Jump to content

Shell in WA- USA

Members
  • Content Count

    155
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by Shell in WA- USA

  1. Of course it can! Like in any new pack or troop, it just take sa bit of work to get it going. The DE in our District has started up two new packs that are latino. They are struggling because they are so new but I think the kids are sure getting alot out of it.

     

    Johnsned, I understand about economics. There are a few units in our district that struggles with that too because they are in depressed areas. I don't know the area your from, but sometimes businesses will offer discount for Scouts or even sponsor a troop. One year, we happened across an outdoor company that was phasing out a line of packs. They sold them to use for a hefty discount. You might also try approaching other troops, maybe they will lend you equipment or rent it to you. Doesn't hurt to ask! ;)

     

    And what about fundraisers to raise money for equipment? Our troop used to do an annual "Yard Sale" where the parents did their spring cleaning (literally, they were pulling up trucks all day long by cleaning our their garages!) and we made $5,000 or so in a day. (People also gave donations). Then at the end of the day, whatever was left, a donation truck was already arranged to stop by and pick it all up, whatever didn't sell.

     

    Carwashs, popcorn, etc are all good too. Would teach a good lesson for the kids too. They will learn how to work for their equipment and such.

     

    And I know many councils have camperships. Usually they will pay half the camp. The rest can be done in fundraisers.

  2. While Bob58 is trying so hard to show you a picture. ;)

     

    We just took a basic "log" about 2.5 - 3 ft long. We drilled 13 holes on the "top" lengthwise for inserting 12 red small candles with one white tall candle in the middle. And it just rests on a table or the floor.

     

    For a ceremony, it can always change for the occasion. But one they will do is kind of cool, might be standard, but cool. What the troop does is that the SM will light the middle candle and state that this is the light of Scouting and that we all have that light within us to do good for others, etc. Depending on the occasion, he will also throw in there that the candle also represents all the adults in the troop and the support we will be giving the troop as they learn and grow. (OR something like that)

     

    Then the SPL will pick up the white candle out of the log and use it to light each of the red smaller candles. As he says the scout law to go with it, a Troop scout in the audience will stand and say a description of that law. All 12 are done. (SPL will have pre-chosen the scouts ahead of time.)

     

    Sometimes the SPL will then blow out the white candle and state that we are one as a troop and the oath is prove of that. Then he will have everyone say the oath together. then he'll relight the white candle from every red candle still lit and state that this is a symbol of our unity together and that our use of the oath and laws will not only ban us together but they will help us to become better people for ourselves, our world and our God.

     

     

  3. Yippie for you! I get mine this April too!

     

    But watch out for your kids! My son told me "good for you and congradulations" then asked when I'm going to get my fourth bead!............Any women course directors out there?!?!? ;)

     

    W1-609-03

    I used to be a fox...........

  4. Your Troop Guide is there to help you focus on this. But start by focusing on your current job in scouting. What are your job duties and where do you wish to improve them? It was stressed to us NOT to take on NEW things but to focus on our current "jobs" in scouting and work within those perameters.

     

    Another important thing is write your ticket so that you are not depending on others(like approvals, work, etc) to get things done. For instance, don't say "I will have 20 boy scouts attend a XXX training," but say "I will hold a XXX training for the scouts." That way if only 2 scouts show, you still have completed your ticket. Or don't say "I will go home and be the Assistant to the Roundtable Commissioner. You may return home and find out that the RT Comm. doesn't need you. Then where are you with your ticket? Make sense?

     

    When I thought about my job as Advancement Chair and the things I wanted to do to improve it for the troop. The ticket came naturally. Also they have you write your one "big" goal first then break it down to 5 parts. When I turned it around and focused on the "little" parts and got them down. I could better think of my ticket statement. Maybe that will help you too.

     

    It's not as hard as you think. You'll do great!

  5. It's not that Gary Locke loses voters by picking sides of an issue, it's just that he never picks a side of the issue! He's very wishy-washy in his "decision" making. It depends on what group he's talking to at the time. I could tell you stories of what he's done in our state, but that would bore you! ;)

     

    But it doesn't have anything to do with his scout training or christian upbringing. There are no scandals at his seat that I know of. He's a good governor and family man in that regard. And I know he'd love to set his sites on DC but he could never be president (wasn't born in US).

