insanescouter

Congrads to the newest member of the eagles nest .... keep flying high Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time...

Welcome aboard the Scouting express ... please be ready for a wacky ride and lots of chatter ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time...

You can find helpful winter camping info at http://insanescouter.com/t276/files/wintercamping.html As far as ideas go ... - Do a winter wilderness survival situation - Make snow caves & sleep in them - Learn to snow shoe and cross country ski - Join another unit for a winter adventure (such as a scoutmaster friend of mine who lives in Alaska) Anyway just the wacky 2 cents of a desert rat ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time...

I am older then the young and younger then the old ... but no senior yet ... however I takes a selfish bow all the same welcome to the board, enjoy the virtual campfire ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time...

Welcome to the virtual campfire Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time

As I recall from when I was a den chief so many years ago it is one rope strand looped once - to make the two loops... those if you gently pull on one loop on it should make that loop get bigger and the other smaller ... however after all these years I could just remember wrong ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org

In my humble opion setting strict rules is never the answer and just leads up to policy wars, and wars and often leaves a door open to inturputation... You will never be able to get 100% attendance ... but nor should Scouting come "Second" to sports or other programs. It is up to the Scout and the parent to balance the two. Here is what I suggest think creatively and work hard to have the PLC put on a program so amazing no-one young or old will want to miss out... yes this is eaiser said then done, but look at the past, if it has been done, it can be done again ... When you have a solid program, you will have a solid committee, and then and only then will you not have a serious attendance problem. OK I will admit my statement is a bit idealistic and is just my wacky 2 cents ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders on resource at a time....

Welcome back ... looking forward to your feedback.... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders on resource at a time....

Woodbadge is awesome .... was there anything that really stood out to you ... that made the greatest impression .... By the way i am a "good ole bobwhite" Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders on resource at a time....

Awesome ... sounds like you are off to a good start ... I salutes you for your efforts, success and for the fact that you care... keep up the good work Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders on resource at a time....

Here is what I have to offer with from my 22 plus years in Scouting ... 1) Ask lots of specific questions... the more specific and the more detailed the better the answers you will get back will be 2) Many joke about being over trained, in reality I do not believe it is possible to be over trained .. however it is possible to put to much focus on training and the "idealistic" way something should be rather then just making things happen 3) Take it one step at a time, find lots of people who will help and spread the load .. no one can do it all ... after all you were told its just "one hour a week" right ... what they didn't say its at least one hour per scout 4) Look at all the wonderful Scouting resources out their online (such as InsaneScouter.org - sorry shameful plug) and in the real world 5) Find ways to make common tasks easier... such as using software to track advancement and other administrative tasks 6) This is critical... Keep It Simple and Make it Fun .... if the kids are not having fun they will not keep coming back ... if its not simple you and your help will burn out ... we are here to offer scouting to any boy who is willing to benefit from what it has to offer... 7) Just be yourself, and don't forget its about the boys.... and eventually years later moving them into Boy Scouts (will at least some of them, but you should try and get them all to cross the bridge) Just my wacky 2 cents ... hope they help ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders on resource at a time....

Wow, now that is a bit ironic or something ... sorry the right word is slipping my mind now that its after 1am ... i hope the two of you have a new long found friendship ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders on resource at a time....

I would say use a dutch oven and google for the "avg" temp of a charcoal briquette to esitmate the right temperature and time to cook it... Hope my wacky 2 cents helps .. Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders on resource at a time

ROFL .... that is a great reply ... thanks for sharing ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders on resource at a time

Welcome ... I am also from Nevada ...Las Vegas ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders on resource at a time

Just wanted to send a quick reminder that JOTI and JOTA are this weekend. For JOTI check out scoutlink.net and joti.org. Also for a easy way to chat year around go to http://www.insanescouter.org/chat/ additionally the Scouts can take part in a virtual treasure hunt of sorts... http://users.telenet.be/haven/home.html Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org

Why not "make" your own field trip ... for example let the cubs create their own magic show and then take them to a retirement home to put on a show for the elders This idea is even weirder ... contact a few famous people in the magic world and see if they will do a virtual field trip with the scouts ... such as behind the scenes of their show or maybe giving away one of their "secret" tricks, etc ... or more realistic see what there is on sites such as youtube Some more normal ideas may include: circus science museum (really good idea) Ok your right this has me stumped too ... here in las vegas it would be much easier but the small farming town in middle of no where I have pictured in my head - well I am at lost besides taking it virtual ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time...

I also have a copy of the excel spreedsheets ... I got them I believe through the Scout-L mailing list a few years ago.... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time...

I am council wide as well .... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time...

