RememberSchiff

From the DEI draft: 9. Think how diversity, equity, inclusion, and being an upstander (ugh) relate to the Scout Oath and Law. Then do the following: ... b. For EACH of the following scenarios, tell your counselor what you can do to be an upstander (ugh) and not a bystander. Scenario I: In the school cafeteria, a friend accidentally knocks over a bowl of food. The student next to her gets angry and yells a slur offensive to people with disabilities. Another friend at the table has a sibling with a disability, but everyone else just laughs and goes on with their meal. Scenario I (revised): A nineteen year old visits a friend's house, where the friend shows him a newly acquired handgun . The friend accidentally discharges the firearm which he had "made safe". The bullet enters the 19 year old's neck. Instead of calling 911, the friend drives him to the ER and "blames the shooting on a masked intruder". The bullet severs the spinal cord; a young man is paralyzed from the neck down. Now forever wheelchair bound, the formerly outgoing young man faces isolation. One answer of what you can do : https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2021/08/29/woburn-boy-scouts-build-ramp-for-former-member/ I believe they call themselves scouts.

And for me.

Perhaps show the diversity in the US Olympics Shooting Team, Paralympics Team, Adaptive Shooting Program. Matt Stutzman

Ok seemingly not much concern until now, perhaps because insurance fraud is commonplace. From the FBI: The insurance industry consists of more than 7,000 companies that collect over $1 trillion in premiums each year. The massive size of the industry contributes significantly to the cost of insurance fraud by providing more opportunities and bigger incentives for committing illegal activities. The total cost of insurance fraud (non-health insurance) is estimated to be more than $40 billion per year. (4.0% fraudulent) Of the $80 billion in government funding appropriated for (Katrina) reconstruction, it is estimated that Insurance Fraud may have accounted for as much as $6 billion. (7.5% fraudulent) https://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/insurance-fraud I like @Eagle1993 suggestion of vetting a random sample and if fraud is less than x%, move on. Insurers can still go after fraudulent claims after they are paid. My $0.02,

This forum has discussed vetting claims at least twice - last summer as a unexpected higher number of claims were filed and again as the bar date was repeatedly moved forward to insure claimants had time to submit their claims following a BSA-paid advertising campaign to remind them. The finalized bar date was Nov 16, 2020. Some questions, since that deadline nine months ago: 1. Has a court-approved vetting procedure been established? (IMHO, the court and all sides should have done this BEFORE claims were taken!) 2. If so, what percentage of the 80+ thousand claims have been vetted and declared legit so far?

Perhaps scouter Chris Vogel should review content and requirements for this proposed merit badge. If not, then perhaps his experience at Camp Squanto and after will be a case study that MBC will use? During the summer 2018, Mr. Vogel, an Eagle Scout, was the only black adult staff member or volunteer at Camp Squanto, a scout camp south of Boston. After alleged events at that camp which included an "Evil Monkey" award, Mr. Vogel filed a discrimination complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination but it was dismissed since he was a volunteer and not an employee. He has now filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against Mayflower Council. Links are unfortunately behind paywalls: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2019/03/07/boyscouts/wqFyQUPoS8SKIucGr7dfPM/story.html https://www.patriotledger.com/story/news/2021/08/27/boy-scout-volunteer-sues-organization-alleging-racial-discrimination-camp/5598459001/

Returning to Gaston County after the war ended, the elder Quinn was active as a Boy Scout leader and worked with a now long-defunct division of Scouting known as the Air Scouts. In 1947, when the younger Quinn was 3 years old, Gastonia businessman and community leader Allen Sims, for whom Sims Legion Field was named, purchased a B-24 likely headed for the scrap heap and donated it to the Gastonia Boy Scouts. The plane was to serve as a memorial to Sims' son Albert, an Army Air Force fighter pilot who was shot down over China during the war against Japan. The plane was placed in a fenced-in area at the small airport to protect it from vandalism but the elder Quinn had a key and according to Paul, "My brother Michael and I climbed all over that airplane. That's where I got the aviation bug really bad." The Liberator only stayed at the Gastonia Airport for a few years. At some point, date unclear, it was sold, made airworthy, and flown off to parts unknown. https://airclassicsnow.com/ Source link: https://www.gastongazette.com/story/news/2021/08/26/tragic-fate-gastonia-boy-scout-bomber-revealed-64-years-later/5576013001/

The Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church is advising local churches to stop sponsoring Boy Scouts of America units until the organization emerges from bankruptcy. .... BSA made past assurances that the organization had insurance to cover chartered organizations — the civic and religious groups that host and sponsor BSA units — according to a letter sent Wednesday by Iowa Area Bishop Laurie Haller. But her letter said BSA did not have "enough or sufficient" coverage to protect chartered organizations. The letter also said that local churches may have to pay legal fees to defend themselves in lawsuits. "They are leaving their chartered organizations out on a limb by themselves," Haller wrote in the letter. "The local churches are at risk of having to pay significant sums to victims to compensate them for the damages they suffered at the hands of some scout leaders ... All of this is because the BSA did not fulfill their promise to have enough insurance to protect the local churches." more at source link: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/2021/08/25/boy-scouts-america-bsa-bankruptcy-lawsuit-iowa-churches-advised-cut-ties/5588867001/

Camp Oklawaha is a 60-acre camp that parents say has been owned by the Boy Scouts for decades and is used by Scouts from around the state who go there for camping, fishing, and other outdoor activities. The Gulf Stream Council Boy Scouts of America sent an email to Boy Scout families which reads in part: "As you may already know, the Boy Scouts of America reached a settlement with abuse survivors in the amount of $850 million so that victims can be fairly compensated. $500 million of this settlement is expected to come from local councils in the form of cash or properties. To be a part of the settlement and to receive the benefit or protection from any claim litigation relating to allegations of past abuse, the Gulf Stream Council must contribute $1.1 million in either cash or property." Terrence Hamilton, Scout executive of Gulf Stream Council Boy Scouts of America. says they plan to launch a fundraising campaign to try to raise $1.1 million from local donors, to avoid having to sell Camp Oklawaha. https://cbs12.com/news/local/parents-upset-about-possible-sale-of-boy-scout-camp

Suburban sprawl, tourism, recreational vehicles*, and vandalism are definitely negatively impacting trails (and lakes and rivers) in New England whether they are ranger protected Acadia trails or public trails like Mid-State trail in Mass.

Update 8/21/2021: The Ohio Bird Sanctuary is located on 93 acres of the former Camp Avery Hand. The mission of the Ohio Bird Sanctuary is to create an environment of learning and interaction with nature that generates within people a desire to be compassionate and good citizens of our natural world. At the Sanctuary, this is accomplished by providing innovative, environmental education and modeling stewardship of wildlife and natural resources. The mission is carried out by providing three primary services: Professional care for injured, orphaned, and displaced native birds, educational nature programming for all ages, and the operation of a nature preserve and living museum that has been thoughtfully designed for accessibility. Originally called the Richland County Raptor Rehabilitation Center, the organization was established as a nonprofit in 1988 by biologist Gail Laux and her husband, Chris, on their family farm near Bellville. Within a decade, the Sanctuary had become known as THE place to bring injured and orphaned birds in Ohio. By 1997, the Sanctuary had outgrown the farm and moved to its current home on Orweiler Road near the headwaters and marshlands of Clear Fork Reservoir. This property was purchased by the Sanctuary from the Heart of Ohio Boy Scout Council (part of it had been known as Camp Avery Hand). Over 160 community donors and elected officials celebrated the completion Friday of the unique Treehouse Classroom of the Ohio Bird Sanctuary, the major resource of avian, nature, and conservation expertise and education in Ohio. “The already-funded Treehouse Classroom is the Sanctuary’s first step in the development of capital projects that will advance our mission and expanding role in outdoor education,” said Gail Laux, founder and executive director. More at source link https://www.richlandsource.com/life_and_culture/ohio-bird-sanctuary-soars-with-treehouse-classroom-wings-campaign/article_b0918fd6-008c-11ec-8ed4-5ba1c303b40d.html

