Joni4TA

Actually I think it's pretty cool when a Dist. person comes to our events or meetings. It's rare I realize this, but sometimes it's a first come, first serve basis. If I invite the DE to something, and his schedule permits, he'll usually come. Most of the time he seems like he is so swamped with stuff that he never gets to leave his office!

Months, even sometimes years go by... Adult Leaders, Committee Members and parents of Boy Scouts/Cub Scouts have had no training. They want to provide input and instruction to Packs and Troops but just don't get what's going on or how the Programs work. What to do? You can only suggest training and give them the details when District is giving the training so many times. Basically, our District does training almost every month with the exception of a couple. People have signed up, then backed out. There is nothing that makes BSA Training mandatory, I know this. But gosh.. you'd think they'd WA

I couldn't have been more thrilled to see this topic in these forums today! Our Troop is struggling on all ends with this dilemna now. Basically, the former SM (now an ASM) lead the Troop for several years. The man is a genius at many things. He is well organized, extremely intelligent and very giving of his time to Scouts. he is friendly, and kind, and all that good stuff. He is well trained, has Wood Badge, taken many Leadership courses, been in Scouting many years, etc. However (yes there is always a "but"), within the confines of his great talents, he has produced a SM-run Troop

Thank you, this link is really cool. I had no idea. At first I was eye-brow up thinking, "How in the heck can you get THAT training online!?!?!" But it wasn't the "Aquatics" I was thinking of. Safe Swim and Safety Afloat is a doable online training! Thanks again!

I would have the boys in the Webelos Den/Patrol think about what they like to eat when they're out camping (I am assuming they've done some camping by now either Family Camping or as a Pack). I don't know if you have more than one Patrol or not but begin having the boys plan the menus. Put on a big board, the three meals per day. Let them agree or disagree on what they want to eat. Ask them questions, lead them into making the proper decisions about food choices; i.e., "What's really needed to make omelettes, boys?" "What else?" Let them decide (within a timely manner and plenty of Adult Lea

The most important thing I have learned is that we are all volunteers in Scouting, and because of that, we all do what we can, not necessarily everything others want us to.

DeMann - I wonder the same thing... which is why I can sometimes catch my SDE buried under mountains of paperwork in his office. I am thinking of getting a bullhorn so I can talk to him behind the paper-stacks! lol

You guys crack me up! (With the SWEET TEA thing) Here, I have only heard of banning gameboys and walkmans or at least confining them to one's tent, and like some others have said - only on an as needed basis.

Candid- Welcome to Scouter.com! I grew up in your neck of the woods, even went to college at Pierce. Anyhow, I have found this site and these boards a wonderful resource to enhance my volunteer service. I am sure you will too.

I started collecting links for an upcoming roundtable and thought I would share them here. MERIT BADGES http://www.meritbadge.com MeritBadge.com! This site is devoted to Scouting advancement. You'll find lots of information and resource links to help Scouts work on their advancement requirements ... OVER 500 PAGES. Includes all Merit Badge Requirements and printable worksheets for completing Merit Badges in both Adobe (.pdf) and Word (.doc) formats http://www.usscouts.org/boyscouts/MBC_Training.html Merit Badge Counselor Orientation Supplemental Adult Leader Training; Pro

I sort of took this whole post as a learning exercise... My husband is the SM in our son's Troop. I am a Committee Member. We're both active on the District Staff as well. It's pretty darn difficult at times to remember I am not "MOM" once we throw on our Official Uniforms. It's hard not to give him "the look" (you know the one parental look your folks could give you that meant *You aint gonna live to see tomorrow if ya keep that up*) when he's acting like a donkey. Sometimes I need to do exactly as was suggested - nudge the PL or SPL to broaden his vision. Usually it works. If

I sort of took this whole post as a learning exercise... My husband is the SM in our son's Troop. I am a Committee Member. We're both avtice on the District Staff as well. It's pretty darn difficult at times to remember I am not "MOM" once we throw on our Official Uniforms. It's hard not to give him "the look" (you know the one parental look your folks could give you that either meant *You aint gonna live to see tomorrow if ya keep that up*) when he's acting l

Volunteer: Sharing the gift of giving

KS, thanks for the wisdom... you seem to have a good format going there. I appreciate finding the post.

