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ASM915

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Posts posted by ASM915

  1. SR,

     

    Been there, felt that. 4th quarter elections to make room for AOL ceremonies in the first quarter? I like the concept. Our Chapter has 38 unit elections, & 60 Packs to worry about. But 4th quarter would never work for us. We have to many SM that want their elections as late in May as possible so more of their Scouts can achieve First Class.

     

    To try and make room for AOl's, this year we are going to ask the SM to please sign up on an early April Monday and an Early May Monday, same for Tuesday units, one Wed., one Thur, and one Sunday. On the Monday & Tuesday dates, we'll need 8 teams. On the other nights, we'll need. 3-4 teams. This would allow us to pull the elections off in 7 nights, and let us concentrate on AOLs.

     

    We have 1 unit that has refused to let us run an election for the last 6 years. And the SM use to be OA. He has never give a legitimate reason why he doesn't want elections.

     

    We have another that did the same, but let us run an election three years ago. They then went to an out of council camp, never had the youths Call-Out, or sent to Ordeal.

     

    Someone mention using Troop OA Rep's. We have more of a problem getting the SM to assign a Troop Rep then we do getting an election set up. I wish we had 20 active Rep's to help with elections.

  2. SR,

     

    Been there, felt that. 4th quarter elections to make room for AOL ceremonies in the first quarter? I like the concept. Our Chapter has 38 unit elections, & 60 Packs to worry about. But 4th quarter would never work for us. We have to many SM that want their elections as late in May as possible so more of their Scouts can achieve First Class.

     

    To try and make room for AOl's, this year we are going to ask the SM to please sign up on an early April Monday and an Early May Monday, same for Tuesday units, one Wed., one Thur, and one Sunday. On the Monday & Tuesday dates, we'll need 8 teams. On the other nights, we'll need. 3-4 teams. This would allow us to pull the elections off in 7 nights, and let us concentrate on AOLs.

     

    We have 1 unit that has refused to let us run an election for the last 6 years. And the SM use to be OA. He has never give a legitimate reason why he doesn't want elections.

     

    We have another that did the same, but let us run an election three years ago. They then went to an out of council camp, never had the youths Call-Out, or sent to Ordeal.

     

    Someone mention using Troop OA Rep's. We have more of a problem getting the SM to assign a Troop Rep then we do getting an election set up. I wish we had 20 active Rep's to help with elections.

  3. Meteor showers Thursday & Friday nights. Saw several last night while sitting at the fire in the backyard with Dave. To cloudy tonight.

     

    Jack, are you playing around with a new unit up in Buffalo?

     

    At camp, scouts from the other unit out in Calumet with us were using Google Sky, and another app. out on the dam. They both worked nicely, especially the one with the GPS app.

     

    126 at OLOP took a tarp and painted the constellations on the underside. They have the scouts lay under the tarp, and teacj them the constellations before going to camp.

  4. Kudo & Schiff, great sites & concepts. Clemlaw, great advice on involving the OA.

     

    Last Wednesday after Call-Outs, I had the chance to talk with a SM of a SN unit from a neighboring District, that is made up of all MR, ASD & Downs scouts. He told me that they were chartered through their Counties Board of DD. They meet one day a week at 1:30 while in school. Several of their scouts are Members of our OA Lodge.

    The lodge has been very understanding & patient with these Scouts, especially at Ordeal.

     

    The Lodge has also been very good with our youngest son who has an Autistic Spectral Disorder, an honored him with a Vigil Call-out this summer while at camp. We are planning on attending NOAC next year, hopefully on Staff at the Disability Awareness site.

     

    My youngest is mainstreamed in a regular Troop. Our only problem with our Troops is them not being comfortable and knowing being sure how to work with an over 18 y/o Scout. It is a slow process.

     

    Our Council tried a SN unit in our District a couple of years back, but tried it at one of the Workshops. It didn't work due to the location being a jobsite. I'm planning on talking with Council about trying again, but in a school setting this time.

     

    Special, keep up the great job, and keep us posted on how things work out.

     

  5. Crisco,

    Do some homework. Do you know someone (an oldtimer)that is well respect from that District who you can talk with who knows this SM, and any history that he may have with OA. Depending on the background you get on the SM, you could eother approach the SM and discuss the situation, find out his true feelings, and try to find a solution to the situation,

     

    OR

     

    If there is a known issue with the SM & OA, refer to the Lodge Advisor about approaching the CC & CO and see if they can be any help. Maybe they do not know the SM is doing this.

