Shell in WA- USA

Well, then I won't tell you that I haven't listed EVERYTHING I've done. That was only an example of some of the things. And I'm a Single Mom of three boys AND I hold a full time job AND I do things for the Church and school as well. But I'm no different than anyone else. And no, the DE also struggles with Membership and financing but we do hold a Quality District. He's not all bad but really hard to work with. My decision was not a light one. IS that who I should talk to, the field Director? Maybe when I get my reciept reimbursed (we're fighting over that too) I'll take it further. Especially if the key 3 don't do anything.

Being a Mom who has three sons to help so on badges and things; I think Sewing should be a required MB! What are all those soon to be bachelors going to do without Mom readily available! Actually, I taught my boys to sew, they sew on their own badges now!

My legacy I pray I will never know. I have a heart for service and good will. I walk kindly and gently with every step, taking time for anyone but especially children with any need or a moment of learning set aside. To open the eyes of the heart to our God and for them to appreciate the wonderous world around them. And when I do so, I try not to do it proudly or boastfully, but rather by quiet action and regular habit. When I go home, I pray my God will say, "well done, my faithful servant." But for "my legacy," if a child grows up to be more loving and caring of the people around them; If they walk with a quicker step and a more open eye to the world around them; and if they take time for a child in their life; and if I get to hear God say to them "Well done, my faithful servant" that is when I'd be most blessed for "God's legacy" they were able to live.

I didn't bring it up at the District Meeting. But I did try to talk with the DE directly and I tried to talk with just the Dist Chair and DE together. But nothing was done. So I sent off a letter to the "Key 3." And mind you this was a year's process, I worked around it from every angle I could think of and didn't seem to get anywhere. The DC just said that he's young and it's the way he is so I had to live and bear it. But I just couldn't any longer. Even if my own Boss acted that way, I would have found another job. I"ve been consulting for other Districts, maybe I can just do more of the work for other districts now.

Do you have a Klondike Derby in your area? At ours the troops will build thier own sleds and race them. But that's only the main event. They also set up stations were the boys as patrols and they will compete for points and "the revolving trophy for the district." At the stations they do things like knot tying, snoe shoeing, cooking, first aid "problem" to be solved, etc. They also have a duel sawing contest, and such. Things rotate every year so it's not always the same. As a troop, we go build Igloos and snowshoe. A favorite for the troop. We also have areas where we can be jeeped to cabins up high and they can snow shoe or hike(cross country ski) in the back country. If you live in an area with wildlife preserves, you might be able to do a service project in those areas. One year, the troop went to a place where Elk are and they took care of them for a week. Feeding, etc. There's lots to do, I bet you could get ideas on the internet too. Have fun!!!

I've served the District for 9 years, and worked very hard at making it a quality District (as well as many others). I've be told by many that everything I'm involved with turns to gold. When I became the Program Coordinator for our daycamp, our Cub Scout numbers doubled! They really liked the programs I and out committees created. When I became the District Dinner Chair, they were having 30 leaders, if they were lucky and giving only a pat on the back with awards. I chaired it for four years and took the attendance to 150 leaders with a "theme" and a night full of fun. Awards were still done, but they had meaning for people! The old joke I was told was "no more Ice Cream soup with Michelle involved!" I chaired the Merit Badge Jumboree last year for the first time and in one year I had 128 boys attend (They were lucky to get 20 before for many years) and 14 MBC, mostly because I made it an event that people could trust. I don't say any of this for pats on the back, but to explain my involvement and how people feel about me being involved. Then comes a new DE. For one year and three major events I've done with him, I really tried to work with him. But he's someone who wants to micro manage or to be the "chair" of every event. And like in my case, every time I'd pull a committee together to run an event, he's undermining it by making sub committees, asking people do to things, making details discussions, and without consulting the Chair of the event. Or he'd get me to do the "nitty gritty" then take the credit or knock it down if blame was needed. It became very stressful for me, and after trying REALLY hard to make things work, I gave up. I send a LOR to the top four people of the District and letting them know why I'd be backing away form the District until the DE steps away. He's basically one of these youngins who doesn't have much respect for the people around him. I basically am wiping the footprints off my back and moving on. I was hoping that the key "three" which for us is four, would take it and help our DE through some of this to make it better for others. But they probably won't. I love the Scouting program and I probably would have stayed with it for many years to come, even after my own boys moved on. I've even looked into the Girl Scout progam to see if I could jump ship all together, but I'm sorry, I just don't like the Girl Scout program as well! And I was a GS! Now I probably ask the question too late, but how do you thing I should have done it? Some are telling me that I should go to the SE about it and they would even come with me. I don't really want to stir trouble, but the problem should be addressed. What do you think?

