qwazse

You need the boxes and a reliable place to store them. But make it someplace accessible so that folks can go back to it as the years go by. I always enjoyed going down into my parent's basement (it stayed very dry) and just rifling through the boxes of snapshots. Shoeboxes worked very well for them and still do for us. There is nothing like sitting on the floor and pulling up picture after picture. How I would improve on our system: On the outside of each box, write the date range and list the subjects. You don't have to be overly detailed and get everyone who is in every picture, but if a box has a couple of good pictures of one person of place, you want to note that. Then as a birthday or graduation rolls around or you make plans to revisit someplace, you can go along the boxes and pull a couple of relevant snapshots. Leave it to the youngns to scan or scrapbook. You just tag the photos on the back and send them along with a nice note.

My SM was the organist at our church. So we were always in home in time to get breakfast and suit up for Sunday school! The only time that was different was at camporees. One time we did Sunday service with an LDS troop. I kinda like being able to have a brief devotional in the field Sunday mornings. Our CO has limited parking on Sundays, and they kind of like it when we pull in just after service lets out. (Of course, I think they'd be happy if we pulled in just before service and worshipped with them -- smoke-filled clothes and all.) I know one Jewish fella who has to make arrangements for the Roman Catholic boys in his troop to attend mass wherever they travel at the request of the CO (a Roman Catholic church).

I just cleaned up a late night cracker barrel for our VOA. Alterior motive: making sure the hall was cleared of "stray" youth.

MT - do your District rep thing, and only that. Recruiting night, good idea. give the parents a List of things you expect them to provide. Brace yourself for the possibility that they wont. On the night, set up a table where the boys do most of the busy work, passing out stuff, showing pictures of activities etc ... Let MIB do his thang. Keep yourself as far away from the management of the Pack possible. If he wants advise from total strangers who act like they know what they're talking about, he knows where to come! Ticket counsel: make sure the goals are not dependent on other folks. I'm in a bind because one of my goals is dependent on three adults getting trained, I'm gonna ask to revise it to "invite every adult in my unit to ttraining". In other words make sure she has five things that she can do, even if other adults don't help.

Depends on the group. I first did it with our crew and each card had a Method of venturing (plus a couple of terms that referred to stories known only to our crew). With a youth group I used chapters of the Bible. The other adult helped me pick them, and we basically called it off the top of our heads. The task could easily be delegated to an officer or SPL.

We use different rules for stops. My favorite is to give each hiker a "rest card" which when opened reveals one word. If someone wants a rest they can call for a 30 seconds break. When anyone wants to extend the break he/she must open their card and expound on its contents. When the speaker stops talking, we move.

My grandparents having left "occupied" lands for someplace where they could start a business and not worry about a blood feud or being taxed according to their religious/tribal status, my sympathies fall somewhere between BD's and SP's. I think reckoning with the frontier is an important step in citizenship. First you realize that people passed through this land before you, then you learn some of their names, then you learn to admire the skills they acquired to get by, then you begin to understand that not everything was equitable and some took huge losses. But, I don't think you learn that last step until you've taken the first three.

TT: It is tough to chow down on your adult breakfast when a bunch of boys is going hungry though. It's not so hard if the night before those boys had to watch you nom shrimp scampi and fettucini alfredo on a bed of fresh lettuce while they had under-warmed franks and beans. Practice makes perfect. Hop, it sounds like to demote the QM to QM-advisor. It doesn't really mater if he/she is numbered among one of the ASM's. It's perfectly reasonable, in my opinion, for the committee to buy the wood to make a replacement sled. They need to inform the troop that the target for the next fundraising will be raised to cover that cost. The patrol who needs the sled can decide if they want it to be lighter or not. (BTW: in our districts' klondike derbies, a minimum weight is imposed, so read your rules before you fret too much about that.) But, they should understand that their order will arrive with "some assembly required". The QM-advisor's responsibility stops there. You could ask an ASM to be available one afternoon with some tools and willingness to instruct so long as the patrol is willing to put in the "sweat equity." Not the QM-advisor ... just a really nice mom/dad who is willing to guide some boys out of a bind. Another alternative, by the way, is to give the PL a list of SM's from neighboring troops to call and ask if they would have a sledge to spare. (Unlike asking for left-handed smoke shifters, asking for more tangible assistance cannot be considered hazing.) You want to work with the SM, but you also want to help him work with the boys. Here's hoping you all can figure out what will be a fair use of everyone's time.

