GopherJudy

"Santa" left my son Mark the Family Life merit badge book, a hot spark & a mending kit in his Christmas stocking! Mark's 11 & he doesn't believe in Santa but my daughter who's 9 still does so I reminded Mark to believe for her & also his younger cousins, 4 & almost 3!

I also got Mark the Boy Scout knit hat & 2006 calendar - really cool pics on the pages, gloves & thermal underwear from Wal-Mart for winter camping. He of course got video & computer games from my brother & SIL & their children, Harry Potter DVD set & clothes.

I got some money from my brother, SIL & family & I think I'm going to buy myself one of the Cub Scout Leader how to books, the correct name escapes my brain cell at this moment! LOL! That will give me some ideas for my Tiger Cubs!

Unfortunately (sp?) there's nothing at the Girl Scout store to get as stocking stuffers like there is at the Boy Scout Store! A lot of the items at the Girl Scout store you can buy anywhere - like stuffed animals (not even Girl Scout related), pens, pencils etc.

I hope that everyone had a nice Christmas.

Judy

P.S. I'm sorry if I spelled Hanakkuh incorrectly, I wasn't able to read the small print on the calendar.

I wouldn't have the boys who didn't earn the AOL participate in the AOL Ceremony, that wouldn't be fair to the other boys who worked hard & earned it.

The boys that haven't earned the AOL & want to continue & meet the age requirements for Boy Scouts should cross over with the boys that earned the AOL.

The boy who won't be 11 til May & if he hasn't earned the AOL at the B&G could cross over to Boy Scouts in May or June. You could have a simple crossing over ceremony at a pack meeting in May or June with the SM & a few boys from Boy Scout troop that he wished to join in attendance.

Good luck!

Judy

When my son's den (7 boys total) crossed over in March 2005 the pack gave them portable hiking stools & they were about $8.00 each. The DL who's also the CM works in NJ & picked them up at the Campmor store, I had checked out the website to see what they had & the prices. They were handy when the boys went camping with their troop. they had a place to sit!

I think giving them something they can use as a Boy Scout is very useful. If they don't have any of these things already how about a compass, canteen, mess kit & utensils, belt bag or fanny pack & my mind just went blank!

I'm sure if you check out the websites for Campmor, Sports Authority, Wal-Mart & other places you could come up with ideas too!

Good luck!

Judy

Isn't that a lot of Eagle Scouts? Do the LDS scouts have different requirements for Eagle Scout? The reason I'm asking this is because it's been mentioned here that they do some things different & at the moment the only thing I can think of is that they don't have Tiger Cubs & I think someone said their Cub Scout dens are arranged (can't think of a better term) differently that other dens.

Judy

I'm glad that the boy is doing ok! What I don't get is why would anyone have a pocketknife while raking leaves & with the blade out too? It's real freaky!

Judy

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all! May everyone have a special day with family & friends!

Judy

Glad you like the idea & were able to check out the patch on the Council's website! Good luck! The Webelos were very proud to receive the Support Our Military Patch & other boys in the pack received it in November. I will have my Tigers work on it - the flag ettiquette & folding - in May when it's closer to Memorial Day, our pack marches in the parade & Flag Day, we go & participate in a flag retirement ceremony.

Let me know how the boys do in earning that patch.

Judy

Happy Solstice to all!

I don't know how wishing someone this is following pagan beliefs! The 1st thing I thought of when I saw this was an episode of the children's show "Little Bear"! They celebrated the winter solstice & put out food for the animals! My 2 children watched this show when they were younger & I watched it with them & we enjoyed it!

Judy

Acco,

That was funny! Thanks! Was that when Rod Stewart was with Faces? My brain cell is a little foggy on that!

Miss Moody Judy

Our council, Suffolk County Council, has a Support Our Military Program patch. You might want to check to see if your council has that. Good luck!

Judy

I know that I'm overweight & have had a weight problem most of my life. I know I should exercise & eat better but unfortunately due to severe stress - not scouting related - I tend to eat what I shouldn't! I'm sure a lot of people to that besides me!

