Joni4TA

Right now our Brownie Troop is working on the "Her Story" Try-It, after just finishing the "Movers" Try-It. We just finished up our Cookie sales (thank God ) and the girls decided they would like to use their cookie profits to go to Seaworld or the local city Zoo. We probably made enough for the Zoo, so that's in the works. Also, the girls are in the process of planning their first Court of Awards for March 25.

What has changed?

Our Council has never pushed "required" here. They've "encouraged" training, but NEVER required it. And they've certainly never demanded PROOF of training.

And the fact that if folks can't cough up proof they are trained, they are going to be forced to re-train. This is new - that Council/National is making the push for mandatory training "or else."

Not sure what "or else" is going to amount to, but I suspect the next step is going to be that they will disallow someone's registration at recharter time if they are NOT trained.

And that will definitely be a change!

For the record, I am registered in a Troop and trained for my position too.

To comment on 2 things-

FYI

1) I am OVER-trained for my position so my training is not an issue. However, If I were "just the Advancements Chair" or "just the Advancements Coordinator" I wouldn't even be making this post. I basically do everything in the Troop no one else has time to do (because they work during the day and I am a stay-at-home Mom), though my official position on my BSA ID Card is "Troop Committee Member."

I make most Troop bank deposits, take care of most, if not all fundraising, handle all the Tour Permits and secure outing permission slips, I usually coordinate the BORs and turn in any advancement reports to Council as well as pick up rank badges, cards, etc, I produce the Troop newsletter and give parents copies of the calendar as well, I maintain the Troop website, I take the boys grocery shopping for campouts (and have done the shopping myself when no boys show up), I maintain the main TroopMaster database for the Troop, I TRY to ensure Youth and Adults receive training or keep it updated, I volunteer as the Troop Contact for all Merit Badge Universities offered by Council and transport boys to and from these events, and of course I handle all advancements issues - I hold all the blank Blue Cards (boys have to come get one from me before the SM signs it, BEFORE they start the MB work). I may not be an ASM but we have only 1-2 ASM's who are not always there and so I find myself in a direct-contact and mentoring position with Youth quite frequently. I have been Scoutmaster trained as well, so it's not a big stretch for me to do all this other stuff not directly related to my 'official' position. I am just a jack-of-all-trades around here.

2) On the issue of the one boy who got a free pass to the O/A. This boy's TOTAL CAMPING NIGHTS for the ENTIRE TIME he's been a member in the Troop are 12 nights. He joined the unit in April 2004. So for 4 years, the boy's gone camping a total of 12 nights!! 5-10 of those were summer camp! It is virtually IMPOSSIBLE for him to be an O/A member. When I asked how he became an O/A member, the CC told me that the CC and Scoutmaster gave the boy an "OK" to get elected to the O/A because they basically felt sorry for him when his father had health issues.

Again, nothing I can do about the boy and the O/A issue. What's done is done. It's just an example of how this Troop is running, or at least has been used to running.

This issue HAS been brought up at Committee Meetings, time and time again, by me and my husband (Committee member). Problem is, my husband and I, and the CC are the only 3 people who ever show up for Committee meetings! And the CC is part of the problem, in my opinion, since they are one of the folks that apparently thinks it's OK to just give a boy a pass on requirements because it'll be easier on the boy! (See item 2 above)

I have all but begged the SM, and other registered leaders to come to our Committee Meetings, that we need input, that we need more people to show up - no one comes except the CC, me, and my husband the Treasurer . I gave the SM a copy of the JLT video and syllabus after the last elections. He never gave the JLT to the boys even though he said he would.

It's not like these other leaders aren't trained either, my husband, the CC and the SM are all trained in their positions and even have completed Wood Badge (which I have not). So I can't even chalk up these issues to not being trained. Instead, they are ALL trained and some have just instead decided that they're going to do it their way, or cheapen the BSA program to suit their involvement levels or something. I don't know - it's frustrating. In this Troop we are only able to hold the boys up to the standard set by it's leaders. And right now, that bar is at sub-standard. And I can't stand it

You know what they say - when nothing changes, nothing changes

(This message has been edited by Joni4TA)

At our Roundtable last night we were informed that our Council sent letters to all the area Scoutmasters that said National had repaired their recording and registration system, and that our Council needed to re-create Adult Leader training records so we could report them to National.