     

    But it's okay, his term's almost up! At least our governor hasn't run our state into the ground like Californias, we don't have any actors to take his place ;)

  6. Has anyone set up a training for the boys for "Life to Eagle?" I'm working on setting something up for our troop boys and newly ranked star and life boys. But if someone has something I can springbaord from, it would help me out alot. Thanks!

  7. I'm really sorry now I asked the question. I really was just searching for some honest answers that I thought I could find here. I guess I can't, I'll just stick to the "yes, Ma'm" and "Yes, Sir" responses.

     

    You know, if we start turning on each other, I can see why the public is starting to have a questionable opinion about scouting. What happened to the Scout Oath and Scout Law that we say we uphold? Sometimes the best way to show the good in something is to just "live it." (Hey, maybe there's the answer I'm looking for too!)

     

    Come on now, group hug! ;)

  8. I've gotten just about all the parents to sign up as MBC in the troop. I work really hard to have them sign up for the district but I can't force them to if they don't want to. But I do get some that are willing. Personally, I think it's admirable enough to step forward for the 40 boys of our troop. Although it may be a minimum time, it is time away from what they already are committed to.

  9. BTW NJCubScouter;

    Gary Locke is that way with all the issues, he whimps out on every issue he thinks he'll lose supporters. But I'm not going to get into that here.I don't really care for him much, can't wait until he moves out!

  10. I admit I have a pretty naive point of veiw on all of this. I meant no disrespect, I was just asking the question. I've usually just said "thanks anyway" and moved on. I was simply looking for a more intellegent way to respond given the circumstances again. It wasn't meant to stir up anger. Sorry I asked an innocent question...

     

    I grew up as a white female christian and raised to love and be accepting of all people. I don't dislike Gay people, I may not agree with their choice but I don't dislike the people. From my Christian point of veiw, God has no degree of sin, we are all sinners. I am no better that a gay person in God's eye. Christ died to save a gay person just as he died to save me. And we all have the ability to be forgiven by God. When I join God in heaven, who knows, I may be sitting next to Hitler! (Nobody attack me for that, it's my belief.)

     

    BTW, when I brought up the boy, I was refering to an adult who chastised my own son for wearing his uniform in a grocery store when we stopped after a scout meeting. We just smiled and moved on, but I shouted prayers to heaven in the car for that person who would come at a 13 year boy with so much anger and that God would take away his anger and heal his heart.

     

    Ducking back to my little corner now..... sorry for the trouble I caused.

  11. Pardon my ignorance but atheists have a religion? I thought to be an atheist, they don't believe in anything other than themselves. When agreeing to be in scouting, you agree to pay reverence to your higher being, whatever that may be, whatever relious background you may have.

     

    One wouldn't join the Black Panthers (or some such organization)as a white person and expect the whole organization to change for it, would you? So why do people do that with Scouting?

     

    Ah, too early in the morning to be thinking smartly! :)

  12. Current list for congress and scouting;

     

    The Congress and Scouting

    For the past 17 Congresses, the Boy Scouts of America has surveyed the members of the House and Senate regarding their participation in Scouting. The Marketing & Communications Division compiled the following information concerning the 108th Congress.

     

    More than 50 percent of congressional members participated in Scouting.

     

    Summary Breakdown of the 108th Congress Scouting Survey

    Senators Representatives Total

    Scout 53 163 216

    Scout and leader 10 29 39

    Leader 2 7 9

    Grand total 65 199 264

     

    Eagle Scouts and Special Recognitions

    Senators Representatives Total

    Eagle Scout 8 14 22

    Silver Beaver Award recipient 1 2 3

    Grand total 9 16 25

     

    Eagle Scouts

    Senators

    Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico (D)

    Thad Cochran, Mississippi ®

    Michael Crapo, Idaho ®

    Michael B. Enzi, Wyoming ®

    Richard G. Lugar, Indiana ®

    Ben Nelson, Nebraska (D)

    Jeff Sessions, Alabama ®

    Gordon Smith, Oregon ®

    Representatives

    Gary L. Ackerman, New York (D)

    Sanford Bishop, Georgia (D)

    Richard A. Gephardt, Missouri (D)

