scoutmom111

Singing right along with my friend OldGreyEagle....and of course harmonizing well...

I used to be a Bear, a good ole' Bear too.

And now I'm finshed Bearng, I don't know what to do.

I'm growing old and feeble, and I can Bear no more,

So I'm going to work my ticket if I can.

Back to Gilwell, happy land,

I'm going to work my ticket if I can.

Singing right along with my friend OldGreyEagle....and of course harmonizing well...

I used to be a Bear, a good ole' Bear too.

And now I'm finshed Bearng, I don't know what to do.

I'm growing old and feeble, and I can Bear no more,

So I'm going to work my ticket if I can.

Back to Gilwell, happy land,

I'm going to work my ticket if I can.

Singing right along with my friend OldGreyEagle....and of course harmonizing well...

I used to be a Bear, a good ole' Bear too.

And now I'm finshed Bearng, I don't know what to do.

I'm growing old and feeble, and I can Bear no more,

So I'm going to work my ticket if I can.

Back to Gilwell, happy land,

I'm going to work my ticket if I can.

LIke I said, it taught me what not to do! **smile** And everyone of my tickets is about giving people information!!!!

The worst part is that in our council they will probably try to have her be CD again. Unless national checks these things. I would be willing to work with the SPL. She was great.

My CD wasn't at all good at communication from the very beginning. But that's another post... well... several of them! I've gotten over her and I've learned a lot about how NOT to treat people. Hey, I'm a computer programmer and I'm am very into communicating information. Why confuse people on purpose, I'm confused enough with out someone going out of thier way!

Our hats were not BSA hats, though the rest of our uniforms were BSA. My thing was that altought everyone had been told to leave the hats on during the flag ceremony, and everyone but my husband and I did leave them on, for us it was disrespectful and we took them off. We just tucked them into our belt and continued the ceremony. We didn't make a big deal about it, we just did it. Our CD made a big deal about it. We were participants, not on staff. We tried to explain why we felt as we did and were told that we just needed to "Play the game and quit thinking". Not really the way we work! When the SPL asked us about it, she listened to our explaination and said "Oh, I see. Do what you need to do."

that's kind of the point. The hats weren't part of the official bsa uniform so, according to what Mackinaw parks states as "official" , they should be removed.

My son made his own slide show. He used it as a time for him to reflect back on his experiences as a scout. Ok, so I'm a proud mom, but he did a great job!!!

When I was at Wood Badge, we had a flag "thing" happen. They wanted us all to leave our hats on while the US flag was lowered and raised. This should only be done if we were wearing an official BS hat. Our troop does a week of service at Mackinaw Island each year. THey are very strict on flag regulations. So for us, to leave our hat on, would have felt very wrong. So each time, we took our hat off. The CD was furious with us. She wanted everyone to be the same and wouldn't listen to why we felt as we do. I will be checking out the web site to see what it says. I don't know that I would change how I feel.... but I will check it out and pass it on to our boys.

Oh, and when we were at a camporee in Canada, they had a class in flag folding. THey taught the US flag and the Canadian flag. The Canadian flag is folded so that it goes up the pole looking like a ball and unfurls when it reaches the top. Really cool.

If you go to the dollar stores, or look at the sample aisle, you can sometimes find small zipper pouches that samples came in. I've gotten those for first aid kits SOmetimes you can even get stores to hold some of these when they are about to throw them out. I've gotten some from Target that way. It's worth a try!!!

My tall friend said you only clean under the stove hood when a short friend is coming over!

It's okay Gonzo. I just got done with WB and I'm quite use to people with VERY strong opinions on just how things should be done **smile**. But then it usually takes one to know one... there are no attacks on this forum.. just humble opinions **giggle**.

I use to be a bear and a good ol'bear too.

C-10-06

Mama Bear

This is all good.... If all troops did everything the same, we wouldn't need roundtables...this forum.... hey, we'd only need one very large troop!!! **smile** The pre-cooked bacon/sausage was what the boys came up with as a solution to the problem of the sausage not getting done. It's a boy led troop and a boy led solution. Our troop has a large variety of activities. We have a one week service camp at Mackinaw Island where the boys have service to the fort, do all the state flags on the island and help tourist. The adults do the cooking on events where we very tightly schedule the boys. Summer camp we eat in the mess hall. Camporees and troop camps it all patrol cooking. Winter polar bear is individual cooking (backpack stoves). When the boys plan an outing, they figure out how the cooking will be done... and just telling the adults to do it isn't an option. Hey, we have even been known to do the pizza thing. Especially after a 7 hour trip into Canada (for the first night only!!!!) I like that we have a variety of ways to handle the cooking issue. It helps the boys think outside the box. I really don't want to hear (and neiter do the boys) that "that is the way we've always done it!) Tradition has it's place, and so does innovation. Everything in moderation.

