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Basementdweller

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Posts posted by Basementdweller

  1. I would like to thank a number of forumers who have guided me over the year.

     

    Dessertrat,  Eamon, twocubs, Eagle99,  Fish,   Oldgreyeagle. goldwinger,

     

     

    Lets just say that with their advice,  the inner city poor troop went from 6 members to over 50.    Moving from adult led/run to boy led and run.  I am proud of what that group of 6 have accomplished.   

     

    Thank you.

     

     

    Sadly I have seen a significant shift in all scouting forums that I don't care for and simply will not stand for without speaking out.    I see scouting moving from it's middle class base to the rich suburbs.    Requirement short cutting,  eagle chasing parents,  High dollar trips and Family adventure being the norm.  

     

    Lost is the boy sized adventures,  the days exploring the creek or hanging with buds......My patrols are truly a band of brothers.  It makes me smile every outing to watch them in action.  I like to think that Dan Beard and Baden Powell are looking down on our program and smiling.

     

    I wish you the best  

     

    Basement

     

     

     

     

     

     

    • Upvote 1
  2. Haven't been around in a while.    Thought I would stop by and kick the bear.

     

     

     

    Nice topic Eamon.

     

    Is it we who failed? 

     

    I am not so sure.     Granted,  the economy and family situations have change very dramatically since many of us were youth scouts.    I know of only one lad who had a single parent house,  even in that case his dad would take him camping with the troop on weekends.

     

     

    Our troop has a stable population of 50,  goes up and down and meeting and outings net about 75% of that.     Yet out of 80 potential adult volunteers I have 2.   Why is that?    We had our summer court of honor a couple of weeks ago and I spent some time recruiting some new adult blood.    

     

     

     

    Excuses Not to be a leader

    I don't camp

    I don't like bug

    I work weekends,  sometime

    Single parent siblings

    I am too old,  gotta laugh because they were younger than me

    I don't want too

    I am too busy,  this fellow doesn't work on disabilty,  cough cough

    I am not good in the outdoors,  we will train you,  NO i am not good in the outdoors

     

    Now this last one is made me want to throw up..........

     

    I am not going to waste my free time

     

     

     

    I don;t believe we have failed,     but the values of the country have shifted and being a good, independent and solid citizen aren't important any more.     

     

    Narcissist,   Facebook Twitter, snapchat,tinder,  kik.....me me me     Materialistic,  Egocentric and Instant gratification.   is what it is all about.     

     

    I have a few more years in me as scoutmaster,  there is no replacement on the horizon.   Once the last group of boys I have watched grow from wolves to eagles ages out.   I will retire,  replacement or not.     I will have 20 years as an direct contact leader at that point,    I will have fulfilled my obligation at that point and retire even if there is no replacement,  I will notify the troop a year out and try to recruit new leader and give a firm date.  

    • Upvote 2
  3. Such nice flowery speak orange.

     

    So are you going to give up your familys christmas or vacation to support needy scouts?????? I have given up vacation for two years, spending the time and money on scouting.

     

     

    from the safety of your iphone you can be as self righteous as you like.

     

    The boy is still active with the troop and has paid for and attended the last three outings. water under the bridge and boy is no worse for wear. Mom and scout both know I am not playing games......Same for the rest of the troop.

  4. I am late to game

     

    Poaching scouts.........

     

    It isn't Okay.

     

     

    If you don't have a feeder pack then you need to start one. I equate it to shoplifting.

     

     

    So, as big brother troop.

     

    We have hosted the cub family campout twice a year since they joined.

    We worked every pinewood derby, provided den chief and taught skills as requested.

    We host the webelos dens at the webelos woods events.

     

    On and on..........

     

     

    Now at the 11th hour another troop swoops in and wows them with gifts and promises. Had it happen, a troop that folded despite poaching one years crossovers with gift that included a complete scout set up. backpack, sleeping bag and all.