    J. D. Hayworth, Arizona ®

    Jeb Hensarling, Texas ®

    Michael McNulty, New York (D)

    John P. Murtha, Pennsylvania (D)

    Rob Portmann, Ohio ®

    Dana Rohrabacher, California ®

    Pete Sessions, Texas ®

    Ike Skelton, Missouri (D)

    Christopher H. Smith, New Jersey ®

    Bart Stupak, Michigan (D)

    Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania ®

    Silver Beaver Award Recipients

    Senator

    George Voinovich, Ohio ®

    Representatives

    Bob Etheridge, North Carolina (D)

    Ike Skelton, Missouri (D)

    Scouting Participation

    Note: Scout denoted by "S"; adult volunteer leader denoted by "L"; Scout and leader denoted by "S&L."

     

    Alabama

    Sen. Jeff Sessions ®, S

    Sen. Richard C. Shelby ®, S

    Rep. Spencer Bachus ®, S

    Rep. Robert E. Cramer Jr. (D), S

    Rep. Michael D. Rogers ®, S

    Alaska

    Sen. Theodore F. Stevens ®, S&L

    Arizona

    Sen. Jon L. Kyl ®, S

    Sen. John S. McCain ®, S&L

    Rep. Jeff Flake ®, S&L

    Rep. J. D. Hayworth ®, S

    Rep. Rick Renzi ®, S

    Rep. John Shadegg ®, S

    Arkansas

    Rep. Marion Berry (D), S

    Rep. Michael Ross (D), S

    Rep. Vic Snyder (D), S

    California

    Rep. Howard L. Berman (D), S

    Rep. Ken Calvert ®, S

    Rep. C. Christopher Cox ®, S

    Rep. David Dreier ®, S

    Rep. Sam Farr (D), S

    Rep. Robert Filner (D), S

    Rep. Wally Herger ®, S

    Rep. Duncan Hunter ®, S

    Rep. Darrell Issa ®, S

    Rep. Tom Lantos (D), S

    Rep. Jerry Lewis ®, S

    Rep. Robert T. Matsui (D), S

    Rep. Howard McKeon ®, S&L

    Rep. Gary Miller ®, S

    Rep. George Miller (D), S

    Rep. Doug Ose ®, S

    Rep. George Radanovich ®, S

    Rep. Dana Rohrabacher ®, S

    Rep. Edward Royce ®, S

    Rep. Fortney H. Stark (D), S

    Rep. William M. Thomas ®, S

    Rep. Mike Thompson (D), S

    Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D), S

    Colorado

    Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell ®, S

    Rep. Bob Beauprez ®, L

    Rep. Scott McInnis ®, S

    Rep. Mark Udall (D), S

    Connecticut

    Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D), S

    Sen. Joe Lieberman (D), S

    Rep. John B. Larson (D), S

    Delaware

    Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D), S&L

    Sen. Thomas Carper (D), S&L

    Florida

    Sen. Bob Graham (D), S

    Rep. Michael Bilirakis ®, S&L

    Rep. Allen Boyd Jr. (D), S

    Rep. Jim Davis (D), S

    Rep. Peter Deutsch (D), S

    Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart ®, S

    Rep. Mark Foley ®, S&L

    Rep. John Mica ®, S

    Rep. E. Clay Shaw Jr. ®, S

    Rep. Cliff Stearns ®, S

    Rep. David Weldon ®, S

    Rep. Robert I. Wexler (D), S

    Rep. C. W. Bill Young ®, S

    Georgia

    Sen. Zell Miller (D), S

    Rep. Sanford Bishop (D), S

    Rep. Saxby Chambliss ®,S

    Rep. Phil Gingrey ®, S

    Rep. Charles Norwood ®, S

    Hawaii

    Rep. Ed Case (D), S&L

    Idaho

    Sen. Larry E. Craig ®, S

    Sen. Michael Crapo ®, S

    Rep. Mike Simpson ®, S

    Illinois

    Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D), S

    Rep. Philip M. Crane ®, S

    Rep. Danny Davis (D), L

    Rep. Lane A. Evans (D), S

    Rep. Timothy Johnson ®, S&L

    Rep. Mark Kirk ®, S

    Rep. Don Manzullo ®, S

    Rep. Bobby Rush (D), S

    Rep. Jerry Weller ®, S

