james_clegg

I found that a metal garbage can lid works

James

It is amazing how cooking and doing things outdoors brings out the best in leaders and kids.

Some of my scouts favorite camp out was when we cooked eggs and bacon on a rock,

corn on the cob under the coals,

Biscuits on a stick,

and apple piece under the coals

The best part no dishes.

A Plug for a local event

November 16 2002 9:00 to Noon

At the UVSC (Utah Valley State College) Campus Gunther trades building. There is a going to be a great demonstration of outdoor cooking Ideas. this is part of the BYU UVSC pow wow. Cost for leaders = Free

I went last year and for 3 hours learned more about outdoor cooking. Even how to cook a turkey, corn on the cob, cakes in the box, and a lot more. It was a lot of fun.

The horse was part of another group.

It died of heart attack I think. it was just happened when he walked into the camp and Scared the scout.

Here he was dehidrated, hungery, cold and he finally walks into a camp and a horse dies.

He was there

He gave me a nickname

I would want a hat that covers my ears and back of my neck. The felt scout hat (Im not sure what it is called) works great for me, but I found that it needed a hat band.

Challenge Accepted.

I have a hard time putting my thoughts on paper so many times I have written a response then at the last min deleted it because it was unclear or bad grammer or poorly thought out.

But I will attempt to post anyway

I have noticed in my troop that this "its not fun" happens for about 6 months when the boys are 13.5 to 14 years old.

But I also talked to some of my newer scouts fresh out of the new scout patrol. And they said that they were afraid at first because they didn't think they could do all the stuff we do. Or that the older boys would think they were wimps. After about 2 camp outs with the oldest scout in our patrol assigned to the youngest scout as his buddy. They seem to get over it. Until they turn 13.5 and then they don't want to do anything.

for your son Scoutmom it sounds like your son doesn't feel like he fits in. A friend would be the best cure. But us parents can not create those.

Another alternative is to let the patrol leader know that he needs to feel needed. Have the patrol leader give him a job to do.

I don't know your son so I don't know what his hot buttons are.

Perhaps he can show the scouts how to cook in a box. (you and he could prepare to teach it.) and maybe the other scouts will think that he is special because he taught them. Success in front of your peers is very motivating.

That is my 2

James

Disappearing Scout at klondike

I have not had any attacks but last year we had a scout that just kept disappearing. On second he would be right there and the next he was nowhere to be found.

After the camp we found out that he would go to the cabin to get warm. But it was hard on me, to not know where he was.

On of my fellow scouters at work had a lost scout last year that I hope I never have. They had hiked into a camp about 10 miles from the road. Set up camp and were playing steal the flag. one of the new scouts (it was his first outing and was feeling under prepared and not yet accepted into the troop) went into the woods.

when he did not come back in 15 min. the boys started to get worried. at 30 min they told the scoutmaster.

By morning search and rescue had been called, and the boys mom was on the seen making a seen.

searched all day couldn't find him.

The next day the boy wandered into a camp about 1 mile from where he started just as a horse fell over dead. He had not eaten in 1.5 days and didn't drink any water because he was afraid of geardia (spelling ?). All ended well but for 48 hours in was not very fun.

James

I do it because it is great to see boys change and become great.

I have fun too.

I would recommend a budget of some kind, I would base it on the number of boys in the pack. so if the tiger den has 30 boys and the wolf 3 then get the right budget.

I would also remind the den leaders that most of the requirements do not cost money to do.

One of the things we would like to teach the boys is how to have fun without $

Don't forget to budget in Day camp.

I would also give the leaders at least a quarterly summery of what they have spent.

My favorites from the scout-O-Rama's

Pop Bottle Rockets, Dutch oven cooking contests, Pioneering, and Pioneering competitions.

Don't forget the cubs.

I would recommend that each booth post on a poster what requirements if any are passed off.

Don't forget the high adventure stuff. Climbing wall Scuba Pool.

If you are allowing the scouts to camp at the scout-o-rama make sure there is inspection and awards for the best / cleanest camp.

Orienteering course.

Opportunity for service

Lots of instant recognition.

James

Perhaps in my area training is the bigest problem. I would agree.

I am part of the largest district in the largest council in BSA. We have an expanding population and Almost every boy age 12-14 is a registred scout. Getting money for registration has come up but it came from the OCR not the CE or DE

James

The last time I saw a two seater was in the early 70's at my grandfathers cabin. We spent all a one day (it felt like) digging a new hole for it. Do they still allow you to have out houses that are not sucked out, or did the Sewer Sucking Service suck up the flashlight.

jc

keeping a Troop committee trained is an ongoing process. Just when you get them all trained one of them has to drop out. just like in the troop you just get them trained and they move on. I would recommend that part of every troop committee meeting is training. Just like every scout meeting and PLC has training in it.

