shortridge

D'oh! You're right. Sorry, those details bite ya in the butt every time. But regardless, a 21-year-old couldn't have been an advisor for the two years immediately preceeding his 21st birthday. The transition *is* a difficult one. But I've witnessed quite a few 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds who've remained active in Scouting precisely because the OA gave them an outlet to do so in a senior leadership level not available to them otherwise. I think it's a good thing, generally.

We had three inductions/service weekends throughout the year - April, June and October-ish. I can't imagine doing seven! The June weekend traditionally has been held at the larger of the two council camps, with the main service project being set-up of tents en masse so summer staff didn't have to handle that. April was at the smaller of the two camps, and October rotated. But an interesting note. This year, the lodge turned the traditional June inductions weekeend into a "fellowship" weekend, with no Ordeals, just fun, swimming in the pool, etc. Only 77 people showed up - less than h

To clarify: ... So the "changes" to NYLT just involve little dangly things for grown-ups? ... And there aren't any changes coming in 2009 to the actual program? For youth? Give me a break! Talk about a tempest in a coffee pot.

kahits, I'm sorry if I'm misreading something, but I'm a bit confused. You say that a 21-year-old was the chapter advisor, and had been for two years. A 21-year-old would be a youth in the OA, and thus unable to serve as an advisor. Chief, yes, advisor, no.

zippy: General best practice in case of a thunderstorm is to pull everyone out of the water - pool or waterfront. At the summer camp where I worked, we had a storm emergency drill at least once a week, usually on the first full day of camp. But there weren't any buildings with basements, except perhaps the ranger's house, and it's pretty flat territory (no ravines).

Sorry - I should have been a bit more clear. I'm interested in compiling a history of a Scout camp itself - from founding to modern day.

Does anyone out there have advice or suggestions on how to go about compiling a camp history? I'm looking at starting a Web site, asking for Council records, going through newspaper clippings, approaching former staff members and generally spreading the word, asking for recollections, photos, songbooks, etc. But I'm wondering if there are any specific techniques that others have used that have worked well.

I love the idea of the chapter sponsoring a camporee. I wish I'd taken that initiative in my day. But boy, do those three guys have a big task ahead of them! I'd encourage them to use their time on camp staff this summer to mine other peoples' experiences and advice. They've got one of the biggest and best resource pools right at hand there.

I've been there. I was elected chapter secretary of a largely inactive chapter because I was one of the few youths to show up. I didn't do much myself. A while later, when I got very interested in the OA, I took over as chapter chief. (No election, it was a coup. ;-) ) Sounds like you're on the right track. Rebuilding is slow but rewarding. You don't say how large the district is, but geography can pose obstacles. My old chapter held its meetings the same night as district meetings to make transportation easier. Are other chapters in the lodge experiencing similar problems, or h

Anyone made money (or lost money) selling outdoors-type products - pocketknives, homemade firestarters, bandanas, maps, guidebooks, etc.? Someone mentioned calendars, but has anyone tried those paper placemats?

While it's not a Scout-specific discount, Bass Pro Shops is offering a 3-4-person dome tent for $19.99 (no s/h), valued at $45, through June 30, 2008, or while supplies last. The brand is Boulder Creek, which I've never heard of - might be a Bass Pro house brand. It's 7x7 with a 50" center height, and weighs 6.03 pounds, according to the advert, so it might not be ideal for backpacking. It also doesn't appear to have a full rainfly. But it sounds like a good deal for families, a Cub pack or a younger Scout troop/patrol starting out and on a tight budget. There's a one-per-customer li

General advice: Go to the bathroom immediately after dinner, because you won't get a chance for a while during the evening rush hours. A trading post can't go wrong with ice cream, of any sort. Order a ton of Hot Sparks (or whatever the equivalent is these days). They're relatively cheap and popular. Fuel-tab stoves (Esbit is one brand) and miscellaneous firestarters also go into that category. Could also offer homemade tinder bags (lint from the staff laundry!) or firestarters. Have plenty of gimp/craft lace on hand. Ditto for cheap and popular. Consider selling multitools