I do want to start walking again so I'll be able to march with the pack in the Memorial Day Parade without huffing & puffing my way through town! I hope to accomplish this & fairly soon!

Judy

When I was the AWDL for my son's den, the boys called me Mrs. Bain at the den/pack meeting & my son called me Mom! Outside of scouts, there were 2 families that we were friends with & the boys called me Judy which was fine with me as there are personal reasons why I didn't want to be called Mrs. Bain.

I'm a Tiger DL this year even though Mark is in Boy Scouts now & the boys call me Miss Judy. I think that's easier for them & I have no problem with it.

The boys call the DL's Mrs. + last name or Miss + first name, all of the DL's are female & the CM is Mr. + last name.

The boys in my son's troop call the SM & ASM's Mr. + last name. IMHO I think it should be that way.

Judy

No Semper, you're not strange, I think we all are! I know I am & I'm proud of it! LOL!!

I didn't do it til I read your post! But, I do "tickle" the photo of my 2 children that I have as my wallpaper! I'll "tickle" their underarms, tummies & noses with the cursor! They get embarrassed when I do that in front of them! Hee Hee!!

Good luck with "your problem"! LOL!!

Judy

Good grief! If a parent gets that upset over the term "Holiday Party", they need some serious therapy. They're being rather childish over this & to want to pull their sons out of the troop is so absurd! I wouldn't worry over it & if they want to leave over something so trivial then let them! My son's troop had a Holiday Party yesterday, the term does not offend me & the boys had a good time.

OGE's quote of Rick Nelson's song "Garden Party" is right on the mark. Life is too short to have to deal with nonsense like this.

Judy

Baden,

I think what you do for 1st year Boy Scouts is a great idea! I wish my son's troop did that. It's a great way to get involved & to see what skills the new boys have. My son did go camping a few weeks after he joined, the 2 NSP went along with older boys but I think it would have been better if it was focused on the new scouts & getting acclimated to what is expected of them at the Boy Scout level.

Judy

This is a great question as my son Mark crossed over to Boy Scouts in March 2005! There were 7 boys from his pack (the troop & pack have the same CO) & 6 boys from the SM's son's pack (a different pack # & CO). All 13 boys are still active in the troop & 8 boys (4 from each NSP) have earned Tenderfoot & are almost done with 2nd class.

Now when my son 1st joined a few of the older scouts helped out & 2 of them, 15 at the time now 16 & in 11th grade thought he was a cool kid! Now, my son was 10.5 & in the last half of 5th grade at the time & thought that these 2 scouts were cool & when I told him that they thought he was cool his eyes lit up! He was so happy that 2 teenagers thought he was cool!

I think that AM59 is right that the younger boys will gravitate to the older ones that will listen & believe in them. It gives the younger boys a sense of belonging & feeling important.

Semper's ideas are great & true! The same with Troop185's, it's important to get the new scouts involved so they feel like they belong, that they're not being left out of things because they're new to the troop.

I had something else to say but my daughter woke up & starting walking around in her sleep & I had to guide her back to bed. I have lost my train of thought!

Judy

I'm 48 & I grew up in the 60's & 70's too & wore bell bottoms, hip huggers (not that low), halter tops & hot pants BUT I was older when I wore them. I was in high school & not in elementary school! There is no need for a little girl to look like a hooker! That's the whole thing, trying to find decent clothes for little girls!

Judy

I agree about the clothes. It is sad to see girls dress like this & really sad when they're young! My daughter is 9 & I have a lot of trouble trying to find clothes that are appropriate for a 9 yeara old. Most of the clothes are rather provocative & I will not buy them for her. Also, I won't buy her hip huggers either! She doesn't need to be exposing herself & her butt crack. I only buy her a one piece bathing suit, no two piece or bikini's! It's a shame that most of the stores have "slutty" clothes for this size group 7-16. Hopefully one day someone will wake up & make decent clothes for girls.

