SctDad

I personnally think that he has completed the project and shouyld get the credit. after all you do have a picture of him sitting on one of the completed benches.

As for the question of what to do for the park. The wood that you are refering to is called 'Purple Heart Wood' It is a very hard wood and is very heavy. It is also VERY Expensive.

Although the youth may have finished his project, maybe there could be a future project to replace these benches. It would take a lot of fundraising, but it is something that if the community knows, you probably would get a lot of support. You can find many vendors for the lumber online.

Hope this is a learning experience for all. Sounds like he worked so hard on the benches.

I have had leaders come to me and tell me that there might be some complaints about his meeting, because he forgot something and had to put together a few things on the fly.

I told him something and I will tell you the same thing.

Have them fill out the Official BSA "Complaint Form" BSA form number 524-501A. There is a $16 processing fee along with supporting documentation that must be turned in.

Be careful what you complain about, you may be asked to fix it.

BTW, 524-501A is the Adult Application

Who pulled out the dead horse again. Can someone help me drag it back to its storage place.

Eagle92

Make sure that you let them know that the committee that we work on is for the better and that we are helping.

Anyway

If you want to get with me off line and talk about you decisions, I can give you some advise. I was in that position you are in for a while. It is something that you will have to decide on your own. Catch me sometime next week and we will talk.

My comments about the BSA Business plan come from looking at some of the activities that I have seen this summer. For those that went and staffed the National Jamboree. How much money did you pay to go there and volunteeer/work. Then you just have to go and buy multiple sets of uniforms and patches. So you end up giveing the BSA MORE money to go and take your time off. Like I said, paying to work.

Why is it when I went to help staff our Section OA event, not only did I have to pay to work there, but I paid $20 more than Those OA members coming from other lodges.

Those are the types of things that I mean when I pay to work with the BSA.

Hvae you noticed that Tiger Cub is not somethign that is onthe internet advancment. And it is not even reflected on the chater paperwork.

I just got an e-mail from our scout executive about this new program for evaluating the "Quality" of our units. One of the scoring factors is if we are providing enough participation in fundraisers to benefit the council. Including Friends of Scouting.

I understand that the professionals need to get paid. But here is my frustration. Our DE sends her representative to a dinner that they put on every year for their FoS in our county. They always say the same things, "This is for the Scouts. THis helps to Fund the "Scouts" X amount of dollars pays for one 'Scout' to go to camp."

Has anyone EVER had FoS money pay for ANYTHING at the unit level. Books for the leaders. Square knot awards, anything.

The big problem is that when they get their thousands of dollars from these businessmen, then when we turn around and ask for assistance for an event or some other assitance, they always say "I gave already, what happened to that money?" Meaning the FoS Money. Why is it we never really see the benefit from this fund.

And one last thought, I would love to see the BSA Business plan. I want to start a business in which thoseands of people PAY to work for me, and if they do not like it, that is OK because there are thousands behind them waiting for the oppurtunity to PAY to work an event. They have to be in the greatest business in the World.

Have your local Law Enforcement come out and talk about the Achievment. Take the boys finger prints and stuff like that. Our plaster casting activity go pushed to the side as it was raining heavily.

Not to mention the parents can have a complete set of finger prints and stuff if the worst should happen.

Onevioce

With my cousin, his family had asked that any donations be made to the pack. We already had a campership fund for under priviledged scouts. We just changed the name of it to honor him. One of the reasons why we did that is because he was a big supporter of the campership and he helped me spearhead the whole idea of it and get it going.

So yes, a campership in his name would be a great thing. It would be a great way to honor him and let him continue to be in scouting even just by his name helping one scout.

A similar Situation happened in our pack at the beginning of this year. We lost my cousin, who like your CM held many positions. You never really know how much one means to you until they are gone. And I am not just talking about things in the pack. After he passed, I had to find a new Tax guy and computer guy. not to mention the days of hanging out have changed. I grew up with him so the loss was deeply felt.

When It came to our scouts and parents, I informed all of them about the loss. I told them when the funeral arrangments were. I said that the family said it would be appreciated it they showed up. I also told the parents that if they did not feel that their child was ready to attend something like this, then it would be fully understood, as funerals and deaths are not taken the same way by all.

Oh a lighter note, you never really know how far someone reached out until it is time to pay final respects. At my cousins funeral there were local law enforcment officers, corrections officers (His mother and wife worked for the prison), school officials, our state senator was there, about 40 scout uniforms from tiger Cubs to Scout executives, including DE and District commissioners. My brother came in from Kansas and presented himself in his Dress Blue uniform.

It was a very nice funeral.

I hope your pack is able to do like mine and carry on through the loss. It will not be easy, but it can be done.

I cannot remember where the reference for this statment is, but i do remember the statment being in BSA literature. I have tried looking for it but I am unable to find it at this time.

The statement was something to the effect of,

An adult partner is a trusted adult that the Tiger Cub will attend events and outings with. This person must be a responsible adult age 18 years or older. This person can be a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother sister, or neighbor. I think that it may have been in the Cub Scout leaders handbook.

Just found it. It is on page 19-1 of the handbook and it talks about the Tiger Cub Program.

With that, I would make sure that you have either a letter or permission slip just in case something goes wrong and you need to make a decision. But it sounds like the parents will be readily available in most cases.

Hope this helps.

I was wondering the same thing about that.

Archery and BB Shooting are individual sports. Can they be used for the Sportsman AB?

WHat kind of difference do you mean? Are you looking for some one who is the Den Leader of the Niel Armstrong? Or are you looking for something a little more low key?