    Indiana

    Sen. Evan Bayh (D), S

    Sen. Richard G. Lugar ®, S

    Rep. Dan Burton ®, S

    Rep. Steve Buyer ®, S

    Rep. Baron Hill (D), S

    Rep. Mike Pence ®, S

    Rep. Peter J. Visclosky (D), S

    Iowa

    Sen. Charles E. Grassley ®, S

    Rep. Steve King ®, S

    Rep. Jim Leach ®, S

    Kansas

    Sen. Pat Roberts ®, S

    Rep. Dennis Moore (D), S

    Rep. Jerry Moran ®, S

    Rep. Jim Ryun ®, S

    Kentucky

    Rep. Ron Lewis ®, S

    Rep. Harold Rogers ®, S&L

    Rep. Ed Whitfield ®, S

    Louisiana

    Sen. John B. Breaux (D), S

    Rep. Richard H. Baker ®, S&L

    Rep. Chris John (D), S

    Rep. David Vitter ®, S

    Maine

    Rep. Thomas H. Allen (D), S

    Maryland

    Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes (D), S

    Rep. C. A. Ruppersberger (D), S

    Rep. Albert Wynn (D), S

    Massachusetts

    Sen. John Kerry (D), S

    Rep. Barney Frank (D), S

    Rep. Edward J. Markey (D), S

    Rep. James P. McGovern (D), S

    Rep. John F. Tierney (D), S

    Michigan

    Rep. Dave Camp ®, S

    Rep. John D. Dingell (D), S&L

    Rep. Dale E. Kildee (D), L

    Rep. Nick Smith ®, S

    Rep. Bart Stupak (D), S

    Rep. Fred Upton ®, S&L

    Minnesota

    Rep. Gil Gutknecht ®, S

    Rep. Mark Kennedy ®, L

    Rep. James L. Oberstar (D), S

    Rep. Jim Ramstad ®, S

    Mississippi

    Sen. Trent Lott ®, S

    Rep. Bennie Thompson (D), S

    Rep. Roger Wicker ®, S

    Missouri

    Sen. Christopher S. Bond ®, S

    Rep. Todd Akin ®, L

    Rep. William L. Clay (D), S

    Rep. Richard A. Gephardt (D), S&L

    Rep. Kenny C. Hulshof ®, S

    Rep. Ike Skelton (D), S&L

    Montana

    Sen. Max Baucus (D), S

    Nebraska

    Sen. Chuck Hagel ®, S

    Sen. Ben Nelson (D), S

    Rep. Doug Bereuter ®, S

    Rep. Thomas Osborne ®, S

    Nevada

    Sen. Harry M. Reid (D), L

    New Hampshire

    Sen. Judd Gregg ®, S

    Rep. Jeb Bradley ®, S

    New Jersey

    Rep. Michael Ferguson ®, S

    Rep. Rush Holt (D), S&L

    Rep. Donald M. Payne (D), S

    Rep. Steven R. Rothman (D), S

    Rep. H. James Saxton ®, S&L

    Rep. Christopher H. Smith ®, S

    New Mexico

    Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D), S

    Sen. Pete V. Domenici ®, S

    Rep. Heather Wilson ®, L

    New York

    Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D), S

    Rep. Gary L. Ackerman (D), S&L

    Rep. Sherwood L. Boehlert ®, S&L

    Rep. Eliot L. Engel (D), S

    Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D), S

    Rep. Steve Israel (D), S

    Rep. John McHugh ®, S

    Rep. Michael McNulty (D), S

    Rep. Jack Quinn ®, S

    Rep. Edolphus Towns (D), L

    North Carolina

    Sen. John Edwards (D), S

    Rep. Cass Ballenger ®, S

    Rep. Howard Coble ®, S

    Rep. Bob Etheridge (D), S

    Rep. Robin Hayes ®, S&L

    Rep. Mike McIntyre (D), S&L

    Rep. Brad Miller, ®, S

    Rep. Charles H. Taylor ®, S

    North Dakota

    Sen. Kent Conrad (D), S

    Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D), S

    Ohio

    Sen. Mike DeWine ®, S

    Sen. George Voinovich ®, S

    Rep. Sherrod Brown (D), S

    Rep. Steve Chabot ®, S

    Rep. Paul E. Gillmor ®, S

    Rep. Tony P. Hall (D), S

    Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D), S

    Rep. Steven C. LaTourette ®, S&L

    Rep. Michael G. Oxley ®, S

    Rep. Rob Portman ®, S