It says that each Adult Leader in the unit needs to provide PROOF of completing the required training for their current position. (As in a copy of their training card is preferable and a verbal claim of completion or "completion date" will work, but it's a last resort, and will only work during this amnesty period.)

If these records are not provided to Council by April, the Leaders missing training will have to take or repeat their training and provide PROOF to Council.

The letter goes on to say how every Scout deserves a trained leader and youth retention in the scouting program is often directly related to the training received by their leaders!

Interesting!!!! And I am not surprised at all. I kind of had a feeling this was coming. I agree with required training but I'm just not so sure how it will affect ADULT retention yet. Within the Troop I am affiliated with alone there are 7 Adult Leaders affected by this who need to either A) produce proof of or B) repeat the training.....

The letter doesn't go on to say what happens if a leader doesn't do A or B, but my guess is, that is coming next.

I was a Cub Scout Leader for 5 yrs

Have been a Boy Scout Leader for 5 yrs

And a GS Leader for 3 years though the service is broken up. One yr was back in 2003-2004, and the other 2 yrs have been 2006-2008. I have been the troop cookie manager twice.

Currently a BS Troop Committee member, and a Brownie GS Co-Leader of an 8-girl Troop.

I am a former Girl Scout as well, was a cute little Brownie with an acorn and a smile

Ouch... that is a horribly sad story

I FORGOT!

The Troop Activity Notification form that has to go to the Service Unit Director, whenever there is an activity outside of the meeting place! lol

Thanks All.

My last post was created after me getting into an argument with my husband about this stuff that's going on in our Troop, AND yes Beavah, you caught it right - my husband went behind the backs of myself and the committee's decision (which we just talked about it at our meeting 3 days ago), that this boy should not have earned that MB. He disagreed, but of course he wasn't the adult leader standing there at the merit badge camp freaking out because there was a missing boy.

Come to find out, the SM was told by the boy's mother that the decision on whether or not the boy earned the MB was up to "HER" and she felt he deserved it now, and she insisted our SM sign off on the blue card. My husband agreed that the boy should have the Blue Card signed because the MBC had already signed it.

After my dear PITA husband, the Treasurer, went to bat for this boy and his (un)earned MB behind my back, the mother took my husband aside and asked for a refund of her recharter fees because she was pulling her son out of our Troop. At first she said her son was failing in school and not doing his homework. But she also said she feels our Troop is too disorganized, that her son needs more like a military structure and a more strict schedule. She said he may someday return to Scouting, but for now she needs to remove him from the Troop. (yeah, I think the kid is wild - all this woman's kids are wild and not well behaved. It has a lot to do with the parenting and what the kids are allowed to get away with, but that's another story altogether.)

Now my husband and the SM can see they were clearly manipulated by this woman who had an agenda - to get her son's blue card signed before she pulled out of our Troop altogether.

Something my husband didn't understand then (but does now, has apologized, and agrees with me) - there is no way the boy completed the requirements for that MB. The MBC in Class "B" that 'supposedly' signed that blue card made a mistake, if he signed the card at all. The MB class was 8 hours. The boy spent the first 4 hours/half the day in MB class "A", not MB class "B". So unless the boy made up all 8 hours worth of work in a 4-hr period, there's no way he could have gotten that blue card signed by the MBC without error.

I never saw the blue card in question. I was told by the boy that he showed up to MB class "B" without a blue card and the MBC had an extra one. My husband told me that he saw the blue card, and that it was filled out with MB class "A" info and crossed out and MB class "B" info was written above it. Another lie from the boy!

