RememberSchiff

@Gilwell_1919 welcome to scouter.com

@Hystrung welcome to scouter.com , please add writing posts to your to-do list.

Stitch Supply Co., a sewing shop in Altoona, WI decided to make quilts to comfort Troop 3055 scouts mourning. They asked people to stitch a block in Girl Scout green, with the hopes of getting enough blocks to make about 30 quilts. The effort quickly picked up steam and the shop ended up getting more than a thousand blocks from people across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and even a Girl Scout troop from Singapore. Source and video https://kstp.com/news/after-mourning-girl-scout-troop-uplifted-by-support-around-the-world/5189270/

As it is, I carry many of fruitcake ingredients - dried fruits, nuts,. I usually stay away from breads, cakes...bloat-food for me .

Jack Haskel works for the Pacific Crest Trail. He's part of a growing number of hikers who prefer to have fruitcakes as a seasonal break from protein and granola bars. "It's not the energy bar, it's not some goop. It's real food, not hiking food," he said. "You've got a perfect food for a hiker that's trying to go the distance," said Brenda Braaten, a nutritionist who discovered that fruitcake could be more than just a doorstop. "You're close to the same calories per gram in a fruitcake compared to a Snickers bar or a trail bar, but you're miles ahead on iron, magnesium, calcium," she said. "The mineral content is higher." From CBS Sunday Morning: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fruitcake-the-classic-festive-christmas-dessert-is-the-perfect-energy-food/ https://www.wsj.com/articles/finally-a-use-for-that-leftover-holiday-fruitcake-exercise-fuel-1514474908

@IndyScouter welcome to scouter.com

“…honoring all the officers who have died in 2018 by putting their name and rank on a ball and hanging it on the tree,” said Reid Saugstad, Boy Scout. They had a list of 146 officers from across the nation who have died. “I was kind of feeling bad for the families. Because I was seeing all the officers and they just looked like normal people,” voiced Spencer Dellett, Boy Scout. ... Video interview and more content at source link: https://www.kctv5.com/news/a-lesson-in-loss-for-boy-scouts/article_657040e2-04d1-11e9-9e00-a7303767d9b8.html

Merry Christmas @JoeBob and family. May your post remind National to send out their annual, Big Three ahem... Holiday message. RS

Yeah, I learned a lot from that guy.

My understanding and I could be wrong, in GSUSA units their Council has more control over units in particular the unit bank account, not so with British units.

Perhaps adopt the British model which I believe @Cambridgeskip described - no CO's, rather parent groups?

The Hartford Accident and Indemnity Co. and First State Insurance Co. in Texas have both turned their back on the BSA, arguing that the “ineligible volunteer files” show the organization hasn’t done enough to protect children against sexual abuse and misconduct, and hasn’t done enough to warn parents of the risks. Both insurers are arguing in court that they shouldn’t have to pay claims related to abuse that the BSA could have reasonably prevented. The BSA and several councils sued both insurers for $13.5 million in June. In a separate legal battle, insurers are refusing to cover sex-abuse settlements and legal defense fees for the BSA, arguing that the events were not accidents and could have been prevented. https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/breaking-news/boy-scouts-of-america-battle-insurers-over-coverage-for-sex-abuse-scandal-119599.aspx

The vast majority of CO's are still churches and they do care, so much that they are forming their own youth groups. The program and duration of Confirmation in our local Catholic Diocese resembles the journey of Scouting more each year with outdoor activities, community service, character-building, coed, oh and Duty to God. Hardly time for one youth program let alone both. So, the BSA now has to find CO's without competing youth programs. Remember the forum discussions regarding whether the CO or the scout were the BSA's customer? Schools? Too late around here, most middle and high schools already have more adventurous outdoor clubs and more exciting STEM clubs and their programs fit student schedules. VFW's, Fire Depts, and Parent groups are still likely. My $0.02

Would that the BSA would be more respectful towards members/families who ask for privacy in matters they consider personal.

If we are going to have "Family Scouting" then it seems to me if a family will not follow the troop program, they will be told to leave and the SE will be contacted. If they transfer to another troop, that troop should be forewarned. My $0.02

I found this which appears to be an updated version: http://svmbc.org/svmbc/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Scouts-BSA-Program-Information-and-FAQ-10.8.18-Update.pdf

As for the Summit, it has booked outside events, e.g. the Spartan Race, since it has not been financially sustainable as promised. Before booking outside groups, the BSA had to lobby for a referendum to West Virgina constitution to exclusively not tax the BSA (a non-profit) for renting to commercial groups. Also, the BSA dropped the alcohol prohibition on BSA property.

