ps56k

Just looked over on the OA site - BTW - you will need your OA handbook and page 10 text to gain entrance....(This message has been edited by ps56k)

Just found out that our Jamboree 2005 group will be making their own patrol emblems to match their patrol flag... Wonder if anyone has actually tried making their own, and the different techniques you have used. Was thinking of getting the "blanks" and then using the inkjet transfer paper to iron on the printed graphic. Not sure how it will hold up on the rough blank emblem material vs a nice smooth cotton shirt.

I have my various patches in those Ultra Poly plastic pages used for trading cards, etc... and have them in a large 3-ring binder. Now the growing problem. The binder is becoming a pain. I even went to a 2" D-ring version, but it still swells in the middle like a balloon. I will probably now go to a 3" D-ring binder.... What have you started using for storing your 3-ring patch pages ??

Here is an email we just received from our Lodge Advisor... It's interesting in light of our recent thread on the "50% election" subject. Also - just to toss in another stirring of the pot, I find it amazing that the BSA is one of the few organizations where you are never a recognized alumni (except for Eagle Scout COH) unless you are "paying dues". Can't wear the flap unless you pay dues, and can't wear the sash unless you pay dues, in fact you can't reflect on your days in scouting by wearing an old uniform unless you are currently registered. Good thing we don't see that on Veterans D

OT - (off topic) as Bob said - "I have been over ruled several times within the BOR for not wanting to advance a Scout to Star & Life that has just been a paper Asst PL,.. And they were correct to over-rule you as being an active APL is not a requirement for rank. --- Not sure how you read my msg, or the reply.... The Star & Life scouts were Asst Patrol Leaders, (not ASPL) which are not listed as valid "troop level" positions for Star & Life advancement. I brought this up at the BOR, and was basiclly lectured about passing them anyway... (end of off topic)

The thread has strayed a bit from the initial discussion of how easily we now make it to "elect" candidates vs the "old days". This then crosses over into the discussion thread about what is considered "active" within a troop for advancement (or OA) for that matter. I have been over ruled several times within the BOR for not wanting to advance a Scout to Star & Life that has just been a paper Asst PL, not attend meeting, etc - vs having a troop level postion. Same with OA election - we elected 6 Scouts, and 4 of them were not even at the election ! EOF -

let me think out loud on the camping reqs... OK - only one week of summer camp, since they all like to go to that, which counts for say 6 out of 15 days... leaving 9 days of camping over 2 yrs. Each weekend trip might count for 2 nights/2 days - so we need 5 weekend trips over 2 years. Also, how does Philmont or BWC count ? Since they are not really "resident" (setup in 1 place) kind of camps, can they be used in addition to traditional summer camp ? In summary, it might not be too difficult to accummulate the req camping days/nights, and yet never come to any troop meetings, never attend

you're right - I'm not sure they all met the total camping reqs as I have them written down... -- To become a member, a youth must be a registered member of a Boy Scout troop or Varsity Scout team and hold First Class rank. The youth must have experienced 15 days and nights of Boy Scout camping during the 2-year period prior to the election. The 15 days and nights must include one, but no more than one, long-term camp consisting of 6 consecutive days and 5 nights of resident camping, approved and under the auspices and standards of the Boy Scouts of America. The balance of the camping must

How elected without camping - well, not really, but they are in that over 14yr group - closer to 16, and have racked up all their rank reqs, for First Class, Star, or Life, but don't come to campouts, meetings, events, COH, etc - but have met the "reqs" for OA - so some scouts just fill in the ballot with these names, since they are "eligible" and there is room on the ballot.

I just checked with our Lodge Adv about our upcoming fall fellowship and ordeal.... Our troop "elected" 6 scouts, one of which was my son, who is also the SPL. Several of the other elected scouts are in that over 14yrs group and don't really attend meetings and campouts - but were basically "eligible". I have another thread on what it means to be "active" in a troop. Anyway - out of the 6 scouts elected, only 1 has registered for the fall fellowship ordeal... and the other 5 have not registered yet, nor completed any ordeal since elected in feb. So - even if they do finally get regist

I think you are confusing "eligible" with "qualified", and "deserving". If we have 12 Scouts that are qualified/eligible, and 5 of them are really the top dogs that will get elected, since the Troop has no limit on the names they can select from the ballot, the scouts can go and check off lots of other names... maybe even all of them! Hey, it may not be what you expected of them, but heck, they are kids - so a few more get elected mostly by accident. Now you have 5 scouts that will probably attend and participate, because that is what they do in the Troop, and then another 3 or 4 "elected"

yeah - interesting ratio of those Called Out vs the attendance and participation within the chapter/lodge... So - if OA attendance is low, just increase the number getting elected, and hopefully then the number of OA in attendance will increase - hmmm - did it work ?

