Jump to content

Fuzzy Bear

Members
  • Content Count

    1833
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Fuzzy Bear

  1. Over the years, I have witnessed Eagle Scouts that slipped in the back door at the last minute, one that ripped off the ASM's home about a month after receiving the high honor, one that denied God before getting it, one that ripped off his fellow Scouts/ers at a Camporee and a few that just didn't seem to measure up. I have also witnessed those that grew Scoutingly over the years and were the best examples of where we were supposed to be going with this program. Some of these Scouts appear to bigger than life. If you stay around for awhile, there will be a mixed bag and sometimes, it is jus
  2. This isn't too far afield but there was a recent report on global warming. We need to sharpen up our sea-faring skills. It looks like Sea Scouting is fixing to take off for the millions along the coasts. fb
  3. I cannot count the number of times that I have gone to District Committee meetings and heard Committee Chairs say, I need help for... This happens monthly and by almost every Chair. Visit any unit Committee meeting and there will be the same requests being made. Yesterday, I went to our monthly OA meeting and the Advisor began his lament. 'The OA is going under, nobody will...on and on.' I volunteered. Here is what is different about my assuming another position than in the past. I define what job(s) are essential to fix the problem. I define what job (only 1) that I am intere
  4. Most all of us that are in Scouting for any length of time will wind up without a son or relative in it. Having a son in Scouting may be reason enough to join but to stay beyond that time takes a love for the program. There is no reason to condemn someone's love or to make one feel guilty for finding a second home there. People today are more aware of the kinds of problems that some have had that work with youth but that is the minority. The Catholic Church has had its' share of problems but all priests are not to be condemned because they are single and love serving God. Care and awarene
  5. The statistics on the Webelos remaining show that retention is difficult, regardless of approach. Food, Fun and Fellowship is a good combination for welcoming new Scouts and parents. Forming a new Patrol for the newcomers and adding a Guide and an ASM is also good. Integrating new Scouts into established Patrols with traditions can also work. I would add that a good Boy-led program that is consistently evaluated along with solid committee support and requesting that one parent per Scout do one thing (i.e., office, event or fulfilling one need) per year works. I ha
  6. I teach that the best axe is a good pair of leather gloves for gathering and breaking small deadfall but only if we are not using stoves. Gloves are lightweight, multi-use and can also be used as hot pot-grabbers. We dont use that which is needed for the habitat or beauty unless it is necessary. If we must build a fire, I bring along a small back-packing saw for cutting one to two inch deadfall. I contrast this method, LNT, to the exclusive use of fires when I was a Scout and prefer the LNT, even though I love the warming and cooking of/on a campfire. fb
  7. Doug and I, two Eagle Scouts both with their Paul Punyan awards (I suppose the Punyan award allows one to always be a Punyan; once a Punyan, always a Punyan) stood outside the Scout Hut one bright and gleaming Saturday morn. Both of us dressed in our red jackets with the Philmont cows tail over our shoulders and the Punyan above our pockets for cutting down and chopping up some unsuspecting trees in the forest (they really do make a sound). We carefully surveyed the big, old, long dead tree leaning precariously toward our beloved Hut. We knew the job that had to be done was in violation of
  8. I collect Scout books, generally first editions; my goal is to have a small collection. There appears to have always been debates on size, portability and being able to add-to. I imagine that making decisions by committee keeps everyone frustrated. One day (soon), Scout books will be on the Internet, on disc and access will be in any form that one desires. I suppose there will still be detractors. fb
  9. I can't add anything, so I will echo... Tell everyone that training is required. Get trained; get others trained as well. No training within District; go out of District for Training. (Check the Internet) File a Tour Permit, nothing else counts if you don't. No Baloo training, no outing, go home. Be willing to talk to the storm; blame Scouting, it's their game. fb
  10. We never worried about the size of our Troop but I worried that our Scouts would not welcome new Scouts/boys or Webelos when they visited. I made it a point to speak with our older Scouts and make sure that they understood that visitors take seriously their visits. I encouraged the Scouts to do special program features during those times. I usually did not go into the meeting until it was time for the SM M because I was generally in a SM conference or orientating new Scouts to our unit or working with each new Tenderfoot. I depended on the Scouts to do their jobs. They responded positivel
  11. A few years ago as SM our SPL pulled a real bonehead play on one campout. He lead a few Scouts to town during a mid-night run, made purchases against Scout policy, and returned by taxi to enjoy the fruit of those purchases. They couldn't keep their mouths shut and soon all was known without me ever moving from my rocking chair. Of course the story grew in transit back to town that Sunday. More involvement from others, more problems arose and then the telephone began ringing. Even parents that had not been on the campout knew more than I did and our illustrious CC knew even more. M
  12. I find great sorrow knowing that the Punyan award has been dropped without making so much as a sound. fb
  13. gwd, Female or male you do not own all of the problems of the unit, unless you are the only one in the unit, which you said you are not. Boys join a program and they are there to learn to run it; your job is to teach them how. Let someone else worry about the numbers, like the DE or the COR or the CC. Ask the Scouts about how they feel about their program. Ask them if they want more Scouts. Ask them if they are willing to bring their friends to the meetings and campouts. Ask them if they are proud of what they are doing and want to share it with others. Recruiting is their jo
