frank10

See http://www.scouter.com/archives/Scouts-L/199403/0779.asp

OGE: " Just to be accurate, the Pope/The Catholic Church does not oppose birth control, only artificial means there of meaning natural methods are OK (IE Rhythm) " Since this topic is so far off track anyhow I'll reply to this... BTDT, Named her Maggie, she's almost a year old now and dang cute too... (plan was to wait another 3 months)... http://onmyhonor.com/baby

Curtis S. Read Scout resefrvation is about 30 miles north west of Lake George NY in the town of Brant Lake. It belongs to the Westchester-Putnam Council of NY. It has three camps, Buckskin (traditional dinning hall camp), Waubeeka (patrol cooking) and Summit base (stagging area for treks of all kinds plus rock climbing, indoor climbing walls, COPE (high and low), Zipline into pond and a lot more). The reservation also has a horse barn with 10 horses for use of all the camps. You can my summer camp phtos on my website http://onmyhonor.com or you can view the camps website at http://www.wpcbsa.org/Read/ See also the The Camp Read Alumni Association at http://www.craa.net/ Great camp.

You know, the Irish are the only group I know of that gets it right. Never heard one complaine about the rest of us wearing green on St. Patty's day. Not one peep about the Fightin' Irish and their mascot. Not even a word about Lucky Charms for breakfast. And if your thinking that's because every one thinks of them in a positive way. Ask your self why the police van is called a patty wagon? Insert any other ethnic name and see if it flies.

Thomcom, Looks like it is now a non-issue. The original poster replied that the Scoutmaster has steped down. But let this long haired motorcycle riding country boy be the first to welcome you to the campfire. BTW: just held Life Scout BOR for a young man with short hair... bright blue short hair. He passed just fine.

Eamonn, When it comes to the how and what, I'll leave that to heath class and home. I'd be willing to bet there isn't one in the troop who doesn't know. But you are leading in the most important way. You are teaching them how a man should interact with his child. It is the best you could offer a youngman. If he sees the hours you put in and the support you give then he is one step closer to understanding what a father should be. I'd say don't worry too much about what you say, let them watch what you do. If he can see what it is to be a father maybe he will be informed of when he is ready. Bottem line, your doing great, take a bow.

B.W. - Please reread our own reply about Pro-scouters having to determin who gets called back first... Can you see how this might relate? Panaha, I would say there is no min level but when the scout comes up for his next rank he'd have to answer the question when and how did he show scout spirit. There are many ways but he'd have to explaine how he did it.

K.S. - "What sorts of infractions could result in revocation? That's in the G2SS, too; same page. "Physical violence, hazing, bullying, theft, verbal insults, and drugs and alcohol have no place in the Scouting program and may result in the revocation of a Scout's membership in the unit." " Well that just about covers every boy I've ever met. (Grin)

There are reasons but before I get into them let me start off by saying scouts who are asked to leave are very few and far between. 1) When a scouts partisipation creates an unaccaptable risk to himself, the scouts, the unit leaders or the unit as a whole. 2) when the scout is no longer getting any thing out of the program *AND* is a major drain on the troop. 3) When the member is such a drain on the program that we can no longer justify his negitive impact on the program. (Can only recall one case and he left on his own after we caught him breaking into an airport while on a campout next to it. Had he come back he would have been sent home.) 4) when the needs of the scout could be better served by an other toop the youth may be informed of this as an option to the boy. (example: Scout was the only one with in 2 years of his age. We helped get him into a unit where he would not be a babysitter. Hated to see him go.)

fotoscout: You may have a point but first I'd find out where they are located. Not every one is frozen over. Lanchejos: How about "needle in a haystack"... fill a childrens pool with hay and giver them a set amount of time to find the needle. Peppermint sticks work well.

