Gone

LDS supports our district to the tune of allowing use of their facilities for district events. If that goes away I am not sure any other CO will step up and be as open as the LDS have.

@@robert12, any idea how much the average LDS family contributes to FOS? I have heard in Utah the amount is around $50 or more/year. That could be a sizeable loss if that dries up as well.

One can "love Scouting" and still break off to support their church, their faith and their ideals AND be involved in a scouting program. The decision to leave does NOT mean anyone doesn't "love Scouting". The $10m loss should hit hard nationally looking at their 2014 report. I suspect that's a drop in the ocean compared to the LDS FOS donations which, according to BSA, accounts for upwards of 45% or more of council revenue in Utah.

Another story. That's $10m gone if they leave only counting BSA dues. Can't imagine how much BSA loses in FOS donations. I'd imagine at least another $5-10m. Hope those other donors that left come back, otherwise BSA is going to hurt for money. http://www.sltrib.com/home/2778130-155/if-mormons-leave-scouting-bsa-will

How does an organization like this exist? I didn't think you could make your own awards or societies.

If there's an incident that requires a BSA Incident Report I'd think you'd have to tell the camp why, no?

Parish. We were told that, as long as the church can still control how the unit is run, we will be allowed to stay. Were further told the higher ups are meeting in August and will decide what to do for all parishes.

Fellow Catholic here.

Really? Sorry, can't help you if you don't know what those who oppose the ban are being asked to do.

I' not Mormon so I don't care what the LDS units do. I am waiting to see what my CO does. They are meeting in late August, but for now they said proceed under the local option.

Should that happen they we have the answer to Mr. Gates' question, "...who would pay the price for destroying the Boy Scouts of America?" But Mr. Gates will have to live with himself as the person who opened the cash register and allowed his successor to finish off the local option.

+1 for "Nature Deficiency Disorder."

We provided all the paperwork that the camp required of any registered scout or adult. The camp director decided to add them to a contingent, so there was no need for a tour permit. This is how they handle any council-based scout who goes on their own, so that was what they did for our out-of-council folks. Made sense. Their main reason was making sure that BSA insurance covered them. Council questioned national and they said as long as the scout/parent were part of a contingent -- in our out of council -- they are covered. Not covered was the personal transportation between home and c

Rather than rolling over one half the membership Gates decided to roll over the OTHER half. That makes sense.

Well if we are truly accepting of lifestyles we should allow just about anything as long as it does not disable us from doing our jobs. Isn't that the argument?

I don't believe in atheists.

Exactly! The CO did not want it. The unit took it to another CO, same district. So there's no harm or foul here. The CO, who would assuredly have the standing in any lawsuit as "owners" of the gear/money, was giving it to the unit. The unit took it. Frankly I don't see an issue here, morally or otherwise.

Well, good point. Membership numbers will be interesting. We heard from our COR today and our CO is sticking with the current policy until the national meeting later this month. Then they will see what national says.

That's 2013 data before it was revised downward. The number of units after the revision downward was 96,000. By 2014 it was 93,000. The number with the soon-to-be-released mid-year 2015 numbers is below 91,000. So yes, 100,000 units was true in 2012, but not since. Hence the comment that BSA is looking in the rear view mirror at 100,000 units....and is not likely to see that number again.

The CO does not want the gear or the money. They were going to give it away. As far as the CO was concerned the unit (and the boys) raised the money, bought the gear, etc., and, in their mind, owned the gear....so it should go with the unit wherever they go. If BSA wants "their" stuff back they are welcome to sue the unit, but I suspect they have more important things to do. Let's not pretend that a vast majority of the units out there are not violating their charter or BSA policies in one way or another. You could self-righteously impune the honor of just about any unit if you looked

Did they get rid of all the Northeastern execs who ran BSA and hire a bunch of conservative southern Baptists just with that move? Really?

If scouting began today there's no way kids would follow a middle-aged man in to the woods to camp.

Ok, I've seen the argument far too often stating that the "fundamental values and character of Scouting" were not founded in the exclusion of (x) group. I've seen people argue that morally straight is inherent in those same fundamentals and means (x) behaviour is not welcome. Can we find ANY statements from BSA over the years to corroborate these positions? I'd truly like to know if any of these positions can be backed up with evidence.

Same issue with some of the USGS maps though not feet/meters but rather 40'/50' contours. Did not make much of a difference on slow rises, but it was amazing how much difference 10' made over a steep incline at 9,000 feet. A 400' climb became a 500' climb over a 1/8 mile with a 60 lbs pack.

Since BSA is easing membership restrictions can we PLEASE lobby for them to ease up on beer at summer camp? Nothing's better than a nice micro-brew after a 10 mile hike in the Rockies. And I am pretty sure we could get a MUCH larger number of BSA members to support THAT policy change.