Re: factory issues... I'm sure this debate has taken place many, many times before, but I'd like to offer my two bits. Please also consider the pressure by some leaders to have their Scouts passed, or else. That can definitely contribute to a factory atmosphere. If 15- and 16-year-old first-time summer camp instructors worry about getting flack from Scouters, there's a definite motivation there (and not a good one). Some badges don't take a full week to earn - look at Basketry. On the flip side, there are some badges that just shouldn't be taught at a summer camp - without a pro

Slightly off topic, but I was interested by John-in-KC's post. If a prospective employer requires that I complete a certain training or certification - such as Camp School - my first assumption is that the employer pays for that training. That was how my former camp employer handled it when I completed the Scoutcraft Director course at Hawk Mountain. But is that not common? Did I just get lucky? Do most camps make their directors pay for NCS on their own? And can individuals sign up for NCS on their own, without camp or council sponsorship? (The exception to my rule above is if

Love the foil dinner idea! * Instead of just a line of Scouts, consider a saluting "arch," much like sword arches, as the happy couple leaves the church/synagogue/ceremonial location. * His fiance could present him with a spoof "Listening" MB. * Miniature lightbulb faux campfires as table centerpieces. * Poison ivy in the bouquet. (All right, just kidding.)

Here are a few program ideas from my days on the staff of a Cub resident camp: * Cardboard castles. We had a never-ending supply of Sysco, etc., corrugated boxes that leaders cut and kids flattened out, taped up and drew/painted on to make a gigantic castle. Each den that visited the area added on and made their own contribution. If it rained, we propped it up the best we could and tore it down between program weeks so the next group could start anew. * Graffiti. Get a big piece of spare fencing - tall, with no holes between the fenceposts - paint it white, then prop it up and give t

A question for everyone out there, professionals and volunteers alike: What advice would you give to a former Scout considering a career in the 'pro' ranks? I'm not looking for advice on how to do a good job vis-a-vis volunteers and Scouts - that seems to have been covered many times in other threads - but in other words: What questions should they ask of themselves? What sacrifices should they be prepared to make? Is it possible to have no fundraising experience and do a good job as an entry-level DE? Is it possible to have a personal and family life and do a good job? Assuming good job

Just what kind of "pattern" are you referring to? Are you making an accusation? [[ EDITED: I just found the old threads, sorry. Never mind. Don't mean to rehash. ]] ANY incident like this is "unfortunate," to put it extremely mildly. My prayers and thoughts go out to the boy's family and friends. Hug your own children, or grandchildren, or nieces and nephews, close every day.(This message has been edited by shortridge)

Interesting concept - staff splitting time between program and service areas. Does anyone know if this is a common practice? In the mid-90s, when I worked on program staff at Henson Scout Reservation/Camp Nanticoke in Maryland, program staff worked in program areas and service staff worked in service areas. Since we split our summer between Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, there was some reshuffling of program staff for Cubs - younger instructors and CITs became "program specialists" paired with Cub packs. It seems like the program/service split is a very smart way for camps to fill the se

Sorry if this is off-topic... I attended NCS for Scoutcraft/Outdoor Skills at Hawk Mountain, Pa., back in 1998. At the end of the summer, knowing I wouldn't be able to come back next year, I gave my green binder full of goodies to the camp for general reference use. I'm now looking to return to Scouting as a Scouter (after a hiatus to finish college and start a family and career), and am trying to brush up on my rusty skills. There was a ton of stuff in the NCS Scoutcraft binder that I'm now kicking myself for giving up, and I'm wondering if anyone out there knows of a way to get my hands

Full-time job: Daddy. To pay the bills: Newspaper reporter.

For what it's worth... After a youth "career" in Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting and five years of working on camp staff, I'm really glad that I have a daughter who'll start out wearing a (really cute) blue tunic as a Girl Scout Daisy. Simple and straightforward and - hopefully - durable. We adults can generally keep a single uniform intact and in good shape with care for many years. But parents are looking at multiple growth spurts throughout the teenage years, and thus multiple uniforms. They daren't even start to think about what happens if their boy (gasp!) tears or spills something o