eisely

Some may find this topic subject line off putting, but I want opinions on an important subject. The issue arises when a council does not have the equipment required, the expertise required, or the facilities required to offer a merit badge either at summer camp or elsewhere in its program. What is the attitude towards entering into an arrangment with a third party to offer the merit badge where that third paryt may already be offering similar training? What I have in mind is the new kayaking merit badge. Kayaking is growing in popularity yet we have no capability of offering this merit badge. Given the relative newness of the sport, we have neither qualfied experienced volunteersnor equipment. Is there a prohibition or process for entering into a contractual relationship with an entiry or business that already offers training in kayaking and already provides eqiupment and training to all comers? Anyone with experience in this kind of situation please share your experience.

I have to agree with the other posts. You should have a conversation with the SM, but after that I would not hesitate to go around him. It is too bad that things like this happen, but recognize that all of us are human and some of us let authority go to our heads.

Regarding Ryan Andresen I think I can clear some things up. Some of you will recall that I wrote posts when that whole thing blew up a year and a half ago. I met Ryan and his father in August 2012 when I reviewed and approved his project on behalf of the district. He completed his project and it was late in September when a former trooop committee member blew the whistle on Ryan which led to the national office removing Ryan from BSA altogether prior to Ryan's 18th birthday which fell in October of 2012. Subsequently a great many people, self included, suggested that Ryan should at least get his BOR even without the unit signatures on his eagle application. This was done and his eagle was approved at the council level and the paperwork forwarded to national, all within the 90 day window following his 18th birthday. This at least had the effect of putting the local council on the right side of fair treatment of Ryan regardless of the membership decision made at the national level.

As far as I know Ryan's beliefs regarding god were never an issue.

To me it was a simple matter of fairness. Ryan had done everything required of him in good faith and kicking him out days before his 18th birthday never made sense.

I think the current membership policy is wise and fair. It is all about the youth, not the attitudes of some adult, gay or straight.

If memory serves me correctly I have written in this forum in the past to avoid Coleman canoes. Last night I was searching for information on Coleman canoes and learned that Coleman no longer manufactures canoes. Apparently they sold their canoe line to a Canadian company called Pelican. When one visits the Pelican site one can find some canoes that resemble old Coleman models. Does anybody know when this change took place?

The unit leaders have no good choices in this wierd situation. Given that the unit leaders have bungled, I think they have an obligation to do what they can to help, but the mom has to get on board as well and register her son and complete all required paperwork and pay past dues if any. I would also make clear the it is largely out of local hands and that national may decide not to award the eagle. That is all you can do and should attempt to do.

The earlier post suggesting that all youth records be reviewed to see what other ugly surprises may await is sound advice.

This one somewhat blows my mind. If all the facts are as presented, the prior troop adult leadership needs serious re training. I cannot understand how a boy could even hang around so long without being required to formally join. If the mom is as described, she needs some serious re orientation as well. One cannot expect to reap all the benefits accruing to one's progeny from participating in any youth organization without following the rules. She has set a horrible example for her son and he may pay a serious price in being denied the eagle that he thinks he has earned. BSA needs someone like Judge Judy to deal with these types of people.

The Library of Congress (LOC) under a congressional enactment is interested in having local citizens conduct and record interviews of veterans and others (e.g., Rosie the Riveter) who were directly involved in the wars of the USA. The idea is to conduct oral history interviews in a prescribed format and submit the results to the LOC for inclusion in their system. The LOC web site even has a small blurb about how this can be an eagle project. As a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and a scouter who reviews eagle project proposals for our district, I am very interested in this. Others here locally in both the veteran and scouting communities are also interested. Has anybody out there had any experience with this that they can share?

It is a question of balance, and that balance is different for every one of us. Never sacrifice the important interests of the your own kids for other people's kids. Take time with your spouse to do something together, just the two of you. Ask your spouse directly about his/her view of your scouting involvement and work it out. I know some highly effective scouters whom I feel are over committed. I don't know their spouses but I can't imagine their level of commitment to scouting going on forever without consequences.(This message has been edited by eisely)

Wow! Some real science appears to refute the PETA position that fish feel pain. So everybody get their fishing tackle back out of the closet. See link below.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9797948/Fish-cannot-feel-pain-say-scientists.html

Let's ban evil thoughts too.

It is worth noting that the single best known Mormon nationally, Mitt Romney, was asked about the gay issue in regards to boy scouts during the recent election campaign. He answered that he thought the BSA ought to change its policy.