If you can get the ongoing training to become a tradition you win.

But just like the scout master handbook says most new scout masters start with less than an ideal troop. If they know the program and work hard at training. In about 1-2 years they will have an ideal troop.

My CE has never as far as I can remember ever talked about fundraising. I have been going to round tables for about 5 years now.

In my councel it is all about helping us voluneers give a quailty program to the boys. Encouraging and assisting in any way possible.

If they have harped on anything it is No boys in the back of pickups.

I would like to warn you that Collecting bears may become a new hobby.

As a fellow bear I would like to welcome you to the den.

Isn't woodbadge the best. I went through in 2000 and just thinking about it brings back fond memories.

Cross country compas was the highlight for many of my scouts last year. We followed the trail for about a mile. Then we said OK use your map and compas to find your way back to camp without using the trail.

Dont forget to ad a dolly or hand truck to your troops stuff. I have found that moving the Box from place to place is a lot easier with one.

When I get a kid in my patrol who some say is ADD or ADHD. I assume that the kid is really a gifted kid who gets board fast.

I let the kid know that I think he is gifted not sick.

I was amased how effective putting the gifted label on a scout changes thier behavior.

So unless I can tell when the scout has had his medication or not, I am of the opinion that the scout just needs extra attention. They need this attention because they are not getting it at home.

I am amazed at the damage done by divorce on a scout.

If the webelos leader or the new scout leader lets me know I have a hard one coming. I know that I have to go out of my way to make this scout feel wanted, needed, and appreciated.

If I recognize the boy before he does any attention getting things and show that I care he blosoms into one of my best scouts in a matter of a couple of months.

So no matter what the school says

I recommend treating all ADD and ADHD scouts as if they are gifted. (even if the medication does help)

james

What can we learn from this?

1st We as leaders need to be trained in YP.

2nd Anything that even approaches bullying should be recognized and warned.

3rd We should be trustworthy and follow through on any consequence we have laid out.

4th The buddy system is not just to keep a scout from getting lost.

I have found that when a scout is not courteous I will have them repeat the scout law and stop them on the point that they are violating. I have also made it very clear that scouting is a privilege.

Either you will live up to your word when you accepted the scout oath or you will not be a scout. (Repentance is always allowed.)

When we are doing scouts we are scouts If you don't want to be a scout don't come.

I have found that with this policy I spend almost no time telling the scouts to be quiet and that attendance and fun are up.

I have also found that if you call them on the little things the big things are fewer and farther apart.

james

I have found that the easy way to run a troop is the BSA method. Every time I have tried to do something different it ended up being harder on me.

Some of the methods took me a little longer to understand why it worked but the BSA method has almost 100 years of improvement built into it.

I found that by reading some of the history and the early days of scouting I realized that I was underestimating my scouts. They really can do all that stuff. Yearly planning gets easy when you have a basic tradition of one service project a month, one or two merit badges, a campout, and preparation for the quarterly big campout.

it is easy for the scouts to plan.

JLT is fantastic.

For you new to scouting try the program first. Then modify it if needed. Remember we are teaching leadership and remember many of the modifications are still within the program.

James

We will be doing a weeklong camp next summer but not at a BSA camp any suggestions for making the week as good or better that we would have at a BSA Camp

James

We will be haveing our yearly planning meeting during september.

I would like your suggestions on how to make it productive.

Help

James

I have found that a year plan with some thing to look forward to or prepare for once a quarter is extreemly valuable.

I used to be a Bear a good old Bear too.

I was a scout when during the period when they tried to take the outing out of scouting. Doing knots in the basement of the church and the like. It was not as fun as what we did just last month.

Conoeing on a near by lake, sleeping under the stars, Biking 20 miles, hiking to a waterfall, and swimming in a near by pool.

The outdoors is a great teacher. It doesn't care if you are cold or not. It treats everyone the same.

I have found that the KISS principle is more motivating. Other that haveing a foam pad and a good sleeping bag. I try to teach the scouts that you don't have to buy the latest gaget (ie $100 GPS or Back packing stove) A compas and a buddy burner for less than 10 dollars is all you need. You don't need a camp trailer to go camping just a tarp. With the Ax vs Hatchet both effective, tools. I have just found that I have to watch the boys with a Hatchet much more closely.

My Goal is to get them into the influence of that great teacher and friend the Great outdoors, the wonder of God's Creations.

The thrill of learning a new skill and being recognized for it.

End of rant.

James