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Sentinel947

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Posts posted by Sentinel947

  1. Thanks for this post MattR. 

    I had a similar experience recently. I went over to a friend's house to have a few drinks and watch the MLB All Star Game. My friends son, college age, (never was a Scout) had some of his friends over to play Magic the Gathering. One of those friends was a former Scout from my Troop, so it was nice to check in. He's doing well, family is well, he's working as an electricians apprentice.

  2. 4 hours ago, BetterWithCheddar said:

    I appreciate all of the replies. I was more curious about the nuances of the campaign (but I'm sure it varies widely by council).

    I plan on making a token FOS contribution (but probably not the full $401 the council requests). Our DE seems like a nice guy and has been very responsive. However, I already self-fund most of my Den's activities - at least I can be sure that goes 100% to program.

    Give what you can and feel comfortable with. The majority of folks donate nothing, at least when I did FOS presentations, (maybe I just sucked at them.)

    17 minutes ago, BetterWithCheddar said:

    No doubt, that's the biggest driver. 

    Over 25 years, it would be reasonable to expect Inflation to cause prices levels to double. Yet, the FOS amount in my council has tripled during that same time. I suspect membership has declined without commensurate cuts in professional staff or facilities (thus leading to a higher cost per scout).

    Probably. I know my council's budget got really out of whack when the United Way stopped donating. 

  3. 15 minutes ago, BetterWithCheddar said:

    I'm a parent of a Lion and will be experiencing FOS for the first time this Spring. For the more tenured volunteers, can I ask a few questions?

    • I have an FOS flyer from my youth asking for $129 (the cost to support 1 scout for 1 year). Mentally, I was preparing to make a donation of around $200. Now I see the campaign is asking for $401 (the cost to support 1 scout for 1 year in 2023). What the heck happened there?
    • I assume the council has an FOS fundraising goal. Does that goal get pushed down to the districts and the unit level? If so, does that mean every unit has an FOS goal? What happens if the unit doesn't hit the goal? Are they assessed a lump sum?
    • Each council's "Cost per Scout" is going to be different. My council says $206 a year or $17 a month supports 1 Scout.
    • Each district/unit does have an FOS goal based on number of Scouts, families and the demographics of the area. Generally there are no consequences to a unit for not hitting an FOS goal. Some council's are moving away from FOS entirely to a council fee model, but mine has not. 
    • Thanks 2
  4. 6 hours ago, curious_scouter said:

    This fee-required addition is one I can't get behind at all.  Accomplishes nothing net-new in terms of YPT, the only net difference I see is money in Scouts BSA's pocket.  Only hurts the units and the Scouts in my book.

    Not entirely true. It ensures every adult that is camping overnight in a Scouting program is background checked. I'm curious if that came out of documented incidents, if that's one of the changes the bankruptcy process made happen, or it's a creative way to get more in fees, as you said. The BSA is rarely transparent about such things, so if there is actual data supporting the rule change, we'll never see it. 

    • Upvote 1
  5. 1 hour ago, Eagledad said:

    We found that the Tigers program required double the adults of the rest of the pack to have a successful Tiger program. Dropping Tigers was a nobrainer to save from burnout. 

    There is a very simple approach we used to fix the problems the published program created. Ask the parents what they wanted and give it to them. The simple fact is that when the parents leave the program, they take their kids with them.

    Barry

    Then National doubled down with Lions right?

  6. 8 hours ago, BetterWithCheddar said:

    One low key upside to singing (and why I think it still has a place in Scouting, despite my personal aversion) is that it builds confidence for youth. If you can stand up and sing a ridiculous song in front of your peers and their parents at age 12, you're probably going to be more comfortable making professional presentations as an adult than someone who didn't have that type of experience as a youth. 

    That's a good reason. My top reason is that it builds team spirit. I can't explain why it does, and it's ridiculous, but it does. 

    Now I argue it's a chicken or the egg type thing... (Do Scouts sing because they are energized and have enthusiasm, or does them singing goofy songs make them more energized and enthusiastic?)

  7. On 11/30/2022 at 8:15 PM, DeaconLance said:

    Not true.  The USCCB could decide to vote and adopt a national policy that each bishop would be obliged to implement.  Not sure what it would take for that to happen though.

