jpstodwftexas

Well Here is an Open Challenge to All you Perfect Scout Units..Pack your Back Packs...Come to Northwest Texas Council 587 and Show Me how We have been doing it Wrong all these years....Show me how to Use our State Parks and Area Camping Sites properly. Mean while We will pitch our Baker Tents...Set up our Cots..while your walking alongside Hot Blacktop all day avoiding traffic or just walking around and around in Circles to Hike.

Given the Small percentage of the numbers of Scouters there are and the percentage of active posters..nothing on theses forums represent typical scout anything.. In all my Scouting Experience I have never Encountered any Troops like what yall describe yalls as your "typical" Unit Never been to a Camp except Philmont that allowed 300 feet between Patrols, or had enough miles between camp sites for back packing every day. I sure can tell the difference in the East Coast Scouters and the Rest of the Scouters of America. Last Troop we had around here from that area tried Back Packing to Camp...After 2 Miles humping a Ruck sack in 114 weather they gave up..Needless to say they did not hang with our Scouters much during Camp Activities...even in their ultra light weight tents they had trouble sleeping in the 90+ Weather at night on their sleeping Pads, while our Boys enjoyed their Old Baker Tents and Cots.

What is the price?

Sadly Some of Us have a Reason to put down the program. As Several People have already stated..Lodges Vary Greatly...Not All Lodges can Count the Memberships in the Hundreds instead of the 10's. Very Few can count memberships in the 1000's Not Every Lodge has countless activities. You can't always be asking people just to pay to work Scouting is Like a Sport...Which team do you want to play for...The One who wins or the One who loses? The Ones who Plays games win or lose or for One who Forfeits every game and only Practices? There is a Reason we have what is Called Sash and Dash..For Many the Flap is just a $15 Yearly Trinket. You pay to wear the Flap and Sash because Your Lodge Does Nothing.. My Lodge went from having Routine Campouts, Philmont Trips, Regular Dinners and Ordeals which started on Friday Night for with a Cracker Barrel with a Spades and Dominoes Tournaments while Vigils were Selected..Saturday Morning Vigil Steak Breakfast...Saturday Candidates came out and Started their Ordeal...Saturday Night Brotherhood did their Ceremony while Candidates were staked out Saturday Night and Sunday Evening Candidates did Ordeal Ceremonies...Now We start Friday Night..just a Cracker barrel while Vigils do their things.Saturday Night The Ordeal have their Ceremony and then have to go back to chow hall While Brotherhood get their Ceremony. We don't do steak for Vigils anymore, we don't do Steaks any More for Ordeal...If We are Lucky it is Spaghetti now. Our Numbers are limited to only a few who can go to NOAC, not everyone who wants to go and will pay. Our lodge is either doing 8 youth 3 adults or 9-10 youth and 4-5 adults in 2015 for 100th Anniversary. And the Same ones always go..Why Should I pay to be a Member if I can't Participate in everything I want to. We Routinely attended and put on Dance Shows for Scouters at Events, now Nothing. There are several larger More Active Lodges about 150 Miles away..I can not simply join their Lodge and Live where I do. I can not pay them my Dues and Be a Registered Scouter where I live. Although those Lodges have repeatedly asked me to attend Events and I do. I Volunteered to Work after the Oklahoma Tornadoes as a Disaster Relief Member with their Lodge..Mine did nothing. Although we are in the Same region.

We plumbed a propane line into the pit and had a spark ignition Sometimes We also had a thin wire line on which a Lit weighted Arrow would shot from a Tree during the Winter Months. We used this in the Winter because of early darkness obviously

My lodge's calendar... January...Winter Ordeal / Vigil Honors and Officers Installed February.....BBQ Fund (mainly Adults who Cook and Deliver the Racks of Ribs) June.....Summer Ordeal/ Officer Elections for Next year June Call Out Ceremony (watermelon social after Call out) We Fit in Sectional Conclave sometimes This Year only 3 Adults have registered to Go to Regional Conclave...Seems Wood Badge split weekends interfere this year. No youths are attending. I offered to pay for a New Member to go if a First timer.....No Takers NOAC and Jambo in those years they occur..Of Course we have to have 2 Patches Designed for Trading No Idea where we spend our Money each year. Our Camp is barely kept up. We have been working on a Smokehouse for over 2 years for sure but it keeps getting put on the Back Burner We have no Permanent OA Call Out Ring, Very Little Regalia Our Ceremonies Ring are poor excuses for Rings...Nothing except Vigil has much in it permanently placed, any Only Named "in Honor" ring I tried to get several Pot Luck dinners and some Fellowships going but as an Adult who is not a Lodge or Assistant Lodge Adviser, my ideas get shot down. I was gonna donate some challenge coins to Lodge..Candidate, Ordeal, Brotherhood, Vigil. .Idea was shot Down because Lodge said they could not afford them....Hummmm My Gift What Cost? I was having a Lodge Hiking Medallion Made to Donate first batch...Again Lodge Says they Could not afford the free Gifts. I was the Only Lodge Member to Help with Disaster Relief in Oklahoma..No one had time In the Days of Old we had Ordeals which covered Friday Night to Sunday Evenings..including Dominoes and Spades Tournaments, We had Monthly Camp Outs, We had Holiday get togethers, We attended Conclaves, We Had Fund Raisers, We had a Great Tap out ring with Arbors, Tepees, Fire Ring which Magically Lit on its own, We had Regalia

