OutdoorThinker

The summer camp that I worked at has a crew, as does the other camp in our council. They operate differently. I know at my camp the crew's main purpose is an outlit for non-scout girls to be able to join and be registered as a Boy Scout and thus be able to be on staff. The other camp's crew has events once a month that focus around camp maintenance and such. That's my experience with a camp crew, I hope it helped.

We've had trips cancelled when we didnt have female chaperones, which makes us very sad.

When we set up camp on the trail, usually the girls tents are clumped together, the boys are clumped together..and then the advisors are way far away, because we have a snoring...ah...epidemic with our advisors.

Some of my favorite gear --

I have this Energizer LED headlight that has both a red light and a white light. I got it for Christmas and dont think it was that expensive, but it's fantastic...it replaced my little tykes cow flashlight(it mooed when you turned it on and has an infinate amount of camp sentimental value) for backpacking trips. Gotta say, I love both sources of light.

I love my nalgene bottles, which I use all the time on or off the trail (in a non-LNT sense...meaning on campus, on campaigns, etc)

I also love my sleeping bag -- it's an EMS bag that is 15 degree rated on one side and 30 degree rated on the other.

We've had a lot of discussion about women in Boy Scouting. Would a woman in the role of Camp Director or Program Director at your summer camp be a problem for you? I mean, obviously considering the fact that she was hired she would be qualified, maybe even had worked at the camp in previous years. Would the fact that she was a woman bother you?

The girls in my Crew were going to try to petition in to the OA. We didnt. We learned about the Corps of Discovery, but we really dont know too much about it nor is a lot publicized about it.

I was checking out a Dick Gephardt autobiography that I recently obtained and I learned that Congressman Gephardt was a Boy Scout. There's a great picture of him in his uniform behind the mayor of St. Louis's desk, apparently he got to be mayor of the day in 1956. Thought I would share that info.

Does anyone know if any of the other candidates are Scouts?

As not to take over Shell's thread about Scouting Sunday, I just wanted to discuss holidays in Scouting.

Juliet Low's birthday is celebrated in October. Girl Scout Sunday is independent of that.

Thinking Day is celebrated Feb 22nd, yes to think about Girl Scouting on a global scale, but it is also to comemorate Lord and Lady Baden-Powell's birthday.

One quick question, when its stated that women shouldnt be in BSA above Cub Scouting, does that including Venturing too?

First, on the issue of males as Girl Scout leaders, Girl Scouts actual dont have a problem with it, normally, however, the Girl Scouts would like to see a female leader also. I had a male Girl Scout leader for a year, I know of a troop where a mother and a father coed from Daisies through Senior Girl Scouts and it was a succesful troop. When their daughter was a camp counselor, the father would come up to camp and do different activities with the girls...one winter camping trip he taught us how to snow shoe.

As you all can imagine, I am all for women in Boy Scouting. I am an ASM and I was a counselor at summer camp. I hadnt even thought about becoming an ASM before I sat down with some of the leaders of the troop my crew is attached to and the Council Executive asked me if I would become an ASM.

I think that if an adult wants to get involved in volunteering for the Boy or Girl Scouts, they shouldnt be turned away because of gender.

Hey guys, I was just razzing you all about the football talk...as long as I dont have to partake in it, have fun.

On Gephardt's loss. It came as a surprise to us. Monday night was rough for us and the Gephardt family.

Eisley, you have an interesting theory, however, I must disagree with it. First, I was working out of Des Moines in a union hall. To say that Iowans didnt care about NAFTA and Gephardt's stances on free trade would be incredibly incorrect. Most of our supporters and beyond that the people of Iowa have been effected by many of the industries downsizing and closing down all together because jobs have gone to Mexico or beyond.

When it comes to the farmers of Iowa, Gephardt clearly had the best voting records for farmers. Just one example is that he voted against the hog lots that John Edwards supported and in turn made S. Carolina lost many jobs.

I really cant tell you why Gephardt lost on Monday night or where the John Kerry surge came from or why Howard Dean the front runner through most of Iowa didnt take more than 18%.

What I can say is that the Iowa caucus is a very unique event and a very very small percentage of the United States make a huge decision on behalf of the country, and if you are an Iowan who works nights or is ill or out of town, your opinion is not included.

Well, i am tired and my battle wounds have yet to heal, so I'll limp off my soap box now.

Gentlemen, gentlemen, I leave my thread alone for a few weeks and it becomes a place of football talk? Come on.

OGE, you'll be pleased to note that I arrived home safely..sixteen hours is too long, and it gets longer when President Bush stops traffic for an hour outside of the Toledo airport. BOO.

The experience was great. I am happy to hear most of you say great things about Dick Gephardt. He is really an incredible person.I was pretty devistated on Monday night -- front row spot for his speech, though.

Thanks for your kind words everyond. Alas, no one guessed my boss correctly. I am working for Congressman Dick Gephardt. So keep following the race in Iowa.

Okay, okay, another spare minute, not expecting anymore, though. We're counting down to the Iowa caucus and well, we're stepping it up a level.

First, havent you been told that it's not nice to talk about someone behind their backs? Just kidding guys, well, I am entertained that the forum has been quieter without me.

I wouldnt know if OGE is quieter these days on the forum, but OGE, I miss you tons and cant wait to get back to some conversation on the forum. You really think it's quiet at home? I am really sad that I missed the last VEB and will miss the next couple of meetings :-(

Ah, who is my employer, seems to be the big question on all of your minds.

Well, first to answer MK's question about have I been learning much? VOLUMES and VOLUMES and VOLUMES!!

You all were right about the cold and the snow. The other Iowans can vouch for me.