acco - I appreciate your thoughts but I don't know if we are allowed to disclose a scout's medical and/or behavioral issues to the PLC. I will have to look into that and see if that violates the Privacy Act or whatever. Not sure it would do a whole lot of good either. I mean, kids that find out a weakness of another kid usually will use that against them first, don't you think? Here in the Marine Corps we have something called the EFMP - Exceptional Family Member Program, for disabled kids. I am thinking of scheduling a speaker to come and talk to the Troop, prior to any formal action

acco - I appreciate your thoughts but I don't know if we are allowed to disclose a scout's medical and/or behavioral issues to the PLC. I will have to look into that and see if that violates the Privacy Act or whatever. Not sure it would do a whole lot of good either. I mean, kids that find out a weakness of another kid usually will use that against them first, don't you think? Here in the Marine Corps we have something called the EFMP - Exceptional Fam(This message has been edited by Joni4TA)

LMAO BW, I was thinking the same thing Actually it's weird here, and our SDE does dang near everything haha In addition to being responsible for Okinawa, he frequently makes trips to Thailand and the Phillipines, but also to the Council on mainland Japan. He runs the District Service Center/Scout Shop - you name it, I am sure he does it or has had to do it.

It's funny... going through this with the BSA and the dreaded uniform issue... Kids join sports teams of all kinds and are told they WILL wear their uniform to practice or games or they won't get to play - THEY DO wear their uniforms no questions asked. But the Boy Scouts of America suggest a uniform and everyone is up in arms about it. Make sense of that... Personally I feel the boys should wear the uniform to every meeting. I think it should stay "by the book" in that manner. Older scouts usually feel the same way if their hearts are really in Scouting and they've grasped the

Dan - I suppose so. It's just something our District has set up, a MB of the Month program. Based on that, our Troop picked it up as an "in-house" deal and we decided to offer a MB of the Month within the Troop as well. Sometimes we don't have a MB of the Month in the Troop because parents who are MBCs are too busy or the Troop is too busy but most of the time we do. Boys are given a list of the MBCs for the District as well and are still entirely free and encouraged to seek out MBs on their own! Formerly, our Troop did MBs in almost every weekly Troop meeting and every

Hey Dan - I see what you mean, but I mean the Troop (38 boys at last count) has several active parents and registered leaders who are also Merit Badge Counselors. Any of those MBCs can step up and offer to hold a MB session. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just not going to be done in the regular weekly Troop meeting, that's all. So in essence, the entire Troop is offered a Merit Badge of the Month (not an eagle required). Anyway, in addition, each of the Troops in our District volunteers someone to offer the entire District a Merit Badge of the Month. Each month, a different T

Eamonn - As always, you have wonderful advice. I thank ya! The new SM is definitely weaning the boys from the constant "we'll do nothing but MB work during Troop meetings." We have a MB of the Month - it's offered at a different time/day than the weekly Troop meeting. He has worked with the PLC, explaining how they can still do MBs in the Troop meetings, but they must be part of a theme, to include the monthly camping/outing. If there is no correlation with the month's theme, then a MB is just not feasible. In other words, if the month's theme is Camping, we aren't going to do the Dent

Thanks BW I will do what I can. After all I am only one person and am only an influence on the boy and the Troop "a couple hours a week" Sometimes that is enough to make a difference. if anything, my entire family, the SM, myself (Comm. Mbr) and a fellow Scout, have taken the boy under our collective wing. He deserves to be a Scout just as much if not more than any other boy in the Troop!

My 15yr old daughter (and Senior Girl Scout) served as a Staff Member at both Boy Scout and Cub Scout Summer camp this past summer. My husband was also on staff. We had two or three Senior Girl Scouts serving on the staff with no problems. I suppose screening a staff application for references and/or knowing who the staff applicant knows as far as other applicants may help quash any "hooking up in the woods" situations.

Hi LNT Not sure where you were going with this... looks like you had a problem with the server cutting you off. I had a similar problem with a few posts. Thought I would respond to you and hopefully bump it up some.

I have to agree BW. I mean honestly, how much is a Scout really getting out of the program when he is an Eagle at 14 years old because he was constantly offered Eagle-required MBs by his Troop? Up until this year, as far as I can tell the MBs were being taught to the entire Troop (about 40 boys) by one person (MBC/ASM/SM/SPL), mostly at Troop Meetings. So naturally the Troop was pumping out plenty of Merit Badges, but I wonder what percentage of those 40 boys have retained the information he was supposedly credited for learning? A new SM has taken over and has made clear the Troop is