     

     

    While I understand that our relationship isn't the norm, Poaching leaves a very bitter feelings.

     

    Oh btw, the boys that were poached are no longer in scouting.

     

     

     

  5.  

    . Rather than poo-poo these Scouters, I think we should embrace them and use them for the betterment of our units.

     

    I see people crap on the "third world generals", or whatever other insulting name folks decide to use to describe Scouters with experience, and it always makes me sad. Are these Scouters really jerkwads or do we just make them out to be so?

     

    .

     

     

     

    Oh I see lecastor has a fan boi. Lots of likes for his warm fuzzy scouting.

     

     

    Nope these guys are jack asses to the third power. Zero result meetings and goal setting for units with no input from the units. then the coffee pot silent treatment.

     

     

    Just as an Eagle patch on the shirt is no judge of the man, Neither is a bunch of survival knots above the pocket.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  6. As a fellow who has dealt with this before, write it off and institute the following policy.

     

    No popcorn ever leaves the troop stores till it is paid for in full.

     

    This leaves the burden on the parents.

     

     

    I wouldn't kick the boy out. But not trust the family again.

    • Downvote 1
  7. You guys are absolutely ridiculous.

     

     

    So I am making the lad feel worthless?

     

    He let his mother drop him off in the hopes that I would pay his way anyway.

     

    HIs mother dropped him off hoping I would cave in.

     

    Till his mother failed to answer the phone and his emergency contact did as well I very well may have paid his way. But I understood what was at stake here. She was testing my resolve. I was a man of my word. while her boy was tended too while she did what ever she did that night. He did not participate in the scouting event. I fed him and made sure he was safe and that is my responsibility. He did not bowl, enjoy the movie or eat pizza with the troop, because he didn't pay for it.

     

     

     

    While many of you have six figure incomes, I do not and have sunk way too much personal cash into scouting for boys who are not my own to even begin to reconcile.

     

    Where is that line?

    $10 for a camp out, a pair of socks, a new scout shirt, book, summer camp.

     

    I will not pay for pizza, movies or bowling for a lad.

     

     

     

    compassion.....pssssst.

    Guess you haven't been taken advantage enough yet.

  8. So drop them off you say?

     

    14 boys in the old church van at 15 minutes per drop and unload is how much again.

     

    I do not have active and involved parents, and the troop is being used as a babysitting program. The familys involved are not going to participate in the next couple of outings.

     

     

    The mom with the dump and run has been asked to take her scout to another unit to continue his scouting career. I have received an email threat of being sued if he is kicked out. Well I didn't kick him out, troop committee did and he tried to steal an activity. His scouting career is over in our troop. Sue away, ya can't get blood from a turnip.

  9. Looking for suggestions on best remedies for parents failing to pick up their little darlings after outings or events.

     

    This weekend I had two parents fail to pick up their scouts. So I took them home with me after an hour and a half after pick up time. Again, phone calls unanswered and when I went by their homes no one answered the door. The last scout was returned home 12 hours after the designated pick up time.

     

    Suggestions are welcome

  10.  

     

    IMHO, I don't consider this a success. The boy dropping scouting may be removing the one thing in his stable in his life. I'm not saying it is wrong, it is just different from what I would have done.

     

     

    Your right the boys loses. Are you going to send me a check for his recharter fee, uniforms and summer camp?

     

     

    OK big mouth, what exactly would you have done?

     

    Call family services, left him on his door step, call the law.

     

    So the next time she tries this, it will be a weekend campout or god forbid summer camp. So mom could careless about scouting, but she wants her free babysitting.

     

    She sent a note with another parent giving permission for him to be taken home by them.

     

     

     

     

  11. I am really surprised.. I have never heard of a troop expecting money from the SM..on the contrary our troop tries to get together a little something for each of the volunteers. Even if it is just a box of candy or some small token. Sheesh.