  14. Growing up in the Methodist Church allowed me to learn the doctrine by rote. We never discussed it, just said it in litany. It gave me a sense of security to have my beliefs said out loud once per week. I later questioned some of those things which didn't set well with anyone. I just wanted to know. I think that maybe others didn't understand either but questioning appeared to be denial so I came under suspicion but it was never disbelief. I suppose that is not what this thread about but it led me to do something that I never once regretted in Scouting because it took time away fro
  15. I work in an Agency where we have a Standard of Operating Procedures (SOP) manual. A new person comes in and two things happen. They are told to read the SOP and follow it carefully. They are then told how it has been interpreted over the years from the Old Timers. Now it just so happens if an Old Timer has been around for thirty years, they have certain interpretations that have been instilled from their inception into the Agency. If you go down the hallway and ask someone that has been there twenty or even ten years there are certain ideas or perceptions about the same item. A person
  16. To my many SMs, I know that wisdom does not come with age but the opportunity does present itself. Wisdom supersedes the boundaries of relevance and makes itself known and necessary for all the ages. It is in wisdom that we can find our way home and it is in wisdom that provides a way to have and keep one. Ask yourself what is it that one wants in life and what is life and where is life and the answers can only begun to be found among all the rubble of wisdom. Youth generally are not so much concerned with finding these answers because of all of the unnecessary baggage that comes with li
  17. I would like to thank robvio for posting here for whatever the reason, though, I think I learned more than he did. fb
  18. Bev, I have an am paying my health and home insurance for the time I will need it and I will need it just the same as any other person alive will need it. It is 100% sure that no matter how healthy a person is, sickness and death will come a-knocking. *This fact escapes many. People would slow down their lives if they truly understood it. Over the holidays, a young man we know went in for dental surgery and died. Another young lady went in for a stomach surgery and received an infection that ate away her intestines and she died as well. We can credit great medical advances fo
  19. The Jonesboro boys are back out and one was recently stopped with a handgun, so I suppose he has learned his lesson about rifles. It looks like learning a lesson has more to do with being able to cry at ones trial rather than any change of ones behavior. Taking responsibility is a lesson learned at any age and with any organization, right up to the presidency. Shelling out coins or spending time in jail or spending time replanting are all good exercises in returning what was taken from the rightful owners. It doesnt fix it but it goes a long way in making up the difference. Hiding out or
  20. Rob, I second or third my vote on the Training suggestion. I suggest leaving off the meeting place facelift. I would throw support toward building a Troop Committee first and then let the TC and your CO "discover" and get involved in those kinds of projects. As SM, your first responsibility is to help train young leaders. You can only do this by getting parental support through an active Committee and assistant SM's to lend strength to the direction. The goal is to get a group to do all of the many support jobs. As SM, you are a non-voting member of the TC,
  21. Just a few short years ago a couple of minors laid down on a hillside near an elementary school after pulling the fire alarm. They took their Grandfathers guns and shot kids and teachers down as they filed outside for safe haven from an imaginary fire. The reason for the acts of the shooters was never very clear but something else did come to light. Lawmakers finally took a good hard look at who should be responsible and what they had created with limits on minors. A few laws were changed. The lives of the families that had been impacted were forever changed. The shooters are now out and
  22. Let's assume for a minute that we actually know something about the overall happening. 2- 15 year old counselors, possibly first-class or better. Some fire prevention, fire building, fire safety training is required before they ever got to summer camp. 17- other Scouts First class or better. Similar kind of training.(clear violation of the LNT by numbers alone.) A fire is not required for the over-nighter on the Wilderness Survival MB, although they must show they can start fires using three methods. Nothing is stated that they were attempting to qualify for this requirem
  23. Gern, if someone wanted to commit a crime, there would be little opportunity to supervise their actions, unless, you are an accomplice. Utah: From July 31, 2006 for all federal state and private lands... (since rescinded in specific areas) The following acts are prohibited: 1. Setting, building, maintaining, attending or using open fires of any kind except campfires within approved fire pits. 2. Smoking except within a closed vehicle 3. Discharging, or using any kind of fireworksor other incendiary devices in any location on federal, state and unincorporated private lands.
  24. Responsibility for criminal actions by minors is varied by state and severity of crime. If Gern's minors commit a crime in her business, I doubt that she would be held responsible. 12 million dollars is noteworthy. If human life had been involved, then we would no longer be talking about the crime of burning down a large forested area. fb
  25. Gern says that as an employer that she is guilty for any wrongful acts of her employees. Follow the logic.... Let's apply the same principle of employer responsibility to the Forest Ranger that inadvertently started a fire due to her depression in 2002. She was not only found guilty of starting the fire but she also went to jail. Her employer, who was not responsible for the acts of a depressed employee, did not follow her to jail, and was not charged. It was not even a consideration. Most likely she paid for her own attorney and her insurance did not pay for the damage. In th
×
×
  • Create New...