raisinemright

Wow, I couldn't imagine being inactive in summer. That's when all the fun stuff happens. In January 2011, we started a new troop. With the exception of three boys, all the kids were brand new to scouting. Logistically, we couldn't pull off summer camp so instead, later in summer, after the sessions were over, we rented a site at the camp, secured a few hours at the pool and basically did our own troop First Year Camp program. With lots of pool time, we actually practiced rescue stuff instead of once and done. We invited a State Senator to meet with the boys and discuss their duties a

One of our leaders fell off a bridge into a swollen creek. He was later awarded the Golden Plunger. There were some rumors that I came to his rescue. I didn't because I was too busy laughing.

I was driving a bus once and following a fellow driver in our group. In order to make a certail left turn at a light, it was necessary to straddle the lane, otehrwise, it was not possible to complete the turn. Some guy in a car flipped me off as he drove by. I called my buddy on the radio and told him that the guy in the gray car just gave me the "International Finger of Friendship" at which point, my friend's bus started "drifting" into the cars lane just enough to get his attention. Since then, in my lexicon, the bird is known as the international finger of friendship.

Coincidental to teh new MB, our troop is going to be training with a K9 SAR team in three weeks. Hopefully we'll be able to incorporate some of the requirements. I don't suppose you coupld PM me the reqs so I can pass on to the K9 guy?

Slightly off topic, but I had an adult call me once to see about the company I work for donating some materials for his son's Eagle project. We talked for a minute or so then I said "Now, I need to put on my Scoutmaster hat and ask you to have your son call me." He had no idea who I was but he began to laugh and agreed with me. He was pretty much pre-calling to see who his son should try to contact. We're a good size corporation so I'm not sure I totally disagree with the idea. That said, Scouts should be taught at the troop that parents may not call MBC's. That is the Scouts res

We went to a seminar and for the most part followed the plan. While I agree and we practiced his method of leading with the high end packages, we burned through our meager stock of $10 tins quickly and turned down a lot of sales when we ran out. That said, last year was our troops first year both as a troop and selling popcorn. All scouts except three had never done popcorn before. Our DE told me that he uses our troops successful year as an example to other troops. We practiced a lot at troop meetings. This year, we're going to concentrate more on neighborhod blitz sales and se

My wife and son attended a court of honor last night for our former troop before we moved. They had several skits following the theme "what not to do on a campout." One used a real world example of an ASM who tried to jump onto a bridge as the creek was rising. He missed and fell in. For a while, I was credited with rescuing him but I told the scouts I had nothing to do with it. I was too busy laughing.

I take particular pleasure in calling school principles to tell them their flag is in need of replacement. Once, I was walking into a school for an evening activity and noticed that I had stepped on a piece of red fabric. Sure enough, the flag, what was left of it was shredding and falling on the ground. I called the principal and told him he needed a new one and chided him gently for not even looking at it for probably several years. He said "Where do I get a flag? Do I have to call my Congressman?" I replied "No. You go to Wal-Mart." It was replaced the next day.

A few years ago, I made the mistake of suggesting to a DE that Cub Scout Day camp could use better flag ceremonies. You guessed it, I was put in charge. We had one of the program sessions for two days be about the flag and flag skills. I went to american Legion and they gave me about 50 used flags, mostly good enough for burning, which we did. The decent ones were used for folding and handling. I used a 20 ft. paint pole with a pulley attached to the top as a flagpole and the scouts all practiced flag ceremonies. It was very well received and I was told that the end of camp survey sh

After reading the Declaration of Independence, my two sons and I (Life, 2C) loaded up the kayaks and did a recon trip of a river we wanted to take the troop canoeing on. Since most of the troop are paddling novices, it was a good idea. We had a blast ripping through the rapids but the water is a little too low for canoes so we'll take another route. My wife dropped us off then met us a few miles downriver a few hours later.

Great advice. Thanks My wife is registered already and YP'd We're a newer troop with no aged out scouts and very few kids have family nearby. We're also looking at the rotation option. I thought I had seen somewhere that a married couple was no go for 2 deep but couldn't find it anywhere

OK, uniform police, scout experts and just general forgotten more than I'll ever know type of folks, I've got a dilemna. Summer camp is coming up in three weeks and we're not going to have enough adult leaders. As SM, I've committed to the week. My CC had committed also but he just got a new job last week and will be traveling. One ASM is on a previously scheduled family vacation. The other will be settling into his new acomodations in beautiful downtown Kabul. In speaking with the other parents who's scouts are going, everyone I've spoken with has equally legitimate reasons

A year or so ago, 4 scouts from our former troop all hit Eagle about the same time. I had been their ASM for many years and wanted to acknowledge them. I looked for something kind of cool and not too expensive. We had just bought, kind of as a joke a Fleur de lis branding iron on clearance at scoutstuff. I bought some Nalgene water bottles and branded with the scout logo. It went over pretty big so now that's my tradition. I just branded another one this week for a COH Friday. I even told my own sons that they didn't get one until they hit Eagle. (one is starting to plan his pr

Sounds like the proper path is for the SPL to hand the lad a brand new pack of sandpaper

We use ours fairly frequently. It's a Scout Reservation with three distinct camps and tons of backcountry areas. Last year, we ran our own summer camp program for our 12 scouts. Just last weekend, we introduced several young scouts to backpacking by hiking the 10 mile perimeter trail for two days. There were lots of scouts at camp but they were there for three large organized activities, not just individual units camping. Sadly, we saw no one on the trails, which was sad because they were great and challenging hikes. Site rental is only $33 for the weekend so it's a pretty good deal.