@Dave951 great posts. These members may also find them interesting. @Armymutt @walk in the woods@Eagle94-A1 @JoeBob @ShootingSports @InquisitiveScouter

Agreed and as you quoted from form: "Information in this Sexual Abuse Survivor Proof of Claim may be required to be disclosed to governmental authorities under mandatory reporting laws in many jurisdictions. "

Keeping files secret, how ironic. It's like deja vu all over again.

Hmm, must mean the sum of council contributions are in the neighborhood of $650m?

Moved recent posts regarding proof of claims turned over to police to existing topic

Lt. James Pescia with the Auburn Police Department (AL) testified that police had served a search warrant of David Barkley "Chip" Johnson’s home and found 12-15 pictures of two children who appeared to be under the age of 12 after police received a sexual abuse survivor proof of claim document from the Boy Scouts of America in March that provided information regarding the sexual abuse of a child more than 25 years ago. Pescia testified that after he began investigating the claims he was able to find three other reports filed between Feb. 2000 and July 2008 that were all similar in nature and was also able to contact one of the victims. “[All of the reports] detailed allegations of sexual child abuse with the victims being former acqaintences [sic] of the defendant,” Pescia testified. The five charges currently levelled against Johnson concern Polaroid photographs allegedly taken of two children, both appearing to be under the age of 12 at the time the photographs were taken, who were depicted in states of undress, Pescia testified. ... More at source: https://oanow.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/probable-cause-found-in-child-pornography-case-of-former-auburn-city-schools-employee-and-boy/article_efeefea8-0077-11ec-a406-3f36e734de5c.html If only ... My $0.02,

...and often, even if they are not congregation members.

Welcome to scouter.com @Bear456 I have not been to SeaBase but I will send up a flare to more informed members who I can recall. An incomplete list of informed members no doubt. @Jameson76 @fred8033@qwazse @mashmaster @69RoadRunner

Addendum 8/13/2021: Deadline: 8/20/2021 About a week is left for Iowa’s cities, counties and groups like the Boy Scouts to apply for state grants to plant trees as part of the recovery process from last year’s derecho. The Iowa state legislature is allocating $250,000 for the Derecho Community Forestry Grant Program. The grants range from $500 to $5,000 and are to be used to buy and plant trees suitable to Iowa on publicly-owned lands. That can include all sorts of places like street right-of-ways, parks, school grounds, courthouse lawns, fairgrounds, cemeteries, libraries and trails. Trees are an underrated commodity, Edwards says, and few people seem to appreciate them until they’re gone. Some Iowa communities lost more than half of their canopies in the powerful storm on August 10th of last year. As new trees are planted, Edwards says there’s an emphasis on diversity in species, as she says a diverse canopy will be a resilient canopy. “We can notice in the communities that were hit very hard, there are certain species that did well and certain species didn’t,” Edwards says. “Maples are weaker-branched trees and they’re more likely to lose limbs in big wind storms like this, versus and an oak or a hickory that has stronger branches that can withstand that.” She says Iowa is overplanted with maples and people should consider other options, including the black locust, honey locust and hackberry trees. Grant recipients are required to provide a dollar-for-dollar cash match as part of the program. Hmm I am puzzled by this. In New England, we are planting certain evergreens to dissipate (sway) not block (good luck) high winds as common white pines have not endured the higher winds of last decade. Norway spruce, white cedar, and arborvitae are planted for wind breaks here. These also grow faster than oak or hickory. Agree about maple. My $0.02. Source: https://www.radioiowa.com/2021/08/13/grants-up-to-5000-are-available-to-plant-trees-as-part-of-derecho-recovery/

