awanatech

I have never heard of a Troop that does not count the summer towards time for advancement. I'm not sure how they would justify eliminating a whole season from the calendar.

I don't see any problem using the same shirt design for the Troop & Pack. Like Thunderbird said, you could always get the same design on different color shirts if you wanted.  However, I'd have no problem using the same color for both units.  That would cut down on inventory if you wanted to order a few extra shirts.  It would stink to need a blue Adult small and not have any, but realize that you have 6 green Adult small.  I have ordered from ClassB.com many times and have always been pleased with the shirts and their customer service.  They have many designs online that you can select and then customize the text as needed. We have also ordered from a local shop, especially when the pricing would be similar.  Neither ClassB.com nor the local shop has had a problem mixing colors within an order, as long as the design is the same.

I have seen the suggestion that PETA be done away with.  As soon as they take that suggestion, I'll consider theirs.

I know that the deadline for all registered leaders to complete YPT2 is 10/1/2018.  As SM, I have taken it.  As a Committee Member, my wife has also.  I don't know if anyone else has yet.  We are a small Troop and don't have many more than the minimum number of leaders.  What happens on 10/2/2018 if we have some leaders who have not completed YPT2?  I've been emailing & reminding them about it, but haven't gotten much response.  I've only heard from one Committee Member who said she's not going to recharter next year, so she's not taking it.  Our recharter is due 1/1/19.  I haven't gotten any response from our COR or pastor either, as they each need to do it also.

As others have said, the church can definitely impose more requirements on leaders and volunteers.  As the Chartering Organization, they basically own the Scout unit.  By default, that means that unit volunteers are also CO volunteers.  Most churches in my area have background check requirements for any volunteers or workers who work with youth/ children. I'm surprised, but so far, the church that is our CO has not required that, yet. 

39 minutes ago, Eagle1993 said:

Exact opposite in my area.  Most are against National’s half baked solution and are working to find legitimate ways to fully integrate.

And that's how some will argue that "everyone" is against it, while others will argue that "everyone" supports it.  From their own perspective, each is right.

11 hours ago, gblotter said:

What you see depends on where you sit. I see exactly the opposite from my vantage point. I know of many Scouting families adopting a "get done and get out" strategy.

This is what I see also.  I have talked to very few who support.  Most in our District are against it, or they are paid Council staff who have no real choice to but go all in and support it.  There are a few Packs that have girls now, but I don't know of any Troops or COs that are looking to add a girls unit.  

This SM is definitely adding requirements to the SMC.  Depending on where the campout is, I would be tempted to find out what time he will do the SMC and then just show up for that time. Then leave from the campout.  That way, it is working within the time he has made available, but not consenting to the campout as a requirement.  If I'm only there for the SMC and not the campout, then I'm not paying either.  I would make it clear I'm showing up for the SMC only to jump through his hoop.  I understand that this may not be possible if you have a conflict.  But it's not right to add a campout as a condition of a SMC.

I believe GSUSA policy still requires a lifeguard for swimming outings.  This wouldn't be much different if a Boy Scout unit decided to ignore BSA policy either.  Do they allow adults to become inebriated on their outings?  I would think that might go against policy also, but maybe not for GSUSA. 

However, I am glad that it all worked out and the girl was saved from drowning.  

1 hour ago, Chris1 said:

Solar stake lights (Dollar Store) to mark your tent. Makes it easy for scouts, staff and you to identify the location of adults.

Bring some stuffed animals, from the dollar store to help home sickness.

One of the best things for home sickness is playing cards and other games. Again at dollar store. 

I always bring a bistro set (two chairs and a small table). Yes I know it sounds crazy, but it is a great place to read a book, have a cup of coffee, and most importantly is a welcoming environment for youth to come talk to adults. This has HUGE payoffs if any scout is having problems, or is home sick. 

I've thought about the solar lights, but haven't bought any for campouts yet.  What I have done for about 10 years now is to put a glow stick on the corner of my rain-fly (I'm always sleeping in my hammock).  I started this when my oldest was in Cub Scouts and still do it now that they're both in the Troop.  I make sure Scouts & adults alike know where I am and that they can find me via glow stick if needed.  There have been many times over the years that has come in handy as a beacon in the middle of the night. 

In fact, just last week at Summer Camp, I had someone show up at my hammock asking if I could help him.  I didn't recognize the voice, so that got me even more on edge as I scramble for my light that hangs on the ridgeline.  I look and see that it's almost 1AM and he isn't wearing any shoes.  Fortunately, this time it wasn't a major emergency.  This was a Scout who needed help finding his tent.  I have him sit down for a minute on the chair since he seemed disoriented.  I also thought it odd that he was barefoot.  I wanted to make sure if anything was going on.  In conversation to get him talking, I asked if had gone to bathroom and got turned around.  Apparently he was sleep walking and woke up in the woods.  He had no idea where he was at first or how to find his tent.  I think he had woken up just prior to coming to me.  I talked to him enough to make sure he was coherent and we got him back into his tent.  While his Troop was sharing our campsite, they had started the week in different tents and had to move mid-week due to the danger of dead trees.  This was his first night in his new tent. 