One of the ASM's was told by the boy that he's going to another Troop, NOT 'taking a break from Scouting' as his mother claimed. So once again, another lie and manipulation. Personally I can see why that boy has behavioral issues - his father is an OTR truck driver and his mother is inconsistent with behavioral consequences. She expected the Boy Scouts to be an extension of the Webelos den with adult implemented structure. And she wanted Boy Scouts to be BSA = Baby Sitters of America. She wanted the Boy Scouts to be the boy's father AND mother so she never had to be the bad guy when it came time to deal with the boy's out of control behavior. That's not what Scouts is about!

I care - but what's done is done. It's disappointing, and I don't care who signed that blue card or whether it was forged, I know in my heart the boy could not possibly have earned EITHER merit badge that day based on the amount of time he spent with each class. Lucky for him it's not an Eagle Required MB or I would not let this alone. As Advancements Chair, I have never seen the blue card, do not have the unit portion, and therefor will not be recording it as a completed MB. And now that he is no longer a member of our Troop, it's not my concern. The mother can take that blue card to the next unsuspecting Advancements Chair in their next Troop and let them go report it to Council as completed. It won't be on my conscience!

Water under the bridge - what's done is done. I DO have to let this go.

I agree my issues are more appropriately with the SM and CC (and apparently occasionally my own husband, the Treasurer). For one thing it's always me, the CC and my husband in every single committee meeting. We are the only 3 who really ever show up. I realize that the CC and SM in the past have been too willing to modify whatever requirements they have seen fit, and basically hold the Troop as a whole, and the boys, to lower standards than what is actually required.

Can I change that overnight? Of course not. But I promise it WILL change, IF I bother to stay with the Troop.

I have been saying since last September that I wanted to hold the boys to a higher standard, especially when the subject of POR comes up. In September, the CC and SM agreed. So did the Treasurer. Back then the SM assigned 4 JASMs to different mentoring positions of responsibility within the Troop. But since then, the JASM's aren't acting like JASM's at all, 2 boys have been signed off for MB's they couldn't possibly have completed, and 3 other boys have passed through their SMC and BOR's without having to be held accountable for their POR at all. Even one boy was signed off for an Eagle Palm by the SM when I don't believe he should have gotten anything. So my voice in September was forgotten apparently.

In October after Troop elections I gave the SM a syllabus for Scoutmaster's JLT, and the DVD. He said he wanted to schedule that along with the Annual Planning PLC. To date, there has been NO PLC and NO JLT!!! 2 weeks ago at a Troop meeting, the SM took the older boys in the Troop into a separate room and had them come up with where they wanted to go camping from February through July, and what session they wanted at summer camp. It was too late into January to have a January campout because there had been no annual planning PLC. At this point I am not even sure a JLT will be worth it. Elections are about to go again in April. I feel terrible for our very young in rank SPL (First class) who I PROMISED would get some help/training. The JASM that the SM assigned to the SPL has done nothing even though he's an Eagle Scout, and the SPL never got the JLT he was promised. And I feel like crap for that. At this stage in the game even if a JLT is done, I feel it'll be too little too late.

Apparently this Troop has seen its fair share of changes. It used to be a barely functioning Troop with a not too committed Scoutmaster. Another SM took over with minimal experience and did the best they could and was 10 times better than the 1st guy. Then came our current SM, who is 20 times better than the 2cnd guy. You see where I am going with this? Our Troop standard HAS BEEN low. To most of the longer standing members of the Troop, they see all these vast improvements and how much better things are now versus how they were. They think the Troop has changed for the better in leaps and bounds! They are proud of the way things are now. Of course they know no other Troop because they've only been involved in this one.

I, on the other hand, have been involved with at least 10 different units in a total of 7 different councils. I have seen the good and the bad, and I know that even though this Troop feels they are better than ever, they still haven't reached the bar.

