gwd-scouter

Game has started. Don't really care who wins. Usually just watch to see who sings the National Anthem and for the commercials. My opinion - Absolutely the worst performance of the National Anthem that I've ever heard.

OGE - yes, of course, there are people alive today that survived Nazi concentration camps and witnessed Pearl Harbor. Not suggesting there aren't. I also am not suggesting that anyone ever forget those tragedies or those that happened more recently. I was only suggesting that 9/11 is still too fresh in people's memory and that the distance of time might make it easier for people to watch a news program or documentary showing the towers falling.

I've heard some people say they get upset seeing the images of the twin towers falling, but am not aware of any real controversy. I remember, vaguely, a time when people were upset over the challenger disaster being shown over and over again. I wonder if the distance of time makes a difference? No one seems upset these days over pictures of Pearl Harbor or Nazi concentration camps. Although not "real" but accurately portrayed, highly-rated movie productions such as Band of Brothers and Saving Private Ryan depict events in which many more people were killed, but I've never hea

OK. In reading a charter renewal, first point on CO side says: Conduct the Scouting program according to its own policies and guidelines as well as those of the Boy Scouts of America. So, I guess that means a CO can restrict membership in the Troop, even though the BSA cannot restrict membership based on a boy's particular religeon. Let me restate my question then. How many of you run your Troop in accordance with your CO mission or religeous customs. And, if you do follow CO religeous custom, do you screen new Scouts? (This message has been edited by gwd-scouter)

Our Troop is small - 12 boys. It's been around for 8 years and the largest it's been is 16 boys. We have always had trouble recruiting. Our feeder Pack has never been well organized and usually has to start over every year. Last year we got one Scout - this year we aren't getting any. We have two very large Troops in town. One fed by a huge Pack, the other by the YMCA. The other Troops and Packs are small and have similar recruiting/organization problems that we do. I was Cubmaster of that huge Pack (100+ boys) and loved it. However, when my oldest crossed over to the large Troop, h

I know that a church charter organization cannot require its Troop members to also be members of the church, but can it require the Troop to follow its teachings/beliefs (i.e., prayers at meetings, Sunday service during a campout, etc.).

I would like to add one more thing - about the Pledge. When you recite it, do you pause after saying "one Nation......Under God. No comma in the actual legal (Congress approved) version. Should be said with one fluid sentence One Nation under God, - all one sentence, no pause Indivisible, With liberty and justice for all. Not like we all learned to say and most of us still say it: One Nation, Under God, Indivisible, etc. etc. The Scouters in my District and Council are making an effort (at leader trainings, district and council camporees): if you're goin

Only have one thing to add to this discussion. About the Pledge and "liberals" trying to take Under God out of it. It wasn't there in the first place! Original Pledge: Frances Bellamy in 1892, as Chairman of the National Education Association prepared a program for public school celebration of Columbus Day. He structured this public school program around a flag raising ceremony and a flag salute. As he called it, his "Pledge of Allegiance." "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and (to*) the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Does your troop Committee (or other leaders) help an Eagle plan his ceremony? My son earned his Eagle in 2001 and we were completely in the dark about planning a ceremony. No one in the Troop offered any help, just said "it's your ceremony, do whatever you want." I know the Scout can have whatever kind of ceremony he wants, wherever he wants, etc. etc. My question is simply, how many of you out there have Troops that actually help and work with the scout in the planning (i.e., script, location, speakers, food, etc.). And, if you do help, what kind of help?

Just received the Eagle Scout awards for our Troop's newest Eagle and I noticed that the pins are different than those my son earned in 2001. The mother's pin is round instead of Eagle shaped. Also, there is a gold mentor pin included now. Am assuming the Eagle Scout awards the mentor pin to whomever he likes. Is that right? Is that done during an Eagle Ceremony?

Heading to Camp Old Indian Scout Reservation, South Carolina. A few scouts working on Adventure to Eagle, hopefully we'll get a few new Scouts this spring and they'll do the Pathfinder Program. Others will have their choice of activities and merit badges to fill up their time. Been to COI for many many years and always have a great time!

Lisa'bob. I think it's universally true that there are those dedicated Scouters out there that hold more than one position and actually do them all well. Then again, there are those Scouters that hold multiple positions that do poorly at all of them. I've seen both. Those that hold muliple jobs and do them well are usually doing it for the Scouts. Those that hold multiple jobs and do them poorly, are usually in it for themselves (just another knot on their uniform). Perhaps your returning leader simply wants to see the pack succeed and is offering his help - you say the pa

As an addition, I did go to Scoutmaster Outdoor Leader Skills last year and attended a class on lightweight stoves. But, it was all show and tell with no real demonstration as to their abilities. So, I've found so much wonderful info on this forum, I figured I'd ask to find out more about all the different stoves.

