RememberSchiff

One of our scouts interviewed a highway department supervisor as the scout overheard, not entirely incorrectly, that this supervisor tells the school superintendent when schools should close due to road conditions. And from there, the supervisor just ran with it as our scout took notes - downed tree removal, snow plowing, potholes,.. definitely not the snooze that the School Board member was.

Transgender? Didn't know about that. Jenner seems (to me) to have lost himself in his unreal reality family and I have two former scouts in a similar going nowhere situation. That old ad hit me with a brick - "...there's no guarantee...you never know." If Peter Pan wants to join my troop, it would be okay with me. I may have more Lost Boys.

Not sure he is. Not to single him out, just becoming aware of a couple of my former scouts who lost their way with their lives. And I pulled out the shoebox of memories and had a similar copy of this ad. So it goes.

Just shake my head.

camporees

No doubt some technology is undesirable if not outright evil - Powerpoint and Paypal come immediately to my mind. When I think back of the heavy gear I carried at Philmont in the 60's and consider what I would still carry today. The list begins with TP and I think it ends there. My back likes internal frame packs, tents and sleeping bags are lighter, wicking material and fleece ...even the wool is better, LED flashlights, better batteries, real backpacking stoves not sterno, Boots alone, boy do I wish I had the boots I wear now when I hiked Philmont and no we didn't have Moleskin back then. First Aid kits - Epi-pens, OTC anitihistamines, SAM split, Quickclot, Kling, ... Summer camps around here are growing their STEM offerings, one is piloting an ATV course. Kayaks are available. PFD's!!! Technology is not all computer or electronics, still back then we often carried walkie-talkies as it was Combat cool and aided the program. And I think that is the issue with technology, we often do not utilize it well to aid the program and scouts. I have seen my scouts send photos and upload videos of outings to friends and it is great advertising. My two bit-coins,

Cape Cod and Islands Boy Scout Council. Hope Nantucket wins big time!

Just rumors. There are growing technology issues within the Aims - responsible online behavior, networking with others, mental and emotional fitness. And when you consider STEM programs, Scouts are using tablets, cellphones, and laptops more and more, GPS more compass/map less, and networks at camps.... Even Girl Scouts are now selling cookies online. Hmmm?

All turned ended up as time-share type sales pitches... Hah, very good analogy. Very few, less than a handful in ten years, from our troop have attended any of the National HA camps. The rest, including my sons, decided to be thrifty - shop local and save their money for college. Local council high adventure camps are more affordable. Alaska Ultimate High Adventure http://scoutingalaska.org/alaska-ultimate-high-adventure/ North Idaho High Adventure - http://www.nwscouts.org/camping/north-idaho-high-adventure-program/23243 Maine High Adventure - http://mainehighadventure.org/ Some OA Camp Guides have a complete list or try your luck with Google.

I thought National had stopped accepting money from tobacco companies. Has anyone seen this RDRN program in their local councils? In a letter to Robert Gates, director of the Boy Scouts of America and a former U.S. Secretary of Defense, the senators urged the organization to drop RDRN and "work with public health advocates about more effective steps you could take to discourage boy scouts from smoking than the ineffective RDRN program." Deron Smith, communications director for the Boy Scouts of America, said the organization would review the senators' letter but took no position on their request. "The Boy Scouts of America provides the nation's foremost youth program of character development and values-based leadership training, including helping young people live a healthy lifestyle," Smith said. As part of a larger program, the Boys Scouts use RDRN "to send a clear, unambiguous smoking prevention message," he said. "Beyond that, we look forward to receiving the letter." link http://www.newstimes.com/local/artic...om-5923587.php

They are Boy Scouts, and are trained in first aid,†she (mom) says. “They were so good about it. They jumped right in to help; one called 9-1-1 and the other starting calling my family and friends.†The scouts brought washcloths and helped to clean everyone and everything up, and just kept things under control until paramedics arrived. Once everyone was assessed they were brought to Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill, PA where mom and baby are both doing well. Nice Thanksgiving story. http://www.crozerkeystone.org/news/press-releases/2014/november/dmch-patient-gives-birth-at-home-with-the-help-of-her-boy-scout-/

Mergers save money, not members. Another problem is too many clueless adults in leadership roles. My $0.02,

Creepy. Well maybe Nooyi can sell blacktop or a new roof to the parent while she is calling.

