k9gold-scout

Yes, dogs should be trained and on leash at most times. The owners must clean up after their dog in any public setting. Norman Rockwell pictured dogs on the covers of Boys' Life. Today, many scout camps have dogs that do a good job of keeping pesky wildlife away from camp. I think scouts would be better off if they could learn to work with their dogs and take them camping.

I am involved in 2 units, one a troop now charted to a Catholic Church and another charted to a National Guard Unit. The troop, now 50 years in the community has moved 3x, we just outgrew the other locations.The church has supported the troop and we have a good turn out at scout Sunday and help with their annual fundraiser. The Venture Crew meets at a National Guard Armory and the older scouts like to play with the army toys.

I have neves seen any restrictions on dogs with scouts. A local council may have adopted a no dog

policy but it would apply to that council only. Check with your DE, then bring your dog friendly scouters to a council meeting and push to change the policy.

Trips here in Calif. are usually cheep The biggest cost is the pre-made food, each scout was responsible for their own food, and everything for the 10 days had to fit into a bear-proof plastic container. Our troop usually goes backpacking once per month and the scouts who want to go on the long-term hike must make the weekend hikes. Most scout camps will provide food for your backpacking trip. Camp Loll cost each scout about 600 and Philmont was about the same.

This year many of these scouts are in a Venture Crew and they have not yet selected their superactivity. They are trying to arrange military transport to Alaska.

We have a new Crew that meets 2x per month at the National Guard Armory. Our 1st event was to put on a craft fair for the young kids at the guards Christmas party. Now we are planning a "Leave No Trace" demo for a camping expo at the armory and we are looking into a superactivity for this summer.

Try - www.classb.com

Dose your troop have the optional accident insurance (this is available with your registration packet)? If so, send the scout with his parent to the hospital to seek treatment for his injury. Insist that he goes and explain to the parent that they would be reinversed for any cost not paid by their health insurance. If they do take the time to see the doctor, the paperwork will elimate this problem. My son brodke his arm at a troop touch football game and again at summer camp he broke his foot playing capture the flag. Both times the insurance paid all the bill not covered by my insurance.

Every council should have an advancement comm. made up of the dist. advancement chairs. They are responsible of reviewing merit badge programs. Most councils have training for these jobs and most scouters are glad to give the need counciling to each scout, when they are advised what is required. It is not a hard job but the paperwork needs to be done at home, I haven't yet learned to use my palm program around the campfire.

I received my info by way of Mike Walton (Black Eagle) in his website- THE TREE

www.mninter.net/blkeagle/camo

In my previous post, I said that our Venture Crew wanted to have camo pants, but our DE said that we could not. A few other scouters said not to give-up since Venturing can choose their own uniforms.

Well here is what I found out; it is illegal under Federal Law (Uniform Code of Military Justice).

Venture scouts are requested to go outside of the regular scouting system and seek out professionals in the selected advancement area. For example for the sports bronze award they would go to their team coach who would sign off on the requirements.

The idea behind a sercice project is to show the scout's leadership skills. A scout can receive The Congressional Adward for Youth for his work at summer camp (www.congressionalaward.org).

Should we replace the US Flag with the UN Flag? How about starting a new program called Boy Scouts of the World.

With the inseption of the "any scout can work on any badge" rule and "merit badge midways" many scouts can receive the 21 required badges much sooner; however if they finish their project at age 12 it is the parents who gave the leadership and not the scout.

Camp Loll - Trapper Trails Council UT located between Yellowstone and Grand Tejon NP, bring your own tent but worth it. Great adventure with prograns for both new and experienced scouts. Wonderfull staff and they can get you in with little notice.

If you would like to find out where the money goes volunteer for a district or council job they could sure use the help. There about 5000 paid pros and millions of scouters. If you know any business owner with many employees you could begin to understand the cost factors involved. What is really surprising is what the scouts can do with the money they do receive, not to say that sometimes mistakes are made. I have never herd of any council fraud; only a few troop leaders mishandleing funds.

Our troop starte in September, 1st the SPL gets ideas from the scouts, then he comes to a parents meeting. Now we take their wish list and rough out dates. Finall we have a parents social and present a plan for the next year, usually in November. Each event must have a parent sponsor who is willing to take charge and make sure the progran happens. If the parent dose not follow-up the activity is canceled.

One reason Venture Scouts are considered youth until they are 21 is that what the scout themselves wanted. The Venture program, just like the old Explorer program, is a youth decision making group. Many years ago Explorers wanted to stay active with their Posts and when they turned 18 they were to become adult leaders and serve only as advisors. However they still releated with the other Explorers mostly age 16. They sought out the ideas of many other Explorers nationwide and asked national to change the youth age limit. A simular decision was the co-ed membership.

Many years ago in gun-dog training; the animal right people decided it was inhumane to use live birds for field training dogs. Until this time most retriever training used live birds (mostly ducks), and very seldom were there birds injured or killed. PETA went to court to insist that if this training would not stop the birds must be humanly treated. Now we must kill the birds, this was the agreement reached in court. If anyone tells you that PETA helps animals they are less than truthfull.

There is one exception; Eagle Projects in conservation can receive either the "Hornaday Unit Citation" or the "Conservation Good Turn Award".

Each councel should have a Honaday Award Councelor who will help guide scouts through the process.

Our troop was featured in the June 2001 issue of "Boys Life" backpacking on the John Muir Trail, finishing up a 10 day trip by climbing Mt Whitney. We plan at least one 50 miler in addition to summer camp each year. Many scout camps have high adventure trips, for example Trapper Trals Council has Camp Loll outside Yellowstone NP. They have programs for both 1st year scouts and high adventure trecks for older scouts.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I took your advice and submitted a "U.S.Flag Study" merit badge to national. I am sure that this type of badge has been sent in many times before, but I think that scouts could know more than what they learn for tenderfoot. This next year I plan to do the "American Heritage" badge with my troop, but it is more of a history study.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We have a first in our state. A cub pack, a scout troop and a venture crew chartered to a group linked to the Calif. National Guard. We meet at the armory and many of the guardsmen are leaders in the units. We are proud to be with the soldiers, and our scouts look forward to every activity with them!

We have a very active troop outside LA, CA usually over 60 scouts. Most of the time we don't have time for OA, we are too busy with our own progran. This year we produced 6 Eagle Scouts and the older scouts have joined a Venture Crew. They will only show up when they need to teach a skill or work on a project.

The Venture shorts may be better than the scout shorts but many Venture Crews choose to wear hi-teck zip off cargo pants.