SemperParatus

It sounds like at least four folks in this unit have a bit of an attitude. As others have said, as SPL you have virtually no influence over which adults serve in volunteer positions. You do have major influence over how you will react to people you find to be disagreeable. What are your options? You can complain about them, you can confront them, you can go behind their backs and trash talk them down, you can ignore them, you can smile and work with them. Which option squares with the Scout Law?

The donor donated the flag on the basis that it would be retired (ceremonously burned, I presume). That is what should be done. Otherwise, its sort of like (in reverse) donating land to a BSA counsel on the basis that it be used as a camp, and then having the counsel do something else with it (like sell it!) The donor wishes should be respected (in both cases). If you know who donated it, then maybe you should call them to make doubly sure of their wishes.

'These boots were made for walkin' and that's just what they'll do...' Every parent should seek out the absolute best scouting environment for their child. It sounds like you have much better options that should be considered.

Our Scout Executive made over $250K last year. FOS is a joke. Its a shake down of well-intentioned, dedicated people committed to serving our youth by a bunch of businessman whose primary motivation is to pay their ever-growing salaries. I have given the suggested $100-$125 annual FOS contribution every year for nearly 20 years. Last year, the amount was $125, but when I wrote the check I accidentally made it out for $120. I was hounded like a dog over that $5. I received two notices in the mail. My wife was incredulous and forbid me to pay the $5 on priciple. Then I starte

If you go to Guidestar (www.guidestar.org) you can look at the Forms 990 that are filed by your council with the IRS. There is a separate Great Sauk Council Trust Fund that shows investments in marketable securities of $4,002,323 at the end of 2005. This looks like money that just sits there. Budget cuts my @%&! Maybe they should be taking a look at the salaries they pay to their suits, like (2004 numbers) Robert Poole - retiring scout exec - $100K Ed Michlatcher - field director - $64K Todd Wordel - Asst. Scout Exec - %72K Victor Pooler - Endowment Director - $82

Mother Teresa had a great Protestant work ethic.

If you are willing to consider other options, I would highly recommend the Ironmasters Mansion Youth Hostel in Pine Grove Furnace State Park. http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/STATEPARKS/parks/pinegrovefurnace.aspx

Try the Penn-Laurel Council Here are their council facilities... http://www.pennlaurel.org/campproperties2.htm

"I might even let some of the other scouts overhear this advice." I see no purpose in that. Why in the world would a scout leader intentionally try to sabotage a scout's recruitment for his project?

If these are the five hangups that you have identified, then your next step should be determining how he may demonstrate trustworthiness, loyalty, helpfulness, friendliness, and kindness in the other 99% of the hours making up his life. Clearly, the term 'everyday life' is intended to connote a far wider lens than just scouting. I get the sense you may be extrapolating the scouting issues you have identified to the rest of his life, without a full consideration of his 'everyday life'. Welcome to the forum. Hope you stick around a while.

Requirement No. 2 "Demonstrate Scout spirit by living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in your everyday life." Scout spirit is not some etherial concept that we, as scout leaders, need to define, understand, judge or even consider for advancement purposes. The BSA tells us how scout spirit is demonstrated...'by living the Scout Oath and Scout Law in your everyday life'. That alone is the advancement question before you...it is not some subjective thought on your part based on your personal definition of what scout spirit may or may not be. Does the boy live the Scou

I just got out of a business meeting where a half dozen of us talked in circles and came to no conclusion. We had a good time throwing around ideas, but I am tasked with going ahead and implementing the solution (which at this point in time, I have no idea what that is). I would get them a good outdoor cookbook (plenty of free-online ones are available). The patrols have a different person serve as head cook for each camping trip. That person decides the meals for the weekend from the selections in the cookbook. After each trip, the menus for that weekend's meals are removed from the

The societal culture (relevancy) is a sine curve. Boy scouts is the x-axis. Often they are far apart, but inevitably they intersect again and again and again. The girl scouts always seem to be trying to follow the sine curve, but seem to be forever a step behind. That's it for today's math lesson.