Also gonna print them Up a "Honorary" Texas Citizenship

My Junior Term Theme ...The Boy Scouts of America

I am Part Irish and Part Scotch so I know about not Calling them English. Not Sure where they are coming from. All I know for Sure about group is 3 male Explorers (14-18) 2 male and 2 female Networkers (18-25) Plus myself (adult I am Corresponding with) They Arrive in DFW and Plan on Canoeing at Camp Worth. They Have Invited us to go with them but I have not heard back yet (Max size) fromCamp Worth Yet..Since there is 8 in their Group it May Limit us to just 1 or 2 people..Hopefully we can take a group and join them there. They Then Come up to Camp Perkins. So Far I have Arranged a Trip to Whispers of Hope Horse Farm for Riding and assisting them with Children with Disabilities riding Therapy and They will Bring out Horses to Camp Perkins for Trail Rides at Camp Perkins. Still looking for more People to help with Additional Trail Rides. I have also recommended a Trip up to Lawton Oklahoma to Visit the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, and also the Comanche Nation Heritage Center. And Dinner in Meers for Meer's Burgers.. I have started to see if I can arrange a Visit Locally to Sheppard Air Force Base and a Visit to the Elevator Rock Indoor Climbing Center. Checking around for Area Rodeos, but they plan to attend the Rodeo in Ft. Worth at the Stockyards. I have asked around to see if I can get the Black Powder Shooters to come out one day also. I have planned out themed Dinners...BBQ, Catfish Fry, Tex-Mex and I am contacting a local Cowboy Church to Do a Chuckwagon Dinner. I asked Wichita Lodge 35 if they Will do a Program one night. I am having custom key Holders made..I am Considering Special Neckerchiefs also. Their Plans are Monday 7th..Meet local Scouts and stay in Fort Worth. Tuesday 8th - Thursday 10th Fort Worth > Worth Ranch Canoeing on the 9th and 10th. Friday 11th - Sunday 13th Worth Ranch > Camp Perkins at Wichita Falls...Activities with local Scouts Monday 14th - Thursday 17th Camp Perkins > ? Horseback Expedition Friday 18th > Fort Worth Go see the rodeo at Stockyards Saturday 19th - Sunday 20th Fort Worth > Bandera Cowboy skills, barn dance Monday 21st Bandera > San Antonio Alamo Tuesday 22nd - Sunday 27th San Antonio > Down Home Ranch Monday 28th Down Home Ranch > Houston Visit Space Centre Tuesday 29th Fly back home

I get the Opportunity to Help Host a Group of scouters from Scotland next July. So looking forward to it.

Well yall do it your way I'll do it my way. I pay my own way in order to Volunteer. I buy my own food to cook and share at Campouts, I buy my Own Equipment. I pay for my own training when I feel it is necessary to Train. I got all the free online Stuff. a Base due of $2.00 a Month ain't gonna break me....

We did Inspections every meeting

I did it like we did it when I was a Youth.. Use a Uniform Inspection Sheet.. Just like in Military line 'em up..Inspect..Amazingly even My Tigers cooperated

[h=2]vol·un·teer: a person who does work without getting paid to do it[/h] Committee members are registered members and Volunteers again Good Sir Have a Nice Day

Says I don't ?

No one has demanded you pay anything...Pay or leave simple. You don't like it move onto an Organization. creative typing about my Name ain't gaining you no sympathy..keep it up Obvious you have no idea what it means to be Kind or Friendly Have a good Day sir

Well If Adults paid there Own Fees and Boys paid $2.00 per Month Dues Lets See where we are at Troop Recharter Fee 40.00 Insurance X54 54.00 Total Recharter Fees 94.00

When First Class Stopped being the Highest Rank in Scouting. Personal Achievement...The End Goal of Scouting....Eagle Scout...An Obtainable Goal with a Clearly defined guideline. Just Like in OA Brotherhood is an Obtainable Goal for Every OA Member... Vigil is bestowed you don't have a Checklist.. I join a Program I strive to be the Best I can be...Not just a Plain Lackey In JROTC I could of just been a Corp Member instead of Excelling and being Promoted Cadet Lt. Colonel as Brigade Executive Officer. In Scouting I knew what I could Achieve and Accomplish without someone having to give me. After Eagle other BSA Recognition is by Nomination. Politics come into play...You Don't just get Silver Beaver..Or Distinguished Eagle. You have to politic to get it. I know many Scouters who won't be Vigil or Silver Beaver no matter how many years they stay in Scouting because they don't Politic they won't be consider or you "Contribute" your Way into those Honors

