momma_bee

We used them.

We designated a portion of each sale to go to the Pack first. So, if popcorn was 30%, 1/3 might go to the Pack, 2/3 for the Scout.

It was used to pay registration, Boy's Life, Day and Resident Camps, field trips. Our 'registration' covered the cost of awards.

Boys who transfered to another Pack could have a check written to the Pack. Boys who bridged could have a check written to the Troop. Boys who quit 'donated' their balance for disadvantaged Scouts.

After I left, they started using them to buy uniforms and sleeping bags and it became a problem because the Pack said 'only from the Scout shop' and a parent wanted to buy a sleeping bag from Walmart. The kid couldn't camp because they couldn't afford a sleeping bag and if they bought a Scout one, he couldn't pay for camp. The pack said they didn't want them to shop at walmart because they could return it and get the money.

I don't know how they use it now.

As a troop, it just like it was described here. Notebook, money in and noted. Money out and noted. Balance available when a boy asks. Used for camp and trips.

I know this is in the Boy Scout side of the message board but I have been obsessing about a Girl Scout thing.

They ask the girls to make S.M.A.R.T. Goals. (hmm, without looking it up, Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely - that may not be right)

It has been bugging me, not because it is a bad idea to have a goal that meets that criteria, but because I will be asked to do the same thing at work this year. It bugs me because it is a corporate idea, applied to the girls.

But, I am going to think about your post and try to be open minded about the potiential for improvment in the girl and the program.

And, maybe the boy will be inspired to help me out and use the process as well.

I'm trying to say "thanks for the well thought out post, I wish I had words of wisdom to share"

But, have we convinced you to learn to sew????

I understand what you are saying about the OA Sash. My son feels the same way. A dirty sash is a happy sash. I think the one thing he looked forward to was wearing it OA night when he troop camped and his troop hasn't camped at summer camp since he earned it.

Our council has, at times, offered us plans to cover the cost of Cub Rank patches for the year if we showed an increase as of Dec 31st. We never made it because they would base our projected number on the previous Decembers numbers. So, you have to replace, Cub-for-Cub, every boy who bridged, moved, or quit. And then add.

It was frustrating and well, in some ways, made us feel like we didn't measure up because other Packs did it. With the declining enrollment in our school district, having the same number of boys enroll from a class actually represents an increase in the percentage of boys in Scouts.

Now, take that to quality unit. I have to increase the number, but there are times that maintaining the number is an increase in percentage of available boys.

It would be nice if there was an adjusted number of boys on the roster and goals were made from that. But, that would become difficult to track or verify. My circumstances may match yours - but you market better. Do I need to learn from you or just get a break? What would benefit the unit / district / council? (oh, teach me how to sell, please)

But, I do understand the frustration. The year PoppaBee became CM, we had around 15 boys on the charter who should not have been left on it at all, and then had a few who did not return in the fall. We had to replace them all, plus some, to get no more than 20 free patches. Of course, we would then be getting 35 free patches, but still...Pulling even 10 boys into a Tiger Den would have represented 33% of the boys in 1st grade.

It is about more than the QU.

And, my boy will question you on the QUALITY of your program if given the chance - he does not view it at a membership patch, even though it mostly is just that. One year we earned it and I didn't turn in the paperwork because it didn't seem 'right' to me. The DE filled it out and told the SM he forgot to sign it and the patches appeared.

Sewing badges on your sash can be as simple as a whip stitch. (keep the needle close to the edge and match the color and the location of the stitches won't matter as much)

However, my son has a jacket that he whip-stitched back together that he calls his 'Frankenstine Coat' so...

There is a product called Patch Attach that is available at your local Scout Shop, most Girl Scout shops (it may be closer to him folks) and most fabric and craft shops. I don't know how, or how well it works, but if it is truly a problem, you have a choice.

But try and learn to sew, patches aren't much harder than buttons and you will need to sew for something besides your EBOR. I have trouble with my fingers and my sweet hubby, who is SM, did almost all of the sewing until my scouts took over.

If my son came home on Friday, I'd need to miss a day of work to pick him up.

This would not help me.

When I went as a Scouter - I knew that my time would be rushed Saturday / Sunday to be ready to go back to work. I accepted that.

So, I wouldn't find any benefit from ending a day sooner.

I figured since I have been posting (and lurking) I should say hello properly.

I am Momma_Bee or MBee and hail from Western Pennsylvania. Go Stillers!

My Scouting Resume?

Boy Scouts: Former Pack Committee Member and Chair. Current Committee Chair of the Boy Scout Troop. Wife of the former Cubmaster, now Scoutmaster. BigBee is 15 and while he has been a Life Scout for almost a year, has no spark to talk Eagle. He is in the OA and is on staff at camp this year, but I think he is dragging his feet because the SM said he was quitting when the Eagle was obtained.