NYLT is not Den Chief training .... NYLT is a week long leadership course, almost like a wood badge (without the ticket) for youth ... Summer of 2008 will be my 3rd time on staff for NYLT. National Youth Leadership Training (NTLT) is a youth leadership development training program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). The program was designed so that Scouts will learn leadership skills that can be used within Scouting and everyday life. ..... The content learned at any NYLT course is outlined in a national-level syllabus, however each council''s NYLT may have small variations in the material taught, and may add in other events or special activities not required in the NYLT outline. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Youth_Leadership_Training) Den Chief Training is generally offered with Pow Wow, at least here. It also normally only held once a year here. A scout does not need to be trained to serve as a Den Chief, thus he can start now under the wing of the Den Leader and then when the Training comes around he can attend. DC Training is required for the DC service award. Also there are tons of resources out there online and off line for Den Chiefs as well. If you would like I will try and dig out the den chief resource book I created years ago ... Hope my wacky 2 cents was useful ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time

Me salutes the newest member of the Eagle nest (I have been in the nest since 1991) ... congratulations ... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time

Really cool idea ... I to would prefer it to be one PDF for each subject. Also I was wondering why you decided to scan in Woods Wisdom instead of the new Program Features? Please don''t take are comments in negative light, we really do appreciate all you are doing and I do understand how time consuming it is to do all that scanning. Are feedback is just that feedback to help make the resource the most useful for us. Thanks and High 5 for the effort - awesome work Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org Helping leaders one resource at a time

Here are some skill related events with twists that I can think of off top of head ... 1) fire building .... you have become lost and night is falling it is getting cold you need a fire but you only have one match (or flint and steel) and most get it to burn the string about 2 feet above the fire pit 2) pitch a tent, however all members can talk but the leader, other members may be blind, have a broken leg or arm, etc ... you could add in extra challenges if some one breaks the rules maybe they talked and are one handed but not blind ... so they get blindfolded 3) boil water on a 1 burner stove 4) raise a flag pole (4 poles make tripod and lash one pole vertically to it) 5) cat eye type compass course which takes place at night and they most find (in case of cat eye eye like reflectors) a target at each point ... maybe even make it so they have to do the points in the right order they only get one point a time and at each target they find the next point ... you may also be able to add challenges like no compass or just using the map or use a gps but mix it up 6) maybe some where along the way the find a cub made up to look like fallen and badly hurt they must treat and evacuate using available materials 7) team building games such as monster ... "A spell has been cast upon you, that if you do not break in the next 30 mins you will die. To break the spell your entire group most move from point a to point b however only half the hands and half the feet of the *group* may touch the ground. Also the whole group most be joined as one." ... the easiest solution I have seen is wheel barrow with thumbs or elbows inter locked ... another good one is human tangle "A witch has cast a spell upon you to break the spell you must untangle yourselves without letting go" (I usually tell everyone to close their eyes stick out right hand and grab someone elses hand, and then repeat for the left hand... of course I am also watching to make sure they dont get to weird or simple) Anyway that should be a good start for you ... also think about giving it a theme such as a discover trail ... which is where you have a story and everything is around that story ... for example ... "Your patrol was on a hike and past through a cave. Unknown at the time, the cave transported them back to the boer war. They come out to be faced by Baden Powell and his small army trying to hold a small town. BP, see your patrol and tells you he needs help building a fire to cook food on for his soldiers. ...... (After that you are sent on to another place say) .... BP send you on a Scouting mission but on your way you notice a young native boy injured do you stop to help him or move on with your mission .... " you get the idea .. I have even heard of twists where for example at a camp-o-ree they had an old lady dragging a ice chest around. Any patrol who stopped and offer to help received extra points... Ok I have babbled on long enough and may even be off topic .. but no matter I hope I was of help ... if not just my insane 2 cents... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org

The Troop I work with, along with all the Troops I have been in as a youth owned their own tents ... The Troop I am with now as an adult leader has 2 man colman dome tents, these work great both for car camping and backpacking... When picking out a tent make site you take into account where you will be using. The weather, temperature, how much moisture, etc could play a role in what you need... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org

On a camp out COH we did we had older scouts dressed as indians out in a canoe ... the came in when time to start picked up torch to light fire ... and whole COH was based on that theme we have also done it based on other themes such as mountain man, and historical scouting ... you can also have some kind of pot luck or banquet - maybe even with foods based on the theme.... The big thing to remember is make it special (not just johnny earned blah shakes hand repeat), let the youth leaders do as much of it as they can ... There also, if you have not founded them many ceremonies (shameless plug) on my site http://www.insanescouter.org/t276/files/ceremonies.html Hope my wacky 2 cents was of some help... Scott Robertson http://insanescouter.org