This is rather silly. I cannot recall following a job interview where a HR person said to me, "Oh, we are waiting to hear from your mother before we make a decision."

New Council patch

Oops , sorry about that.

- Hang with your friends at troop meetings - Get a break from less than happy home situations - First exposure to cool, interesting activities - first aid, shooting,.. Today if I or my sons just wanted outdoors, Scouts would not be a top choice as there are school outing clubs, AMC, Outward Bound,...

Update: West Virginia voters approved the West Virginia Nonprofit Youth Organization Tax Exemption Amendment With the approval, the amendment requires the Legislature to enact laws to protect local and regional businesses from “unfair competition and unreasonable loss of revenue caused by the nonprofit organization use of the tax exemption.†http://wvmetronews.com/2014/11/05/voters-approve-boy-scout-amendment/

So a Scoutmaster run, Eagle mill troop. Scout is prevented from experiencing non-camping, Scout activities. From my experience, by the time a scout matures and realizes his troop will not correct these flaws, he has turned 13 or 14 and leaves scouting all together to follow his interests. My read is that becoming Eagle is not your son's interest (at least right now), rather Dad's. This SM sees this and the friends and so has the upper hand. You will not be able to fix the troop. Find another troop or activity. Explore other nearby troops or youth groups that have the activities your son likes and see if you can manage an invite. Say Troop B is going to the Air & Space Museum and needs at least 3 more scouts to attend, do you think you and your buddies would like to go? You would really be helping Troop B as otherwise they might have to cancel. Suggest to your son that he move up the timetable and look at other activities inline with his interests. Some scout camps now have provisional day camps for scouts. Drop him off in the morning, pickup in the afternoon. Though rare, your son can be a member of more than one troop. Divorced parents sometimes have this arrangement. Never seen it within the same council. The monthly troop activity need not be camping. Some PLC's plan community service or a day outing instead. And then there are fundraisers. There is a tendency with control freak SM's (coaches too) to over-schedule and have attendance requirements in an attempt to prevent scout's from straying into the other activities in his world and leaving the herd, I mean troop. Totally wrong-headed. Support your son's needs and interests. Keep it fun for both of you, these times will not come again. My $0.02

I hear what your saying. This is becoming a dog mess waiting to be stepped in. Here's an interesting read "What are a church’s responsibilities when they host Boy Scouts?" http://www.churchadminpros.com/scouts.htm

Strange there is no information collected about unit finances at chartering. For example does the CO or unit have an EIN, Who is the treasurer.. Where is the unit checking account(s)? What unit financial information should be documented at rechartering? Unless there is a downsizing of the IRS, I expect increased IRS oversite into charitable non-profits. If the FBI can ask for membership information from a Council, I imagine the IRS can ask for unit financial information from Council Another $0.02

B.P. must have visited Iowa.

For scouts, just a functional, full size, square troop necker and a scout baseball cap. Rank can be on slide (woggle) and POR on cap. Troop performance (wicking) t-shirt. Merit badge sash. No special uniform shirt, pants, belt, or socks. Done. For SM, ASM's, just a full size, square troop necker and a Smoky campaign hat or ball cap. Troop performance (wicking) t-shirt. MIght go along with a "utility belt" which had a first aid kit, cellphone/tech. Made in USA. Thrifty, simple, fun. For those who want a military-like uniform, there is CAP, Young Marines, JROTC,,. My $0.02

Not all CO's (e.g. fraternal organizations) incorporate and hence have no EIN. Whether this is done legally is between the CO and the state and IRS. For example, as I understand if the fraternal organization had a fundraiser then it would loose its exemption and would be required to have an EIN. Anyway, that's my understanding another $0.02.