    Oklahoma

    Sen. James M. Inhofe ®, S

    Sen. Don Nickles ®, S

    Rep. Ernest Istook, Jr. ®, S

    Rep. Frank Lucas ®, S

    Oregon

    Sen. Gordon Smith ®, S

    Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D), S

    Rep. Peter DeFazio ®, S

    Pennsylvania

    Rep. Michael Doyle (D), S

    Rep. Chaka Fattah (D), S

    Rep. Jim Gerlach ®, S

    Rep. Jim Greenwood ®, S

    Rep. Paul E. Kanjorski (D), S&L

    Rep. John P. Murtha (D), S&L

    Rep. Joseph R. Pitts ®, S

    Rep. Todd Platts ®, S

    Rep. Pat Toomey ®, S

    Rep. Curt Weldon ®, S&L

    Rhode Island

    Sen. Jack Reed (D), S

    South Carolina

    Sen. Ernest F. Hollings (D), S

    Rep. Henry Brown Jr. ®, S

    Rep. James Clyburn (D), S

    Rep. John M. Spratt Jr. (D), S

    Rep. Joe Wilson ®, L

    South Dakota

    Sen. Tim Johnson (D), S

    Tennessee

    Sen. Bill Frist ®, S

    Rep. Marsha Blackburn ®, L

    Rep. John J. Duncan Jr. ®, S&L

    Rep. Harold E. Ford Jr. (D), S

    Rep. Bart Gordon (D), S

    Rep. William L. Jenkins ®, S

    Rep. John S. Tanner (D), S

    Rep. Zach Wamp ®, S

    Texas

    Rep. Richard Armey ®, S

    Rep. Joe Barton ®, S&L

    Rep. Chris Bell (D), S

    Rep. Kevin P. Brady ®, S

    Rep. John Culberson ®, S

    Rep. Tom DeLay ®, S

    Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D), S

    Rep. Chet Edwards (D), S

    Rep. Martin Frost (D), S

    Rep. Jeb Hensarling, ®, S

    Rep. Sam Johnson ®, S

    Rep. Nicholas V. Lampson (D), S

    Rep. Solomon P. Ortiz (D), S&L

    Rep. Ron E. Paul ®, S

    Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D), S

    Rep. Max A. Sandlin (D), S

    Rep. Pete Sessions ®, S&L

    Rep. Charles W. Stenholm (D), S

    Rep. Jim Turner (D), S

    Utah

    Sen. Robert Bennett ®, S

    Sen. Orrin G. Hatch ®, S&L

    Vermont

    Sen. James M. Jeffords ®, S&L

    Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D), S&L

    Virginia

    Sen. George Allen ®, S

    Sen. John W. Warner ®, S

    Rep. Rick C. Boucher (D), S

    Rep. Thomas M. Davis III ®, S

    Rep. Randy Forbes ®, S

    Rep. Virgil H. Goode Jr. (D), S

    Rep. Robert Goodlatte ®, S

    Rep. Edward Schrock ®, S

    Rep. Bobby C. Scott (D), S

    Washington

    Rep. Norman D. Dicks (D), S

    Rep. Richard "Doc" Hastings ®, S

    Rep. George Nethercutt ®, S

    Rep. Adam Smith (D), S

    West Virginia

    Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D), S

    Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D), S

    Rep. Nick J. Rahall II (D), S

    Wisconsin

    Sen. Russ Feingold (D), S

    Rep. Mark Green ®, S

    Rep. Thomas E. Petri ®, S

    Wyoming

    Sen. Michael B. Enzi ®, S

    Sen. Craig Thomas ®, S

     

  13. Thought you'd find this interesting, do you know of others?

     

    Famous Eagle Scouts

     

    Bill Alexander - US Rep from Arkansas

    Gary L. Anderson - US Rep from NY

    Neil Armstrong - astronaut, first man on moon, from Wapakoneta, OH

    Charles E. Bennett - US Rep from Florida

    William Bennett - former Secretary of Education

    Bill Bradley - Pro basketball star and US Senator from NJ

    James Brady - press sec to Pres. Reagan

    Milton A. Caniff - comic strip artist "Steve Canyon"

    John W. Creighton, Jr. - President & CEO of Weyerhaeuser Company

    William E. Dannemeyer - US Rep from Cal.