     

    JTSwestark laid a lot of groundwork at getting our Chapter back up and running. Jack definitely influenced my in getting back involved with OA when my sons became involved. As stated in one of the posts,communication and educations are paramount to having a good chapter. Two years after Jack stepped back as CA, I moved into the postiton. Jack, we still have an issue with one of our SM always having a reason to not hold an election. I'm tempted to have an election/promotions team make a presentation at Fall Camporee if there is a common dinner, or go out to the campsites, then ask the scouts (SPL's) about setting election dates. Sort of an end round, but what is a SM to do if his unit is truly a boy run unit.

     

    Crisco, good luck, & keep is informed on what happens.

     

    YIWWW

    ASM915

     

    PS: JTS, 2011 Lodge dues???? LOL

     

  6. Twocub,

     

    I'm glad the meeting turned out good. I surprised that a couple of things were not brought up in this discussion & have a couple thoughts for future problems.

     

    1) In discussions with the parents, was it asked if there had been any previous events like this away from scouting? Maybe the parents never thought of other incidents as a problem, and are missing a more serious & dangerous issue with the son.

     

    2) Trip to the Burn Unit could voliate HIPPA depending how it is done.

     

    Possible things that future offenders have to do:

     

    1) Firemanmship MB

     

    2) Have a talk with the local Fire Chief. He might have some graphic pictures of burn victims (this of course with parents consent).

     

    Also if Chief has access to training center's fire/smoke house, (again with parents consent) suit and pack the scout up, and place him in the structure with the chief as the place is lit up so he has the expereince of feeling the heat & can seeing how fast things can happen. Waivers would have to be signed by a parties involved to pull this one off.

    3) Next, off to talk with the MD's & Rn's that work the Burn Unit.

     

    4) These doc's & RN's may ne involved with a burn victim support group that may have a victim or two that Marion Award be willing to talk to the scout about their experience (no HIPPA violation in play here). Maybe they would be willing to talk to the Troop or patrols at this scouts invite.

     

    5) The scout then goes back to the Troop/patrol to give an indepth discussion and training on fire safety.

     

    The smokehouse, & face to face sitdown discussion with a burn

    victim will definitely have a lasting impression, hopefully for the better, on any Scout.

     

    Just 2 cents worth from someone with 25 year in Fire/Ems, 30+ in the ED, and 20 in Scouting.

     

    YIS

    ASM915

  7. Twocub,

     

    I'm glad the meeting turned out good. I surprised that a couple of things were not brought up in this discussion & have a couple thoughts for future problems.

     

    1) In discussions with the parents, was it asked if there had been any previous events like this away from scouting? Maybe the parents never thought of other incidents as a problem, and are missing a more serious & dangerous issue with the son.

     

    2) Trip to the Burn Unit could voliate HIPPA depending how it is done.

     

    Possible things that future offenders have to do:

     

    1) Firemanmship MB

     

    2) Have a talk with the local Fire Chief. He might have some graphic pictures of burn victims (this of course with parents consent).

     

    Also if Chief has access to training center's fire/smoke house, (again with parents consent) suit and pack the scout up, and place him in the structure with the chief as the place is lit up so he has the expereince of feeling the heat & can seeing how fast things can happen. Waivers would have to be signed by a parties involved to pull this one off.

    3) Next, off to talk with the MD's & Rn's that work the Burn Unit.

     

    4) These doc's & RN's may be involved with a burn victim support group that may have a victim or two that might be willing to talk with the scout about their experience (no HIPPA violation in play here). Maybe they would be willing to talk to the Troop or patrols at this scouts invite.

     

    5) The scout then goes back to the Troop/patrol to give an indepth discussion and training on fire safety.

     

    The smokehouse, & face to face sitdown discussion with a burn

    victim will definitely have a lasting impression, hopefully for the better, on any Scout.

     

    Just 2 cents worth from someone with 25 year in Fire/Ems, 30+ in the ED, and 20 in Scouting.

     

    YIS

    ASM915(This message has been edited by asm915)

  8. MIB,

     

    In our Lodge, the Lodge Advisor usually chooses the CA. The District has no input. The term was usually for 3 years, longer if the interest is there.

