RememberSchiff

8 minutes ago, Chadamus said:

If adults aren't interested in doing, then maybe hearing about it could be the approach. Passionate stories from Scouts filled with tales of adventure with friends might convince the parents that their sons are benefiting from an outdoor program.

My .02¢

Good point. After an outing, I always wish that I or someone had taken more good photos* to tell a scouting story.

*good photos - close-up, in focus, no backs of head...

35 minutes ago, ItsBrian said:

I'm glad I don't have this problem in my troop. We have just enough volunteers, and even some parents that will go camping if they need too. Only issue with us is that some parents only speak spanish.

Anyway, I personally believe that having a "Parent Camp Out" without any scouts at your CO (if they have a picnic area, grove, etc.) and get them familiar with everything, mostly camping. Maybe some want to get involved but are afraid too. I personally would give them a position (committee, advancement chair, etc) so they feel important and may be more inclined to go camping and attend more meetings.

Parent involvement or coverage is not really the topic here.  This is about getting a non-outdoorsy parent to appreciate scout outdoor activities rather than discourage their scout to just do a minimum.

Similar to a parent who is not good at or dislikes math telling his high school student to just take two years of math rather than encouraging his student to take more math courses.

Sorry I was not more clear.

oh, oops where is that red-faced embarrassed emoticon? 

From the description of Brownsea II above, I took a different leadership course back in the 60's.

Thanks @TAHAWK

That's my wish. And is there enough magic out there in the moonlight to make this dream come true?

Yes, I think they would prefer the term "retreat" over "training". 

IMO, it should be "Fun with a Purpose" , i.e., they see the value at conclusion. Something was built - a tower, a meal, summit hike, friendships,... some anxieties reduced - bugs, bathrooms, ...

My $0.02,

How do we get indoor parents enthused about an outdoor program? Specifically that they understand our Outdoor Method and appreciate the outdoors even if they do not want to experience it themselves.

52 minutes ago, Tampa Turtle said:

*sigh* We HAD a robust outdoor program but the youth (influenced by their parents) CHOSE to abandon it. We used to find room for both but after the wheels fall off this year will have to start rebuilding again (...and this was suppose to be a rebuilding year.) Anyway next topic.

That would be a good next topic - how to get indoor parents enthused for an overnight, outdoor program.

4 minutes ago, gblotter said:

Perhaps where we disagree is that I believe working on advancement and merit badges (in addition to camping, patrols, and skills) is also a valid part of a traditional Scouting program ... especially if the boys are voting for that.

IMO, working on merit badges is not a part of a traditional troop meeting.

Scouts do not teach merit badges as they do other advancement. A merit badge class is not scout-run.

In a typical month, we spend two troop meetings where patrols are getting ready ( they are not efficient but they are doing the work) for an upcoming outing, another meeting checking equipment, another on the month theme...add in Philmont/summer camp presentations, fundraiser this and that, community service planning for month, Eagle project help sign-up, ... Where would they find the time in a 90min meeting for a merit badge class?

I would not say our scouts are advancement driven at least not after a day at school. They are more get-away-from-homework-Mom-Dad-and-be-with-friends. For them, games trump advancement and to no surprise games are the last 20-30 minutes of our troop meeting. Save the best for last.

Anyway that's us and what works for us.

5 minutes ago, TAHAWK said:

Check above link to history of leader training.

Thanks for posting that link, but I found no mention of <anything>22. I am sure I took the precursor of some JLT variant and it was definitely not White Stag , but it was long, long ago.

I do remember it was an intense weekend course, at scout camp in tents.

17 hours ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

BA 22 was the forerunner of the Junior Leader Training Conference and today's NYLT. It was intense!

@Eagle94-A1 do you remember the years for BA 22 and if it was called another name?

I imagine a council building has utility and maintenance costs to recoup. Charging for training helps pay the bills.  No free lunch. 

S.O.A.R.  2.0  - This time it is personal. Save the pristine Boundary Waters Wilderness Area from mining pollution!

Just before Christmas, the Department of the Interior reversed an Obama administration decision and opened the door for a copper-nickel mine near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the northeast Arrowhead region of Minnesota.

...

Northeastern Minnesota is known as the Iron Range and taconite mining is deeply tied to its history. But Twin Metals, the Minneapolis-based company that holds the leases, is planning an underground copper-nickel mine, which has never been tried in the state. Opponents argue that this type of mine is much more toxic and risky than the traditional taconite mines of the Northstar State’s past.

The Campaign to Save the Boundary Waters states on its website: “It produces giant waste piles that, when exposed to air and water, leach sulfuric acid, heavy metals and sulfates. Sulfide-ore copper mines pollute groundwater, rivers and lakes. In the history of sulfide mining, pollution has never been avoided.” (I recommend viewing Campaign to Save website . Online petition and environmental science material - RS)

However, Twin Metals points to the Eagle Mine, which has been operational since 2014, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as the only mine currently producing nickel in the U.S. You can read about that project here.

The Twin Metals mining leases are located along the southwest border of the Boundary Waters. The location is critical because the site is north of the Laurentian Divide, meaning that rivers and streams in this watershed flow north. Pollution could have a massive impact on the entire ecosystem, not just the lakes and rivers near the mine.

Sources:

https://www.outdoorlife.com/what-sportsmen-need-to-know-about-boundary-waters-mine#page-2

4 page science facts handout on impact of Sulfide-Ore Copper mining on Boundary Waters Wilderness Area

https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/sites/default/files/public/attachments/stbw_science_fact_sheet.pdf

Petition

https://www.savetheboundarywaters.org/tell-department-interior-and-bureau-land-management-protect-boundary-waters

5 minutes ago, ItsBrian said:

I'm aware that BSA doesn't allow youth to work with tools. I was just shocked that GSA allows it. 

I have already finished my Eagle project.

Congratulations!!!

Back in the day and maybe it was only my council, if a scout completed the Red Cross (Senior?) Swimmer (week-long) course they also earned Swimmer merit badge. Similarly, if a scout completed the Red Cross Lifesaving (two-week) course they also earned the Lifesaving merit badge.

You misunderstood what TAHAWK wrote...  a rose by any other name... was his point.

2 minutes ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

Already had a dad tell me his daughter will earn both Gold and Eagle. She's 13, so she has time to do it even if she doesn't want to. Dad is pushing older brother. And yes it's for college applications reasons

Good grief.  Her time would be better spent getting good grades and preparing for SAT/ACT, of course, some unstructured free time would be nice too.

The SEARCH software is what it is.

Finding contents by Topic and body is much less efficient than Find contents by Topic.

18 minutes ago, Stosh said:

 

I started this thread to just allow the off-hand comments to go unchecked to see where they lead.  This also offers the opportunity to see if there are other categories of interest that aren't listed in the regular threads.

Not to confused with the Campfire Stories topic which I create earlier.

11 minutes ago, blw2 said:

but if it's a topic discussing a topic....and that discussion morphs over time to a very related side note..... which then morphs into something not really all that related....so what? 

The problem is it makes SEARCH a bear down the road.  If Topic A morphs into Topic Q, Q responses are harder to find.

True enough.

I know Trail Life  has advancement transfer guidelines for those scouts coming from BSA. I have not found the same for BSA.

Why not start your own topic?

Seeing some local news coverage today of the first day Jan 15 of the Early Adopter program .

1 minute ago, ItsBrian said:

Really? GS can use power tools for their project and BS can’t? 

With training yes.

Are scouts experiencing the Patrol Method?  The Patrol method once referred to a fixed membership group of scouts, now if seems more dynamic or ad hoc for each activity - lead those you got?