Here is some info on one of the oldest Boy Scout camps that is still barely hanging on - Owasippe - Chicago Area Council - 94th year - --- THE SCARLET SASSAFRAS...Fall Colors Blast ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ October 7, 2004 "Owasippe's Unwebsite & E-zine", http://scarlet_sassafras.tripod.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ S-A-V-E O-W-A-S-I-P-P-E I-N-T-A-C-T F-O-R A-L-L ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Opening Quote: "We learned to be pa

I seem to vaguely recall, as a Scout, wearing my OA sash folded and tucked/looped over my belt - as a sign of being in the OA... Can't remember if the Brotherhood bars would show, but the Vigil triangle would be there in the center. Not really official...

tnx - I thought it seemed odd. And, each vote can be cast for any number of candidates.. right ? So, if you have say 12 eligible Scouts, and the Troop size is maybe 50 - 1 - the meeting/election has to have 25 scouts. 2 - 12 scouts may be elected The Troop is told to ??? "vote for all you think are qualified" ? So, all 25 present could each write down the names of all 12 eligible scouts - and they all would be "elected" - And exactly what does this accomplish for the OA; increase their membership, but dilute the actual meaning of the Order.... nice change -

yeah - my Tap Out at Owasippe summer camp in the 1960's was grand. I didn't know, but had a pretty good idea... The campfire was down at the beach. A fire was viewed out on the lake, and it drew closer. It was visitors with 3 canoes & torches. They landed, and then circled our campfire. As they circled, a telltale hand was placed over our head. They stopped, turned and pulled us out. Then tapped - it was AWESOME - We had a Council "call out" at a local county fair grounds... You were invited to attend, so you knew - duh. The ceremonial team did a good job of telling the sto

I was in the OA as a scout, chapter chief, newsletter editor, summer camp coord, etc... and also awarded Vigil when I turned 21. I was proud, and it meant something to be part of the OA. What does it mean today ? I don't see our OA chapter/lodge at the District and Council events. I don't recall the old election reqs, but today, it seems that basically 50% of the Troop can be elected into the OA - for what ?? It's almost guaranteed that all First Class scouts will eventually get elected. Must be another dumbing down of Scouting, so no Scout's self-esteem will be impacted -

tnx for the discussion.... BTW - (1) Is there a way to reply with quoting a previous msg text ? (other than manual cut/paste) (2) Is there a way to reply to a previous msg, or are all the posts just added/appended at the end, which makes it hard to read & reply to specific intervening posts ? To the comment about 14yr old vs your 16yr old group. It basically comes from the previous lure of the Crew.... come join us for more fun and frolic, with none of that lame Scouting stuff - So - once they hit 14, they jumped over to the Crew and are never seen again at a Troop meeting.

Just for a point - I don't believe that any of the BSA materials, handbooks, or whatever specifically define what is to be considered as "active" - hence it would be quoted or directly referenced... Nor do the pubs actually give the Troop, Crew, District, or Council the "right" to define what constitutes "active"... again, else that section would be directly referenced.

not sure if there is a way to copy/paste a msg for reply - did it manually -

tnx for the long reply.... it is a tough situation that has been evolving for several years, and we came into it in the middle. There is no "template" for us to follow, as these The Troop has drifted as a group for the last 6 years or so since the last quality SM. Each SM takes the role for about 2 yrs. So, we are on our 3rd SM who has been trying to turn things around. I can see the "progression" from a Scouting patrol, to a Venture patrol, to a Venture Crew - but obviously, that did not satisfy the "hunger" they were looking for... They have gone river rafting, up to BWC canoeing, on a

I'm sure everyone has this problem.... What to do with the older (14+) scouts. Very few want to act as SPL, guides, or mentors to the younger scouts - it's too much work and they would rather just hang out. They don't attend Troop meetings, rarely go on campouts, and if they do - they don't help. They may go to summer camp to get some MB's, but that's it. So - the previous Troop staff created a Venture Patrol to go off and do "exciting things"... but that was not enough, so they created a Crew... and now there are maybe 25 listed scouts in the Crew and maybe 3 show up to the monthly C

This is a copy of a thread from back in January - I'm just disappointed in the way the BSA has changed things in Scouting - in the current Handbook, the MB's, and the program. It seems that things have drifted from a center focus, and they are trying to "appeal" or "react" to pressures... But that's any ongoing different thread & topic My basic disappointment with the "new & improved" Camping MB, is that the "extra" reqs of #9 have nothing to do with enhancing the "skills" of Camping. That is why the old reqs looked fine to me This would be my basic s

I was going back over a couple of threads from this year, and just wanted to make sure I have the consensus.... Active - for rank advancement - "Be active in Troop or Patrol for 6 months".... What does that mean ? Just registered as a Scout, or Registered, and some Troop-level set of requirements such as attendance to meetings, campouts, etc... BOR - I seem to recall that parents are enlisted to help serve on the BOR, yet the doc indicates the BOR should consist of Committee Members (except for the SM & ASMs)

just to let anyone know, there is another whole world out there of about 40,000 discussion groups - called newsgroups. You can see some of the activity by searching Google "Groups". There are several newsgroups for Scouting, such as - http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=lang_en&group=rec.scouting.usa