And you guys are right, I can't do 'everything' that's for darn sure! This just sucks. And it's definitely raising my blood pressure. I am not so good with baby step changes, though I know I have to try to accept that good change is good change, no matter how great or small. I handed our Scribe an attendance sheet. I gave our Quartermaster a blank inventory form for Troop gear and asked him to let the committee know what we have, what we need, etc. I have given everyone a list of the POR's with each Scout's name next to their POR so everyone knows who's supposed to be doing what! I explained to the boys, leaders and parents that from now on when the boys First Class and above come up for SMC's and BOR's they should be prepared to discuss what they've done in their POR, how a POR is not an optional requirement and needs to be treated as seriously as any other. I admitted I couldn't give anyone a pass on their BOR for not completing requirements because it "isn't in me." I have asked the PL's to get with the SPL if they have any questions, and to let the SPL do what he's designed to do- RUN THE TROOP. I asked the Eagle Scout JASM assigned to mentor the SPL to please make himself available to the SPL in case questions arise. I reminded all the boys that is was THEIR TROOP and they needed to stand up and take responsibility for it and RUN IT!

I just hope it is enough to get the ball rolling...

1999, 2000, 2001 - no ID numbers on those cards for me.

2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 - I have an ID number, they are all the same.

2006 I moved councils - I am missing the card.

2007 I moved councils again, I transfered membership but for some reason I got a new BSA ID # in 2007.

I asked my current council why I have 2 different BSA ID #'s - they told me each council I move to I will get a new BSA ID #. I think that was hogwash, they just didn't want to admit they transferred me incorrectly.(This message has been edited by Joni4TA)

My son just went on a 3-day segmented 20 mile hike. He packed about 2 gallons of water (about 14 pounds right there - luckily there were 2 active springs on the hike), and the rest added up to the backpack being probably somewhere near 50 or 60 pounds pounds. He's 5'7" and weighs 187. He's not fat, he's a defensive lineman on the JV football team and a weight lifter. And he claims he did just fine with all his gear. In fact, he and the rest of the boys and the two leaders that went on the hike complained they had TOO MUCH FOOD, and wished they had left behind some of that food and water.

Ed,

At 90 years old I am surprised these Code Pink folks can do anything except fart dust! The fact that they are setting bicycles on fire and smoking (smoking? I thought CA just outlawed smoking in public places, and even in your own car????) and hanging out in doorways of local businesses like hoodrats is amazing to me!

Something tells me they are trying to relive their youth by bringing the Iraq war into a Vietnam frame of mind.

Some people have spent nearly 7 years on this forum (anniversary's in only a few short days, 2/21 to be exact) doing a whole lot of blowing hot air out of their ______ - errr - keyboard. Pretty sad if you ask me that they have nothing else to do in life. For someone that hates the BSA and everything they stand for so much, why do they continue to post here? For no other reason than to poke and prod and hope to engage folks into arguing with them so they can 'make points' for whoever actually reads what they grumble about. And guess what - they get what they want, every single time. It's not as if they change anyone's viewpoints or anything, they just waste their little finger-typing energy. If everyone ignored them for like one whole month I bet they'd start arguing with theirself. Do ya'll give this much attention to other people that dislike you and everything you stand for or believe in? Yikes, why bother? It seems so pointless to argue with someone who only brings out 'factoids' that they find relevant to support their belief that the "BSA should rescind its exclusionary policy."

Please - - - - Build a bridge and get over it already -- - - the BSA doesn't have to do anything it doesn't want to.

I am going to say this - Yes..... ok the BSA was wrong if they were trying to infiltrate $2500 worth of HUD funds in a veil of fraud... is anyone happy now? Good... wipe up your tears of joy and victory and please, for the love of Pete, put a sock in it already!

I am interested in this subject as well since we just had a SN Scout earn First Class, and that automatically put him into the "O/A eligible" category in our TroopMaster software. When I think of what the O/A SHOULD do and stand for, I can't imagine any of the 3 quite young scouts that popped up as eligible, actually being worthy members of the O/A, seriously!!

