qwazse

".... #1 & #2 ... you have the person who raised the money choosing how to use it and being the first to benefit and often the only to benefit because of wear and tear. " No, my troop benefits first because if the boy is prepared, we don't have to interrupt program to fish around for an old uniform or treat for hypothermia or buy the kid boots (if there were no spares in the troop store from previous stewardly purchases via ISA's). "Plus, if I donate my son's shirt after four years, I don't get to write off the full price of a new shirt. You get the garage sale price / value. Anything else is fraud. " - Nobody's making you use your son's ISA to by that uniform. If the boy uses his ISA, it's the troop's uniform, not his. So when he hands it down, it's not a donation, it's mere stewardship of troop resources. - You're certainly welcome to abstain from the troop's coffers and roll the dice on some organization wanting that ratty shirt after four years so you gain a write-off. Hope your boy respects his uni enough to make it worth your while. In fact, we don't make a boy use his ISA for anything at all. He can opt for it all to go back to the troop's coffers. Importantly, note the lack of boy-led in the statement "if I donate my son's shirt after four years, I don't get to". Isn't it your boy who would be applying for the write-off? Because really, if we compensated him for popcorn sales in the true sense, wouldn't the 1099 be in his name?

I agree with Fred. Credits=Currency. ISA's are real money that a boy uses for things that he thinks are real important. The only "correct" way to view ISA's, IMHO, is by applying youth led principles and teaching your boys this working definition: ISA's are troop monies put under the stewardship of the scout for the betterment of his troop or patrol. Examples ... 1. If a scout uses his ISA to buy a uniform, that uniform is the troop's. When it gets too big, it gets handed down to another scout. Boys inspect each others' uniforms because you never know who will be wearing it next! 2. If a scout uses his ISA to buy gear, it is because the troop needs a boy who is prepared. Any northerner who has had to deal with boys at winter camp outs with only one pair of sneakers knows what I'm talking about. Gear bought with an ISA -- if it hasn't been worn out after dozens of troop outings -- should be handed down to another scout. 3. If a scout pays for camp fees through his ISA, he is doing a service to the troop. Anyone who disagrees with me just needs to come to camp on a year that more than 5 boys can't make it! If you don't allow "ad hoc" patrols, then your boys really know what it's like to do without another youth! The troop/patrol gains more from any given boy being in camp than the boy ever gains from being with the troop. 4. If the boy uses his ISA for jambo, or as a provisional scout on a high adventure, he is doing a service to the troop. That boy will be representing your unit in a far corner of the globe. In the process of training for the trip, he may organize a super activity for your unit. On his return he will give reports that inspire your first-years with big ideas for the future. Thus ISA's aren't mere personal bank accounts for easy accounting of popcorn incentives. They are a tool that your most involved boys can use to shape their unit in ways they see fit.

Stosh, The "pulling out of the bin" happened at the last crew meeting. Up until this last point I had heard zero interest from the boys about the fall council camporee. Then, they reviewed their sports calendars and realized that they could make this work. I explained that the venturing portion may very well be scaled back because no crew has committed thus far, and they may have to contribute some sweat into having the fun. They were okay with that and brainstormed a few ideas. Gauntlet thrown ... Now to talk to the reservation director about the possibility of flaming arrows and exploding targets ... Thing is, if adults are afraid that I'm gonna cause lil' Johnny to lose a limb, the odds of volunteers to help supervise increases.

KDD, if you teamed up with your local Y or Red Cross to do swim instruction in the winter, I bet you could have a lot of boys in your troop (and their sisters) take the MB again by virtue of simply helping you run the course. One mom did this for a while and it was a huge benefit to our community. My kids were too young for MBs at the time, but we spent a lot of our summer on Lake Erie (and winter/spring breaks in FL) and it was a huge weight off my chest knowing my kids could cover 200 yards if they had to. Just puttin a bug in your ear ...

BD, sounds like the group who camped next to our pack one summer. We almost had them kicked out after one night. Camp director read them the riot act and that was that. They were lucky. Had I known the CD then as well as I do now, she would have gotten a phone call at midnight and they would have been gone at 1 am.

Co-parenting is tough. You wil need to communicate with your ex to properly help your daughter through scouting. But you might have an idea based on what you know of your ex's camping experience. If she's into the outdoors and has done a lot of camping, chances are she will lead her troop in that direction. Other ideas: raincoat, boots, survival kit. One time I bought my daughter a first aid kit and she thought it was the bees knees.

NJ, Maybe folks aren't as divisive on your side of the Appalachians! Consider yourself fortunate. Or maybe not. I like our involvement at the district and council levels. (It's almost a requirement for venturing crew officers.) My district and council people have been nothing but helpful most days (and generally take a step back when we make it clear they aren't helping). They've given my youth (both troop and crew) support for truly unique programs and service projects. So, when they stop by at camp - as they did this summer, they have my ear. And they have been spending a lot of time trying to figure out which COR's may need some TLC when rechartering time comes around. I'm hoping next time we cross paths that I can do them the favor of directing the conversation to how my youth can contribute to the next camporee, or the venturing advancement roadmap, or promoting the recent Islamic religious awards. (Oh, by the way, blessed fast to those starting Ramadan!)