     

    The first time the CA position became available, I let the outgoing CA know that I was interested. I was not well known to him at the time and was passed over for a SM whose Troop was heavily involved in the Lodge. When he stepped down to move into an advisor position at the lodge level, it was passed to an ASM Vigil from another unit. This CA stepped down when he became SM.

     

    I spent some time attending the Chapter meetings with my oldest son, getting to know the second CA well. My youngest ran for a Chapter officer position under the third CA. I offered to act as ACA helping him out. He informed me at a Winter Banquet that he was stepping down, dropping the hint. I'm not sure if he discussed the change with the LA or not, but there was not a problem with the transistion.

     

    The original CA I think still had reservations about the change. But over the last three years, the Chapter has grown in attendance at meetings and events. We have had Chapter events, and restarted an Call-Out team.

     

    Now the Council has merged Districts, meaning merged Chapters. We're now working with a large Chapter, over 300 members, comprising half of the Lodge's membership. Both of us CAs are working as Co-Advisors.

     

    Give it time, and make sure they know your around and interested. Be there and helpful. Ask the current CA what you can do to help him out. Show up at LECs, Ordeals, Chapter meetings, etc. Your time will come

     

    Good luck,

    Meschatamen

  9. Roadkill,

    I think he'll surprise you & do well. As Chapter Advisor, I rely heavily on my younger members, especialy the pre-highschoolers, when it comes to elections & ceremonies at the Chapter level.

     

    Schiff,

    Good advise on informing the parents.

     

    Eagle92, are your candidates informed of their nomination at the time of election, or surprised at summercamp?

    When do you do your little informational sitdown with the candidates & parent, after Call-Outs, or before? Do you do this on a unit by unit bases, or have all potential candidates within the District, & parents come to a special meeting before the election season kicks off? I like that idea, and would be interested in trying this in our area. PM me with wpecifics. The poor parents usually have know idea what they are involved for.

  10. Tagging a comment about the BOR on the electronic advancememt record is a good idea. Either make it direct & to the point, or with just enough informatio to possible pique the interest of the new troop to possibly call to ask questions.

     

    I definitely agree with Scoutnut. Let the mother know that you are complying with her request, and that you will immediately mail the requestion documentation to the new unit, or will be delivering it personally. By no means hand it over to mom.

  11. Our Council merged our two largest Districts (population wise) back in January, creating the Mega-District. 80 units must be a reference number only. We have 45 Troops, around 100 Packs, and I'm not sure how many Crews. We do have a DE & DD handling the new District. We'll see how it works out.

  12. Our Polar Bear requirement is anytime from November 1st to the last day of March. Then again, living in NE Ohio, most nighttime temps are in the 30's, but we have had temps no lower the 50 on rare occassions. I know our ALTC (first second weekend in Nov.) the last two years had temps in the 60's & 70's.

     

    Then you have our Klondikes that have ranged from +25F down to high day temps of

    -13F. One year Council called out to Klondike and told the Troops staying Saturday night to go home. Temps were to be @ 0 with windchills of -15 that night. Said that if we stayed, they wouldn't cover any temp related injuries. Not like we would be sleeping outside. Then again, Council didn't chase us home the Day it never broke -10.

     

    We have a Polar Bear strip for the first year. Then we have four different colored bars to place on either side of the original patch, a different color for each of the five different years.

  13. Baden Panza,

    Round up my steed Rocinante, oops I mean Gwenny, my son's 90lb shepard, and fetch me my helmet (bedpan) for head. I'll be tilting to the might oak with my shovel as we charge down the drive through the snow.

     

    Baden & Information, good idea. This morning in our RR meeting (3 due to snow), we discussed sending letters out to the religious CO's IR/IHs to see if we could drum up some new committee members. We'll also make mention of it at RT, but felt we would have a better responseaway from RT because most of them are already tied to other committees.

     

    Baden, it will be interesting to see how people work with each other. Most work well now.

     

    The only issue that I'm seeing at this point is one group (multi-faith) that has been made a subcommittee, feel that they should be able to do what they want, when they want without having to answer to the larger committee. I'm still trying to be diplomatic for now. Soon my black & brown steed may have to charge in, with pan on head, and....