Thanks guys for responding. I guess my question was too open ended. That's simply because of my lack of knowledge. The only experience I have with a backpack stove is the one my oldest son won as an award from his Troop for selling popcorn. The type that screws on to a small propane bottle. He always said it was cumbersome to carry the propane bottle and he could never tell when the bottle was close to empty. Oldest son was part of a troop that did a lot of backpacking, but he left after a couple of year to join a different troop. That is the Troop his younger brother and I are now a pa

Lisabob. Must agree with the posts already given. If someone wants to volunteer, unless there is some underlying reason to deny them, I would say welcome aboard. It is so hard to find volunteers! Of course, it really depends on why the former leader wants to return. You say you have a specific situation in mind. Without knowing the particulars, it is difficult (at least for me) to give anything but a positive answer to accepting the returning cub leader. Now, if that cub leader showed poor judgement in his/her past duties, didn't get along with others, etc. etc., then maybe there wo

I have held many position in Scouts over the years, some at the same time. I have a yellow blouse for Cubscouting (retired for a few years now, but it does get pulled out now and again if I'm asked to help out a new Pack)and a tan shirt for Boy Scouting and District functions. While Cubmaster and Cub Scout Resident Camp Director, I always wore the yellow blouse. At the same time, I was also District Training Chair and Troop Committee member and wore the tan shirt for those functions. I never bothered with the silver loops while District Trainer since I never wore the District C

Hello repelsteeltje - welcome to the forums. I took a look at some of the pictures on your website. It seems Scouts will be Scouts no matter where they are from - having good times together. I also noticed that your groups seem to have boys and girls together at all age levels. Is this true? Our organization (USA) is for boys only in Cubscouts and in Boy Scout Troops. We do have coed Units called Venture Crews for boys and girls aged 14-21. Looking forward to reading your posts and learning more about Scouting in Holland.

Scouter4321 How are things working out with our Troop? Hope you've found some words of wisdom on this Forum. It's been 2 months since I last posted to this topic and wanted to give an update on progress of the Troop becoming more boy run. In December, the PLC planned and carried out their first completely boy run Court of Honor. Great job done by all. The only adult part was mine at the end when I did a SM minute. This month, they've been planning their cold weather camping trip. 1st week, Patrols got together to suggest what they'd like to see done at the campout. Then, 2n

Our Troop has had By-Laws since it's inception in 1998, but no success in enforcing them. The Troop was started by a leader from another Troop (that had By-laws). So, naturally, he used their By-Laws and modified them a bit for the new Troop. All the Scouts were required to sign along with their parents. Couple years later, by-laws were modified slightly and signed again. Then, I took over as SM last year and modified By-laws again. Never at any time did the Scouts have any input on this - it was all done by the adult leaders. The main reason I continued enforcing the by-laws was because

Interesting...I'm glad I'm not in charge of determining how many months must go by before someone can truly show remorse or a change in character.

An avatar is a small picture, sometimes animated, used to represent yourself when you're online. See them a lot with instant messaging.

Just beginning my 2nd year as Scoutmaster and because of these forums I am also beginning to regularly use a SM minute at the close of our weekly meetings. I was reluctant to do a SM minute since I was barely staying above water this past year trying to reorganize and keep our troop going. And, I didn't have a lot of confidence in my ability to say something meaningful that didn't come across as contrived or pithy. But, your contributions to the SM Minutes have given me plenty of materials to use. For the past couple of months, I have tried to find a minute that fits in with wh

Lynda J - what a wonderful post! We can all be reminded from time to time that everyone deserves a second chance. Had a young man in our troop who was arrested (misdemeanor) several months before he was to finish his Eagle Project. The story was in the local paper so news spread quickly. Was told by some scouters that I should tell him to give it up - he would never make Eagle. Then, there were others who said give him a chance to overcome his mistake. Overcome it he did. He came in front of all the Scouts in the troop and told them what he had done (on his own, no one told him he had to

Was wondering if any of you have favorites/recommendations for lightweight camp stoves for backpacking.

Calico - your post is the most clearly stated explanation of how to stay warm on winter campouts I've seen. May I borrow please for our Troop's upcoming cold weather trip?