    William Devries - MD, transplanted first artificial heart

    Michael Dukakis - former governor of Massachusetts

    Arthur Eldred - America's First Eagle Scout

    Gerald Ford - U.S. President (1st Eagle to be pres.)

    James Lovell - Navy pilot and astronaut, Flew on Gemini 7, 12 & Apollo 8, 13

    Richard Lugar - Senator from Indiana (presidential candidate 1996)

    J. Willard Marriott, Jr. - Pres. Marriott Corp.

    Sam Nunn - US Senator from Georgia

    Ellison Onizuka - Astronaut for Hawaii aboard the space shuttle Challenger

    H. Ross Perot - self-made billionaire and presidential candidate

    J. J. Pickle - US Rep from Texas, proudly displays his Eagle plaque inside his office

    Samuel R. Pierce - former Sec. Housing & Urban Development

    Harrison Salisbury - Pulitzer Prize winning author

    William Sessions - former FBI director

    Steven Spielberg - Movie producer

    Wallace Stegner - Won a Pulitzer Prize in 1972 for "Angle of Repose"

    Percy Sutton - Attorney, Chairman of the Board of City Broadcasting Corp.

    John Tesh - TV celebrity and pianist

    Famous Scouts, but not Eagles

     

    Henry Aaron - baseball player, home run king

    Walter Cronkite, Journalist, TV commentator

    Richard Dean Anderson - taught Reptile Study, actor

    Charles F. Barber - CEO of American Smelting & refining

    Bill Clinton - Cub Scout, President of US

    Harrison Ford - Life, taught Reptile Study, actor "Indiana Jones"

    Bill Gates - Life, founder of Microsoft Corp.

    David Hartman - TV personality

    Cub Scout, Bruce Jenner, Olympic Gold Medal Decathlon

    John F Kennedy - first US President who was a Scout

    Branford Marsalis - Life Scout, Jazz musician

    Merlin Olson - Pro football player and sportscaster

    Eddie Rabbitt - Country & Western singer

    John Ritter - actor, son of singer Tex Ritter

    Richard Roundtree - actor

    Nolan Ryan - pro baseball pitcher

    Alberto Salazar - Life, 3 time winner NY marathon

    Mark Spitz, Cub Scout, Olympic Gold Medal Swimmer

    James Stewart - actor, USAF B. General, B-17 pilot in WWII

    Joe Theisman - Life, former QB, Washington Redskins

    Peter Ueberroth, Cub Scout, Former Commissioner of Baseball

  14. Sorry I guess I should have said more. This was off a website that people give stuff away (recycle) to keep the landfills clear. An Adult, unassociated with scouting, posted an offer of a backpack. And when I wrote to say I wanted it for my three boys in scouting, he sent the above reply.

     

    I told him that I was sorry he felt that way but if he reseached the facts instead of trusting the press, he could see that Scouting is not that way. That sex and sexual orientation has nothing to do with scouts and if I, as a woman leader, put on a bikini and flirted with the boy scouts at summer camp, I'd be asked to leave the program as well. As far as religion, Scouting encompsses many beliefs and backgrounds.

     

    I went on to thank him for responding and that if he were really interested he could look into it more. Then even if he still did not wish to support scouting, as least it would be more of an imformed decision.

     

    Great website btw, www.freecycle.org It's set up for your specific area and people list things they are giving away or want. The only stipulation is that is HAS to be free and that it is tangible. Check it out.

  15. Say, I found someone on the internet that was giving away a backpack. So I wrote to say that I had three boys in scouting that could use the pack.

     

    He wrote back to say that "Sorry Shell but I can't in good faith give it to someone who is involved in an organization, no matter how worthy they are such as the Boy Scouts that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and religious beliefs."

     

    I've had this a few times and one of my boys faced this last fall. I'm just curious, what do you say in cases like this? I already answered him back, but I was just curious what you would say.

     

     

     

  16. I did the mistake of reading this post while on a break here at work. Someone will really questions why I'm teary eyed if they walk into my office just now.