"An attorney for the Boy Scouts of America told a Delaware judge on Thursday that the group's national board never adopted a resolution approving an $850 million agreement that is the linchpin of the Boy Scouts' proposed bankruptcy plan." What? How is that possible? Next I'll be told the National Executive Board never approved mortgaging Philmont. https://www.startribune.com/judge-begins-key-hearing-in-boy-scouts-bankruptcy-case/600087118 https://ohionewstime.com/boy-scout-bankruptcy-case-begins/231119/ further down the unbelievable is described. Silverstein expressed surprise Thursday when Glenn Kurtz, an attorney for the Boy Scouts, said during arguments over what board materials had been provided to the insurers that the board never approved a formal resolution approving the agreement. “Isn’t it a little unusual that a board doesn’t actually authorize the actual agreement?” the judge asked. Kurtz replied that the board authorized “deal terms,” but delegated the documentation to the professionals. “I don’t know it was the world’s most formal procedure in terms of documenting the approvals, but you got a yes vote from all 72 board members on these deal terms,” Kurtz said. Silverstein suggested that the lack of board authorization for the agreement was particularly surprising given that several members of the board are lawyers. “We’ll see whether the debtor is able, without an authorization, to convince me that they’ve met the business judgment standard or they’re entitled to the business judgment standard and they made informed decisions,” she said. Under Delaware’s business judgment rule, courts typically give strong deference to a corporate board’s decision-making unless there is evidence that directors shirked their duties, had conflicts or acted in bad faith. https://www.cleburnetimesreview.com/texas/judge-begins-key-hearing-in-boy-scouts-bankruptcy-case/article_c741a2e0-b85f-52cc-8a1f-e3f87df880f5.html

You will be busy. Thanks for volunteering.

Okay since you are holding your blue cards close to your vest, my guess is you applied as a MBC for Programming, Wilderness Survival, and Bugling. @docSquatch welcome to scouter.com

I was pleasantly surprised that this was not just another story about (advancement) destination, more the journey and a path forward determined. South Dakota: the badge that brought tears Massachusetts: Daddy-daughter meltdown - ah teen procrastination, I can relate https://www.tennessean.com/story/life/2021/08/10/taylor-bell-eagle-scout-earn-50-merit-badges-50-states/5476744001/

Reading this article about a new SE/CEO, I noted the designation, which was new to me, "Community Executives" for part-time council employees? New name for District Executives? As Scout executive/CEO, Stephen Williams’ duties include recruiting Scouts, fundraising and more administrative responsibilities. “A day-to-day in the life of a typical Scout executive is, as I understand it, to be a conduit of progress in the community by serving families through staff and volunteers, cultivating relationships in the community and balancing the budget,” he said, “and ensuring that we have strong programs and delivering the Scouting promise to all the young people that want to participate in Scouting.” “I always want to leave a place better than I found it, and there are a lot of challenges that Scouting is facing in this area — most of it is geography versus available manpower,” he said. Williams said his hiring made him the fourth employee at Cimarron Council BSA, saying trying to manage the 19 counties the council serves is “impossible.” “We need to do a better job at increasing our financial sustainability so that I can grow staff and Scouting and improve our program facilities,” Williams said. To do that, Williams said the first thing he needs to do is employ part-time individuals, called community executives, to make sure Scouting is delivered to outlying areas. Community executives’ focuses would be to grow Scouting and the financial/fundraising aspect of their respective areas, Williams said. Williams also plans to cultivate a “bigger, stronger board” and create new positions including a camp ranger/program director, and he hopes to recruit more volunteers for the BSA. “That’s key to our success — to multiply our efforts through creating more volunteers,” he said. “There’s never too many volunteers involved.” more at source: https://www.enidnews.com/news/new-scout-executive-ceo-joins-cimarron-council-bsa/article_b6011080-f96c-11eb-80b1-13c00cefb90c.html