Girl Scouts: I've progressed up through the levels with our Darling Daughter. DeeDee is now bridged to Cadettes, so Daisy, Brownie, and Juniors are all behind me now. My Sweetie, her wonderful Poppa has stepped up to help. So, PBee is now a Girl Scout leader too.

The Girl Scout Troop is growing and the Boy Scout troop is micro-sized. Recruitment is a problem there, as well as leader issues. (hate that word) It is just very tough to do encourage them to 'do it right' when there isn't anyone there.

I've never needed a digital meat thermometer - how hot do you cook your digital meat???

About the phones. I can't stand mine - but my son uses one several times a day at camp. Each area has a walkie-talkie, and, in addition, most boys have a phone. It allows for private conversations.

And, it allowed him to hear his little sister sing the other night. He was probably more indifferent than he let on, but it meant the world to her.

That being said. Allowing your phone to change the course of the activity you are in is rude (unless it is an emergency) That has nothing to do with camp and everything to do with manners.

We have a local minister who comes once a week to lead a vesper service. I couldn't tell you his name and don't recall of seeing him anywhere except at the service itself.

However, this year there is also a staff Bible study that some boys have planned.

I don't know of any other provisions.

Now, I have to say that my observations are based on past years, not this year and I will need to quiz m'boy to see if that holds true this year as well.

I do regret that I was not present when he opened his first check...to watch him discover the true difference between gross and net pay.

And, it is a learning experience for me as well. I need to learn to keep my mouth shut. When BigBee talked to me, I thought his director was abrupt (not quite rude) and she is, but when the other fellow had the same opinion it started to really bug me. Still does. In part because a few years ago he was bragging about how involved in church his kids were and one of them is on staff. Makes me wonder what changed in their lives.

Yep - out of council. We actually live OOC and I tease that I will switch if provoked.

I talked to BigBee and told him we were talking about him and why. He said that he didn't get in trouble since he wasn't late, and never thought he would get into trouble because so-n-so is late every week because he goes to church.

So, I do wonder if the fellow I was cracking-wise with to begin with had other things on his mind when he answered me.

We also talked about us joining this congregation and that he would need to talk to his director NOW, since he is camping next week, if he wanted to be there. PBee and I suggested he give her something in writing so she doesn't forget.

You raise an excellent point about the military. It is a comparision I would never have considered.

You mean it isn't a hole for your ink pen?

He wasn't late - he was advising her of a potiential problem.

The only meeting he was tardy for was in the first week and he overslept - he took his 'punishment' and learned his lesson.

And, I listened in to last weeks meeting. It didn't start at 11. As a leader, I attended quite a few of her meetings that 'started' with her walking in, and filling her cup and then getting out papers a minute or two after the 'time'. In part because someone else was talking to her in the doorway about a problem that wasn't public knowledge.

So, him being late has been modeled through the years by the staff.

I don't think I asked for special treatment for my son either.

I think a better response would have been "You know, if you are late for the meeting, you will need to work in the kitchen and that will be your second tardy. We will be looking at attendence at the meetings when we consider hiring for next year."

As far as his actually spiritual needs go - there is a staff run Bible study, he has a close friendship with an adult couple who worship at a church of the same denomination (she is on staff, he is OA) and yes, he can learn and worship on his own.

He wanted to take communion. He finds value in the corporate worship of like-minded people. We cut the apron strings a while ago (I usually am told what I missed seeing when I wasn't there, not what he didn't do because I was) and this was the first he had been to worship since the end of May.

I think the camp could have done better. If this is how they have done with my kid, what about the kid who isn't confident enough to ask because 'none of the other boys are doing it'? What about someone who says I don't need to worship with my family since I can go to vespers - it is non-denom, and isn't exactly the right fit, but it good enough and then feels unsatisfied?

We also studied that passage a few weeks ago. It seems to me that the apostles were well equiped to spread the message. And, didn't they return home or keep in touch with each other? I don't believe that my son is well-equiped yet and neither does he. Thus the need for corporate worship on occasion.

I guess this was on my mind because we were talking about reverence with a non-churched Life Scout at a BOR (well, he was Life after that BOR, Life Canidate until the paper is signed?) And you are right, reverence is lived and worship can be solitary but some times worshiping with like-minded folks builds you up in ways you need.

And, some folks who are there on Sunday are less than reverent the rest of the week.