     

     

     

    In all of my years in scouting I have received one christmas present from a scout and it was a pair of brothers who spent their own money on a hershey kiss candy cane for me at the dollar store.

     

     

    • Upvote 1
  12. Well this mother pulled a fast one.

     

    She dropped her scout off friday night and left before we could get him back in the car. Yep scout showed up with out paying for the event and expected to participate. Phone call to moms cell no answer, home no answer, emergency contact number no answer. we drove by his home on the way to the bowling alley no one there.

     

    Well he watched them bowl, he and I sat in the lobby at the movie theater and finally pizza time, I had the wife bring me a couple of PB and J for him to enjoy while the boys ate pizza.

     

    While she got free babysitting, Boy didn't have any fun and swore he was done with scouting. Hopefully so, I have asked the committee to remove his membership from the troop because of the actions of his mother.

  13. Selective memory

     

    My favorite part of round table is the introductions.

     

    Hi, I am Bob Betterthanyou Scouter, I am roundtable commisioner, woodbadge staffer, Activity chairman, bear den leader pack123, assistant scoutmaster Troop123, District Popcorn Chair, presdient of the kiwanis club, assistant chari for the rotary club, on and on and on then to top it off ONEHELLUVA nice guy.

     

    I nearly forgot the complete uniform check. Do you have your scout socks on?

  14. I am it when it comes to the scouting program for our troop.

     

    Both of my potential ASM's were declined membership. reasons unknown.....but they still attend as parents and they have not done anything in my presence that worrys me. Some times you just can't escape your past.

     

    No prospects for a new scoutmaster even in the cub pack. So I am IT for the forseeable future, at least 5 years.

     

    the youth I serve, most are from single mom households or are being raised by their grandparents. I have posted over and over again asking where the 30 something men have gone? Why aren't they active with their sons?

     

    I am just shy of 50 with bad knees and wonder how many more backpacking trips are in my future, when I can't do it any more who will take the troop? I am wondering when I will get to the point where sleeping on the ground isn't possible with out significant pain.

     

     

    I have often asked myself,

    If nobody cares about our Troops scouting program, maybe it is time for it to go away?

    Would anyone actually miss it? or even notice?

     

    I don't know.

     

    After the on going drama and name calling from parents over the last week, it just might be time. I am tired to my bones, hopefully the couple of week break over christmas will get me going again or at least help me forget.

  15. Cambridge.

     

    As twocubs said. We have professionals that come to scouting with their hand out. I need free membership, free shirt, free book, free events and outings. You want me to what? Fund raise no way I am out of here or Wow Scouting isn't what I thought it was and they quit.

     

    I have told many storys about cubmaster and scoutmaster supplied camperships only to see the boys mom in a new truck or with a new phone or they share Disney vacation phones. I have stopped with the 100% free trips.....You come up with 75% then I can see if I can find help with the rest.

     

    Then we have the familys who have been around a while and we know need some assistance. Those boys will always be taken care of.

  16. It was no joke.

     

    Cruel and mean? hardly....

     

    The email went something like this.......

     

    Parents,

     

    I understand there is a rumor circulating that the Scoutmaster is paying for the Christmas Party. They are rumors and nothing more. At no point did I volunteer to pay for the event.

     

    The cost for your scout to attend is $30 and that has not changed since the boys planned the outing last month...............

     

     

     

    Q far as the gas in the vans goes. It started with one of the trustees complaining the troop runs all of the gas out of them and returns them empty. Untrue and I produced receipts to prove we filled the vans before we returned them. Heck I even bought locking gas caps as I think the neighbors may have been siphoning the gas out. At this point I think the trustee's are taking advantage of the troop.

     

    At this point it is the cost of doing business.

     

     

    sent.....I don't think the parents appreciate the size of the troop now. It isn't 15 boys any more.

     

     

     

    The quartermaster tells me we have 15 paid.....so not all the parents are tight wads.

     

     

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