Ah, right, I am stalling, you know, this thread has been really great without getting arguementive and I wouldnt want to end it. No one is bashing anyone else. A+ for that. OGE, not included, who do you think I am working for?

Hi All!

I know its been quiet from my end of the world for awhile and there's still two weeks of not much talk from Outdoorthinker. I got a free minute and wanted to say hello. I hope you havent had too much Venture talk since I've been inactive.

I am safe and sound and working harder than I have before (including last summer) here in Iowa. For all of you Iowans, do me a favor, please please please please be nice to all of those political callers you get trying to get you out to the caucus. I am spending an average of 12 hours straight on the phone and working an additional 5 hours with data entry and meetings and such. One of the those callers may be me, Outdoorthinker, ASM, Venture Crew member and camp staffer.

Anyway, I miss the forum LOTS. Cant wait to get back to my regular posting!

I got my backpacking tent early, so I could actually go backpacking with it. Under the tree, though was a Boy Scout uniform shirt that I wanted so I can wear it for my ASM duties. Not on my list, but rocking oh so much wwas an LED headlight -- my mom is awesome! She's embraced my Boy Scoutness and buys some awesome Christmas gifts.

CF: Awesome thread. A+.

We definately are growing in the 14ish age range, Beans is 14, so is his sidekick, CivilWarThinker (although not official is 14)

We do totally steal females from all over the place, haha! And actually, I think we have four adult advisors, because our oldest crew member turned 21.

Prior to becoming a crew we were a Venture Patrol, although, I am still sketchy about that whole business.

I was on a mini Wider Op in 2000. I didnt have the time to go on an actual Wider Op, although, they sounded like sooooo much fun. I went on a program called Capital Days -- two days in my state capital, one day was spent shadowing a local legislator. The experience, although brief, really changed my life. I am now a political science major, have interned with the very legislator that I shadowed and am off to Iowa to work on a Presidential campaign. Let's just say, prior to the experience I wanted to be either a journalist or a history teacher. Yeah, my wider op changed my life.

(Aw, OGE, sorry to hear youre not feeling well)

Umm, I agree that stressing the fact that Crews are youth led is highly important.

Crews are what the youth make it -- trips, activites, etc are all on your shoulder for the planning its a lot of responsibility, but oh so much fun. And because it's youth led it means that as soon as you join the crew you can voice your opinion (speaking of which OGE, KiltedPhilopsher has an idea for the spring)

Crews are a great place, because they are flexible (well, at least my crew), high school and college are a stressful time, but you can go to as many or as few events as you want to.

Most importantly Crews are FUN!

Being a Girl Scout for the last 13 years, and a leader for the last two, I have a little experience with the program. I was not a Daisy, but I am pretty sure they dont have five year olds running the meeting, to be perfectly honest with you. However girls as young as Juniors (4th-6th grade) help to lead Daisy and Brownie meetings. In a well run troop, by Juniors girls are planning their meetings, trips and what badge/patches they will be working on. By the time Cadettes and Seniors roll around (older middle school and high school age) leaders play the same sort of role as Venture Crew advisors. Sit back, listen, help to get things needed for programing and drive places. When I was a Senior Girl Scout, we were our own Cookie Parents(typically one parent that oversees the orders, troop tally, sorting and final payment of the troops cookies), we planned a week long trip to Boston complete with reservations, budget and other arrangements needed to be made. Our capacity as older leaders, however came from the experiences we were given as younger girls to lead our peers and younger girl scouts.

My favorite Camp Memories thus far (I am looking forward to another summer chocked full of crazy camp moments)...

-- My first outdoor Boy Scout campfire (NE Region Camp School)

-- The summer's last campfire (::sniffle:

-- Canoe Outposts -- any of them, all of them

-- The first time my totem got taken by a troop (and kept by the troop all week, I felt loved...it was my first week of camp, I really needed it)

-- the Clue Promo (is that a universal word? if not, nightly skit after dinner)

-- My birthday -- thunder, lighting, stuck in the dining hall for three hours, camp locked down (why so great? My surprise birthday visitor)

-- Pig Roast with my troop the week they came up and signing up to become an ASM over dinner. You really cant say no to the Scout Exec when he's an ASM of your troop

OGE, You rock!

After finishing my last paper of the semester in the midst of studying for and taking finals this was the best thing that I could find during my study break. Fantastic! But Heavy Metal Thunder? You really think?

Men dont eat quiche? Are you serious? You're all missing out, quiche is some good stuff. What if they called it egg pie, would you eat it then? I'll never understand the male gender.

OGE, does that mean Campaholic, CampfireFairy and I have to oversee the wrapping of Mrs. OGE's Christmas presents?

I am somewhat entertained by this. I saw wrapping at its worst last week, when my dorm had a Christmas wrapping party for presents collected for local shelters. Many of the guys (these include engineer majors) were all thumbs and successfully wrapped more of themselves than the boxes. I'll admit wrapping isnt my favorite thing to do before Christmas (but then again, I also hate shopping), but really its not that difficult. My suggestions to avoid wrapping disaters: gift bags, purchasing gifts at dept. stores that have gift wrappers, or talking to your daughters, or female crew members to help you out.

One last tip, its all about measuring before hand and cutting straight to make sure you'll have enough, but not too much paper.

How should BSA (at any level) go about giving Venturing its due? Boy Scouting has done such a great job making the Eagle Scout recognizable (definately more recognizable than the Girl Scout Gold)how do we make Venturing something that I dont have to explain why/how I am a Boy Scout every time I mention I am off at a Boy Scout function or so that recruitment isnt as difficult, because everyone knows what the program is and how to join?