fgoodwin

This is such a great question -- I know I'm responding late, but there may be others out there wondering the same thing and who may not be aware of all the resources available to them, so here goes: There is a "duty to God" activity in the Wolf, Bear and Webelos Scout handbooks. For den leaders who want to discuss this and are not sure how to proceed, the PRAY script that was mentioned earlier is a great place to start. Be sure to get several copies of the religious emblems poster (a bin item available from your local Council resource center, no. 5-879B) so families can see what the med

Rick Seymour ("kudu" on this Forum) has an excellent webpage which discusses how Troops can recruit at public schools: http://www.inquiry.net/adult/recruiting.htm

Last nite, my son and I attended our first Eagle COH. What should have been an exciting and inspiring evening for everyone was turned into a boring time because the speaker, the candidate's youth minister, decided to take 20 minutes to preach a sermon to his captive audience. I don't know much about how Eagle COHs are arranged, but I assume the speaker was invited by the candidate, yes? How does one tactfully tell your speaker to limit his remarks to five minutes or less? How do you tell a preacher not to preach? I realise that once the speaker is into his remarks, there is no tac

I'm of the opinion that burning trash on a campout is a bad idea, and violates LNT guidelines ("pack it in, pack it out"). But there is an active discussion on CUB-L about this, and some are of the opinion that some paper (like brown paper bags) and non-coated paper is OK to burn. I still think its a bad idea to put anything into a fire except firestarters and firewood. How do your units handle this?

From Irving: The Language of Scouting, which provides information about Scouting terms and writing style, is now available online at http://www.scouting.org/identity/los Use this style manual as a reference to ensure the correct and consistent use of Scouting terms on your Web site and other council publications. Please help us promote its use by anyone who produces newsletters or other materials at any level of the organization (council, district, or unit).

Are you planning on going to the overnighter with the Pack? As a fellow UC, I think that's a great idea. However, I see a red flag if you are getting trained so they can count you toward their requirement of having a BALOO-trained leader in attendance. As a UC, you are supposed to be an advisor and confidant; you are not supposed to be an active part of the Pack program.

I saw a beading (not my own) at a Pack Meeting, and I can tell you the kids were bored out of their minds -- the WB Course director talked waaay too long about the WB traditions, etc. to an audience that had no idea and virtually no interest in it. I will say however, that the person getting beaded did a project for his ticket that was a direct benefit to the pack, so there really wasn't a more appropriate place. Still, I chose to have my own beading at RT, thinking its OK to bore adults out of their minds! I used to be an Owl . . . SR-552

Thursday, May 5 is National Prayer Day: http://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/ http://www.presidentialprayerteam.org/ http://www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/ndop I will pray for the ACLU . . .

IRVING, Texas, May 3 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the American Heart Association, the prevalence of overweight children and adolescents has almost quadrupled since the 1980s, while research consistently shows that many of todays youth are leading an increasingly automated and sedentary lifestyle. As one of the nations leading youth organizations, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is recognizing National Physical Fitness and Sports Month (May) by encouraging youth to increase their levels of physical activity in their daily lives, as well as hosting a Stars & Strides 5K Run/Walk during their

I think den leaders may wear the den number; so if a Webelos den adopts a "patrol" emblem, seems like the WDL should be able to wear it, too?

packsaddle, although I'm a bit overweight myself, I can wear stock sizes, so I've never used the "made to measure" service. So check into it thoroughly to ensure you aren't surprised by any undisclosed fees, etc. Good luck.

Supply Division provides a "made-to-measure" order form in cases where stock sizes don't provide a reasonable fit: http://www.scoutstuff.org/misc/mtm-form.pdf It appears that there is no extra charge for the custom-fit service, but you might want to call and confirm that: 800-323-0732

Region patches are worn on the rt sleeve in "position 2" according to the Insignia Guide. Get a copy -- it will answer many of your questions.