While he was not from my Troop, he knew that I was our Scoutmaster and he had heard me making sure my Scouts knew where I was and why I had a glow stick out every night.  Sometimes it does make for a long night (one Cub Scout campout had 3 major emergencies back-to-back in one night), but as the adult leader, I feel like I need to be involved in the emergencies that arise in the middle of the night.  During the day, I'll tell a Scout to go see his SPL for most things.  But at 3AM, that's probably an adult issue at that point.  I may need to pick up a solar night or 2.  

On 7/1/2018 at 7:39 AM, qwazse said:

The course instructor turns in a training report with the names and unit # of the participant to the council registrar. This is basically what the online training does, but it consumes your time (setting up an account, logging in, printing certificates) instead of the council's.

On 7/1/2018 at 7:58 AM, walk in the woods said:

The trainers or your unit commissioner can enter the training online as well.

Thanks, I did not know they could turn this in like that.  That would help in getting all of my leaders/ parents trained in YPT.

I was at Lawhorn Scout Base south of Atlanta this past week when we heard about this tragedy on the east side of Atlanta.  We also had serveral trees down throughout camp, along with several large limbs.  Fortunately, no injuries from them.  Some were in campsites, but no tents damaged and no one hurt.  Along with the camp maintenance staff, we did help cut down several dead trees that could be immediate threats throughout the campsites.

I've gotten a splinter from a wheelbarrow handle before.  Does that count as a danger? 

I remember about 3 years ago when our Webelos made soap-box derby cars at Cub Day Camp and raced them down the sloped parking lot in the back of the church.  That looked about as dangerous as riding the wagon down the driveway as a kid.  But they had helmets on, so I guess everything was ok.  

I just returned from a week of Summer Camp at our Council's camp.  One morning toward the end of the week, at one of the SM Coffees, the Camp Director passed out a form like that to everyone who wanted one. She encouraged us to take at least one for our spouse and one for our employer.  We filled out the info and they should receive a letter thanking them for our time in camp.  I've never had a Camp Director mention anything like that in years past. 

On 6/29/2018 at 10:18 AM, RememberSchiff said:

The priest of our local Catholic Church raped a 13 yr old scout in the 70's.  Their two units move elsewhere as did the priest.  I moved here in 1990 and  unaware of this, I tried to revive the unit as the Church had a great meeting place and storage. I got a quick blunt education from parents. More than 40 years later, scouting did not return and this Church has its own youth group.

Sadly, it sounds like the are not willing to admit what the problem was.  Scouting was not the cause of the rape.  Scouting was not the problem them, and is still not the problem.  Do they truly believe that their own youth group is currently immune to adults sexually abusing the youth, but if they had a Scout program, then the abuse would resume? 

On 6/12/2018 at 11:05 AM, Saltface said:

Drizzle olive oil onto wadded-up newspaper and put it under your charcoal chimney. Use that as your fire starter and you won’t need lighter fluid at all. 

You should never use lighter fluid in a charcoal chimney anyway. They are very efficient without it and they specifically say do not use lighter fluid.

On 6/29/2018 at 12:09 PM, thrifty said:

I received an email from our CC requesting adults come to our next committee meeting because a district rep would be going through the training first hand so that adults wouldn't need to go online.  I thought the whole point to having it online was for convenience but seems like a good idea if anyone showed up.  I had already done the online training and was not in attendance.

I've heard of other Units/ Districts having this type of group training.  How does that training then get credited to the individual leader's I.D. so that BSA knows that they did it. 

2 minutes ago, ParkMan said:

Actually saying they have a condition is offensive. You don't pretend they are a boy - you accept that they are a boy

 

You accept them for something that they are not, correct? I'm sorry, but to call yourself a boy does not actually make you a boy. 

We had one mom ask me about the policy a couple of weeks ago. She wanted to know what our Pack policy is on homosexuals in our Pack, compared to the BSA policy. I just reiterated to her that, since our Pack comes under the umbrella of BSA, our policy on the issue coincides with BSA policy. If BSA changes their policy, our policy will coincide with BSA policy.

I am our committe chair and have been for 5 out of my 6 years in the Pack. I know that our COR & unit commissioner agree with my reply to her.

She said that they couldn't be a part of a group that discriminates like that. They've been in the Pack for 4 years. She didn't say much when I mentioned that BSA policy hasn't changed. This has been the policy for quite a few years, she just didn't know it until now.

We had one mom ask me about the policy a couple of weeks ago. She wanted to know what our Pack policy is on homosexuals in our Pack, compared to the BSA policy. I just reiterated to her that, since our Pack comes under the umbrella of BSA, our policy on the issue coincides with BSA policy. If BSA changes their policy, our policy will coincide with BSA policy.

I am our committe chair and have been for 5 out of my 6 years in the Pack. I know that our COR & unit commissioner agree with my reply to her.

She said that they couldn't be a part of a group that discriminates like that. They've been in the Pack for 4 years. She didn't say much when I mentioned that BSA policy hasn't changed. This has been the policy for quite a few years, she just didn't know it until now.