BD - That's effectively what we do as a crew. The better conditioned youths plan a more challenging set of hikes for those who have conditioned regularly. Some of them may help train the younger youth to the point that adult association is a mere formality. The seasoned contingent accepts adult chaperones (even though we tend to slow them down), I think, as a way of showing their gratitude and a desire to fellowship with us. There is no safety advantage to them.

Eng - I'm sure there are Trekkie who wold take offense at your suggestion. Written on the elevator in my college dorm: "Beam me up, Jim" Written the next day: "Scotty does the beaming you moron." I am really impressedd with the whole PC approach that teaches "Don't do it at all." Sure beats wasting time telling a cub to "Do your best."

I have a hard time getting adults 50 yards away from these boys. The young ASMs seem to find it the hardest. So, here's the result: None of the boys really feel like putting together a patrol activity and running it by the SM. Tthroughout the year a bunch of boys (some scouts, some not) will hang out in a local hollow all day long. A few college couples (and a younger brother - high school age) planned a backpacking trip on a popular trail with my advise. Except for the tour permit, it was an unsupervised co-Ed patrol overnight activity. BSA, the patrol method happens with or without you.

So, if the boys dressed in Star Trek uniforms and gave accommodation from the Galactic Federation, would you be less offended? If a native American actor puts on a Bishop's robe to play some part that he finds noble about our culture, should we be offended? I could go over the pros of imitating the good we see in other cultures ..., but let's leave it at this: It's fun. Lighten up.

Here's how we did it (once): A senior ASM was appointed to be our " selection subcommittee". This guy had experience as an SM and we trusted his judgement a lot. He had been on nearly every camp out that year so he had a good idea of how we all operated. Anyone willing to take the position told him. It wasn't a big long interview, we just described our level of availability and maybe suggested anyone else who he should consider. The discussion took less than a minute. He made his recommendation to the committee, the decided on it, and delayed their opinion to the CO. Done.

It would be nice if Bob issued a resolution for an uptic in tour plans submitted for patrol hikes and overnighters.

BD, much of it may be psychological. Certainly some of us grew up being kicked out of the house at noon and not welcome back in until supper time on a Saturday. (Parents just got sick of yelling at you to do chores while all you did was try to watch cartoons on TV.) Sooner or later we would figure out that we could easily get ourselves five miles away from home and back in that time period if we tried. That's not the case anymore with most kids in the country. You need them to experience that walking a mile or two is hardly any imposition on their time or energy before they try anything longer.

Hope he enjoys the next six months! Adults will rally around a driven youth, even if he transferred in yesterday. At his SMC he'll get a load of advice. probably most significant: start the Personal ** badges ASAP, and decide what he'd like to do for a service project.

Invite some special guests: - Local game commissioner (this is especially useful the month before fishing season) especially one who might be able to teach tracking or suggest a simple service project. - Former scout just back from his tour of duty or boot camp. - An NRA certified instructor for some basic gun safety/maintenance instruction. - How many in your troop are driving age? A mechanic with some basic car care tips might be handy. - Ask your committee if they know any pro athletes who may be willing to visit. (Seriously, this happened at our troop once.) These may prepare you for a camporee, or they may provide pleasant relief from the other weeks when you are conditioning.

Sometimes, mapping out where the cute girls live helps extend those walks. But, no point in telling your boy that. It sounds like if it's your idea, he'll ignore it. My oldest, who was very athletic, was insulted at the suggestion that he could walk a mile to his buddies house instead of pacing the floors writing for us to be ready to haul him there.