Seems to me the one thing that has been shoved down my throat both in BSA and GSUSA is youth-led, youth-run. I'd say if you could stick with that and take nothing else as written in stone, the kids will have themselves a pretty fair program.

I agree, GS training is full of how to make swaps, cute flag ceremonies, thinking day celebrations, sing songs, sell calendars, nuts and cookies - but very little focuses on program and advancements.

With 11yr olds, you have the opportunity to have 2 Junior Girl Scout patrols there... about 4 girls per patrol, and utilize the patrol method. That keeps the girls engaged for the most part. As far as what they can earn, holy cow, Girl Scouts have a patch for darn near everything in the world!! lol What Badges, IPs, etc. do THE GIRLS want to work on? That would be my basis for planning - allowing THEM to plan the program!

Good Luck!! (This message has been edited by Joni4TA)

Sometimes Girl Scout Troops don't 'do' anything because their leaders haven't gotten all the required training in and/or the limited leaders have trouble meeting the GSUSA standards for outings as outlined in Safety Wise.

Example -

I have been a Brownie Leader since October 2007.

I took the required Orientation training in October. (3 hours, no cost)

I took the required Basics training in January. (4 hours, no cost)

I took the required age-level training in January. (4 hours, no cost)

I am taking the required CPR/First Aid training in March. (8 hours, $55 cost)

***** AFTER CPR/First Aid Training in MARCH, I CAN FINALLY TAKE THE GIRLS SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN THEIR MEETING PLACE for a DAY field trip *****

(as long as I have permission slips and copies of health histories on my person, and another trained leader with the group (who has taken Orientation, Basics and Age-Level training), and depending on the activity I have to meet a certain girl to adult ratio listed in Safety Wise!)

In order to go overnight Troop Camping -

I am taking the required Introduction to the Outdoors training in April. (9 hours, $5 cost)

I am taking the required Troop Camp Leadership Option 1 in May. (8 hours, $7.50 cost)

I am finishing up the required Camping overnight for Troop Camp Leadership in June. (Overnight, $7.50 cost plus food and gear)

****** AFTER JUNE our Troop can FINALLY go overnight CAMPING *********

(as long as I have permission slips and copies of health histories on my person, and another leader who has taken the following training courses - Orientation, Basics, Age-Level, and CPR/First Aid - with the group, and depending on the activity I have to meet a certain girl to adult ratio listed in Safety Wise!)

So ya see... "DOING SOMETHING" with the Girl Scouts requires a Volunteer leader (like myself) to schedule in all this required training, come up with the money to do so, etc.

Boy Scouts requires probably a third of all the precautions and training that Girl Scouting does. It is what it is!

I would certainly suggest to any Moms or Dads who feel their GS Troops weren't up to par - to start volunteering to "DO SOMETHING" for the Troop, such as help fulfill some of those training requirements so your daughter's Troop can go somewhere other than their meeting place. And maybe YOUR schedule is more lenient and YOU can do the CPR/First Aid and Troop Camp Leadership training, sooner than the actual Troop leader can - BY ALL MEANS VOLUNTEER YOURSELF - I am sure the Troop Leader can use the help!(This message has been edited by Joni4TA)

apparently in our troop - every single POR means...

"hey the SPL gave me this cool named position... and now I can hang out and tell people I am the "_____" for our troop! NOPE - I never have to do anything, and in another 6 months maybe I'll get named something else cool too!!!"

In other words, no - in this troop the boys have had to do absolutely nothing to live up to their POR's!

yes, it's fairly annoying, but it is what it is!

the repeat customer database is a great idea

Boy Scouts of America, Handbook For Boys, Copyright 1948, Fifth Edition, 7th Printing, June 1954 - - -

says exactly the same thing jblake47 has listed!

I think I may need to resign my service with the Troop I am affiliated with. I am so disgusted I can barely open TroopMaster anymore. This is about many things... many Scouts have been allowed to 'slide' before I became Advancements Chair. But I think I have just about reached my limit and I have had it!!