     

    All I can say is yes, it is very sad that a 16 year old was called home so soon. But it just goes to show you that whatever time we take for the "small things" is all the more worth it. I'm sure that boy had a better life on earth because someone like you took the time to expand his horizons. And for whatever purpose God had him serving here on earth, I'm sure God used you as an instrument as well.

     

    Don't take it for granted that you will have tomorrow, but live for today, and do and be all that you can for one another. Our time on earth is but temperary.

     

    BTW, Hug your child! That is a moment he will treasure, even if it takes him 10-20 years to figure it out!

  17. Then I misread the post, Blaze. Sometimes I just read things too fast! ;)

     

    It's true that it's hard to get people to "step up," but what I've done minimizes that. When I was involved with the pack, I'd pass around a "talent sheet" for the parents to fill out. IF they didn't fill it out, I"d askt he questions and fill in out myself. Then I'd find a job for them, big or small, whatever I felt they'd enjoy doing.

     

    And when you go to them personally with a SPECIFIC job in mind, they rarely said no. Sometimes they'd start with "small" jobs and learn that they were capable with so much more. In a year or so, we'd have most of the parents groomed for worthy volunteers.

     

    And maybe it's not what everyone does, but in our pack, we had ALL parent register as committee member. They felt that sense of belonging when we did that. And we did require as least one contributiion a year from each parent. It could be one event, phone tree, or a larger position. Harder to say no when asked to do a job. ;)

     

    In the troop I'm involved with now, it's a bit harder to do but I'm worming them in. ;)

     

    In the largr position though, we never positioned someone up for failure. WE were luck enough to fill the positions with capable people. WE also told them their commitment was for one year, but they usuall stayed on for longer once they realized it wasn't that hard to do.

  18. I moved my own boys around in 4 different packs looking for what fit our needs. Then I have the boys in a troop. I also do alot of District level things some of which is dealing with all the packs with daycamp and dealing with all the troops in our district for camporee, Jumboree, and helping out at district level recharter, among other things.

     

    Guess I've been lucky to have found several if not all of the packs and troops I deal with to be doing their jobs right. No one I know of in our district is phonying up people to fill positions. They may be stepping up to the plate with a shephards crook on their arm but they are in the position when they sign. I'm glad to see that in our district, the boys are learning the right lessons of right and wrong. I'm sorry to hear that others are not.

  19. Our troop is still working on improving their site. But as far as types of info on it. I can share what my troop boys and parents like to see.

     

    I'm the advancment chair of the troop, and I've posted things for the boys like:

    where to go to find service projects,

    a Life to Eagle guideline,

    Tenderfoot guideline

    how to advance the next three ranks

    Merit Badges and Councelors available within the troop and outside

    What a BOR is like and "how to be ready"

     

    For the adults, I have guidelines for;

    How to conduct a BOR and what's expected

    Sign up for MB Counseling

    How to "help" the boy advance and still let THEM do it

     

    Other things on the site are;

    How to pack for an outing, car camping vs hiking, etc

    How to choose equuipment to purchase and best places to go

    The troop inventory available for check out (tents, stoves, bags, etc)

    How a patrol can plan for their outing

    How to request an outing from the Troop committee and to get adult support

    Tour permit forms (or where to go for them)

     

    The troop patrols also do monthly demos and such at the meeting, many times they will post information about the subject they did at the meeting.

     

    And we have fun stuff like pictures of our outings, district and Council events they may wish to participate in, etc.

     

    As far as the legalities of the site, i don't really know. But I do know that when posting pictures, we only mention first names. And they haven't posted a roster online like many have requested due to security.

     

    Colors, it's really up to you. I know that I gravitate to sites that are somewhat simple in nature or it's hard to read and get the info you're looking for. Boy scout colors would be easy and appropriate, but maybe a outdoor themed site would also be fun to use. (twig letters, outdoor equipment clipart, mountain or terrain backgrounds, etc)

     

    Hope that gies you some ideas to work with.....Have fun! You know what would really be good, let your boy socut counterpart work with you on the troop site too. In our troop, it's the troop Scribe. But you could also elect a seperate webmaster. Let them get something out of it too.

     

     

     

×
×
  • Create New...