K, Yep. The IOLS world is messed up. Nuff said. The one good thing about WB, if it is successful in recruiting across the area, is that you stand a good chance of meeting one or two female adult leaders who've been through the same gauntlet you have. Moreover you get a little time working with some "good old boys" and reshaping their opinions ... making it easier for the next mom/older sister. That quantity and quality of time is not offered anywhere else in scouting. That said, in your position, I would wait until you know your ASMs can carry the unit for the weekends you'll be away. That's the real cost: time away from you unit. As much as I liked my patrol of old crows, I missed those weekends and evenings with the youth in my crew.

Most troops will arrange for a Webelos to visit on nearly any of their outdoor activities. But really, that falls on the parent, not you. Give the parent the contact info for the scoutmaster(s). Obviously, if you have time to take the den on a couple of different outdoor activities, that's awesome! If not, move on.

It sounds like you'll just have to make less of a big deal about advancement. The boy is in a situation that you probably can't fix. Until these parents (or the extra guy) make scouting a priority, the boy's stuck. Just make sure the meetings are fun for everyone involved.

Mostly A or B. Mainly because we do patrol cooking and skip morning formation. No apologies to anyone. The boys know the facilities, they choose how the troop takes advantage of them. One MB problem was that a few eagle-required classes got flooded with first years who weren't prepared to work on requirements, that really annoyed our boys on days 1 & 2. Nearest WIFI is a 20 minute drive off reservation. Not sure if that counts as a plus or minus. Most of our boys have 3G plans so it didn't phase them.

I think skeptic's post applies to outside this forum. I've had quite a few adults (and one or two scouts) bring up the gay issue. I know district and council leaders have had this as a routine part of half of their conversations. Someone called our HQ proporting to represent our troop with an opinion completely opposite of how the SM and I operate. We could be talking about who's bringing a keg of root beer to the next camporee, but this political material keeps invading the conversation. Meanwhile, I was talking to one of the electors who attended the national meeting, and much of the more interesting stuff has received zero coverage. So all this chat about how scouting handles the sexualization of America's unmarried youth does seem to get in the way of teaching boys how to light fires and girls how to balance the load on their packs.

Really? That would be news to a whole bunch of Buddhist (and a bunch of people of quite a few other faiths). Though I guess you could be one of those people that don't believe Buddhism is a real religion. Seems that TJ (if he truly exists and is not some random bits projected on the internet in advance of a trisexual octupus-like exploitation of our blue orb) would be squarely in the non-religious/atheist camp. He makes it clear that he has no need to align himself with the powers of the universe. Any thing that is represented as a power is mere atoms just like the rest of us. That is where my Buddhist atheist friends seem to distinguish themselves. They act in such a way that seems to be out of obligation to a higher order than the material world. -- Along the lines of NJ's thinking. I have never conversed at length to any UUA's like DLWise describes himself. So I don't know how I would categorize that flavor, really. But then again, I am also told that systematic categories are just another artifact of Western civilization, so it may be a moot point.

Took some young adults on a couple miles of the Standing Stone Trail last Friday morning. Huckleberries by the bagful at the look-out just north of Throne Room! A hearty rattle let one young man know that he was picking a little to close to one Timber Rattler's sunning spot! A cupful of red raspberries in our garden today.

AS, First, thanks for being your son's DL, that's a huge gift that he will never forget. Second, stay fit (or get fit, if it applies). The boy will need you and his mom for that "one more hike" or whatever adventure is around the corner. I know one boy who only did a few campouts with scouts, but he get his mom and older brother to do some camping weekends since then. Third, stay trained -- especially youth protection and the other online stuff. Patrols that do overnights on their own need chaperons these days. (Really, they don't, but it's a paperwork thing.) If your YPT is up-to-date you could be that dad (and mom - if the Mrs. is willing) who is ready when they need them.. Fourth, share your passion. Look at the list of merit-badges, see if any match your vocation or hobby, and become a merit badge counselor. It sounds like, by the way you phrased things, you're on this track already. Just wanted to remind you and all the other cub leaders who are saying "bye" to their boy for a week for the first time that they can contribute in huge ways by serving the youth "around" their son as fervently as they've served the youth "with" their son! P.S. - Getting to know some older boys and their parents is great practice for when the one you have to live with hits 13!

From what I gather from the above, no secret regulations were used. I don't see the issue of "supreme being" relevant in the decision. P.S. Anyone else ever gotten this error message? I get that error a lot. I think it means that the website has timed out your session. To salvage what I've typed, I select the text and cut it. Then I refresh the window. It it shows that I'm logged out, I log back in, move to the "post reply" box, and paste the message I was typing. Then click post.