Some examples:

1) As I was reconstructing camping attendance over the last 2 years, plugging it into the TroopMaster software program - so the O/A Rep could determine who was eligible for an upcoming election, I discovered that one boy, who is already O/A, had only been on 3 campouts (one of those summer camp) within the last 2 years. I questioned the CC about how he ever got into the O/A without meeting the camping nights requirement. I was told that the CC and Scoutmaster decided it was ok to let it slide because the boy's father had some health problems and couldn't go camping with the Troop!! ???????? EXCUSE ME??????? The boy's 'FATHER' had some health problems, so the Scout couldn't go camping?? What is this? Cub Scouts? I should mention this boy is barely 13 and has all his MB's done for Eagle, and is a Life scout. It's HORSE TINKLE, I am sorry - the boy has not EARNED ANYTHING as far as I am concerned, and I am dang angry about it!! Not at him - the boy has only been allowed to get what he has because the adults have totally let him down by dumbing the requirements for him!!!

2) Apparently boys have been advancing in rank, and being signed off for being in their POR, even though they do absolutely nothing. I said I will refuse to allow a boy to slide by like that, and as long as I am Advancements Chair, I refuse to file an advancement report with Council. And further, any Scoutmaster or ASM that signs off on SMC's and pass boys onto their next ranks are doing these boys no favor at all. I told them I will not sign off on a BOR for these kinds of rank advancements!! Boy Scouts means too much TO ME! I was told I can't make those kind of decisions!!! BS - I can refuse to sit on a BOR all I want! And tell me where it says I have to sign a BOR form as "awarded" just because the boy went through his SMC?????

3) Back in December I volunteered to take boys from our unit to a merit badge weekend hosted by council. I had 4 boys - one of them was supposed to go to the railroading MB but went there, got bored and decided he was going to go take off with the Skating MB class going on a field trip because they were having more fun. The Scout was supposed to meet up with myself and the 3 other Scouts at lunch. He was nowhere to be found. I could not locate that Scout for almost 3 hours. All staff members at the MB camp were on alert, looking for this boy. he was finally found off-site at a skating rink with the Skating MB. The MBC for skating claimed the boy told him he had permission to go with them. The MBC apparently also signed a blue card saying he completed the Skating MB. I talked to the boy's mother, and one of our ASM's who was the boy's former Den Leader. I also talked to the boy's Dad who was very apologetic. We all agreed he should not earn that Skating MB because basically he told all kinds of lies to get in that class and had no permission to be taking that MB. I took this info to the CC, and the issue was brought up at a committee meeting, more for informational purposes than anything else. The SM was made aware, etc. Everyone pretty much agreed except the Treasurer. The Treasurer seems to feel that if the MBC signed a blue card, the boy earned it regardless of all the lying and disappearing act. I don't get how the Scouter can feel that way, but whatever. He's entitled to his opinion I suppose.

Well.... last night, the mother decided it had been long enough that she held that Skating MB over the Scout's head and NOW she thinks he should have it for his MB sash!!!!! So she went to the Scoutmaster, with the Treasurer standing behind her and convinced the SM to sign that blue card because she believes it's been long enough and he's earned it now!!! WHAT THE SAM HILL IS GOING ON HERE?!?!!?!!?

And my husband (the Troop Treasurer) thinks I am making mountains out of mole hills. Excuse me??? We have an Eagle Scout son who busted his little tush working around an endangered owl to do his Eagle Project, one that he had to ensure remained fed and not disturb his habitat. And because of that owl, it held up his Eagle project for months and he had to work AROUND the friggin owl while removing debris and 50-gal drums and such from the ravine the owl was living in!!!! The boy worked his rear off all through Scouts - he didn't get any 'sliders'!! And our Star Scout son doesn't get any lee-way from us about anything. He has to do it the way it says or he doesn't get the doughnut, know what I mean? But I am making mountains out of mole hills!?!?!?