Then there are the temporary or changing patches. My boys are into the OA. It seems everytime they go to an OA event they come back with a new pocket patch. Plus, the boys position patches seem to change often.

We cut out a piece of plastic (usually from a plastic milk carton) that is the same shape as the patch but a little larger. We purchase ribbon bars from the PX store. Those are bars with pins on each end that is used on military uniforms for the ribbons that they have above the pocket. You push the pins of the bar thru the plastic, and then sew the patch to the plastic. Next trim to fit the patch.

It makes it easier to change the patches. You can also take them off before washing.

If you have several hats to wear and you can't afford several shirts for each hat (I know I can't) then this makes it easier to have your postion patch match your "hat of the day".

Personally I don't let anyone use my sewing machine but me. So I usually do the patches. It is one thing I like to do for my boys... this includes my husband. **smile**

We were told that the chartered organization holds the number wheither it is for a pack, troop or crew. We planned to have a crew 111, (we are troop 111) and we were told that we must have the same chartered org. It is always interesting to see the different rules in different councils... and how they always fall back by saying it is nationals decision **smile**

If the boy is generally very involved in the troop and You have seen him work well at campouts, then I would have no problem counting the campout. I would ask him questions about it.... what did you do... what were you able to teach the cubs... stuff like that. We had one young man that couldn't go to summer camp because he was going on a month long camping trip out west to hunt. He took pictures and wrote a journal so we counted it as his extended camp. Shoot it was more primitive than anything our troop likes to do!!! At the same time, we have had young men that are rarely involved and we've noticed that their mommy tends to do the work for them... those we need better documentation before we will accept something they say they've done. It might seem like it isn't fair between the boys, but we've aften talked about integrety and everything you do builds a picture of how people see you.

Mama Bear

Adv chair

It is all scouts participating... and a few parents!!! The Canadians do a lot of 1812 re-enactiments. It's like our civil war thing. After all they weren't involved in our civil war **smile**. So the organizers are very good at putting this together. It is about 7 hours from Lansing. I know that there is a Detroit troop that goes. They leave after work and get there about 11:30 - midnight on Friday. You should check out the web site. I'd be glad to get you info on uniforms, rifles, etc if you'd like more.

That might be the difference. I know that when we went to Dorchester Canada, the boys were allowed to do a lot of things that we don't do in the states... mostly because of the cost of liability insurance. They were able to use ban saws, zip lines, walk on ropes 30 feet in the air... lots of stuff.

The other points of the scout law and oath are covered in our boards. One question that we ask of boys up for Eagle that are over 18 is have you registered to vote yet? We also have asked if they follow the law of the land... do they follow it absolutely.... have they ever gone over the speed limit??? Most of them will blush about then...**smile**...

One of my favorite questions for the younger ranks is what is the hardest and easiest law for them to follow. Or, if they could take away what law what would it be and why... these are all ways to cover the laws.

Asking how they keep themselves mentally awake and what does that mean will bring up the oath.... lots of ways. And you don't have to wait for a BOR to ask these questions.

OOOPS your right... my son informed me I was wrong. Sorry. Thank you for the correction. I guess I should have looked at the certificate first.

Another resource is local Pow-wows. We got a lot of input from there. Remember to bring tobacco (you can buy it at the pow-wow) You need to give a small amount of tobacco before asking questions about someones regalia. It is concidered very rude to not do so... and they don't have to give you the right answer! You can usually contact local tribes for info... and history museums. Also, just because the natives went "commando" doesn't mean the boys need to do so. This came up as an issue in our lodge. We had one man that was determined that the boys would be "authentic" but the boys were too modest. Our DE (very much into the native info... he is even a drummer and singer) said that the boys can even wear their BS shorts under the loin cloth if they want to do so.

The toast the president that was in office during the war of 1812. Since it is a re-enactment, they sign up for the militia, and toast the president.

As to the cap guns, again it is a re-enactment that has been done for years between the British (Canadians) and the Americans. There is no danger as these are the same caps that are sold in the toy department. The main thing taught is to follow directions. SOmetimes that is harder on the Dad's that join in than it is on the boys. The adults think they see a way to "win this thing", but it doesn't count unless it comes from the leadership. THey have a series of commands that they have to give for the boys to be able to fire... like load powder, load ball, tamp it down... (don't yell at me if I get it wrong I was too busy taking pictures!!!) There are venture crew girls that fight as well, by the way.

