RememberSchiff

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Welcome to scouter.com

So my limited understanding, Varsity Scouting was created by and for members of the Church of Latter Day Saints who now want to leave it behind. Why not transfer it to them as a lovely parting gift? http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/Resources/ThreeWaysVarsity.aspx https://readtiger.com/wkp/en/Varsity_Scouting_(Boy_Scouts_of_America)#History Does anyone have any non-Mormon membership numbers for Varsity Scouting? Can the BSA drop the program? From wiki, 2013 membership https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varsity_Scouting_(Boy_Scouts_of_America) 62,902 youth 22,915 adults 8,299 teams (2013) Disclaimer: As far as I know, I have never seen or met anyone associated in Varsity Scouting. Now UFO's...

How large is your pack? "Communication and organization were a huge issue last year" - my experience this is usually a people issue not a tech issue. We have phones (land and wireless), texting, email, faxes, FB, a website, apps, FTF meetings, XBox Live, ....and our communication and organization was still bad.

Let's get back to the topic.

Yet the BSA has repeatedly made this mistake over the last 40 years. The inconvenient truth, no matter how you change the program to accommodate, any replacement demographic sees the core demographic dropping out and questions why should they join.

Supervision To meet the requirement to “give leadership to others,†your Scout must be given every opportunity to succeed independently without direct supervision. The Scout’s troop must provide adults to assist or keep an eye on things, and your organization should also have someone available. The Scout, however, must provide the leadership necessary for project completion without adult interference. http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/510-025.pdf

I think that boast disappeared around 2008, after the NESA hired Harris Connect to send out postcards to all Eagles. They got a disappointing low (30%?) response and not all positive.

Mormons and Scouting explained in 5 graphics http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765694087/Mormons-and-Scouting-explained-in-5-graphics.html

So the United Methodist Church will have the largest percentage of scout membership? Maybe there will be an increased number of 13yr Eagles in LDS troops and camps sold in Utah.

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180,000 boys (ages 14-17) leaving.

Good point, community service except for Eagle project need not be at a recognized scouting activity. There was time when leadership requirements were more open, a scout could be a leader in his community, school, or church and receive rank credit. Should outdoor activities - camping, cycling, hiking, and backpacking with other groups count? I think so. There are some great, fun, challenging adventures out there with other groups. The hardest camping my younger son has done so far was with his school outdoor club. It was backpack on the Long Trail in Vermont. If it was my call, would I credit a Council camporee on a soccer field. No. My $0.02

Welcome to scouter.com This should be an interesting first topic.

Let's give some slack on that line stretching across "the pond". It is more common, that any gathering here quickly becomes political. Why do I worry when any government official is invited to an Eagle banquet? My perception Macy's Thanksgiving Parade - not political Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade - very political My $0.02

Can't take Hydrochlorothiazide ( a diuretic) with the dehydration risks and the frequent pit stops. Lisinopril and its side effects, as in 5 hours, I may need two naps. Together they lower BP, if I don't exercise!

Where did NJ advise that?

downsizing...it's everywhere. The first time I backpacked was a Philmont training hike. My troop was strictly car camping with huge patrol boxes. Everything but the kitchen sink. How huge? They were so huge, we needed 4 patrol pallbearers to transport them

As a scout, the longest I hiked outside of Hiking merit badge, was the Jockey Hollow Trail in Morristown, NJ, which in the mid 1960's was 17 miles. That trail is shorter now. At Philmont, you want time and energy for afternoon activities at the destination.

As far as camping night disparity, consider the distance disparity among the group Swimming, Hiking, and Cycling - 250 yards, 50 miles, 150 mile road bike or 52 miles trail.

Couldn't happen here. My understanding 1. The BSA disallows scouts from wearing the scout uniform while attending a political rally with the exception of briefly serving as color guard. 2. The stated reason that I have read over the years is because it might be interpreted as a BSA endorsement of some party or position. I have not read that "scout safety" was a reason. Q: Why is this the rule? A: The policy is meant to prevent someone from using our brand to convey support of a candidate or ideology. This prevents Scouts from being used by any party in campaign advertisements or materials. http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2016/07/22/can-packs-troops-teams-or-crews-participate-in-political-rallies/ Sadly, maybe this should be reconsidered.

In part, I am drawing this idea from high school outdoor clubs, Outward Bound, AMC. They tend to go on fewer but more adventurous outings. Seems to work for them.

So add to Backpacking 1. Must have the rank of First Class Scout or higher.* * I would add this to Camping, Cooking, Hiking,...

I am wondering if today's scouts would prefer a few adventure treks than repeated low adventure car camping. This is not a new idea to allow required merit badge selection in a "group" category. Current selection groups Hiking or Cycling or Swimming Lifesaving or Emergency Preparedness Environmental Science or Sustainability As Camping merit badge encourages attendance at summer camp, Backpacking could encourage trekking at area HA, eg. Maine High Adventure. My $0.02

The reporter likely went with the first sentence in wiki.