You may not like what I'm going to say but "it takes two to tango." And from your post, you are just as aggitated as he is acting. MAybe rightly so, but sometimes you have to rise above it. Have you ever thought that he is feeling just as threatened by your presence too? You aren't going to change him. But you can change the situation by changing YOUR attitude. It will probably be one of the hardest things you'll do, but turn the other cheek. Next time the two of you are working together, you be the first to approach him and work out a plan. Tell him you realize that your two styles are completely different but you want to work with him to make the overall scouting experience good for all. Give each other assignments; you lead "X" he leads "Y." You may find that he's feeling the same as you are and when he sees the ice broken, things will change. What's that old adage? "You get alot more with a spoon of honey than a spoon of vinegar?" If you really can't work with him, than don't volunteer the same things. But I would consider this a challenge to myself to get along. You don't have to like somebody to work with somebody.

BTW, our school system puts disclaimers on all flyers that are distributed through the school. To avoid sue-happy people like the one above.

Maybe I shouldn't say this but, since when did society turn the thought of "Come out of the closet, instead of cleaning them?" No wonder why kids are so confused! I thank God my kids have a stable background in Christianity and with the aid of Boy Scouts backing up those same faith based values we have in our household!

Have to share a story, showing the signs of the times! When I was at my woodbadge course last summer, someone tried to recite "the Cremation of Sam Magee." But he had trouble with remembering the whole thing. People would start to call out the next line and he'd get going for another verse. And he'd roll with the punches and ham it up and keep going. But then it got to a point where no one remembered the next line. So what do you you know, in the middle of nowhere, at a campfire, late at night, someone pulls out their PDA and gives it to him to read! Then it was too funny! He didn't know how to operate it, so as he's reading the poem and if he got stuck with the PDA, he'd read write into sink with the metric verse, questions about how to operate it, like how to move down to the next page. It was the best read of Sam Magee I've ever heard! I'll never see it the same again. .....Guess you had to be there!

Oh Brother, people! Get a life! Don't join a group or club if it isn't what you want to be involved with! As far as I know there is no manitory requirement or draft to join BSA or have faith-based values! You have the choice to be in a group that supports YOUR believe structures. It's still a choice! Find a place to belong to that supports your value system, don't destroy mine! Good grief, get a life! And let me have mine!

Well, that would explain the lack of knowledge in the program. Perhaps if they won't go to training, you could bring the training to your unit. Yes, New Leader Essensials are needed as well as Troop Committee training.

Interesting that your CC is a "she" and has this low opinion of how adults behave. Has SHE had her training? And most of your last message sounds like great excuses for the policy she wants to set in motion. Since when was Burbs and Such written into the Scout law? I thought polite, courteous, and the like was the behaviors we were after.

Of course I want them to have male role models. I was just saying that that wasn't the "first" reason why I have my boys in Scouting. And there are a couple men in Scouting that I think fit that role very nicely for my boys. But for the most part, the "men" of the troop are their own son's fathers first, leaders second. Only a couple take the time to work with the troop in general. But in our case, the best male role models my boys have are in our church and through Jesus Christ.

When I took over as Advancement Chair, I set up a schedule for the boys to follow for reporting and advancing. (first week, bring books for updating and recording, second week, SM Review (if pre-scheduled), third week BOR (if pre-scheduled), fourth week, recognition) Then every Quarter we have a COH with the parents. Maybe other things came into play but it seems like once the boys knew what to do, how to report it and who to report it to (teir advancements and MBS) they seems pretty gunho. Out of a troop of 45, I have at least three or so advancing a rank in a month. As for MBs, what I did is create a notebook with all the district's MB Counselors put together and bring it to every meeting. The boys all know how to look their interest up and find the counselors they need. They also know that I know many people of the district, so they will ask me about people I would recommend. In other words, I provide the tools, they proceed with advancement.