FlashScout

Asking permission to hug is a good approach. Youth need hugs. I need hugs - from my kids and my wife. Many Scouts have come up to me and hugged me, and I don't hesitate to hug back - appropriately, of course.

Slouchhat reminded me of when I worked with an American troop in northern Germany. We had a molester who was caught with some of the boys in the troop(he was NOT working with the troop). We were on a camp-out in Luxemburg and one of the boys was crying. The SPL and I took him down the hill to talk to his mom who calmed him down. I found out he was worried about testifying against the man and worried about his Dad who was in Saudi for the start of the first Gulf War. I got permission from her and the Scout and I hugged him. It still brings a tear to my eye.

Don't say we can't hug when they need it.

As for other touching and stroking hair or cheeks/pinching butts, I say it's wrong and needs to be addressed. Not prosecuted, mind you, but warn the adult and if the behavior doesn't stop, remove him from the troop. I don't want to see another kid in that situation ever again.

Wellll, it didn't work Sunday, but it did last night. My work computer is temperamental about flash player so it doesn't work for me now. I'll check it again tonight.

Check out the latest on the www.scouting.org site. They have a quick video montage to get us excited about Jambo 2010. Dates are listed as

July 26 - August 4.

I hope to be Scoutmaster of the troop from our council. I was 1stASM in '05 and my son will be 13. Meet me at the Hill!

I think it's worth it, at least once. As a youth I chose the National OA Conference over Jambo (showing my age - that only happened in '81) and didn't regret it. In '05 I was 1st ASM for my council troop and had a great time. My Webelo son is pumped because he will be 13 in '10 and can go.

The event is unique - check out the scouting.org site for a new preview video. All in all, I've personally had better/cheaper Scouting experiences backpacking in Colorado, skiing in Austria, scuba diving in Texas, canoeing in Arkansas. But Jambo is unique and I want to do it one more time with my son.

As for the weather, some Jambo's have been nothing but rain, the last one had unrelenting heat until the moment the opening show was supposed to start, next time it might be relatively cool. The key is to BE PREPARED.

Folks talked about the death march. Yes, it was a bad, dangerous decision to go forward with the march, especially since the show was likely to be cancelled anyway due to the front and lightning storm coming.

But our troop was prepared. The leaders bought hot dogs, chips and powerade for the youth and made eveyone eat before 3 PM. We carried all the water and electrolytes we could with us, knowing it would be thrown away before we entered. During the 3 hour hike we scavenged all the water we could and sang to keep up morale. The only problem any of our guys had was desperately needing to use the bathroom by the time we reached the show site.

The health and safety issues of Jamboree are your biggest concerns. Having a second asst. SM with military medical training was priceless. He pushed hydration PLUS electrolytes.

Plan, prepare, and train and it will be worth it.