koolaidman

Howdy! It's been a long time since I've been active on this forum. I was active when forming my son's scout troop about 7 or 8 years ago. We decided on a new troop because most of the other troops in our district were large, troop-method, very adult-led troops. It's been a challenge for sure: Some of the adults that thought they wanted a youth led troop and insistence on "no less, no more" would bolt after their scout ran into his first challenge. We evidently received a reputation in the district for prioritizing our own unit over district activities. Through it all

I agree with Stosh

resqman, Stosh, cyclops, SSScout all are correct. If you were counting on that money to help with participation and you are facing financial difficulty, you may want to have a discreet conversation with the Scoutmaster or Committee Chair. Oftentimes troops have a fund set up for this sort of thing.

We've had better luck with the spiral bound handbook. My scout shop not only says Jan 22, but says guaranteed in stock on Jan 22.

http://www.oa-bsa.org/uploads/publications/GuideToUnitElections2015.pdf Sorry hyperlink paste didn't go through first time.

for funsies and a mess: how much weight can a FULL soda can support. Is it different from an empty one? (with the bricks, not the bridge, that surely would be a large mess)

So we've heard a lot of pros and cons in this thread. Why not just try out the OA. If your son doesn't like it, he doesn't have to go or pay dues. No big whoop. Please have a look at this. Skip to pages 35 and 36 of the pdf. I'd say while the elections are not supposed to be a popularity contest, if a scout act as described in pages 35 and 36, they are bound to be (should be) popular in the troop. Give it a shot. Judge based on what you experience and not what other people say. Read the book, not just the cover. Good luck!

They changed the name to Hiker Direct in October of 2014. It's all legit. We buy from them often and haven't been disappointed yet.

@@MoosetheItalianBlacksmith I didn't know your mom like many others here in the forums, but I remember seeing her posts frequently and held her opinions in high regard. I'm so very sorry for your loss and you and your family will be in my prayers.

@@Exibar It's really going to be dependent upon the requirement. Many of the adjustments you hear about for scouts with disabilities is in regards to physical disabilities and not mental disabilities. For example: A blind scout needs to identify constellations for Astronomy MB. How does he do it? How does he normally "see". If the counselor made cards/posters with braille-like bumps for the stars and positions them above the scout where the constellations would be in the sky, the scout most certainly identify them with his fingers. This wouldn't be considered adjusting the requireme

Base, I've been missing your input in the past many months. I wish you well where ever you may go. There are many troop out there trying to keep adventures boy-sized, including mine. Maybe we'll all meet up in the same place. Good luck! Koolaidman

Thanks for the head's up guys. While we are on the topic, does anyone ever have any success with the little hacksaw-like scraper harbor freight includes? It doesn't seem to work well for me. I use my knife blade perpendicular to the magnesium and it seems to work better. The little grippy like ridges on the top of my knife (like where you may place your thumb for leverage) works better than the blade does for making sparks with the ferro.

The way I read the transition document, if they boys pass the 2015 joining requirements and get one sign off on TF, then they are working on TF-FC and can continue with the old reqs through 2016. I kinda feel like that is gaming the system and only kicking the can further down the road, but it is an option to consider. (of course this thread blows up while I have my head buried in work this week!)

My measure of fight or flight would be whether or not there are enough scouts to work as a patrol. A patrol of two scouts doesn't get to learn the benefits and challenges of spreading out responsibilities. I think all they would learn from it is they will have to do everything, because there is no one else to rely on. I'd wait and see how many scouts the new recruiting attempts bring in. If you get enough to make a patrol of 6-8, keep on going. If there aren't enough new scouts, sit down with them and have a talk with the scouts. I'd be honest with them and tell them what they coul

Welcome to the forums!

Excellent suggestions Bad Wolf! May I add: "man hunt" (hide and go seek), Willow the wisp, finding your way without a compass, roses and thorns, planning for the next day, night time orienteering, other wide area games. One of my fondest memories from my youth in scouting was the night time orienteering course we did. Each patrol was a group of Baden Powell's troops escaping the Zulu warriors (the venture patrol) and had to get back to base by following coordinates. Each waypoint was a base where the Zulu's couldn't tag us. We had to be sneaky and it was great fun.

I've reported the posts as spam.

Our den used the chart. Den Leader would then update Scouttrack. Don't bring your book? No update. No award. You can't justify the award with out signoff support. At Webelos, Scouttrack administrators, would only allow Den Leaders to update records. Parents could update Tiger-Bear. We were in a pack of 100+ and had to use the electronic tracking. It would be pretty messy to order advancement bling and present at a pack meeting without it.

"old" Webelos handbook. Parents guide page 10: "When a Tiger Cub, Wolf Cub Scout, or Bear Cub Scout completes requirements, a parent or guardian signs his book. When a Webelos Scout completes requirements, he takes his book to the Webelos den leader or an adult designated as the activity badge counselor (often this is the parent or guardian of a Webelos Scout). For projects that are done at home or with the family and are not easily transportable, the parent or guardian still may be asked to approve the Webelos Scout’s completion of an activity badge requirement."

Transition guidance is here: http://www.scouting.org/filestore/program_update/pdf/Transitioning_New_Requirements_2016.pdf Scouts working on joining requirements/scout badge as of 12/31/15 start using new requirements on TF-FC on 1/1/16. Scouts working on TF-FC requirements may use new requirements, but can use old requirements. Scouts who have completed FC may use new requirements, but can use old, but must convert to new after completing current rank. All scouts must use new requirements 1/1/17. (emphasis on may and all is mine, not BSA. Please rely on the linked document and not

blw2, The Den Leader is signing off not the parents, right? Only the Den Leader is to sign off on Webelos advancement. How about an advancement chart/poster? Update it as things are signed off. Have it posted at every meeting, so scouts and parents alike have a reminder of what needs to be done, along with you and the Den Leader. Something like: http://www.scoutstuff.org/webelos-advancement-chart.html#.VcS6r7XJDIV

What did you do in 2010 Bad Wolf?

For the parents: I believe we owe them a duty as to why their scout will be asking for a new handbook, and why their son may end up with additional requirements 1/1/17, if they don't reach first class. So while the parents don't work on advancement, some like to encourage their boys to advance. Part of that is knowing what the requirements are. As far as letting the boys do it: I guess I didn't clearly state that is the overall goal when I said, "Ask PLC/First Class+ scouts how they plan to learn the skills to teach the scouts the new requirements." I'm not afraid of our scouts failin

Our new Webelos will be coming in mid-December. In the past there have been some that can't make it to a troop meeting until January due to family vacations and whatnot. So the new requirements are going to hit us in January most likely. Unless, all new Webelos are able to make it to a December meeting, their parents are timely with the YP piece, and we make a troop effort to get one TF requirement signed off before December 31. (seems unsavory and anti boy-led to do that imho)

New requirements are here: http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/2016BoyScoutRequirements.pdf