I like what Shortridge had to say. The disease is car camping. We took our troop of 11 kids (most are Tenderfoot) on an intro to backpacking trip last weekend. We stayed at the local scout camp and backpacked a 10 mile perimeter trail over two days. We parked the van (and my personal open trailer full of backpacks) at the camp parking lot and hiked in to our site. The camp was full of scouts who were there for some council wide function. The campsites had cars parked all over the place. Sunday morning, as we were headed out for a day on the trail we had to share the camp with a flow

Sounds like your district is practicing the same thing in reverse. It takes a lot of nerve to tell someone that in order to drive some kids around 4-5 times a year, they have to triple their insurance coverage beyond that required by BSA. Yesterday, a friend of mine paraphrased something he read in Aristotle wherein he stated that when a government creates a bad law, it encourages people to violate all laws. Not to hijack the thread but we already shell out tons of money to be Scouters. Tripling our insurance coverage to satisfy the whim of some district guy is just wrong. If

I forgot to mention, we're doing a perimeter trail of a scout camp. It's a basic trail and total of ten miles over two days with two really cool water crossings. Re: Catholes, we've done some cathole training and will do more. Our SPL (my son) has learned to love the orange shovel. He sent out an e-mail to the scouts yesterday reminding them to bring some toilet paper because "mine of for me." Seriously, due to logistics, our campsite is a regular campsite so we'll have all the comforts of hom, but we're going to try to be as minimalist as possible. The older boys are doing a

We are doing just that. Our troop is newer with almost all younger scouts, two of whom are brand new to scouts. Two boys have extensive experience. We spent a few meetings working on learning backpacking. We took a 3-4 mile hike one night. As for gear, we're maiking it work. A couple boys were planning to rent packs from REI. Then, a gentleman from my church found out I was a SM and offered to donate all his old backpacking gear. No more need to rent. All the gear will be troop loaner gear with several packs, tents, cook supplies etc. Ask older scouts to condsider donating ou

Since you have been given responsibility, I think this is a reasonable request. There was a study done in New Zealand a couple years ago where they proved that about 90% of peanut allergy tests yielded false positive results. THe only way to really know for certain was to check into the hospital and eat a bowl of peanuts. If there is a reaction, it can be treated swiftly and safely. If not, you're not allergic to peanuts. I've been doing a lot of flying for work recently and was given a bag of peanuts on every flight. Airplanes aren't known for having the freshest air, so it woul

I had a really bad experience with an old Whisperlight a few years ago on a 50 miler. The stove was lit and I was giving it a couple of pumps when the valve broke. I jumped out of the way while I was getting sprayed with gas. I thought everything was OK until I heard the "WHOOMFF and noticed my right hand was on fire. I thought about stop drop and roll but I was standing on really sharp gravel. I couldn't tamp it into my shirt because I had synthetics on. I finally put it out. As I was nursing my wounds, One of the other leaders told me that it happens so fast he was unable to get

I made a joke about singing while giving some announcements at a Cub Scout camp. A few minutes later, some do-gooder-senior-know-it-all-bitter-old-man in a scout uniform actually had the nerve to accuse me of child abuse. I politely told him where he could put his opinion. It's OK to say something was not appropriate. You never accuse someone of child abuse unless it's really child abuse.

Our camp is not far away. I'm going for the week and a couple otehr leaders will be rotating. The committee, unbeknownst to me decided to cover my camp fee. That was great.

I was in your boat about a year ago. Besides three boys, all were 100% new to scouting. We started in January. First activity was just a 2 mile hike on a Sunday afternoon and some geocaching. Then we did a cabin campout. Scouting for food, marsh cleanup. Stuff to get them working on stuff together and getting to know each other. We couldn't pull off summer camp due to scheduling. In August, we booked a site at the scout camp, arranged for someone to deliver perishable food a couple times and did our own first year scout program. We rented the pool and had a guy come teach First Ai

We are at a district campout a few weeks ago. One of the adults at a station commented to my son that he shouldn't be carrying a small sheath knife. He had just been to "training" and they told him sheath knives weren't allowed in Scouts. We had a nice converssation but I told him that BSA didn't outright ban sheath knives, just that they didn't really recommend them. I told him sheath knives were one of many scouting urban legends. He understood and agreed. I also asked my son to conceal the sheath knife.