I can personally say that I believe that I have made a difference in several boys' life. I had one young man who it would take me almost begging to get him to say something in a den meeting. On our first camping trip, I could hear him running around yelling and having a good time. Then there was the young tiger that could not figure out the bow and arrow. he was devastated. I took the time to help him nock the arrow, aim, and release. The first few missed, but I made it fun and eventually they started hitting the target. The smile on his face was almost priceless. The only thing better was the belt loop that he got at the next pack meeting. He had a look on his face that I will never forget.

Then there is the difference that I make with my own son. The time that we spend together and the new things that we do.

So do we as leaders and parents make a difference? YES! It may be small, or it may be large. we may not know it until 10 years from now when we get that invatation in the mail for an Eagle ceremony, to attend or even speak.

BUt let us look at the little differences in each thing that we do. We never know how much helping a boy learn a new skill may pay off.

I stand corrected on who puts out the book. I do not have it in front of me to look at.

As for national making one for Jambo, it should not be that hard. Have councils submit their patch designs by said date, Then send the book to print and have available for all scouts to purchase so that when they are looking at pacthes they know which ones are the approved council patches. It can't be that difficult, not to mention if they print this book for scouts to buy (say $3-$4) then the boys will be able to tell where they need to go for patches and have a record of what they already have. Make it a commemorative book and have any of the speciality patches in there, like the National Guard, Forestry Service, The Rocker Set.

They could also use it in the future when they are trading at another event, so they can say, "Hey do I have that one yet/" Look in the Jambo Book and have an answer.

I know that our current CSP is different from those that are available from national. They were also made by Raven and Assoc. I went into a council shop in upstate NY and got two from them. I was telling him that I should send him a trade for one of our new CSP's. He said why when I can just order them from national. I threw him for a loop when I told him that he could not get ours from national bc it was made elsewear. Maybe I will get back with him and talk trades. He also has some from a council that is no longer around. I may try to get some more of those.

I went to the Jamboree as a visitor with my son and Daughter. We had a good time even though the first thirty minutes we got completely drenched as we were out when the rain started. But we had fun and that was the important thing.

Someone had asked me after the fact if I had taken patches to trade. I told them no and that was not the reason why I was there. I went with my kids to see the sights, do the activities that we were allowed to and have a good day.

When we pulled in we paid our entry donation and the guy there told us that there was a triangle patch for all visitors paying. They would give you 1 patch per $10 donation. We got 4. They told us that those would only be available for the visitors. Then I get in the trading post and they are on sale for $3.99. I though that was messed up. I would have paid the donation anyway but it was the implication of the patch that upset me.

The OA puts out a book that has all the current national lodge flaps. I think that it would be interesting to see National put out a small 4"x6" book for scouts to carry around so they know what the real patches are and who has the fakes.

I also think that if you are caught stealing patches from another scout you should be removed from the jamboree. Attendant or not.

Yes everybody is right, patch trading is getting out of hand. I like the way our lodge is making trading rules. It is almost always a 1:1. youth to youth, adult to adult, not mixed. All end with a hand shake. Conversation is a great thing.

We hosted conclave for our section this year and I had more offers for my host staff member patch then I wanted to count. But as soon as I told them that the one on my uniform was the only one I had and I was not trading it, everyone left it alone. I had one guy give me a legend as a good faith that I would bring our work patch to trade. He wanted nothing in return, just the oppurtunity to get one of my work day patches.

Some places still have polite and just trading.

Here is a link to all of the Belt loop requirements including the new ones.

http://www.scouting.org/sitecore/content/Home/CubScouts/Cub%20Scouts/UniformsAndAwards/sanda/science.aspx

US Scouts also had a worksheet that you could do but it seems to be down at the moment. I have a copy on my computer.

I had the privilege of attending one of these ceremonies when one of our young arrowman lost his life a few months ago. It was a very well put together ceremony and there were very few dry eyes in the arena. It was something that made the young mans father proud that he was part of such a great organization.

I do not recall if there were any names of those in the ceremony used, but in my opinion it does not really matter. The ceremony paid honor and respects to a young man who gave everything that he could to the OA and had actually just been elected to Section Chief 2 Weeks before.

I got one and ordered it when they were able to be purchased. glad I did, just wish I had ordered more.

Very well asked question. You trying to find that one thing that will also make your Camp Special. Did you get wrangled into the whole planning process or just one section again?

Well for me,

I would have neer realized that I CAN do things without depending on everyone

I would have never learned how to cook outside of the kitchen

I would have never enjoyed my first camping trip with my son as his marshmallow burst into flames and had somone capture it in a picture.

I would have never seen his face when he got his first rank patch.

I would have never realized that I can lead a group of young boys in activities.

I would have never enjoyed the sounds of boys running up to me saying HI MR CHRIS, as I walk the halls at the local elementary school.

I would have never seen the joy in the face of a young boy when he hit the target for the first time with a bow and arrow.

I would have never sat on a Eagle BOR and seen the face on a scout when you tell him that he has passed his BOR and essentially finished his Eagle Rank work, knowing that all the hard work finally paid off.

I would have never organized a Family campout with 360 people in attendance.

I would have never visited a National Jamboree

I would have never had my son ask me if he could attend a National Jamboree. ($$$$$)

Honestly, I don't know what I would have done if I had never been in scouting.

BTW

It was supposed to say uniformed, not informed.

Beavah

No PLC involved. These are Cub Scouts. I have asked the SM about this also stretching the invatation to him and his scouts.

I loved the part about his wilderness camping trip in Virginia with his son.

We had one of our local deputies killed in the Line of Duty this week.

I believe it is, but I was wondering if it would be appropriate to have as many of our informed boys roadside with US Flags if they have a procession through town. I think it would be a good showing of our support.

What does everyone here think?