We do a big event at a local campout each year... COH, flag retirement and pot luck dinner and first campout for new scouts crossing over from Webelos. The camp has a covered dinning area. Troop adults take care if flipping the burgers and dogs. Parents take care of sidedishes and beverages. The scouts fire up the dutch ovens and make the desserts. BTW: the flags that are retired each year are from the reflaging of the vet's graves in town.

SPL-T15, I learned a long time ago that you can't judge a project by it's title. It's more what you put into that counts. I would ask the following of any project: Does it serve a real need? -building a bench is great but will anyone sit there? Will it have a lasting efect? -I could set up folding chairs but a bench will be there for years. Would it work out the same if you didn't do it? -Is the city planning to install a bench in hte same place? Would folks just sit some where else? What is your part in it? -did you do the labor or the leading? If I walked in that day what would I see you doing? Would I know who was in charge? As for your project? NOT MY PLACE TO SAY! Ask your scoutmaster.

The transportation problem can be solved by turning it over to the boys. Tell each patrol that they must provide their own drivers. Same as they plan for their own food.

A.C. Glad to hear you are ok. I'd just like to use it as a chance to point out that the rule is one helmet, one crash. It should be (make that must be) replaced after one hit to the ground. The shell may be ok but the foam liner is used up. As a motorcyclist this topic comes up a lot. I love the question "Do you use a helmet?" Reply is "Not on a good day but I wear it just in case."

We just finished up our food drive... 20 scouts put our a total of 2000 bags. The food bank estimates the take was $7,200 in food and $5 in cash. We also support the mailmen when they do their food drive. We set up outside the food bank with a grill and serve lunch to the mail men (and ladies). The scouts unload the trucks and sort the food while the mail folks are chowing down on tube steaks. When the food bank has their zitti dinner the scouts do setup and clean up. Service hours are never a problem in our unit. Best of all, the Scouts love it!

A scout is forgiving

--What part of the mess kit to take? --Leave multitool at home?? if it is not for cooking - your knife, a spoon, a plastic bowl and camp mug. If it is for cooking, I'd have to see the menu.

Wear it or not, it's up to you. BUT... If you do choose to wear it, make a commitment to wear it every time and wear it right (not just the shirt). half way is no way.

Tenderfoot. CC for the troop and round table comish.

I've been a good scout/scouter please bring me.... We are trying to put togeather a list of sugested items for our scouts and scouters to give to their families. Too many scouts tell us they don't have teh $$ for things like rain gear and boots but the first meeting after Christmas they a show up with the latest electronic games and such. My tinking is if we start now maybe we can see a few backpacks and sleeping pads under the tree. We plan to have a list for scouts and a list for scouters. Any ideas? Book titles? Gear? Clothing?

Two that the boys have used that I like are Bad Banana and Big Top patrols. A few years ago we couldn't get the boys to create their own patrol flags. The adults made two for them.. the Petunia and The Daisy patrols, next week they had their own flags.

Victory? That's returning from camp with not just the right number of scouts but the same ones as you left with.

"Can we demand anyone to pray ?" No. It's the same as the campfire, I can't make them laugh at the skits but they will be there just the same.

The problem is action not image. The boys know you smoke and I'm sure some of them do too. We try to give them a program where healthy living is the order of the day. I would also ask that over weight / out of shape leaders eat balanced healthy meals on scout events. Just harder to define than smoking since ther is no healthy amount of smoke.

I think I know the camp for you... Look into the C. S. Read Scout reservation in Brant lake NY. It's not far from VT (assuming that's where you call home??). Their summercamp program provides a mix that may just what the scoutmaster ordered. Your whole troop can stay in base camp while the older scouts leave out of Summit base ( http://www.wpcbsa.org/SummitBase/ ) on a trek or canoe trip or a caving trip or just about any other type of trip you can think of. They also run year round weekend programs there ( http://www.wpcbsa.org/SummitBase/Trek/ ). ALSO: Ask the folks at your round table. I'm sure some of the other troops are doing the trips you are looking for.