JoeBob commented Yesterday, 08:37 PM j stud of tex ass: "If Ya Can't afford $25 a Year to Register...Get out of Scouting." I'm trying to take your advice. I keep asking our committee to fire me. But while you're riding up on that high horse, would you mind looking around for me and tell me what my troop is getting for the $1,500 plus check we'll be writing for our charter? Well Well ..Well..Well... I will let Your Typing Skills speak for it self or Your Eyesight but back on Topic. anyways back to Fees Recharter Fee....$40.00 per Unit...So assuming that Your Charter Organization does not charter More than 1 Unit of Each Pack 40.00 Troop 40.00 Crew 40.00 Total So Far 120.00 No Idea why Your Being Charged $1500.00 To Recharter How Many Youths are you Recharter? Maybe consider asking the scouts if they Want Boy's Life..Why Waste Money on Boy's Life if it is Not being read or Saved? Are You Buying Everyone new Uniforms and Handbooks Also If Your running Short of Money..Fundraiser Better Management of What Ya Spending Money On.

I Guess We were Lucky around here in Texas. we can still throw out Candy to Viewers along the Parade Route.. Several Years ago our pack did basically the Same thing.. A Winter Camping trip.. The Smallest Cubs who would get tired before the parade had concluded rode on the Decorated Trailer..All Participants on the Float remained seating at all times. Everyone else walked besides the Float.. Last Year we did a Cabin with Fireplace... Both years we used a Propane Fire in the Campfire and Fireplace...So real

Well then Lets Broaden the Merit Badge System even more since we don't wanna Stiffle the Imagination and Creativity of the Scouters..Do Away with just Cooking Merit Badge instead we Have French Cuisine, Asian Cuisine, Tex-Mex, Cajun, Italian, German, Kosher, Texas BBQ, KCBBQ, Memphis BBQ, Orlean Cuisine, Southern Fried, Pastry Chef.. Eagle Scouts today are Turning into "shells" We Know Longer care if they learn anything and retain their knowledge...Wonder why most Councils stopped having First Aid Meets and Scout-o-Ramas..becuase we know our Scouts don't have the Knowledge or Skill to Showcase them to outsiders any More. Wonder if Yall feel the Same way about your Doctors and Lawyers? I don't want a Doctor or Lawyer working for me who has a case of CRS...

First Thing ...OH My Gosh...If Ya Can't afford $25 a Year to Register...Get out of Scouting. Adults should foot their Own Bill. For $2.083333333333333333 a Month You can be registered. My Gosh when I was a Youth I paid $0.50 a week Dues..Did not Kill me..Did not Prevent me from spending Money on Uniforms, I never missed a Campout, I never Missed a Camporee, I never Missed a Scout-o-Rama, I never Missed First Aid Meets. I went to Summer Camp...$2.00 in Dues a Month Never prevented me from participating in Scouting. A Year of Registered Scouting costs less than a Movie with a Soda and a Tub of Popcorn. Since I have been back in Scouting I have paid my own Registration fees. I have paid My Own Registration Fees to Events. Only Fees a Charter Organization should pay for is the Unit Charter Fee. Unit Funds should pay for Boy Orientated things like Awards, Rank Advancements, Skill Badges, Merit Badges, Activity Participation Patches such as Scout Sunday..Cub Scout Neckerchiefs, Boy Scout Troop Neckerchiefs. Unit Funds also should pay for Transportation fees to events, Banquets, Equipment, Facilities (especially if the Scout Unit has Facilities no one else uses), Yearly Vehicle Registration and Maintenance Fees if Unit has them. A former youth member from the Troop I was last with sends in his Adult Registration each year even though he has never attended a Single event and even lives 175 miles away because he wants to remain on the Troop Rolls as a Member of the Troop but he pays his own dues. For 6 Years now Second Thing: Quit trying to Skirt the rules people...A Scout is Honest....What has happened to a Scouters integrity? An Unregistered Adult is Not a Committee Member. An Unregistered Adult is Not allowed to Function as a Committee Member. if you Knowingly allow an Unregistered Adult to perform Functions you are Lying.

Those Chinese Scouter truly earn their merit Badges

Where is the rule written by BSA that once earned a Scouter can't Purchase a Merit Badge but have to wait because it has to be presented by Unit at a Court of Honor?

Basementdweller commented Yesterday, 02:19 PM No when his lad is a scouter, he will be the guy at roundtable that says, oh your only an eagle, well I am an eagle with 10 palms. The Saying is Once and Eagle always and Eagle. An Eagle is a Eagle, Palms or no Palms.