Lippoeowl

Hennesey hammock is a good one. Check out at: http://www.hikinghq.net/gear/hennessey_assym_hammock.html#Tip%201 Also check out archives at: http://www.backpacking.net/bbs.html You need one per scout but if you contact Hennesey he may have seconds or make you a deal. The smaller "Scout" model will work well for younger scouts. I wouldn't reccommend for winter camping. Hope this helps. YIS : L-Owl

smaster101: Troop and patrol equipment can be overwhelming to an adult QM much less a Scout. We had the same problem until getting a QM from each patrol to step forward. Their duty is to maintain the equipment their patrol uses. In our equipment shed each patrol has an equipment storage area and their equipment is marked with the patrol's name. The patrol QM maintains everything his patrol uses and works with an Assistant Scoutmaster who maintains the adult leader's camping equipment. Any equipment that needs to be replace or repaired then the patrol QM reports it to the Adult QM who as

The Board of Review is an excellent opportunity for the Scout to develop and practice those skills needed for an interview. Walking into a room with three to five adults can be very intimidating to anyone, much less a young Scout. The ability to walk into the room and communicate a positive and confident impression is a skill, which will help the Scout throughout life. Serving on a troop's Board of Review can be very satisfying as you watch Scouts develop from very nervous Tenderfoot Scouts to self-assured and confident Star or Life Scouts. It very important to train your Board of Rev

Excellent post! Thanks: L-Owl

We had an interesting thing occur at summer camp this year. One of our Scouts fell, hit his head hard and went to the local hospital for a CAT scan. Medical form was up to date and filled in with all the information required by BSA and the Scout summer camp. When we got to the hospital we were told that it wasn't adequate. The hospital called his parents to get verbal confirmation before any treatment. We were told that the BSA medical form needed: 1. SS #'s of both parents and Scout 2. Photocopy of health insurance card (front and back) 3. Notary for pa

I am the Advancement chair for my district and I would like some information concerning your District's Eagle Boards. First some definitions: District Eagle Board: In some Districts you may have six members on the District's Eagle Board and the same six members conduct each Eagle Applicant's BOR. I will refer to this as a "District Eagle Board". Unit Eagle Board: In other Districts, the EB committee sends one or two members to the troop and, with the addition of 3 or 4 troop committee members, they conduct the Eagle applicant's BOR. I will refer to this as a "Unit Eagle

Was wondering how many WB'ers have a WB cup. In our council we use the maple colored plastic mess-hall cups that can be engraved with patrol's totem, Scouter's name and course number. Woodbadge patrols acquire one cup per member and then hopefully someone has a Dremel and performs the engraving. Engraved lines are highlighted with ink. Is this a national trend or just an East coast thing? L-Owl

We always make a point to start and end on time. Responsibility rests with the SPL who understands the reasons. As Scoutmaster I always get to the meeting 30 minutes early. SPL and ASPL arrive 30 minutes early, most of the time. Service patrol arrives 15 minutes early. Late arrivals generally get the idea after several meetings that 7 o'clock means 7 o'clock. We do not repeat announcements for late arrivals. They get information from their patrol. Pre-opening activity works well. L-Owl

I'm new posting here so forgive me if you already know about this site: http://www.scoutingmilestones.freeserve.co.uk/ This is a wonderful source of information on the history of Scouting. YIS: L-owl

Don Johnson's Photon Stove is a pepsi can stove that works great but is rather difficult for the typical Scout to build. I like Sgt. Rock's Cat Stove better. It boils water just as fast and can be made in about 4 minutes. The hole punch (2" throat) needed for the pepsi can stove is $69.00. If you combine the Cat Stove with a Walmart Grease pot you can outfit your Scouts with Stove and cookpot for around $6.95 that only wieghs 8 oz. and build them at a typical meeting. If you would like to check out these and other designs try: http://wings.interfree.it/

Red feather: Are you talking about a "Swedish Chimney"? We've used them quite often. You need three split logs about 20" to 24" long.Stack them tipi fashion and with a wire coat hanger or other suitable wire, wrap around the top of the tipi or chimney. The lower part of the three stack logs will be spread and inside is where you start a small "twiggy fire" . The fire generates a draft that ignite the inside of the three split logs and the "Swedish Chimney" will burn for quite awhile especially if you keep tightening the tipi up . Be sure to feed the twiggy fire until the logs "take off" and

ASM1: What a resource! The more I reserch the site the more things I find and it looks great! I've only scratched the surface but thanks for the address. I have sent it out over our council's list serve and it should be interesting to see what happens here. YIS: Steve

Sctmom: When you said: "Now I need some sort of metal thing to put on the ground when a fire pit is not allowed. I wonder if a flat grill will work, just no legs." Are you talking about a fire pan for Dutch oven cooking? If so, we use the heavy duty aluminum cookie sheets available from Costco. They come 3 to a package and work great as a "Fire Pan" for Dutch oven cooking. I think the cost is somewhere between $13.00 to $16.00 per pack. In the past,we used 55 gal drum lids but they rusted out and were really a pain to carry around. The cookie sheets are still going strong and have oth

In the Headquarters Gazette (Leaders' magazine 1923) Baden Powell said, "The Gilwell scarf does not entitle you to consider yourself as a thing apart. Your Troop or District must as much as ever command your first allegiance. (As the outward sign of this, indeed, the Troop scarf and not the Gilwell scarf should be worn when working with your Troop." Wonderful little book - "Footsteps of the Founder - The Baden-Powell Quotations Book" by Mario Sica --can be purchased through BSA.

sctmom, Check out this link for games: http://www.macscouter.com/Games/index.html We always use the last 15 minutes of our meeting for a game choosen by the PLC. The SPL has copies of all the material and the PLC plans everything on a monthly basis. Use the "Troop Meeting Plan" sheets. The section marked "Inter-Patrol Activity" can be a skills contest, display or demonstration or game for all Patrols. These sheets really help keep the meeting on track. Good luck : Steve