I'm not sure I agree with the original idea to prohibit district units from camping anywhere but the district camporee. But I will say this: when my son and I were looking to bridge from Cub Scouting to Boy Scouts, we were very hesitant to bridge into the "feeder" troop, because the CO's affiliated troop basically ignores all council and district functions. They held their own Freeze-o-ree on the same weekend as the district Freeze-o-ree, so the Webelos dens (including ours but did not include any other packs) were limited to the activitites planned by the feeder troop. Had we cam

Has anybody seen this webpage? http://www.scouting.org/media/anniversary/ I got 14 of the 17 trivia questions right!

I just found a great way to get reconnected with the Boy Scouts! Scouting was a very important part of my life and perhaps it was for you as well. This new site can help you keep up with what Scouting is doing today - not just locally, but also back where you were a Scout! You don't need to go camping every month to keep in touch with Scouting. Take a look at the site and reconnect with your past! Just go to http://www.scoutingfriends.org to reconnect with Scouting and the great things it's doing these days! Fred Goodwin San Antonio, TX

Have y'all seen the new "Webelos-Ree" on the National website? http://www.scouting.org/cubscouts/resources/13-238/ Our district is considering whether to put on a Webelos-Ree next fall. I never attended a Webelos Woods (or Webelos Weekend), but for those of you who have, can you tell from the description of the Webelos-Ree, are these the same thing under different names?

I think by any measure, I would be considered "out of shape" (you ex-jocks out there know that term). I'm not saying all Scout leaders should be able to handle a Philmont trek, but we should be trying to set a good example for the kids. I think there are better examples of leaders being "Physically Strong" than me, so I'm not afraid to stay in the background. But I do catch grief from my 11-year old son everytime we recite the the Scout Oath!

FB, I agree with you. I'm an overweight male myself, which is why I've turned down offers to be a CM and an SM -- I don't think I would set the best example to the boys in my charge, as someone who is more physically fit. So I tend to do more "background" jobs like CC, ACM, Asst WDL, and Unit Commissioner. But I absolutely agree with you that our adult leaders (myself included) should be more physically fit. OTOH, do you turn down a volunteer who could stand to lose a few pounds? If your unit suffers as a result, are we really doing what's best for the boys?

This is a great article. However, it predates the Dale decision so keep that in mind as you read the last few paragraphs. http://www.city-journal.org/html/10_1_why_the_boy.html Why the Boy Scouts Work Heather Mac Donald Winter 2000 Feeling dispirited about today's youth? Try attending a Boy Scout meeting. You will find a parallel universe to today's vulgar, sexualized youth culture, filled with gestures of sometimes unbelievable delicacy and a code of conduct as anachronistic as sixteenth-century courtiership. Take Harlem's Troop 759. Six boys, from tall to small,

I've always used this link for the National Association of Presbyterian Scouters (NAPS): http://www.presbyterianscouters.org/ Today, I stumbled upon this link: http://www.johndisalvo.com/ Does anyone know anything about this second link? It looks very impressive; textwise, it appears that the content is the same.

I agree that if a CO won't allow a unit to use its EIN and won't allow the unit to get its own EIN, then its time to look for another CO. But just because a CO's EIN is public information is no reason that a unit should assume it can use the CO's EIN. We all know that many COs don't consider a unit to "part of itself". That may be true of LDS units, but I doubt if that's how most other COs look at Scout units. Let's face it, a Cub Scout Pack chartered by a (non LDS) church does not have the same relationship to the church as the Sunday School has, for example. And a Pack sponsored

SemperParatus: As the SHAC website says, if your CO is a school, PTA or business, you'll have to get your own EIN anyway. What do you suggest such units do? Get another CO? While we're talking about educating COs, its worth remembering that COs have only three responsibilities to their units: (1) Provide a place to meet (2) Appoint & approve leadership (3) Follow BSA policies I've never read anything that says the CO must share its EIN or bank account with the Cub Scout Pack it sponsors. That may explain why schools, PTAs and businesses are treated differentl

Bob & SemperParatus: If the CO won't allow the Cub Pack to use its EIN or bank account, and if the bank requires an EIN in order to open an account for the Pack, what do you suggest they do?

Many banks require an EIN in order for a Pack to open an account; and if the CO won't allow the use of their EIN, the Pack has to get their own.