Ok guys... so this is for all you hardcore Scouters out there.. please tell me I am not losing my mind here, and that my standards are not way over the top and unattainable here. Please tell me I haven't reached a level of psychosis or something where I have forgotten the Scout Oath and Law, and what the ideals of Scouting are. LBP must be rolling in his grave watching the way this Troop forgets about requirements and hands things out to boys!!!

If I can't effect change in it, I promise I am leaving this Troop. I will not put up with the constant undermining of the program!(This message has been edited by Joni4TA)

Yes, I think I was just being a little overly skeptical. In this day and age we get all sorts of phishing emails and junk mail. My initial thought was that the email was a negative one because none of the clickable links I hovered over actually appeared to go to a website I was familiar with, but once I clicked on a link it ended up at BSA National.

I actually have no real idea how our relationship with our chartered organization is. Since the CC, SM, an ASM, a MC and the COR are all members of the church that charter us, I would like to believe our relations are great. But I truthfully don't know.

yeah I plugged kintera.org into my browser.

I get this message: "Kintera.org is no longer active. To get to Kintera.com please click here"

"The Click here" link goes to - http://www.kinterainc.com/ which is a fundraising company.

So in the email, one of the links that said it would take you to BSA's official website, but when you hover over the link it says this: http://www.kintera.org/TR.asp?a=8eKJJZNCLmLTI6I&s=crLPL5PGIcJMK1NGLnF&m=hiLNKXPELdK0F

I clicked on it. (Ignoring my instincts not to click)

Sure enough it took me to BSA National! Perhaps the email is legitimate after all.

So since it appears valid, here was the message:

"Thank You Scouters!

The beginning of the holiday season gives us all an opportunity to reflect on the blessings each of us receive everyday.

The Boy Scouts of America is truly blessed because of the dedicated service provided by our 1.2 million volunteers who deliver a quality program of character development, citizenship training and personal fitness to nearly 5 million youth members.

In addition to the over 1 million registered Scouters, we are further blessed with countless other Scouting supporters, friends, parents, community leaders, and donors. We could not continue our work with the youth of America without them.

All of us have had people who made a real difference in our lives- parents, teachers, family and for many their Scout leaders. Please, take a moment and thank them, it will make their day...and yours too.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Value of Scouting

Across the country, Scouts are making a difference. The Value of Scouting stories will connect you with brief photo essays on Scouts and Scouters who are making America a better place for all of us. Please share these great stories with people you know.

Historical Highlights of the Boy Scouts of America

For 100 years, Scouting has been helping the youth of America find - in themselves and in the world around them - more than they thought possible. A century of building confidence and character is worth celebrating.

All the links in the email refer to "kintera.org" as far as I can tell.

It came from - Boy Scouts of America [scoutingfriends@netbsa.org] and was titled "Thank you Scouters"

Anyone else get this email or familiar with kintera.org?

The email says at the bottom:

Links in this e-mail direct the user to URLs at Kintera,com,(Notice it says ",com" and not .org) a technology partner of National Council, BSA. No personal information is provided to any entity outside the BSA. E-mail address used was provided at registration or re-registration.

Remove yourself from this mailing.

Remove yourself from all mailings from Boy Scouts of America National.

Modify your profile.

I can't say the salary thing surprises me either. While it seems like a lot of duckets, it's also a lot of work.

The FOS Quota thing didn't shock me at all. The predominantly LDS Councils aren't the only ones that do that.

"If a congregation does not meet that quota or produce "measurable improvement" over previous results, as an information sheet says its Scouts cannot be in the "Gold Club." Members in it receive 10 percent discounts for summer camps and 10 percent off many supplies sold at Scout stores."

While in the Far East Council, we had a similar incentive - if our individual unit was 100% FOS, meaning each scout family gave to FOS at the family level (I think it was like $50), we got a patch for the family, and the Troop gave us an FOS coin/token, but the entire Unit itself received a percentage off of Summer Camp costs and some Scout shop purchases, and all rank badges that year were free.

Our Troop budget just incorporated the $50 for FOS into the dues.