    I'm willing to be corrected, but I don't think the USCCB can do that. I'm pretty sure every Bishop and Archbishop is sovereign within their diocese on issues like this. It isn't a matter of doctrine or church teaching. It would be like if the USSCB tried to make a binding decision that every diocese needed to have a policy about parish youth basketball leagues.

  8. Agreed. This is still covered in Wood Badge, although it's framed as the difference between a Mentor and a Coach. Informal vs Formal power. 

    I've noticed some Teachers and Military folks struggle as Scout volunteers because they are used to having formal social power and the ability to demand respect and wield that power if not obeyed. 

    Our Scouts are our most important "volunteers". Scouting exists to serve them. 

    • Upvote 1
  9. I think you're on the right track and your understanding of the patrol method is strong. BP wanted to work with a teenagers natural desire to create tight knit little groups of friends. 

    I'll add one thought that reinforces yours: Let your scouts figure it out. Especially the small number of scouts in a patrol situation. What do they want to do, what are pros and cons of their decision? I spent alot of my time as an ASM and as an NYLT Course Director asking "What do you want to do?" to my Scouts. 

     

    • Upvote 1
  10. Compensation for executives should have components that are performance and incentive based. The challenge is creating those systems without incentivizing bad or fraudulent behavior. 

    I'll say in a lot of areas $75k would not cut it. That's not even considered a living wage in big metros on the Coasts. (Which is why I don't live in those places.) Even in places without crazy costs of living, one can make close to, or significantly more than, $75k for much less responsibility and headache. 

    Think about what a SE does. They are the leader of all of the councils employees, they typically have responsibility for working with the councils donors (unless your council's leadership has already ran them off.) They have responsibility for council property and assets. I peg SE's pay to what is similar to a Principal of a school on the small end, to maybe a Superintendent of a school district on the high end. My council claims to have around 20k Scouts registered. The School district I was in growing up has around 16k students and the Superintendent makes $169k. Another local school district has 35k students and the Superintendent makes $260k. Our SE made about $200k in 2000. Maybe a little overpaid relative to the Superintendent example, but not outrageously so. In 2016, our SE wasn't in the top 36 of Nonprofit CEO's in my metro area. (The list was only 36 organizations long) 

    This is a topic that gets hashed out ad nauseum about non-profits: See 2013 article

    Last thought. I used to work for a non-profit (not the BSA). I left for a private business and got a 23% increase in pay. Yea, I believed in the organization and the mission, and I was proud to work there, but satisfaction in the mission of my employer didn't pay my bills. 

    TL;DR: 75k is too low to attract competent executives, skilled/talented people have bills to pay too and don't work for cheap. At least in my local area our SE seems to be paid relatively sanely to their non profit peers. 

    • Upvote 1
  11. 2 hours ago, FireStone said:

    I think he feels like he would be considered a "snitch" if he speaks up. Especially when dealing with kids that are a few years older than him.

    I also highly doubt the adult leaders know anything about any of this going on to even be able to try and deal with it. The troop is very much scout-led, which is great, but it also means the adults stay as far away from the scouts as they can, camping in separate areas and unlikely to even know when some tent flipping or bad language is going on.

    I'm torn between wanting to step in and mention this to the adults vs. trying to give him space to learn how to navigate some of these social challenges.

    If I was an SM or an ASM, I'd want to know. Youth led isn't permission for Scouts to be bullies and drive other Scouts out of the Troop. 

    • Upvote 3
  12. My Troop puts the name and year of Eagle Scouts on the trailer doors. On the front of one of the trailers we have a "In Memory Of" and the names of volunteers who were members of the Troop when they passed. Thankfully it's a short list. 

  13. 7 hours ago, yknot said:

    I think most of those things are things that adults think are great marketing for scouts. 

    They're great things to advertise to parents and the community but yes, they are dull for kids. 

    I still remember when the Cubmaster came to my elementary school assembly. Had a fake fire, had a tent, talked about camping and being outdoors. I was friends with his son, so it was an easy sell, but if the pitch had been parades and service work to an eight year old, I don't think I would've had any interest. 

  14. Ah I missed one of my favorite repeating topics. I think we reached the usual consensus, some people prefer to wear what they are awarded and earned, some folks prefer minimalism. Most don't force their preference on everybody else. 

