cost a lot more?

(This message has been edited by Eamonn)

I have gone over my notes from Camp School for Cub Scouts, and I'm in the right.

I have looked over my notes from the Course Directors Conference, and I'm almost right.

I played Rugby at both school and college, and know more rugby songs, with lyrics, that are, and were only suitable for that occasion.

I have attended the old Camp Fire Leaders course at Gilwell Park.

And I love the song God Bless My Underware.

While I hate the term "PC", I do think that we have to be aware of who we are doing, what for.

I do think that this skit, performed in front of young Tiger Cubs and Cub Scouts, is offensive.

Maybe at a Troop Campfire, where all the boys know each other it might not be as offensive.

My understanding of "PC" is seeing something that may or may not be there. For example the Big Hand Cheer, I see it for what it is, and will continue to use it. There are people who might see a bunch/Group of people in uniform with one arm raised, as something else which isn't there.

That is about as clear as mud.

OH Well, I know what, I was trying to say.(This message has been edited by Eamonn)

Day Camp is one of the most wonderful events in Scouting.

Wonderful, because it really does show that Cub Scouting, works best when the entire family is involved.

Wonderful, because the boys have such a great time.

I spent five years as a Program Director, and loved every part of it from Camp School, to the final Camp Fire.

I found the best way to increase attendance was to give the parents a job to do, some just loved working with crafts, while others were happy to be Walkers (Staying with a den and walking with them.)

Another good thing was that we got all the parents who were helping to attend the Youth Protection training. Where I admit, I preached the Two Deep Leadership. This did turn a few heads, and some of the packs got a den leader or two out of it.

One strange thing was that as I talked to these parents, who had given up thier time to help me, someone who they might not have known. I asked them what they were doing in thier home pack. So often the answer was, that they had never been asked.

I think LauraT7, has the right idea.

What now seems like a problem could become a really good learning experience for the boys at this camp. Maybe the boys and their parents, could do some sort of presentation for the boys at camp who might be interested.

Some years back when I was a Webelos Scout Den Leader, I had a Lady who was very good at American Sign, come to the den meeting to help the Scouts with the Communicator Pin.

Nothing very hard. Stuff like Mom, Dad, My name is, Love, and that type of thing.

To close she taught the boys to "Sing" Kum By Yar, in sign.

The meetings were in my house, so as soon as everyone was gone, it was time for OJ, my son to get his shower.

He is in the bathroom, singing his heart out.

Her who must be obeyed, looked at me and said "If he is doing that in sign language, he is never going to get clean."

This one den meeting, did a lot for some of the boys, I know of two of them who went on to become fairly good at American Sign.

As for the rules of the ADA,I do know that it has a lot to do with the new buildings we have put up at our camps. But I work for a very large health system, and in my buildings the only one who knows any sign is myself. I never really gave it a lot of thought, maybe because my division is one of the few that is a for profit corporation. And we do not accept any outside funding.

Thanks Bob White.

KWC57, you do have a good point about not knowing who the seller on e-bay is/was.

There is another seller on e-Bay who is selling 2001 Jamboree Cookbooks, to raise money for the next jamboree. I never thought that he might be the "58 year old.."

Looking over the Threads, I think that my saying that the Family Friends Of Scouting, is not the high light of most units program, is a fair statement. But we all are aware that the money is needed and has to come from somewhere.

My district has a very strong community campaign,where we get donations for the council.

We hold a golf outing for the local business community, and this year for the first time will hold a District Good Deed Dinner, as well as the Council Dinners.None of these activities are cheap. A table at the council dinner goes for $1200.00. A foursome for the Golf outing costs $500.00. There are other "Big Ticket" events through the year, all to raise the money that helps provide the programs and services for our end users, The Youth.

Life gets really hard, when the local Business community, is being hit time and time again, by units asking for donations, and then again by the council.

We have had cases where someone used to donate to the council FOS,at a sizeable amount. Then was asked to donate a door prize. The unit got the door prize/donation. All the youth in the council lost out on the sizable donation.

In the UK, They have,"A scout has repect for himself and for others."

I fail to see how "Peeing" on anyone shows any respect, what so ever.

I did see this on e-Bay, and wasn't upset that there were no takers.

I happened to mention it to some of the adults in my district, a few of them thought it was a hoax, some thought it was funny and a couple thought it was outrageous.

When I mentioned it wasn't a lot different then what some of the packs do, when they go out to the local merchants asking for door prizes for the Blue and Gold Banquet. There was no reply.

I think that I hit a nerve.

I have to admit to being more then a little surprised, that so many of the people fail to see how really bad this is.

First, it is being performed by Cub Scouts. What message are we passing on to these young impressionable minds.

I fail to see any of the values of Scouting in this type of skit.

If urination, isn't Bathroom humor, What is ?

This isn't a matter of being or not being political correct, it is a matter of what is in good taste and what isn't.

A Scout is Clean.

This type of thing does nothing to help us Adults pass on this part of the Scout Law.

No Cub Scout has thought this one up for himself,there must have been an adult involved at some stage, even if it was at some other camp fire, the adult in charge ought not to have allowed it.

Please,Please show me how this sort of thing has anything to do with the fulfillment of Scouting ?

When I first joined the troop, way back in the dark ages. My older brother, who is four years older then I,was a patrol leader.

He had his own group of friends, and really didn't want me getting in his way, or hanging around him. He was cool and little brothers are not cool.

To make matters worse, our mother, would tell him that he had to look after me. This really added to my uncoolness.

Having a big brother in the troop was to my mind, something that made me have "One up" on all the other young Scouts, so I think that I used this to my advantage, and was a real rotter.

As time passed, I needed his help in everyday scout things, such as knots, learning to cook and that sort of stuff, he loved showing off his skills, and used the time for a "Big Brother Minute"

We are the fruits of Irish parents, so there were times, when I'm sad to say I pushed my luck just a little too far, and he thumped me.

I hope you can avoid,this. Looking back I wish that he had!

Do try doing some of the Scout type things at home, and use the time for a "Big Brother Minute" of your own.

No Way.

There is a Thread, about the Jamboree.

Councils, have already made the reservations, and to the best of my knowledge, the only way for a troop to attend is as one of Council Troops. Last time the Boys from my council paid $895.00. This did not cover the cost of uniforms or any equipment.

We are only a five hour bus ride from the site, so you can see that the boys coming from across the country will have a much higher price tag.

We have not as yet posted a price. But I noticed, on mt drive to work today that gas had gone up another eight cents a gallon.

So who knows what the final price will be.

Good Onyer Mate.

It is very strange, with young Scouts, they never lose anything.

I have lost count of the number of times, I have heard "Someone Stole my sock !!"