  14. Our subcommittee was formed when the Relationship & Membership Chair decided to form the subcommittees suggseted in the Relationship Committee handbook. Approximately 8 people stayed with the RR committee. Most of them were part of the original Relationship committee from way back (before my time). Average age, 70-75. This creates some unique issues which I'm trying to work through, most being set in their ways.

     

    One person has a committee that started out mainly as a catch all for non-Catholic faiths aimed at Religious Emblems promotions. Over the last three years since committee formed, this committee has grown and has tried to hold a few events. The success has been very limited.

     

    The person over this group has not been happy that the R&M chair went with a much younger person, and created a committee that may compete with her group. I have politely asked that her committee refocus back to RE promotions since she has around 5-6 different faiths represented at her meetings, mainly Protestant, one from the Jewish faith, & a LDS person.

     

    At this time, the Catholic Diocesan chair is on the RR committee. I'm working on bringing the Methodist equivalent on board, and am looking to talk with someone from the LDS Stake. I'm still working on finding contacts for the other majors faiths represented within the Council.

     

    One activity that Council has done for several years is a Religious Emblems Recognition dinner. That is one thing that will definetly be continued.

     

    Thanks for thos who have responded so far. Keep the ideas coming. I'm open to any advice on how to handle the other situations mentioned.

  15. I have been tasked with starting a Religious Relations committee for our Council. I have read what is listed in the Relations Committee Handbook that relates to this committee.

     

    I am intersted in hearing what other Councils are doing in with their committees besides Emblems promotions. How did you form & staff your committees? What other activities does your committee do or sponsor? How active is the committee with the camp chaplain? I am open for any and all ideas.

     

    Thanks in advance.

    ASM 915

  16. Our oldest joined at 15years & 9 months. He managed to pull off his Eagle, Ad Altere Dei, Heroism Award, & Ordeal in the 27 months. All this while swimming varsity, member of the Weightifting team, Spanish, German, International Clubs, illustrator for the literary journal, taking honors coursework,volunteering for the county parks, student board member for the village park board, helping teach CCD, & an alter server.

     

    He said the meritbadges were easy, especially if you coordinated your school assignments with the MB requirements.

     

    He had a burnout spell of about three months where he didn't work on MB's, just went to meetings and campouts, some with the Crew he was a member of for about 6 months, where he met his wife in. Paperwork went in the night before his 18th birthday. I think it is easier to achieve faster when they're older & more mature, the younger and being pushed by mom & dad.

     

    If the youth is willing, and coordinate his schedule, anything can be done if they want it bad enough

  17. Scoutfish,

     

    Congratulations. Is District Camp Promotions Chair & District Camping Chair considered the same in your District, or are you jsut a minion under the District Camping Chair? If you end up being one in the same, that means you can set up your own committee to run, which probably will end up covering both Cubs & Boy scouts.

     

    One of the jobs of your District's OA Chapter Chief is to attend the District Committee meeting, and work with the District Camping Chair with Camp Promotions. The Chapter Chief is responsible to take information that you pass on to him in reference to Council/District camping events, information that you bring back from the Counil Camping Committee meeting, for him to take to his Chapter meeting and pass out to his Troop OA Representatives. They then in turn take this information back to their Troops. If their Troops are tied to Packs, the Troop Rep can help promote Cub appropriate events to the Pack.

     

    There is a major push for OA to get involved and help our little Brothers on Blue. Push to get you Chapters members involved with assisting with CSDC. Thay should be able to run some of your stations for you, as well as run the flag raising and retreat each day at CSDC.

     

    For your shake, make sure that you know and understand what position that they are truely offering you. You don't what to be suprised and find out that you getting more then what you are bargaining for.

     

    Good luck.

  18. AK,

     

    If the youth are all of the Protestant denominations, see if Council can lend you the RE books for those denominations. Take a look at the requirements and see how much they vary. If they are pretty much in line with each other, have the family ask their pastor if he has an issue with another pastor (if you have a willing one) work with the little ones as a group. Since each pastor has to sign the application that he/she knows that the youth is working on the RE, this is a good time to ask. Then the pastor that is helping the youth signs as the counsellor. Have the youth go back to his own pastor after they finish, and have a talk with the pastor about what he did.

     

    It shouldn't be a problem. I know we have several Packs, and a couple of Troops that do it this way in our Council.