Judy

I'm sure that they're are lots of reasons! I do use my first name but I would never use my first & last name because there are some whackos out there; not here but surfin' the net!

I'm on the children's group The Wiggles message board, been there since January 2001 & I'm really original in that I sign in with "Judy-Long Island NY"!!! LOL!

I wanted to use something sorta cute & I came up with Gopher Judy! In case you're wondering how I arrived at that, I'll tell you! When my son was in Webelos, I was the Assistant Den Leader, we had a problem parent. I had called her up about something, she was giving me a hard time, I was explaining things to her nicely & then she had the audacity to call me the Den Leader's go-fer! After I got off the phone with her & thinking about her calling me a go-fer, the song from the movie "Caddyshack" popped into my head & I started singing the song & dancing the the gopher in the movie! Henceforth, I came up with Gopher Judy! BTW, when I e-mailed the DL who was also the CM I typed in "Gopher" instead of "Judy"! LOL!!!

Good luck with thinking of a new name if that's what you want to do! I can't tell you how to change it, I'm not that computer lit! Take care!

Judy

I'm having problems too! I thought it was because I haven't been here in a while! I was getting a syntax error message when I clicked on a topic on the right side. Then I decided to click on "More Discussion Topics" & I was able to see the forum! I have no clue why that is! Good Luck!

Judy

I'm sure that there are a lot of reasons & 1 of the reasons was mentioned at our Roundtable last month - burnout! I can't expand upon that because I'm not there yet.

My son crossed over to Boy Scouts in March & I felt very "lost" & "denless". I was hoping to get involved with the troop committee but was told that they don't need my help, maybe in September! I'm still involved with the Pack though! I'm a Tiger Den Leader now & no, I don't have a son in Cub Scouts! When we had our fall recruitment I said if none of the parents want to be the Tiger DL that I would do it. I have 2 boys in my den & I'm having a great time, they are very eager & enthusiastic. We were hoping for more but the sad thing is, is that when the parents were told that they had to stay for the Tiger den meetings, they didn't want to & didn't sign their son up! I will be with these boys til they graduate from Webelos & hopefully more will sign up.

I'm sure uncooperative parents don't help either! I've dealt with that when Mark was in Webelos!

Judy

This was in today's Newsday, I copied & pasted the article. It's such a shame. The Scout troop was in Great Neck (Nassau County, Long Island) but the "leader" was from Bayside,Queens which I found strange since you would think that most of the leaders would live in the same area as the troop. It didn't mention if he had any sons in the troop or if he had any children at all. Both towns, Great Neck & Bayside are near the Queens/ Nassau border. It's very sad too because this "leader" even took YPT!

Judy

Long Island Newsday

Scout leader took abuse course

Volunteer leader charged with abusing boy in troop completed an abuse prevention program, official says

BY CYNTHIA DANIELS

STAFF WRITER

August 21, 2005

A volunteer Boy Scout leader accused of sexually abusing a member of his Great Neck troop took a two-hour abuse prevention program three months before the alleged actions started, a Boy Scout official said.

Ronald Occhipinti, 50, of 58-14 East Hampton Blvd. in Bayside, Queens, brought the alleged victim, now 13, to his home on several occasions between Sept. 1, 2003, and Aug. 6, 2005, the Queens district attorney's office said.

There, he had the child remove his clothes and pose in "lewd and obscene positions, which then photographed," according to a release from the district attorney's office.

Police are investigating whether there were additional victims, said Nicole Navas, spokeswoman for the Queens district attorney.

Edward McLaughlin, senior executive for the Theodore Roosevelt Council 386 in Massapequa, which oversees Nassau County's scouting programs, did not know how long Occhipinti had worked with Troop 183.

He said records showed Occhipinti had received the training in June 2003.

The training, McLaughlin said, should "protect youth and adult members from being involved in situations where a potential abuse could take place."