    I feel like I'm in middle ground, more on the display what I've earned side than the total minimalism side. I follow the Uniform Guide. I don't really go out of my way to correct somebody unless they are embarrassingly out of sorts, (Numbers or Council strip in the wrong place, for example) 

    Personally I'll only wear my Eagle Stuff, or my Wood Badge stuff only in a setting where it's expected. I recently started my 2nd row of Square knots, I added a district award of merit to my Eagle Scout, AoL, and Religious emblem knots. I've been an adult volunteer for 11 years now. I just can't be bothered to push the paperwork on other knots I'm eligible for. 

  15. On 7/27/2022 at 8:11 AM, qwazse said:

    Adult volunteers are extensions of paid staff. I don’t know why anyone would think otherwise. Every time I’m at camp for a full week, I check in with the camp director and ask where I can pitch in. (It’s usually aquatics. Not many scouters keep up their guard certification.)

    This is nothing new. When I wanted to earn First Aid MB, my SM walked us over to a neighboring campsite and introduced me the their SM who would be my counselor.

    The challenge these days for scouters is that simply keeping up with training is sucking a lot of bandwidth. (I really admire the COPE volunteers who keep the climbing courses rolling.)

    There's a difference between Unit Adult Chaperones/Volunteers at Summer camp helping with food serving, helping clean the shower house or doing odd jobs for the Ranger, vs being enlisted to run a program area that would be covered by a paid staff member. Especially when the adults in question took off a week of work, AND got charged $400+ for the privilege to be unpaid volunteers doing a paid staff position. 

    I used to volunteer regularly when I attended Scout camps with my unit, helping the Commissioners, or the Dining Staff or Shooting Sports staff. I even co taught First Aid Merit Badge one year,  but I did it freely. I saw a need, offered to help, that offer was accepted. I certainly wasn't being charged full price entry, and then having my arm twisted with some variation of "We need you to run a program area, it's for the kids ya know?" Camp leadership that inflict that kind of stuff on the adult unit volunteers, will strangle the golden goose that is their summer camp. I get adults need to pay full price for things like Philmont or Summit, but the idea that an adult volunteer attending summer camp so their unit can go has to pay the same fee as a youth who is participating in the camp program is taking advantage of the volunteers. 

    • Upvote 3
  16. 1 hour ago, Eagle1970 said:

    With full respect to the gymnast victims of Nassar, in addition to their quite substantial settlements already received, the Federal Government plans to settle with them, again. 

    I have learned that around the time of my abuse, the Federal Government was a significant financial supporter of BSA (per "Leave No Trace").  So couldn't the Fed have some liability (SOL's be damned)?

    https://www.erienewsnow.com/story/46983869/doj-offers-to-begin-settlement-discussions-with-sexual-assault-victims-of-disgraced-usa-gymnastics-doctor-nassar

    Unlikely. The Federal Government is settling because complaints were made to the FBI about Nassar and they bungled the investigation. If the Federal government or one if its agencies knew about your abuse, then you'd have a claim.

    If the Feds providing money to the BSA alone was enough to make them liable, extrapolating that principle would mean all of the folks/ orgs who were donors to the BSA during the time period of your abuse would be also liable. 

    • Upvote 1
  17. 22 hours ago, RememberSchiff said:

    The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has purchased 477 acres at the former Woodland Trails Scout Reservation and will make it a part of state’s wildlife preserve in Preble County.

    ODNR paid the Miami Valley Council of Boy Scouts of America $1.815 million for the property, according to Brian Plasters, Ohio Division of Wildlife spokesman.

    ...

    Jeffrey Schiavone, Miami Valley Council scout executive/CEO, said the final parcel, the core area of the camp, has not been placed on the market for sale. The portion that was sold last week was deemed as “excess land.”

    “This sale will allow the Miami Valley Council to make our contribution to the National BSA’s Survivor’s Trust, along with all local councils across the country, which will achieve two key imperatives: equitably compensate survivors of past abuse and ensure the mission of Scouting to continues in our communities,” Schiavone said. “Since the beginning of this process, we’ve been hyper-focused on continuing Scouting’s long-standing tradition of environmental stewardship, and we are very happy that the land is placed in the hands of a conservation-minded organization with ODNR.”

    More details at source link:

    https://www.journal-news.com/local/odnr-purchases-part-of-woodland-trails-camp-from-boy-scouts/CMDAP2HZKFBDTHES6PYF77OEP4/

    I went to Woodland Trails several times as a youth and a adult volunteer. Was a pretty good camp, but was definitely struggling by the mid 2010's. Beautiful property. Glad ODNR got a chunk of it. 

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