Our troop just got back from a camp that involves a re-enactment/battle from the war of 1812. It was held at Niagara-on-the-lake, Ontario, Canada. We had a ball, especially the boys. We had 5 troops from Michigan combine into one "company" for the battles. We decided to have one kitchen to feed all 5 troops. The boys got to have a different international experience. We leave early Friday morning so we can get set up and then we can take the boys to Niagara Falls (about 30 minutes away). THis was our third year going. THe Detroit troop was the first Michigan troop to go, and we added 3 new troops this year. The price of the event (about $40) includes the food. You go to the QM (of the camporee) to pick up your food and then you have to do the cooking. The food is great and plentiful. On Sunday, the boys got up and ate breakfast on the left overs before anyone remembered that we hadn't gotten our Sunday Breakfast box yet!!! The boys sign up and toast President McKinley on Friday evening... quite a Kodak moment. Our first year the boys used sticks as guns but they quickly decided to get the cap guns. The first 2 years, you go as militia and wear white shirts, black pants and a stock for the neck. After that you are suppose to make a uniform. I found a butterwick pattern that worked quite nicely.

For our boys it works especially well. They do a week of service camp at FOrt Mackinaw on Mackinac Island which is also 1812. We are also in touch with a group that might be developeing something at fort Detroit for 1812.

So it is good history, a good time and they get to see something new. Anyone within 7 hours of the event should really think about this as an event. I'm glad we did. If anyone is interested, contact Fort George website. http://www.scoutscan.net/ftgeorge/(This message has been edited by scoutmom111)

One of the things we helped our boys "learn" in patrol cooking is the benefit of sausage and bacon that is the pre-cooked kind. One patrol had sausage that they made in balls instead of patties (they thought it was cool) it never cooked all the way thru and the outside was burnt. That trip they didn't have sausage for breakfast, obviously! So now they get the pre-cooked stuff. It is a little more expensive but worth it. We also have found a store called ALDI's. It is a german based store (I've been told they are all over the place) Good prices, good food, and not TOO many choices. It helps since our boys buy the food as a patrol as well as cook as patrols.

There are some campouts, however, that are troop cooking. We just got back from a re-enactment at Fort George, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada. Great time..... We had 5 troops combined into one "company" for the the battles, so we decided to have one kitchen for the 5 troops. It worked out great. The boys got to learn about working with boys from other troops. The adults did the cooking so the boys could work on marching, etc. It is nice to combine different things, like some camps with patrol cooking and some with troop cooking. It just gives different perspectives. I also think it gets the boys to appreciate when we do the cooking for them.

Having only been out of WB practical for 2 weeks, I can already see that we will never stop doing tickets... the 5 is just to get us rolling. Our CD didn't allow us any "for self" tickets, at least not in our patrol. I can't vouch for any other patrol (okay, has anyone read Heinlein about the professional witnesses!) Everyone of my tickets had to pertain to my position as adv. Chair. That doesn't mean that I won't do other things where I see the need. Right now, I'm not the one to suggest anything to the training people at council.

But at camp next year... hummmmm..... I did several of their databases last year and I am concidered a resource... hummm... how can I get ahold of the syllibus for the outdoor portion.... hummm ...

My main thought here is that I can get our adult leaders to take the scout skill class, and maybe get them into further training from there. My scout skills are okay... I still have to think the bowline...(but my tauntline hitch was the fastest at OA ordeal when we put up the tents) and measuring a tree I have to look at the directions (on the ground orienteering I am good at due to geocaching sites).

Okay, it will only take an hour a week to put this one together!!!

Mama Bear

Old Grey Eagle -

You weren't misunderstood... I forgot to but my **giggle** and **smile** in my messages. I took the new woodbadge, but there was a lot of old wood badge in the course. I know that the new WB is for everyone, and I have taken the out doorleadership skills. I've been asking other scouters why they haven't taken WB and they said that it is a repeat of the outdoorskills with more work thrown in... While I understand their viewpoint, (there was ALOT of scoutskills in my WB) I do try to let them know that if we all practiced the same leadership viewpoint (with individual styles) it would really help the troop.

I would love to see our council have a one day class that is just scout skills.... Kind of a piece of the outdoor skills with out all the patrol stuff. We could get people to take that course... then maybe ease them into the outdoor... then WB.... you know... hook them and reel them in **smile**.

I'm working my tickets (one done!!!) and I will get my beads! (But I still want to stick with the old codgers that tell me ... in my day, WB was tough!!! I really don't think I took WB lite!)

Have a great evening all -

I use to be a bear and a good ol' bear too....

Mama bear