One way to make the sash less empty would be to sew some excess "temporary insignia" for which there is no room on the right breast pocket that the scout may have earned, onto the back of the sash.

Watergate matters today because it led to articles of impeachment being voted by the House of Representatives and Nixon resigning the presidency. It is important to note that NOBODY DIED as a result of the criminal activities of some of Nixon's people. On the other hand the current "fast and furious" scandal that goes completely ignored by the mainstream media resulted in the death of a US border patrol agent. And of course four brave americans died in Benghazi because of the blinkered incompetence of the current administration. Oh wait, the Benghazi thing was just a movie review that got a little out of hand....

It is my understanding that merely registering as an adult volunteer triggers a background check.

I have always advocated that parents should sit through the YP training even if they are not registered, do not plan to register, and do not plan to lift a finger to help the unit in any way. Parents need to understand the policies simply because they are a parent of a youth in scouting.

In a conversation with our council program director Thursday evening, he said that the council received the cards only in August. I don't know when this thing was developed at the national level, but there clearly has been a failure to get the word out up and down the chain of command.

The money has to be spent by December 31 and a completed project work book turned in to the council by January 31 so that a report can be submitted to Lowe's. I am sure that Lowe's has already taken credit for the grant. If all the cards are not used and are not usable after December 31, then Lowe's would have to reverse some of their deduction in 2013. So Lowe's gets a permanent benefit for the cards actually used and a temporary benefit for any cards turned back in.

I am assuming that some level of accountability enters into all this.

The important point remains that there is a very narrow opening for people to take advantage of this.

I am posting this under "open discussion" in the hopes that more people will see it.

Only in October did I become aware that Lowe's had provided a grant to support eagle projects. The grant is in the form of gift cards that have been distributed to local councils, for distribution in turn to aspiring eagle scouts. The idea is to provide financial support for projects requiring the purchase of construction materials such as paint, lumber, concrete mix, fasteners, etc. While Lowe's has funded this, it is not required that the money be spent at Lowe's.

These gift cards expire on December 31, 2012. It is not too late for an aspiring eagle that you may know to obtain one of these gift cards. There is some paperwork involved. The project has to be fully approved. I have been handing out the paperwork to scouts coming before me for district level project approval since I learned of this. I apologize for not posting this earlier.

If you know of a scout who could benefit from this, tip him off and have him call your council office. Our council received 40 of the cards in August and only a few have been distributed so far. There is still time. The link below is to a page on the national council web site that provides some additional information.

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/trailtoeagle.aspx

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/268919-peta-calls-on-obama-to-skip-sorely-outdated-thanksgiving-turkey-pardon

If I were part of the groups named by PETA as comparable to turkeys I would be offended.

Living and doing scouting in an area where major fires occur quite frequently, we are often under fire bans during the fire season. That said, I agree that boys should be required to test their fire laying skills be trying to actually get the thing going. I also see nothing wrong with doing this in an indoor fire place or an outdoor brick barbecue, even without explicit language in the BSA rules, in order to meet the requirement.

FScouter

Lighten up! Of course it is lighthearted drivel. Most entertainment is drivel. That is what makes it entertainment. We all need a little fun in life.

I sure am glad that PETA is out there to keep us focused on the really important controversies.

http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/11/13/2481006/opossum-drop-halted-in-brasstown.html

One of the purposes of the electoral college, as I understand it, was to give more weight to the lightly populated states in juxtaposition to the more populous states. I still think that is a valid purpose.

One reform that would make sense would be for a state to apportion its electoral college votes based on the popular vote within that state. I don't think this would require a constitutional amendment to accomplish. Of course that would mean that those of us who live in California would be subjected to a great deal of political advertising we currently escape.

We normally do a campfire as part of our IOLS training, conditions permitting. When we do a campfire we routinely incorporate a flag retirement ceremony, partly to demonstrate how to do it effectively. There are two bywords: safety and brevity. I have seen flag retirements that have taken thirty minutes. Far too much time. Remember we are dealing with young boys here.

However, it is precisely because we are dealing with young people that we should do flag retirements. They are not taught about these things in school. Cub scouts and Webelos are not too young to observe such a ceremony.

At our last IOLS event in October we did a flag retirement that was well received. Surprisingly over half the adult trainees had never seen a flag retirement and really appreciated the opportunity to observe one.

Pee Wee Herman has been at least partially rehabilitated. Next thing we will read about is Jerry Sandusky being released on parole to do community service in youth organizations.

BSA should always be re evaluating its policies in light of changing circumstances. However, the recent election is NOT a mandate for BSA to do anything.