Well, to put all my cards on the table, I am listening to how different folks handle this because our SM broached the subject to a few of us ASM's last month in relation to a life scout and his FB page. Keeping this boy may have been one reason that some parents left and spun off a new troop. The kid has improved greatly over the years, but no doubt a few rough edges remain. Anyway, we told the SM we'd back him however he wanted to handle it. Bounced around a few pro's and con's, and suggested he give our district advancement chair a call, just to be sure that whatever we do is consistent with how other troops in the neighborhood may have handled similar issues. And, we want the boy to have a chance to deal with it before he comes up for his EBOR.

Sounds like you've got a plan. When he's beyond the "after school" stage, have the boy get a counselor for more ideas for what to prepare for. For example, I've been told that flash floods are a serious issue for some parts of the SW in some seasons. Even, in the hills of PA and WV, we know to make a few phone calls about certain streams if there have been consecutive days of rain or if a large snowpack has begun to thaw. Based on what was last reported to the ranger station, we adjust our hike plan accordingly. Also in terms of hiking buddies: 1. Don't shy away from dumping this on Mom. A lot of times relationships at this age consist of her telling him to do something, and him ignoring it. This might be a good way for them both to simply enjoy each other's company. 2. Involve his patrol. He can help his patrol leader write a plan that will meet the SM's approval. This may require you shelling out for a pizza or two while they meet at your place to hash it all out. 3. Take the merit badge with a buddy. Sometimes an MBC might actually prefer this, because it makes for better discussion.

I've never heard of a general prohibition from Christian circles. Old Testemant references indicate that peircing was used indicate voluntary servitude for life. In the Apocolypse, Christ returns with a "King of Kings" tat on his legs.

Solve one problem at a time. Let the SM and scout choose a course of action and give them time to implement it. Then point out to parents that appropriate action was taken and encourage them to support the SPL as best they can. Also tell them that going to the DE over a matter like this hurts the SM deeply, an apology to him on their part would be in order. If their confidence in the SM is really so low that they won't apologize, then you could suggest another troop where they may feel more comfortable. ( Give them the number of the SM who annoyed you most at the last camporee!)

When I was a teen, I read my brother's copy of "Our New Navy", which discouraged tattoos and helped me make up my mind never to get one. I explained to my kids that we are a bunch of unmarked cars! That said, I saw one awesome fleur de lis on a gentleman this summer.

Sorry I blew the DE connection out of proportion. Sounds like this guy was giving you his general opinion when asked. Not butting in on behalf of "concerned parents". In matters like these, a CC should support whatever decision the SM comes to. Sometimes a kid will not respect the SM or his parents and it's time to haul him before the committe so that he gets that dismissal is not far off. That doesn't seem to be the case here. (Lucky you.) Most of the time a CC's job is to rally parents around the SM and support his decisions. The COR's responsibility is to convey the CO's opinion on such matters. So, talking to your institutional head would be an appropriate step. But you may already know what they'll say. For example, most religious institutions would take a posture of grace and deal with a sin only in the area where it occured. The boy should be made aware that his actions were found to be offensive. IMHO, how he makes amends is up to him, but I would advise him that an apology on FB would be in order. Apologising in front of the troop would not be appropriate. (For one thing, it would make boys who didn't see the video want to look it up!)

Our nation has a vast public lands. Most private property is outdoors - not indoors. Cleaning water for (and waste from) 300 million people is no trivial task. Understanding how one person can manage these limited resources is the first step in good citizenship. Walking the trails that Native Americans once walked was my first history lesson of substance. When we enter a wilderness recreation area for some adventure, I remind my youth about how that designation is no trivial matter. In some cases it involved citizens banding together, looking at a land that was ravaged by logging, fire, overgrazing, and bombing, and in reflection saying "Oh God, What have we done?". The "recreation" is not for us, it is for the land, and the only way the wilderness will truly be re-created is if they take up the mantle as citizens and advocate for its right to be left alone. Personally, I would rather have an electorate who has reckoned with the outdoors. When they turn 18, that's one reason why I give a scout or venturer a voter registration card and say "Ok now, run my country." Citizenship cannot be separated from the outdoors.