This sounds like one of those things you will want to bring in your DE (and maybe your council professional for venturing, if you have one) for guidance. Me, I would have some lifeguards available. Maybe a local swift water rescue group would mele emselves available. VFD's might see this as a chance to promote themselves. I would file a tour plan for this as a recruiting event. There are lot of people to talk to and clear this with, but it sounds like a very worthwhile opportunity.

No. But once you've had to have discussions with parents concerned over little Johnny being exposed to girls on scouting activities, you begin to realize that rationality doesn't always cut it. Anyway, the YPT is designed for accountability against worst case scenarios. For this, well-oiled groups like the one described above bear the brunt.

Just picked up Dale Carnegie's _How to Win Friends and Influence People_ (literally -- it was in the free bin outside the book collector's store -- that's how I roll). Opinions anyone?

Regardless of method (we use 2 tubs), washing and cooking should be patrol activities. Obviously if you are packing in, things are a little more complicated. Even if you use folding tubs, you have to haul the water. If we only have a large part, we wash in that, set soapy dishes out, dump the soapy water, add water+sanitab, and rinse. As mentioned in the other posts. Backpacking becomes a much different animal. (But I at least try to use soap and a washcloth.)

How significant are awards in your communities? I've known some Christians in whose faith tradition they are a really big deal. In mine, folks view them as quirky, if not a little arrogant. So, I never felt comfortable using the religious awards program as a selling point for scouting.

"Venturing would probably work well as an addon to the NFTY/USY programs. I've heard complaints that being involved as an officer in a youth group wasn't resume building ..." This is very true, but ... organizing a regional event while an officer in a youth group IS resume building. In my first encounter with a venturing officers' association, a young man (who happened to be Jewish) was organizing a council-wide shooting sports evening. Since then I've seen venturers pull together all manner of activities that pull together dozens to hundreds of youth throughout the area (that includes "regional dances," which really do add value to some kids' lives.) As usual, the patch on the sleeve translate into very little, but being able to say "You know those council ski days that attract thousands of youth every year? Well, that was me." That says loads about the caliber of the person writing the resume.

View from the goyim side: many decades ago, I began to get my head around Jewish culture once I left my small town to attend Pitt. I met folks who identified as conservatives, orthodox, reformed, etc... . One day, at lunch, I introduced a reformed young lady to a Christian Jew . I didn't bring up religion, but the last names kinda gave it away, so she asked about his story (which was mixed marriage parents, pretty devoted but never pushing their kids one way or the other, so in high school he came to the conclusion that he could be both). As soon as she found out, she lit into him (not in a mean way, but very sincerely): "You can be Buddhist and Jewish, you can be atheist and Jewish, but you're not allowed to be Christian and Jewish!" I nearly laughed myself off the cafeteria chair! So, the notion of a body of reformed Jews making sweeping recommendations against an organization that was veering too much into the conservative Christian camp is not too far fetched based on my encounters with some of the sect's more outspoken adherents. Although, to be honest, I never asked my friend what she thought of scouting. And have since met enough folks from each of the major sects to know that one size does not fit all! Anyway, it's the "boots on the ground" who will change anything. If there are enough adults and youth in your congregation who experienced Scouting and your Rabbi agrees,.you'll be able to charter a unit. If not, you'll bump into walls like these.

Don't knock yourself, DFS. There is no amount of polite that makes youth-led easier for folks with narrow gullets to swallow. They just have to shape up or ship out. When I started as a crew advisor, I made that very clear by not accepting a youth application if it looked like any part of it besides the signature was completed by a parent. (There were some folks who wanted me to just automatically enroll every eligible scout in the troop!) That was the "yank back" that some folks needed to realize that their meddling hands in the lives of my youth were gonna be slapped if they kept it up. Some left. Never missed them. Other folks who didn't like my approach, told me to my face, but sucked it up and got with the program. I was glad to have them. The same attitude trickled over to our troop, with the dissenters starting new units. I'm fine with that. They get to rule their roost. We're smaller, but our boys are starting to show it's worth it. Compare two recent Eagle Courts of Honor. Theirs, the committee chair MC'd and gave the SPL led the pledge. Ours, the ASPL reviewed our script, recruited and commanded the color guard for the opening and closing, asked the reverend to give the invocation and benediction, introduced four other scouts who had speaking parts, and offered me the floor to be M.C. He then reminded me to arrange a photo opportunity for the Eagle Scout and our state senator who was in attendance. The difference in who "owned" the troop couldn't have been more stark. Made it well worth any sparks that flew over the past few years. Do I wish there were a smoother way? Yes. But lacking that, I have no regrets about the "sanding" that folks may have had to endure on my account.

If you have a local paper, taking out an ad might be good. "The family of Eagle Scout would like to publicly thank the following for contributing to his successful project, : ." Some small papers would probably accept a letter to the editor from the boy. Keep in mind that donors sometimes want a little anonymity. You know your contributors better than any of us to make that judgement.