On an near-empty beach with a troop of Boy Scouts nearby. DANA POINT, Calif. (KABC) -- A small plane made an emergency landing on a beach in Dana Point Saturday, startling some beachgoers on the sand. The pilot told authorities he had just taken off for what was supposed to be a leisurely flight from John Wayne Airport when the plane lost power. The lucky pilot landed on an empty stretch of sand. The plane came to a stop at the edge of the surf and close to a troop of Boy Scouts. "He climbed out on his own, the greeting of throngs of Boy Scouts there -- they were very excited -- and they pushed the plane onto the sand," a beachgoer added. https://abc7.com/small-plane-makes-emergency-landing-on-beach-in-dana-point/4906282/

IMHO, these Council letters raise more questions about how much and where local money goes.

@Neckerchief welcome to scouter.com

Scouting Ireland has similar problems

...Scouting Ireland now faces similar problems identifying past insurance records required to help indemnify the organisation against the cost of future legal cases....“At the moment there is only one insurer who is willing to insure Scouting Ireland in this country,” Aisling Kelly told the private meeting. The historic documentation for the CBSI was in “much better shape” than records from the SAI, she said. ...The organisation does not have substantial financial reserves. Twice this year its State funding was suspended by Minister for Children Katherine Zappone, due to governance concerns following controversy over the flawed handling of the 2016 rape allegation. An ongoing review by Scouting Ireland has identified 317 alleged child sex abuse victims, and 212 alleged abusers. Evidence from the review details abuse that occurred at “all levels within the organisation”, cases where information was “covered up” and alleged perpetrators were permitted to “move from group to group”, Scouting Ireland’s new chairperson Aisling Kelly told a stunned meeting of senior scout leaders on Monday. The organisation has taken a hit in relation to the public, but the national scandal has not eroded the trust between parents and local leaders in Dundalk, he said..... In mid-November the organisation announced the review had identified 108 alleged abuse victims, and 71 alleged perpetrators. Three weeks on and both figures have nearly tripled, as more abuse survivors continue to come forward. The ongoing review found the majority of the alleged abuse occurred between the 1960s and 1990s. Historic abuse scandals have shaken scouting organisations in the United States, Australia and the UK in recent years. If Scouting Ireland is forced to bear the entire cost of lawsuits from past abuse in the SAI itself, the cost is “going to be huge,” McClenaghan said. Scouting Ireland’s approach to the abuse revelations has been to set up a victim- support scheme to provide counselling services to survivors. There is a recognition inside the organisation that if large numbers of alleged abuse victims pursue civil cases against Scouting Ireland, the costs could collapse the organisation. More details at source: https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/scouting-ireland-faces-uncertain-future-in-wake-of-child-sex-abuse-scandal-1.3731670

Agree, now how the troop sets the policy can vary. Some paths, I have seen. Parent(s) mention concern(s) to a receptive SM or ASM. Say I have read about this Method of Scouting called Adult Association and I think we could do better. SM and his ASM's have a cup of coffee and figure it out. There is also another issue of a scout-run troop. IMO, PL's and the SPL should be teaching, testing, and "signing-off" requirements. SM hears the above after fortunate son (sorry 60's flashback) has a BOR . BOR members noticed scout's father signed-off most of his requirements. Fortunate Son 's PL (patrol leader) notices and talks to Senior Patroil Leader who talks with SM. "There are three adult leaders in our son's troop." Get trained as a ASM and you could be #4. And then there is the Troop Committee path... With two-deep leadership, getting another adult leader signature should not be a problem. My $0.02, Hold the phone as other scouter.com members will have advice.

@MTroop welcome to scouter.com .

The Boy Scouts of America is on the verge of bankruptcy because its insurance companies are balking at paying settlements to almost a dozen men who claim they were sexually abused as boys by a notorious scoutmaster, a spokeswoman confirmed Friday. Since August, the venerable organization has been battling insurers INA, which is now part of Chubb, and National Surety, which is an Allianz company, and the Hartford Accident and Indemnity Co., court records show. “We remain in disputes with some carriers and look forward to a resolution that benefits victims and helps them on their journey towards healing,” BSA spokeswoman Effie Delimarkos said in a statement to NBC News. That statement was seconded by Christopher Hurley, the lawyer for 11 former scouts who accused disgraced scoutmaster Thomas Hacker of sexually abusing them — and sued the BSA for damages. Hurley said that if the scouting organization does seek Chapter 11 protection it won’t be the fault of the victims. “We know how much coverage they have and we know their insurers are refusing to pay,” he told NBC News. The insurance companies declined to comment on the ongoing legal battle. More details at source: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/boy-scouts-america-pushed-brink-bankruptcy-battles-insurers-n948181