No 8am services handy to camp - and we were at our 8:30 service. It was still 65 miles from camp. (we worship OOC)

And, this is one of those 'give an inch and they'll take a mile' things. I just have to wonder if being late because of church is the same as late because of a flat tire, oversleeping or standing around talking to a friend? You know, if 15 minutes are ok because my BigBee is at church, then 15 minutes is ok because Nachamawat is on the trail and then, well, someone would start to say they were praying in their tent when they were dozing.

It is something we need to talk to him about. It is a faith discussion more than an employer discussion.

And, FWIW, my son didn't get a contract defining hours until the staff training weekend - not exactly the best time or place to consider the effect of the starting time. And, not-signing would mean a staff member who missed trainings.

Times for meetings are not published at all, so if someone has noon prayers, there could be a daily noon meeting and you wouldn't know until you got there. (who is it that prays 5 times a day?)

And, I have dither back and forth on how I feel about.

I agree the time is the time, but to hear someone tell me that 'it doesn't matter since the boys don't go' implies that the problem has been considered and dismissed.

A starting time of noon would mean being able to go to a local church at 10 and being on time.

As a Momma / leader - I like having the staff available and prepared. I like the campsites in excellent shape and that comes from them arriving at 11 and not allowing sign in to start until 1 or 2 (not sure since we didn't go this year)

I too did weekend work and had to be there at noon so I didn't worship those weeks, but it alternated.

It just made me wonder how other folks handle things.

Now, we are joining this congregation at the end of this month - wonder if we can make a flying trip again?

Staff Chaplains would be nice - ours is off-site and only comes to do vespers.

Boy, I hope they don't use those guidelines at Girl Scout camp on Sunday or DeeDee is coming home.

She has been coughing all week, complaining of a sore throat and occasional sniffle.

Could be swine flu, or it could be the fact that she has spent 4 of the last 8 days at a friends home and the friend has two smoke-in-the-house parents.

But, do I want them to take my word for it?

To answer my own questions...

In our area, our camp is at least 20 minutes from all churches except one. That church has worship at 10, the other churches that I was able to check have services that start at, or after 10am.

Assuming at least 1 hour for a service, you can't do it. Even if your family wanted to visit another church, you wouldn't make it in by 11am.

And, as I think about it, I wouldn't want them to push the opening meeting to 12 - I don't think it gives them enough time.

But, I wish that they would 'excuse' a tardy arrival if you were tardy because of church. Yes, it could be exploited but I really think that my son deserves to be praised for honoring God, his family and his committment to his job and scouting, rather than running the risk of being chastised.

And, after listening to the meeting, I think a simple solution would be to do troop guides first and if you are late, you will be guiding. No one seems to want to do it, unless it is their own troop, so being late would guarantee a job in the sun and that would be the clear results of the choice.

And, I do think that telling a boy that if he planned to be late because of church, and brought a bulletin and pre-planned to guide, you couldn't argue he was shirking his duties.

These boys are attending at least 12 meetings a week. Late for one because of church doesn't sound too bad. I do know that if you are late in the morning, you are required to help in the kitchen after one of the meals. (he did that ONCE)

Hello folks - this isn't a problem, I'm interested in your opinions and personal observations.

I've think I've been here (the board) before - at least some names look familiar. I'm MBee, MommaBee, the proud Momma to a Life Scout and a just earned her Bronze and bridged, Cadette. Leader to both in some way or another throughout their career and my Sweetie - Poppa is currently the (burnt out) SM.

And, our son is working at Scout camp this year. By his account, and more importantly, according to his director and peers, it is going well.

Last week his sister Acolyted for the first time at church and he wanted to be there for her. He also had not been to church since May and expressed a desire to take Communion. I told him to talk to his director to say that he 'may' be late for the 11am meeting at camp.

I will admit, the week before he squeaked in at 11. And, I'm sure the words church, sister, or acolyte never came out of his mouth when he talked to the director. Knowing him, he just said "I may be late" (anything else is no ones business but his) and the directors response was "That is your choice."

We made it at 11. We left church at 9:45 and drove 65 miles, stopping for him to change into his uniform as we passed our house. Needless to say, we weren't obedient.

I questioned another parent / camp leader / district & council committee member when we arrived and said jokingly said that my son should have written "a Scout is Reverent" on the bulletin and given it to his boss.

I was told that he signed up for a job that started at 11am on Sunday and he was required to be there, in uniform and that is part of learning responsibility. He CHOSE to take a chance of being late and would not get permission to cover that. I then asked how the boys were supposed to go to church and was told that most boys that age don't want to go, even if someone offered a ride.

And, they do have a non-denom vesper service on Tuesday.

But my question is - do the boys who staff your camps have the opportunity to worship at a church of their choosing or do they skip church all summer?

Should they be granted that option?

MBee