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Indy_Owl

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Everything posted by Indy_Owl

  1. Our Crew was form 2 yrs ago - the first year was a real learning curve! Now that we are in the 2nd year the Crew Members have asked that the Advisors take a back-seat. Basically, speak only when spoken too! We have let them do it their way - but.... During the last three months: 1) communication - lacking 2) no long range goal / planning 3) events are planned but usually last minute or cancel due to poor planning 4) crew basically is lead by one person - who is trying - but doesn't seem to have the support of other crew members 5) Advisors / Committee struggling to understand
  2. Doing away with the Venture Patrol may actually be a good thing. You are one of the few that I have heard used the program correctly! Most troops use the Older boys as "babysitters" to the younger scouts (as my son says). He got tired of going to Troop meetings where as soon as he walked in the door he was being assigned a task that an ASM or even the Scoutmaster should be doing or told to grap a new scout and teach them knots! After awhile - he and others stopped going! This was the main reason we started a Venturing Crew (he and a friend asked to start a Crew - where they could do w
  3. Sometimes you just have to take the "Bull by the Horn!". I to knew nothing about the program BUT decided to learn all I could by doing research on the internet, finding training (which was in another council) and purchasing the all Venturing Manuals. Venturing is a GREAT program - problem, most Scouters (DE's, district, Council, etc.) know very little about the program. Since it's a youth ran program, that is flexible, it gets a little blurred at times! How are we building the excitment!? 1) Started a Venturing Crew. 2) The Crew become First Aid trained to assist at District Camporees as
  4. addl info: When it was decided to form a Venturing Crew - I also approached our distr DE who didn't have a clue what to do. It probably took several months of researching and driving 2 hrs + to another town where I located Venturing Leader training, to finally feel comfortable enough to start the Crew. It then took several addl months for the kids to feel comfortable with the program. What started with 5 is now almost 15 (several come - but haven't offically registr). Those fifteen are from 3 different schools in our district. Our first five members were frustrated BS and two girls w
  5. Our Crew was formed in June 2004. It start with two eagle scouts approaching my husband & I stating they were tried of being "Baby Sitters" for the troop and would like to be able to do the "High Adventure" stuff the troop had talked about but never did. Over the past year we went from 5 (three eagles scouts & 2 girls) to a active group of 12 to 15. We recently did a backpacking trip with 8 crew members and 6 advisors. The secret - be open minded to "Crew" activities and have an active calendar of events. We are chartered as a High Adventure / Outdoor Crew but not all our activiti
  6. The course that starts in a few weeks is taking a new approach to the "WB Ticket". A ticket example will be given. I believe this will be a first. As a TG for the current course, when I heard the SM presentation it was like a Light Bulb being turned on. I finally understood. Fortuately I'm an individual that doesn't give up, even when it become at times, very hard not to throw in the towel. I did pick-up my beads - "No" ceremony. My WB patrol (those of us who have been frustrated by the "ticket" process) have decided that when we complete our "Ticket", we would go and celebrate. We und
  7. SR540Beaver, My not wanting a ceremony due to WB is only part of the reason - though a major part. It is very hard to put into words. I to have been shocked at how easy some of the tickets have been in other groups. One Scoutmaster I know did a self evaluation - on himself - as Scoutmaster for his troop. Another did a survey of the moms and explained Boy Scouts to them - this was his diversity project. I'm not saying a newsletter could have been the ticket - but that I (and others in the Owl patrol) didn't have to make all the items major projects. We were told to make them attainab
  8. Where do I start... Your right you do have 18 month to complete. I was able to complete all of mine in 9 month. In part because as a Unit Commissioner, parts of the ticket (I know now there is only one)were center around the recharter time frame (Sept - May). Though my ticket was related to my role as a Unit Commissioner - each one could stand alone. The only thing in common was Unit Comissioner. When I went through WB somehow I interpret the Ticket as 5 tickets with five steps to complete each ticket. I now know now there is only one ticket with five steps to complete the ticke
  9. I would like to thank those who have responded! Last night I had my talk with my TG. The TG was surprised that my overall WB experience wasn't good (would rate it a 5). It was decided that if they could get the paperwork done by the time our Crew went to summer camp they would do the presentation at camp with just the Crew members present (my husband and son will also be there). I would "highly" recommend Wood Badge and I'm actually on staff for the upcoming course. I signed up two friends, etc but I would never want to participate again as a participant. The course is very good, I
  10. The Venturing Uniform is up to the Crew. BSA has an uniform - green dress shirt with BSA Gray pants. Our Crew designed a t-shirt to wear with "hiking" type shorts. They decided that the official dress uniform would be the BSA green shirt w/Dickie pants. This was after a very long discussion. There is a Crew in our area that their official uniform is a Hawaiian shirt with hiking shorts and sandals - socks optional in winter. They are chartered by a scuba shop. The problem is as an adult that is on district and council committees - they require the "official" BSA Venturing uniform. That
  11. The Venturing Uniform is up to the Crew. BSA has an uniform - green dress shirt with BSA Gray pants. Our Crew designed a t-shirt to wear with "hiking" type shorts. They decided that the official dress uniform would be the BSA green shirt w/Dickie pants. This was after a very long discussion. There is a Crew in our area that their official uniform is a Hawaiian shirt with hiking shorts and sandals - socks optional in winter. They are chartered by a scuba shop. The problem is as an adult that is on district and council committees - they require the "official" BSA Venturing uniform. That
  12. I found this discuss very interesting. BSA is co-ed it is called Venturing! I am involved in Venturing on a district and council level and haven't heard of any major problems with co-ed groups. Two our female crew members are Girl Scouts but joined our Crew because GS typically do not camp or do High Adventure outings! My problem, as a female leader on Cub, Troop and Venturing is not whether a group is co-ed but Woman being accepted as equals by their male counterpart! Just because your male doesn't mean you can camp, etc. I have found that our female crew members do better on camp
  13. Our Co-ed Crew has participated in several Camporees as staff - ran the First Aid, Canteen, and helped with events. We did not want to be seen as a threat to the Troops (especially the Scoutmasters) who do not understand the Venturing program. Though, at the last Camporee there was a Crew that participated in the events. When we camp, we follow the "Guide to Safe Scouting" - which everyone should be doing - by having one male and one female advisor on all outings! The only verbage in the Guide on overnights is male and female leaders must have separate sleeping facilities. Married couples m
  14. The Indianapolis Scout Store stopped carrying the long pants because of poor quality. I recently purchased a pair of shorts. Normally I wear a 33 (green scout shorts) but had to purchase a 36. So they do run smaller but one good thing is that they are slightly longer than the BSA green scout shorts. Overall, beside the cost, I do like them. As for the long pants, our crew voted on using the Dickie gray dbl knee work pants as the official gray pant. Very similar to the Venturing pant but on sale you can find for $15 - 20. Big difference. I purchased the shorts for official Council activ
  15. Recently I completed my WB requirements and just waiting for my Troop Guide to do his thing (thats another issue). For personal reasons, I have asked for no WB beading ceremony. I don't feel the need to share this very important moment with others. This is a goal I had set for myself and accomplished. My husband understands, but I am getting a lot of pressure from others to have the ceremony. My question is why? I will wear my beads proudly regardless of how they were presented. And know that I did my best!
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