I had a fellow call me about a year ago. He had moved back to the area, was a scout as a child and wanted to give back to his community by getting involved with a troop. I told him we would be happy to have him join us (most units will not turn down a sincere offer). He came to the next meeting, we talked, he filled out the paperwork, he left looking forward to getting involved. I never heard from him again. As the others have said. Check out the units in your area. Visit with the unit leaders. Offer your services and see where it goes from there. As you become more involved

It seems that for the past several months, I have dealt with at least a half-dozen instances where those that delay, don't commit, procrastinate, put-off, etc. are rewarded with people accomodating them at the eleventh hour. In some cases it has been detrimental to others that do their best to 'follow the program'. In other cases, no one is really impacted, other than the boy (and his parents) whose development is reinforced with the notion that its okay to wait until the very last minute because there are always suckers out there to bend over backwards to accomodate them. Its like showing

Grab pencil and paper... I will not threaten another person with a knife again. I will not threaten another person with a knife again. I will not threaten another person with a knife again. I will not threaten another person with a knife again. I will not threaten another person with a knife again. I will not threaten another person with a knife again. I will not threaten another person with a knife again. I will not threaten another person with a knife again. I will not threaten another person with a knife again. I will not threaten another person with a knife again.

Half of your contentment in scouting will be derived from ignoring half the comments and unfair situations you will undoubtedly encounter half of the time. Forgive, forget and forge ahead.

oldsm, I swear it sounds like you are in our district, only our DAC have been requiring this kind of information for 15 years or more. They may not be as picky with the spelling and grammer but there is an extensive checklist of things they are looking for in the book. Most project plan workbooks in our district are probably 50 - 60 pages. My own son's was 180 pages (but that is another story). Granted, it is not so much about size as content - and some scouts have used fewer pages to convey the detailed work and leadership plans that is required. Obviously, this has caused many year

"if B.P. started scouting in 2006 what would it be like?" I'll play some PRESS RELEASE OF THE FLEDGLING SCOUTING MOVEMENT: Mr. Powell is pleased to announce his plans to conduct an experiment in youth character development by assembling a group of 22 boys to spend a week camping with him at Brownsea Island. This 'camp-out' is intended to put into practice Mr. Powell's ideas of outdoor education and scoutcraft in building citizenship and character for the boys of today and the men of tomorrow. Mr. Powell notes that, the most important object in Boy Scout training is to educate, n

I agree that there is a lot of flexibility built-in to the program on this point, and that a troop can certainly have multiple quartermasters (with primary patrol responsibilities), assistant senior patrol leaders, etc. I guess where one could have a bit of a hiccup is the substitition of a Scoutmaster-assigned leadership POSITION for the stated alternative "carry out a Scoutmaster-assigned leadership PROJECT to help the troop". It is the act of doing (project)that is important, not the act of being (position). A project has a beginning and an end based on the accomplishment of a specif

Most states have sales tax exemptions for goods purchased by non-profit organizatons. Fscouter's state may not, but the overwhelming majority of states do. What state are you in? ljnrsu gave you the right answer to your question.

Sounds like you are heading to the Outer Banks. If so, that is a great destination - definitely lots of fun stuff to do there. If Pittsburgh is half-way, then DC will be around half-way from Pittsburgh to the Outer Banks and should be a great place to stop. You can easily fill a day in DC, so I am not sure how many little stops you would want along the way. Best place to camp in the DC area is Greenbelt Park (http://www.nps.gov/gree/) or you could shoot down the road an hour or so after spending the day in DC and stay at Lungo Park on Quantico Marine Base (http://www.quantico.usmc-mccs.

"Eventually, someone will be killed by the police or by an alarmed private citizen who mistakes one of these 'toys' for the real thing." http://www.iranonline.com/avc/Fact_Sheet_About_Toy_Guns.html

"He has been told many times by the troop leaders and parents not to pick on my son or the other scout also" Its beyond time for the Scoutmaster and Troop Committee to take action. Schedule a meeting with the SM and CC, discuss with them the continuing problem and ask them what specifically they are going to do about it. If their answer is not satisfactory to you, then I think it may be time for you and your son to find a new troop that is more accepting.

Hey Dave! Congratulations on the new position and best of luck on the passion sharing. I think you will find that the vacation really hasn't ended...its just now you will be lugging along a few more kids and lots more stuff.