It also explains Scouting rules, such as prohibiting one-on-one contact between a leader and a Scout.

"He did take the training we required of him," McLaughlin said. "Then he turned around and completely violated the training and rules and regulations we as an organization set for our adult leaders."

A source close to the case said an Internet photo of the victim, wearing a visible troop number, led police to Occhipinti, an employee of a Long Island burglar alarm company.

Occhipinti was arraigned late Friday on seven charges, including sexual abuse, use of a child in a sexual performance and endangering the welfare of a child, the Queens district attorney's office said.

He had never been arrested before, Navas said.

Queens Criminal Court Judge Robert Raciti in Kew Gardens set Occhipinti's bail at $250,000 and issued an order of protection, prohibiting him from contacting the victim, Navas said.

If convicted, Occhipinti could be sentenced to up to 25 years in prison, Navas said.

Occhipinti could not be reached for comment. Calls to his home were not answered.

"There's a sense of shock that one of our leaders we trusted with our youngsters has done this," McLaughlin said. "It's a very sad situation."

Eamonn,

Thanks! Maybe my son Mark will be able to go the the next Jambo!

Congratulations to the Scout who had his Eagle COH! What a proud moment that is!

Sorry to hear about your ASM's son gettin injured in Iraq, I hope that all is well with him & his family.

Judy

Eamonn,

I'm so glad to hear that you & your boys had a great time at the Jamboree despite the heat & humidity! I'm sure that you'll need a week to recuperate! I hope that when my son Mark is older, he'll be 11 next month & received his Tenderfoot rank on June 14th that he'll be able to go to the next Jamoree.

You said that your lads were young, how old does a scout have to be to go to the jamboree? Take care & have a great day!

Judy

First let me say this, the past several years I have grown to hate cell phones! I think that a lot of people using them (adults & children) have absolutely not ettiquette (?sp) regarding when to use a cell phone. There is nothing so rude to be at a school event, church or somewhere else & as someone is speaking to the audience someone's cell phone goes off & a conversation is started. It is so annoying to be eating in a restaurant, whether it's Red Lobster, Friendly's, TGI Fridays or Burger King than to have some yakking away on his cell phone during the meal! The height of rudeness as far as I'm concerned! Or driving! yes there are some people, despite the law in Suffolk County that bans talking on hand-held cell phones while driving, still yak on the phones! I almost got hit by some jerk driving & talking on a cell phone! I was in the pedestrian crosswalk (the cars are supposed to stop for a pedestrian in the crosswalk, a state law I believe), I had checked before I stepped into the crosswalk & no car was coming & then as I was halfway across a car was coming but going very slow (as they almost hit me I knew why they were going slow, they were talking on a cell phone) & this minivan almost hits me because the driver wasn't paying attention as she was yakking on her cell phone. I yelled to her that you're not supposed to be talking on the phone while driving! There's nothing so annoying & rude to be in a store & have to hear someone's cell phone conversation while you're shopping! What did they do before cell phones? I think they can manage to shop at Wal-Mart without the need to talk on a cell phone! Those walkie talkie phones are even worse!

As for a child needing a cell phone, I think it's ridiculous. Yes, you hear of stories where a child was able to save someone because they had a cell phone but those stories aren't enough to warrant a child having a cell phone. Besides, most of them are "toys" as they have games, etc. on them!

As for scouts & camping, I don't think it's a necessity for a scout to have a cell phone, especially as others have mentioned, new scouts; makes them too homesick & they have games on them, in my opinion. I think the SM should have a phone for emergencies only. I think electronics are distracting while camping, everyone should be enjoying nature! Maybe on a hike, one cell phone but turned off & for emergency use only.

I had a cell phone & only used it in emergencies, like when my car broke down & had to be towed; when I had a flat tire & if I was running late coming home from work. I pulled over to make the call. I don't have one now because I had lost my job & couldn't pay the bill. When I find a job again, I'm not sure if I'll get another one, but if I do, it will always be turned off & for emergencies only!

Judy