     

    If you have a couple Catholic youths in the den, see if there is a parent willing to work with them on God & Me. Just make sure that the paperwork gets back to the appropriate Diocese. Our poor Council has to deal with five Diocese. One Diocese has two locations where they merge with two of the others (two on the west side, and the other two to the east) where you can have youth from each of the three Dioceses in the same unit. Talk about chaos & confusion. LOL. And I took on Religious Relations Chair why???

  19. Beavah,

     

    Shame on you. You left OA out. I thinl wakwib is correct in saying that sometimes that the boys are more clued in on things, how their peers are, then the adults. It always amazes me at unit OA elections when a unit has several eligible candidates, and only 1 or 2 get elected. Sometimes I'm left wondering whether the youths were elected due to being the real scout, or by the popularity vote.

     

    Our Troop is, make that was so small that the three eligible for SPL just rotate it around. We just doubled in size, and will triple by summer. It will be interesting to see what the young ones do next sprimg when we hold POR elections.

  20. Proud Eagle,

    I'll bet you he is Catholic. Why else would he be reading articles at Inside Catholic?

    I am Chritian, and been on both sides of the fence, raised in a Protestant denomination, and am now Catholic. I was raised to be tolerant of others, and their beliefs, even if those beliefs are different then mine. Should everyone be Catholoic? Who cares as long as they're Christain. Should everyone be Christian? It would be nice, but won't happen. As long as they learn to be tolerant & respectful of others, that's fine.

     

    As stated by others posting on the IC article, BSA requires members to believe in a higher being. "Do my duty to God" should be changed to "...to my God", probably to the chagrin of many. But it would open the eyes of many that we're not just talking about our God.

     

    As for INSTITUTIONAL REPRESENTATIVE/HEAD's & CHARTERING ORGANIZATION REP, yes, most as silent and not actively involved with what is happening in their units. We had a unit chatered by a Catholic organization (KofC), that at the recommendation of the CC & leaving SM, accepted a 21y/o female SM. Not normally a problem, except for the fact she a pregnant and not married. Other parents didn't have a problem since the young lady had come up through their Crew. District had an issue. KofC blew a gasket when informed, and were then informed that they had the right to remove whoever they wanted. Needless to say, thay became real involved, and cleaned house. But it is like pulling teeth to get the IR/H & most COR's to be involved.

     

    It is also hard top get some Council's to cater to some of the different faiths at large events. I, as the Council Religious Relations Chair, had to pull teeth to try and get a slot for a Mass to keep units from leaving our Camporall to head to town for Mass. "What is wrong with the Scouts Own service?" This coming from a Catholic SE & Program Director. So much for being on the soapbox.

     

    Yes, the article was very good. To bad it isn't in the mainsteam media. That is where we need the good publicity, specially here in NE Ohio where we are being rocked by two major arrests dealing with YP issues.

     

    Proud Eagle, I'll also keep an eye put for anyone from the PS nosing around. Love the Dan Brown references. LOL.

  21. Interesting article. I wonder if they immediately reverted back to the Inquisition state of mind? Or were they Scout like, Helpful & Friendly at first, and offered to help find a Troop that would be more in line with the families religious viewpoints. NAH, probably not.

     

    Then again, they probably didn't look upon it as an opportunity to possibly passivey show someone not of the faith, how to come to the faith.

     

    I wonder how the Troop committee would have looked upon a Jewish or Hindu boy asking to join the Troop.

     

    We have a IR priest that ois our DIOCESAN COMMITTEE ON SCOUTING chaplain. He was suprised at how many of the scouts in his unit had not worked on their religious emblems, only to find out that more then half of his unit was not Catholic.

     

    Maybe these committees need to meet with their IR's and see if the goal of the IR is to have a more or less closed unit, like LDS. Yes it can be done, bit then they better be willing to direct those not of their faith to another Troop. Granted, it is easier to have a closed Crew then a closed Troop or Pack.

  22. Yep, we're 35 miles south. I heard some minor tibit mentioned on the 5:00 news. I have the 11:00 news on now. At least LeBron being back in Cleveland is ruling the news.

     

    LeBron, thanks for taking the publicity & news. off of the BSA. Now go back to Fla.

     

    So far, so good. So far we've made it to the Sports without any mention of this guy. I hope he never managed to get his hands on anyone.

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