SharonNC

Hi to NJCubScouter, Don't worry, when you pick him up tomorrow he's going to be so tired it will be like pulling hen's teeth to get information. Our boys didn't stop talking all the way home from camp, but the minute they got in their own parents cars they were asleep within minutes. I can't swear to every troop, but our guy's really worked together and helped one another out at camp. We had 4 boys that had never been to that particular camp, so they split up set up jobs of setting up our campsite and then they split into teams to take the new guys on the grand tour of shortcuts to c

Thank you, thank you! Each of you made very good points. I'll further explain just a little of what's happening in our troop. I have been the CC for 3 years. Our former SM left due to job change and a new one took over. The former SM had a 'if I don't do it myself, it won't happen' attitude and way of running the troop. He left at the end of my first year. Then his chief ASM took over, he continued the status quo, while complaining that I needed to "find" a SM because he couldn't do it all. We lost more boys. Finally another of the ASM's went to SM Fundamentals and he traded

There has been a lot of discussion among parents of the troop boys about this. One reads the "Guide to safe Scouting" and it leaves pretty clear in my mind that "I'll call all my friends that are juniors and seniors and have them kill you" is a direct threat and not just a joke. This happened at a community service project we were working at as a troop. The boy that was threatened by two of the senior boys, told his mother who happened to be helping, instead of the SM. The mother jumped! She called me and the boy that she preceived to have 'threatened' her son. I had to get between

Hey, Steele man, one of my dearest friends is a professional. I count many of them friends, but this guy and his wife, have been my FRIENDS since forever. I may not always agree with everything that comes from the professional viewpoint, but I certainly respect and value professional opinions. You're very straightforward about letting us know what is your opinion and what is the 'book' stock answers. Don't let a few bad apples ruin the barrel. You are a valued member of this forum, to me, so hang in and help freeze out those that are off topic, off their rockers, or just mean.

Hi Osemu, I'm doing much better. They did one carotid artery and put in a stent, and with medication, exercise, and God's grace. I'm doing better. The stress that I was working in at school with a very hateful principal and the many many hours I spent working with Scouts, had to be cut back. I had a rough go for about a year and then with diet, exercise, and determination (southern grit) I'm forging ahead. My father died at 48 years after a heart attack, so I was not surprised to have one get to me. I do hope your SM gets better, there are so many wonderful medicines and trea

I retired in November 2001 after a heart attack from Public School education. I had been a teaching assistant for nine years previously. I have since worked 2 summers as our summer camp business manager and increased my Scouting hours to +60 a week. LOL I work with a troop weekly, with events monthly, and work (yes, I actually work it, I'm not just a name on the list) a position on our Council Executive board. Good thing the heart is getting stronger, eh?

Point taken, each Council/District/Troop does things according to standards set within each entity. We, in our troop, have the boys sit before a BOR prior to presenting his request for a Project Approval BOR by the District Advancement committee. (That's the standard of our council executive board, that each district have a BOR for project approval prior to the project and a BOR for Eagle rank approval) For the troop BOR, the boy has a chance to perfect his presentation method, get help/suggestions from different eyes than the SM and ASM, and AC of the troop, and he becomes more co

It would be the boy's responsibility to have the requirements and phamplet to work from. As it is the boy that must call the MBC, not the Counselor calling the boy. Sharon

Hey, just a minute here....how could an AC give 'approval' over the telephone? Don't you have to go before the committee to get that approval? You need to let that District Chairman know that he needs to train his committee. That's the person that needs to handle the mess of this kettle of rotting fish. Eagle rank is the highest most stringent requirements, has the least amount of play in my mind, and allowing this to 'pass' is only fostering the ill will of those to follow. Mom and Dad may have to bear the brunt of disappointment, but the boys of your district and troop that are

Having been the Family phase chairman one year for FOS, the training we received was very clear on handling funds. This being said, there are folks that won't go to trainings, that won't follow directions, that choose their own way of 'mis'handling the most minute detail. This, however, is not a minute detail, money is to hard to come by! Mr. Steele, have you thought of a fireside chat? Of course, you may open a can of worms instead of the spaghetti, but........ Have you considered that you and the DE, and the FOS chairman, together should go to this particular unit committee meet

Thanks for the recommendation, Mark. I'm inspired to nag our district advancement committee to update our MBC list. I have just to many boys wanting to complete things. I knew the MBC didn't have to be from our district, but since our summer camp experience kept them pretty busy, there wasn't a lot of time for them to conference on some of their past workings. But there's nothing to keep us from taking them there for a day, or having email correspondence to the counselor, is there?

We have boys that have merit badges they started at summer camp 2 years ago, but are unable to finish them because there are no registered MBC in our district. How long can they carry these, will the new MBC cause them to start over? How dow we keep them from losing interest when they aren't able to complete the MB? Just a few questions...lol

Herbert C. Bonner Scout Reservation Blounts Creek, NC campbonner.org There is a High Adventure Sea Base at this camp also.

Our troop requires it of committee members, too, but......."can't get there this weekend, can't go then, I work, I have kids," YOU get the picture. I have begun instituting training into all our meetings, that is I feature a part of the training in every meeting and no one fills a position just for the name of it. They have to fill out the BSA application, read the by-laws, and sign a copy of their 'job description,', bottom line, we've got 16 really active boys and 4 that are trying to 'earn' the Eagle rank by osmosis. Hey, I always have the coffeepot on, it's job requirement isn

As the CC and currently 'acting' SM, I have read this thread with equal interest. We follow the BSA guidelines in our troop. The only regret we, the trained members of the troop, is that we can't force the rest of the adults to get trained!!! We have an open forum, but we do 'vote' on major expenditures. Our regular SM and ASM's re encouraged to attend the committee meetings, our SPL or ASPL are required to attend, our parents are encouraged to attend, but the drop off the boy and run to do errands continues UNLESS there is a 'situation/challenge' The key to the whole committee, J